COSRX-focused skincare routine for skin with dark spots
A complete routine for skin with dark spots built entirely from COSRX products.
Cleansers, moisturizers, and serums with niacinamide help reduce hyperpigmentation and even out skin tone. Cleansing toners with salicylic acid and BHA clear out pores and help fade dark spots, while sunscreens with titanium dioxide and zinc oxide protect against sun spots.
The morning routine prepares the skin for the day: it cleans off the night, hydrates, and protects, with sunscreen as its last step. The evening routine removes sunscreen, makeup, and the day's oil, then treats the skin while it rests away from the sun. This weekly routine takes the place of the evening routine once a week to add deeper exfoliating steps and masks for hyperpigmentation, sun spots, and uneven skin tone.
The British Journal of Dermatology, 2002Journal of Drugs in Dermatology, 2013The Journal of Dermatological Treatment, 2022Frontiers in Medicine, 2025
Products are rated for the concerns frequently associated with dark spots: hyperpigmentation, sun spots, and uneven skin tone. For a routine based on your full skin profile, including your 12D face scan results and any goals or preferences you have, please use the Lovi app.
Morning
Step 1Cleanser
Cleansers with niacinamide help improve skin texture and barrier function, while cleansers with hyaluronic acid and glycerin help hydrate and support a more even skin tone. Cleansers with willow bark extract gently exfoliate to improve clarity, and this step is used every morning and every evening and once a week in place of the evening routine.
-
COSRX
Advanced Snail Mucin Gel Cleanser
S$18.49
-
COSRX
AC Collection Calming Foam Cleanser
S$15.41
-
COSRX
Salicylic Acid Daily Gentle Cleanser
S$14.17
-
COSRX
Low pH Good Morning Gel Cleanser
S$14.38
-
CeraVe
Foaming Facial Cleanser
S$30.40
-
Fresh
Soy Face Cleanser
S$30.00
-
make p:rem
Safe Me. Relief Moisture Cleansing Foam
S$35.33
-
iS Clinical
Cleansing Complex
S$68.81
Step 2Hydrating Toner
The hydrating toner step in this routine is used every morning. Hydrating toners with hyaluronic acid and glycerin help boost moisture and smooth the skin, while ingredients like retinol and licorice root extract may help fade dark spots and even out skin tone.
-
COSRX
Full Fit Propolis Synergy Toner
S$41.07
-
COSRX
Centella Water Alcohol-Free Toner
S$16.86
-
ma:nyo
Bifida Biome Ampoule Toner
S$36.16
-
Nature Republic
Soothing & Moisture Aloe Vera 90% Toner
S$32.26
-
Pixi
Retinol Tonic
S$34.28
-
Sulwhasoo
Essential Balancing Water
S$98.30
-
Whamisa
Organic Flowers Toner Deep Rich
S$64.81
-
Fresh
Rose Deep Hydration Facial Toner
S$69.00
Step 3Moisturizer
Moisturizers with niacinamide and Centella Asiatica extract help improve pigmentation and soothe dry areas, while formulations with hyaluronic acid and glycerin boost hydration. These products are used every morning and every evening, and once a week in place of the evening routine.
-
COSRX
Advanced Snail 96 Mucin Power Essence
S$19.05
-
COSRX
The 6 Peptide Skin Booster Serum
S$23.31
-
COSRX
Oil-Free Ultra-Moisturizing Lotion (with Birch Sap)
S$20.88
-
COSRX
Advanced Snail 92 All in One Cream
S$19.75
-
COSRX
Balancium Comfort Ceramide Cream
S$20.14
-
COSRX
Full Fit Propolis Light Ampoule
S$20.33
-
COSRX
Advanced Snail Radiance Dual Essence
S$25.17
-
COSRX
AC Collection Lightweight Soothing Moisturizer
