I slapped this on after a pimple left its usual parting gift — a purple-brown stamp that takes months to fade. Most 5% niacinamide serums feel like someone diluted a vitamin B3 shot with tap water. This one’s different.
The trick isn’t the percentage. It’s what they *didn’t* add. No fragrance, no essential oils, no drying alcohols. You’d think “gentle” means “does nothing.” Nope.
🔬 **Three Things Before You Buy**
$22. A 5% niacinamide serum with squalane and centella. The brand claims it fades dark spots without the peeling drama of vitamin C or retinoids.
1. **Mugwort + licorice root** — Not just filler. Both block melanin production *and* calm redness. Smart combo.
2. **Squalane as the base** — Most niacinamide serums are watery and sticky. This one slides like a light moisturizer.
3. **pH balanced at 5.5** — Sounds boring but means zero stinging. Even when your barrier is pissed off.
Photo: Christian Agbede / Unsplash
✨ **What’s Actually Inside**
The formula reads like a K-beauty chemist’s personal project. Niacinamide at 5% (the sweet spot — less is weak, more is irritation city). Squalane for slip. Centella for repair. Licorice root for targeted fading.
- Niacinamide 5%: Regulates oil + fades pigment without purging
- Squalane: Mimics skin’s natural oils, absorbs in 10 seconds
- Centella Asiatica: Calms the redness niacinamide can trigger
- Licorice Root: Glabridin blocks tyrosinase — the enzyme that makes melanin
📊 **The Texture Test**
Watery but not runny. Three drops cover your whole face. Absorbs in 8 seconds — I timed it. Zero stickiness. Smells like… nothing. Thank god.
Week two hit and I noticed something weird: my forehead looked less greasy by 4pm. That’s the niacinamide regulating oil. But the dark spot? Still there. Fading started around week three. Not gone. Just softer. Like someone turned down the contrast.
💡 **One Thing** — Use it before moisturizer, not after. The squalane needs direct skin contact to sink in. Layering over thick cream makes it sit on top and pill.
💡 **Real Talk: Did It Work?**
The old acne marks on my jawline faded about 40% in 4 weeks. Not dramatic. Not nothing. The sun spots on my cheek? Barely budged. This isn’t a laser. It’s a gentle nudge.
🧪 **Final Call**
**6.8/10** — Good for what it is, not what it claims to be.
🛍️ **Where to Buy** — Olive Young or Amazon. Get the travel size first — it’ll last 6 weeks and save you regret if it doesn’t work.