Melasma treatment for Face Cica Intensive Serum 1.01fl.oz/30ml

I ordered this serum because I have some darker spots on my neck, likely from sun damage, and I was hoping to find something full of active ingredients that was also gentle enough for my neck (where the skin seems to be more sensitive/reactive than my face). I was excited to find that I did not experience any stinging, redness, or irritation!Equally important to me, I did not notice any fragrance.The serum is on the thinner side, and spreads well. After my first use, I took care to pump gently so a bit less came out, because a little goes a long way. It absorbs well but does leave just a bit of shine and slightly sticky texture; I use this at night so it isn't a deal-breaker at all. I do wear SPF every single day, so that may be a factor, but I did not experience any increased sun sensitivity on the days following my use of this serum.

Discoloration from sun exposure is one thing, but melasma is a whole different type of discoloration that is particularly hard to treat. It often appears on women's faces during pregnancy or menopause and is notoriously difficult to remove. I have seemingly tried every product under the sun, most with no or fair results. I am hopeful for this CARE:NEL Melasma treatment for Face Cica Intensive Serum as it contains ingredients that have been shown to improve the look of affected skin: niacinamide and tranexamic acid, as well as new-to-me ingredients such as MadeWhite and Centella Asiatica. I don't know specifically what these products do, but I am hopeful as Korean skincare is some of the best in the world. Obviously, any real results won't be visible for some time, perhaps as much as 8 week or more. In the meantime, I'll continue to use this serum and hope for good results. It's unscented, and easy to smooth on. It absorbed quickly, and could be used under makeup or other moisturizers. It made my skin feel hydrated, at the very least. The package recommends using twice a day, so I will continue to do that. The size bottle should easily last me a couple months at that rate. Here's hoping my dark spots are banished for good!

This serum is on the thicker side, has a lotion consistency and off-white yellowish color. Very subtle smell. Soaks in pretty fast, leaves a natural finish, non-greasy (despite containing olive and coconut oils). The active ingredients are what we’d expect from a melasma treatment: tranexamic acid, niacinamide and acetyl glucosamine (which pair together well for discoloration), and several soothers such as zinc PCA, coptis japonica root extract and centella asiatica. Plus the brand’s patented MadeWhite ingredient with madecassoside (which has anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties). Full ingredient list in my photo, quite a cocktail! My skin seems to like this, remains to be seen how it does in the long run.

I have dark spots and freckles all over my face from sun damage and this melasma serum helps to lighten my skin without irritating it. It's lightweight, non-tacky, non-greasy and dries quickly. I would say that they should make a bigger bottle because 1 fl oz runs out really fast. After a month of use, I would need a new bottle.

The ingredient list for this serum is great—tranexamic acid is one of the few proven ingredients that actually help fade dark spots. Also I checked it with a skincare ingredients analyzer and there are no harsh or red-flag components. It does contain fragrance though. It is moisturizing and leaves skin feeling soft. I feel like this is the kind of serum where consistency will really pay off.