S$28.79
-
COSRX
The Hyaluronic Acid 3 Serum
S$21.00
Step 4SPF
In the Lovi routine for this skin the sunscreen step is used every morning. Sunscreens and lotions with titanium dioxide, zinc oxide, and avobenzone help defend against UV rays to prevent sun spots and hyperpigmentation, while formulas with niacinamide, vitamin C, and hyaluronic acid help brighten an uneven skin tone.
-
COSRX
Ultra-Light Invisible Sunscreen
S$12.84
-
COSRX
Aloe Soothing Sun Cream
S$12.91
-
COSRX
Vitamin E Vitalizing Sunscreen SPF 50+
S$35.78
-
d'Alba
UVessence Mild Waterfull Sun Cream SPF 50
S$36.14
-
ISDIN
Eryfotona Actinica SPF 50+
S$110.01
-
d'Alba
Piedmont Waterfull Mild Sunscreen
S$36.14
-
make p:rem
UV Defense Me Daily Sun Fluid SPF 50+ PA++++
S$40.56
-
Altruist
SPF 50 Sunscreen
S$30.92
Evening
Step 1Pre-Cleanser
Makeup removers with Centella Asiatica extract and licorice root extract help calm skin and address pigmentation concerns. This step is used every evening and once a week, in place of the evening routine.
-
COSRX
The Niacinamide 15 Serum
S$20.28
-
Pyunkang Yul
Deep Clear Cleansing Balm
S$30.07
-
Shu Uemura
Ultime8 Sublime Beauty Cleansing Oil
S$70.21
-
MISSHA
Ultra Hyalon Cleansing Cream
S$39.68
-
Cetaphil
Gentle Makeup Removing Wipes
S$26.25
-
Erno Laszlo
Hydra-Therapy Cleansing Oil
S$76.01
-
Purito
From Green Cleansing Oil
S$27.66
-
DHC
Pore Cleansing Oil
S$39.91
Step 2Cleanser
Cleansers with niacinamide help improve skin texture and barrier function, while cleansers with hyaluronic acid and glycerin help hydrate and support a more even skin tone. Cleansers with willow bark extract gently exfoliate to improve clarity, and this step is used every morning and every evening and once a week in place of the evening routine.
-
COSRX
Advanced Snail Mucin Gel Cleanser
S$18.49
-
COSRX
AC Collection Calming Foam Cleanser
S$15.41
-
COSRX
Salicylic Acid Daily Gentle Cleanser
S$14.17
-
COSRX
Low pH Good Morning Gel Cleanser
S$14.38
-
CeraVe
Foaming Facial Cleanser
S$30.40
-
Fresh
Soy Face Cleanser
S$30.00
-
make p:rem
Safe Me. Relief Moisture Cleansing Foam
S$35.33
-
iS Clinical
Cleansing Complex
S$68.81
Step 3Cleansing Toner
Cleansing toners with lactic acid, salicylic acid, and glycolic acid help sweep away impurities and fade dark spots, while panthenol and hyaluronic acid soothe and hydrate your skin. This step is used every evening and once a week, in place of the evening routine.
-
COSRX
AHA/BHA Clarifying Treatment Toner
S$16.86
-
Medicube
Zero Pore Pad 2.0
S$36.48
-
Glow Recipe
Watermelon Glow PHA + BHA Pore-Tight Toner
S$26.26
-
The INKEY List
PHA Toner
S$26.18
-
Biossance
Squalane + BHA Pore-Minimizing Toner
S$50.83
-
Isntree
Chestnut BHA 0.9% Clear Toner
S$30.60
-
Isntree
Clear Skin BHA Toner
S$30.60
-
Beauty of Joseon
Green Plum Refreshing Toner
S$23.89
Step 4Serum or Treatment
Serums with niacinamide, tranexamic acid, vitamin C and glycolic acid help target dark spots and even out skin tone. These treatments are used every evening and once a week, in place of the evening routine.
-
COSRX
Galactomyces 95 Tone Balancing Essence
S$19.46
-
COSRX
AHA 7 Whitehead Power Liquid
S$31.82
-
COSRX
Pure Fit Cica Serum
S$17.36
-
COSRX
Two In One Poreless Power Liquid
S$19.75
-
COSRX
The Retinol 0.1 Cream
S$17.13
-
COSRX
The Vitamin C 23 Serum
S$21.58
-
COSRX
BHA Blackhead Power Liquid
S$17.75
-
COSRX
The Niacinamide 15 Serum
S$20.28
-
COSRX
