Differin Dark Spot Correcting Serum: a Guru Score of 64%

What the gurus are saying.

Every take we've logged from this product's reviews across YouTube. Click any row to watch the moment they said it.

All takes Yay takes Nay takes Mixed takes Hide sponsored

~Nay

"Differin came out with a new Dark Spot Correcting Serum that's basically just a niacinamide serum which is a shame although it also has sodium ascoril phosphate that's a stable form of vitamin C that's been shown to be helpful for acne in a small study. Unfortunately they left the fragrance in which again is a common allergen and irritant."

All 3 takes from Dr Dray

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"Now it's basically a niacinamide serum, four percent, which is a reasonable percentage strength for hyperpigmentation. In addition to that it has sea buckthorn and sunflower seed oil, those are emollients that soften and smooth the skin surface, and then it has sodium ascorbiophosphate, that's a stable form of vitamin C, it's an antioxidant so it may help in theory in lessening free radical damage that upregulates pigment production."

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"Differin came out with a new Dark Spot Correcting Serum that's basically just a niacinamide serum which is a shame although it also has sodium ascoril phosphate that's a stable form of vitamin C that's been shown to be helpful for acne in a small study. Unfortunately they left the fragrance in which again is a common allergen and irritant."

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"I was hoping that when they removed the hydroquinone they would take the fragrance with it, but I guess they kept that in there, so if you're allergic, beware, fragrance can be irritating which can end up worsening hyperpigmentation. Now this has sea buckthorn oil in it, which I really enjoy personally, I find that it is a nice emollient and a source of antioxidants, so it may help improve the look of hyperpigmentation."

Cassandra Bankson

2.46M subs

~Yay

"You can also get Differin for five to ten dollars as a spot treatment option."

Doctorly

3.59M subs

~Nay

"The niacinamide replacement is not as effective as the original hydroquinone formula was in real clinical practice, even though one small study showed similar efficacy. Alcohol in the [...] ingredient list could be a problem [...] for people with very sensitive skin. [...] Overall, there are a lot better dark spot treatments on the market, especially at that price point, [...] because there are so many better competitors out there now."

Dr. Shereene Idriss

1.73M subs

~Yay

"If you have your hands on this, then get your hands on it. [...] Hydroquinone is the gold standard when it comes to evening out your skin tone. Two percent hydroquinone over the counter is not necessarily the strongest out there—it's actually the lightest— [...] but if you can't get your hands on a prescription, this is the best bet you have if you have melasma or any sort of stubborn pigmentation that you're trying to get rid of. It retails for twenty dollars."

All 2 takes from Dr. Shereene Idriss

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"Differin has an over-the-counter two percent spot corrector. [...] It is one of those treatments that I think can make the biggest difference if you have melasma. [...] It's not as good as four percent, but it's better than nothing if you cannot get your hands on a four percent prescription of hydroquinone."

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"If you have your hands on this, then get your hands on it. [...] Hydroquinone is the gold standard when it comes to evening out your skin tone. Two percent hydroquinone over the counter is not necessarily the strongest out there—it's actually the lightest— [...] but if you can't get your hands on a prescription, this is the best bet you have if you have melasma or any sort of stubborn pigmentation that you're trying to get rid of. It retails for twenty dollars."

What the evidence says.

Independent of what the gurus think, this is what the published research supports about the main active ingredients here.

Vitamin C

Topical vitamin C is an antioxidant with reasonable evidence for dullness and uneven tone. It breaks down in light and air, so how a product is formulated and packaged matters as much as the percentage on the front.

Source: DermNet

Niacinamide

Niacinamide has evidence behind it for redness, uneven tone and supporting the skin barrier, and it is usually well tolerated even by skin that reacts to most things.

Source: DermNet

Frequently asked.

What is Differin Dark Spot Correcting Serum?

A niacinamide-based serum designed to fade dark spots and hyperpigmentation, featuring vitamin C, sea buckthorn oil, and sunflower seed oil.

Is Differin Dark Spot Correcting Serum worth it?

The gurus are split. 2 of the 4 gurus give it their stamp of approval while 2 would skip it, which lands it in the middle at a Guru Score of 64%.

What is Differin Dark Spot Correcting Serum's Guru Score?

Differin Dark Spot Correcting Serum holds a Guru Score of 64%. That is our read on how warmly the experts talk about it, based on the verdicts of 4 expert reviewers we have collected.