Name: Clinical Dark Spot Repair Serum
Brand: PAULA'SCHOICE
Rating: 3.91 (11 reviews)

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This is a Health Functional Food certified by the Ministry of Food and Drug Safety (MFDS) of Korea, designed to help maintain and improve your health.

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Tell us about what you liked - texture, results, skin type, etc

Tell us what didn’t work - texture, skin reaction, or why you wouldn’t recommend it

폴라초이스

Clinical Dark Spot Repair Serum

Oily

Unsatisfactory Scent

Disrupts Oil-Moisture Balance

Lacks Moisture

Contains Artificial Fragrance

Easy to Apply

Feels Comfortable

Adds Glow

Improves Skin Texture

Easily Absorbed

Not Sticky

Clears Breakouts

It's not particularly moisturizing, so it's good for applying as a functional product. However, it doesn't seem to have any dramatic effects.

As expected from a Paula's Choice product, the user experience is truly excellent. It absorbs well and has a great texture when applied.

클리니컬 다크스팟 리페어 세럼

Incorporate into your nighttime routine, and follow up with a sensitive skin recovery line in the morning.

Might cause slight irritation initially. Once your skin adapts, it's fine. Recommended to use every other day.

Excellent for managing dark spots. Great for self-care after laser treatments. Consistent use shows results.

The scent was a bit off-putting. Apart from the fragrance, it was pretty decent.

It absorbs well and doesn't feel sticky, which I really liked. My blemishes seem to have improved too.

The scent is somewhat strange, reminiscent of crayons. It's pricier than expected. It seems impossible to eliminate blemishes with cosmetics alone... Though I admit I haven't been consistent in using it. Unfortunately, there's no significant effect.

It seems to brighten the skin slightly and absorbs exceptionally well. With continued use, it appears to improve quite a bit.

I didn't see any results. I'd recommend saving your money and buying products with retinol or niacinamide instead. I bought this when LOHB's was having a closing sale, but I remember it being quite expensive even with the discount. Such a waste of money... 😞

----------November 15----------
I'm not sure about the effectiveness, but I used it as a retinol alternative on days when my skin felt a bit peeled from retinol use. However, the burning sensation was too intense...😢

----------October 6----------

Overall rating: 2.5 / 5
Would I repurchase: No
I didn't see much effect...😔

It has a very thin consistency, so it's easy to incorporate into your skincare routine without feeling heavy. However, it didn't provide exceptional hydration due to its thin texture, nor did I see any significant results for spot treatment. I'm not sure if it has any outstanding benefits. The official website was running a 1+1 promotion, which makes me think there's a reason why it's not selling well...

If you find it too intense to apply all over your face when your skin is feeling sensitive, you could try spot-treating areas with blemishes or dark spots instead.

When my skin was feeling sensitive, I experienced a burning sensation. This product definitely has more of a rich feel than a hydrating one, so it felt a bit greasy when applied during summer.

As I entered my late 20s, I noticed small and large dark spots appearing on my cheeks, especially under my eyes. I focused on applying this ampoule to those areas. It's quite a rich formula! I have dry skin, so after using a hydrating toner, the oil content in this ampoule felt just right for me. However, I think those with oily skin might find it a bit heavy. After applying this ampoule, I felt like my skin texture improved. Thanks to this, my extremely dry skin, which used to feel rough almost all year round, now has a nice glow to it.

Since it's specifically for brightening, it's not ideal to expose your skin to sunlight or even fluorescent light after application, which makes it a bit inconvenient to apply right before bed. Also, the fact that daily use isn't recommended initially suggests it contains some potent ingredients.

Additionally, while it's unavoidable, the yellowish residue left around the pump opening after use doesn't look particularly clean.

About 10 years ago, I first discovered the brand Paula's Choice. Their brand story resonated with me - how Paula, an American, created skincare products using only essential ingredients, in response to the abundance of harmful and unnecessary components in cosmetics.

I tried their Dark Spot Improvement Serum. I applied it to my cheekbone area, which is particularly prone to freckles and age spots. The product comes out as an opaque, beige liquid when pumped, and it applies smoothly. Instead of spreading it all over my face, I applied a slightly thicker layer just on the dark spots. It caused a slight tingling sensation, which is probably why the instructions suggest starting with twice-weekly use. I'm hoping this means it's effective and plan to use it regularly.

While it's a functional product, it maintains a great oil and moisture balance, leaving the skin hydrated and smooth. 

Given that these types of products work best away from light, I think it would be most effective to apply it right before bed and immediately turn off the lights.

In these COVID times, when getting professional treatments can be risky, it's great to have a pump-style product that allows for easy and simple at-home care.

Paula's Choice has many products with similar packaging, which can be a bit confusing at times.

I thought it might be irritating, but it's surprisingly moisturizing and comfortable. While I'm not sure about any dramatic improvements, I can feel my complexion evening out and spots gradually fading.

If you're hesitant about applying it all over your face, I found it works well just applying it to areas with blemishes.

It has a distinct scent, but since you're not going to be sniffing it constantly, it doesn't interfere with using the product. I thought I felt a slight burning sensation at first, but it seemed to disappear quickly.

I decided to try this serum right away since it's supposed to be effective for dark spots and blemishes. I have some large and small sun spots under my eyes on both cheeks from fishing, which really bother me. So instead of patting it in for absorption, I just smoothed a layer over those areas with my hand. You could apply it all over, but I'm focusing on targeted treatment. I was worried about potential irritation since I have sensitive skin, but so far it seems fine, so I want to keep using it consistently to see results. Dark spots and blemishes are so hard to get rid of, but if they could even fade a bit, that would be amazing. Even though I applied a thick layer, when I touched my skin later it felt like it had absorbed well, leaving behind a moisturized feeling. Once my skin seems adapted, I'm thinking of trying it all over to improve my overall skin texture too.

While it's great for improving skin texture, I didn't find any particular downsides to mention.

Struggling with increased blemishes and dark spots due to summer sun exposure? As a self-proclaimed 'blemish millionaire', I was really looking forward to trying Paula's Choice Dark Spot Serum. The 'Clinical Dark Spot Repair Serum' is a brightening product certified by the FDA. It's formulated with an optimal ratio of highly concentrated ingredients: 3% Tranexamic Acid, 5% Niacinamide, and 0.5% Bakuchiol. I was initially concerned about potential irritation from a functional cosmetic, but it was gentle on my skin with no adverse reactions. It even seemed to improve my skin texture! The serum applies smoothly and absorbs well, leaving my skin hydrated. I'm excited to continue using it consistently to achieve that clear, radiant complexion I've been aiming for.

The product is quite rich in oils, which may be overwhelming for those with oily skin

Enhances skin radiance
Applies smoothly - However, using a moisturizer afterwards might be too much

Korean Reviews

Clinical Dark Spot Repair Serum

3 Reviews