The Alpha-Arbutin 2 Discoloration Care
S$22.47
-
COSRX
Centella Blemish Cream
S$16.09
-
COSRX
One Step Original Clear Pad
S$21.00
-
COSRX
Acne Pimple Master Patch
S$28.42
Step 5Moisturizer
Moisturizers with niacinamide and Centella Asiatica extract help improve pigmentation and soothe dry areas, while formulations with hyaluronic acid and glycerin boost hydration. These products are used every morning and every evening, and once a week in place of the evening routine.
-
COSRX
Advanced Snail 96 Mucin Power Essence
S$19.05
-
COSRX
The 6 Peptide Skin Booster Serum
S$23.31
-
COSRX
Oil-Free Ultra-Moisturizing Lotion (with Birch Sap)
S$20.88
-
COSRX
Advanced Snail 92 All in One Cream
S$19.75
-
COSRX
Balancium Comfort Ceramide Cream
S$20.14
-
COSRX
Full Fit Propolis Light Ampoule
S$20.33
-
COSRX
Advanced Snail Radiance Dual Essence
S$25.17
-
COSRX
AC Collection Lightweight Soothing Moisturizer
S$28.79
-
COSRX
The Hyaluronic Acid 3 Serum
S$21.00
Once a week
Step 1Pre-Cleanser
Makeup removers with Centella Asiatica extract and licorice root extract help calm skin and address pigmentation concerns. This step is used every evening and once a week, in place of the evening routine.
-
COSRX
The Niacinamide 15 Serum
S$20.28
-
Pyunkang Yul
Deep Clear Cleansing Balm
S$30.07
-
Shu Uemura
Ultime8 Sublime Beauty Cleansing Oil
S$70.21
-
MISSHA
Ultra Hyalon Cleansing Cream
S$39.68
-
Cetaphil
Gentle Makeup Removing Wipes
S$26.25
-
Erno Laszlo
Hydra-Therapy Cleansing Oil
S$76.01
-
Purito
From Green Cleansing Oil
S$27.66
-
DHC
Pore Cleansing Oil
S$39.91
Step 2Cleanser
Cleansers with niacinamide help improve skin texture and barrier function, while cleansers with hyaluronic acid and glycerin help hydrate and support a more even skin tone. Cleansers with willow bark extract gently exfoliate to improve clarity, and this step is used every morning and every evening and once a week in place of the evening routine.
-
COSRX
Advanced Snail Mucin Gel Cleanser
S$18.49
-
COSRX
AC Collection Calming Foam Cleanser
S$15.41
-
COSRX
Salicylic Acid Daily Gentle Cleanser
S$14.17
-
COSRX
Low pH Good Morning Gel Cleanser
S$14.38
-
CeraVe
Foaming Facial Cleanser
S$30.40
-
Fresh
Soy Face Cleanser
S$30.00
-
make p:rem
Safe Me. Relief Moisture Cleansing Foam
S$35.33
-
iS Clinical
Cleansing Complex
S$68.81
Step 3Cleansing Toner
Cleansing toners with lactic acid, salicylic acid, and glycolic acid help sweep away impurities and fade dark spots, while panthenol and hyaluronic acid soothe and hydrate your skin. This step is used every evening and once a week, in place of the evening routine.
-
COSRX
AHA/BHA Clarifying Treatment Toner
S$16.86
-
Medicube
Zero Pore Pad 2.0
S$36.48
-
Glow Recipe
Watermelon Glow PHA + BHA Pore-Tight Toner
S$26.26
-
The INKEY List
PHA Toner
S$26.18
-
Biossance
Squalane + BHA Pore-Minimizing Toner
S$50.83
-
Isntree
Chestnut BHA 0.9% Clear Toner
S$30.60
-
Isntree
Clear Skin BHA Toner
S$30.60
-
Beauty of Joseon
Green Plum Refreshing Toner
S$23.89
Step 4Nourishing Mask
The nourishing mask step is used once a week in place of the evening routine. Nourishing masks with niacinamide and ascorbyl glucoside help target dark spots and enhance radiance, while masks with licorice root extract and centella asiatica extract help even out skin tone.
-
COSRX
Ultimate Nourishing Rice Overnight Spa Mask
S$13.28
-
COSRX
Advanced Snail Mucin Power Sheet Mask
S$30.82
-
COSRX
Full Fit Propolis Honey Overnight Mask
S$17.53
-
COSRX
Advanced Snail Mucin Glass Glow Hydrogel Mask
S$14.13
-
SK-II
Whitening Source Derm Revival Mask
S$238.73
-
Garnier SkinActive
Moisture Bomb Sheet Mask
S$17.61
-
MEDIHEAL
Collagen Essential Mask
S$62.94
-
I'm From
Mugwort Mask
S$27.17
Step 5Serum or Treatment
Serums with niacinamide, tranexamic acid, vitamin C and glycolic acid help target dark spots and even out skin tone. These treatments are used every evening and once a week, in place of the evening routine.
-
COSRX
Galactomyces 95 Tone Balancing Essence
S$19.46
-
COSRX
AHA 7 Whitehead Power Liquid
S$31.82
-
COSRX
Pure Fit Cica Serum
S$17.36
-
COSRX
Two In One Poreless Power Liquid
S$19.75
-
COSRX
The Retinol 0.1 Cream
S$17.13
-
COSRX
The Vitamin C 23 Serum
S$21.58
-
COSRX
BHA Blackhead Power Liquid
S$17.75
-
COSRX
The Niacinamide 15 Serum
S$20.28
-
COSRX
The Alpha-Arbutin 2 Discoloration Care
S$22.47
-
COSRX
Centella Blemish Cream
S$16.09
-
COSRX
One Step Original Clear Pad
S$21.00
-
COSRX
Acne Pimple Master Patch
S$28.42
Step 6Moisturizer
Moisturizers with niacinamide and Centella Asiatica extract help improve pigmentation and soothe dry areas, while formulations with hyaluronic acid and glycerin boost hydration. These products are used every morning and every evening, and once a week in place of the evening routine.
-
COSRX
Advanced Snail 96 Mucin Power Essence
S$19.05
-
COSRX
The 6 Peptide Skin Booster Serum
S$23.31
-
COSRX
Oil-Free Ultra-Moisturizing Lotion (with Birch Sap)
S$20.88
-
COSRX
Advanced Snail 92 All in One Cream
S$19.75
-
COSRX
Balancium Comfort Ceramide Cream
S$20.14
-
COSRX
Full Fit Propolis Light Ampoule
S$20.33
-
COSRX
Advanced Snail Radiance Dual Essence
S$25.17
-
COSRX
AC Collection Lightweight Soothing Moisturizer
S$28.79
-
COSRX
The Hyaluronic Acid 3 Serum
S$21.00
Research behind this routine
The effect of niacinamide on reducing cutaneous pigmentation and suppression of melanosome transfer
Glycerol and the skin: holistic approach to its origin and functions
Photoprotection beyond ultraviolet radiation: A review of tinted sunscreens
Efficacy Evaluation of a Topical Hyaluronic Acid Serum in Facial Photoaging
Behind this routine
Lovi builds every routine from each product's full ingredient list with brand-independent rules our dermatologists and cosmetic chemists build and review, and personalizes every pick with AI trained on the real results of millions of users. Lovi trains its fit score models on a proprietary dataset built from more than 10,000 expert-labeled products and more than 100,000 simulated examples, following an internally consistent methodology presented at Cosmoprof, AMWC, and Skin of Color Update.
-

Co-founder, Medical Director
Cosmetic chemist, cosmetologist, aesthetic products developer
-

Co-founder, CEO and CTO
PhD in computer science, 3x US patent holder, ex-Google, ex-Yandex
-

Dr. Sof铆a Perea P茅rez, MD, MSc
Medical Board
Aesthetic medicine practitioner, MSc in Longevity and Anti-Aging Medicine
-

Medical Board
Specialist dermatologist, MBBS, MD, IFAAD
-

Medical Board
Cosmetic chemist, SCS, IFSCC member
-

Medical Board, Medical Advisor
Dermatology MD
-

Elina Nazarenko, MD
Medical Board
Dermatology and diagnostic consultant
-

Victoria Derkova, MS
Medical Board
Cosmetic chemist, cosmetic development technologist
Get a routine for your skin
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