I am almost done with my first bottle of this. Here are some things I like and dislike: LIKE 1. Within the first month, there was some noticeable fading of my sun spots. This does not mean they were gone- they are still very much there. But they are lighter and less noticeable than before. 2. It feels pretty good! Slightly tacky, but soft and smooth. It wears just fine under makeup. DISLIKE 1. It does mineralize on the bottle, and that may bother some people. (See video). It doesn’t really bother me though, because it does not make it messy or unsanitary. Just the chemical reaction. 2. You can’t take breaks. If you are not using this daily, your fading will be undone. Once you stop using this, the benefits do not remain. SUMMARY This isn’t a miracle cure for ... MoreI am almost done with my first bottle of this. Here are some things I like and dislike: LIKE 1. Within the first month, there was some noticeable fading of my sun spots. This does not mean they were gone- they are still very much there. But they are lighter and less noticeable than before. 2. It feels pretty good! Slightly tacky, but soft and smooth. It wears just fine under makeup. DISLIKE 1. It does mineralize on the bottle, and that may bother some people. (See video). It doesn’t really bother me though, because it does not make it messy or unsanitary. Just the chemical reaction. 2. You can’t take breaks. If you are not using this daily, your fading will be undone. Once you stop using this, the benefits do not remain. SUMMARY This isn’t a miracle cure for hyperpigmentation. But it does help as long as you use regularly. One bottle lasted me a few months with regular use.

Effective but be patient!

*received for free, gifted by theordinary* This stuff is pretty effective! As someone with combination skin, I get acne around my chin and t-zone pretty frequently, which has left some acne scarring. I’ve also been trying to combat some sun damage and fade freckles from living in sunny South Florida. This serum has been a nice addition to my night time skincare routine. It’s plenty hydrating with the hylauronic acid, and doesn’t aggravate my face even if I use it following actives such as retinol or glycolic acid. Sharing some before and after photos about 2 weeks apart - I think it definitely helped expedite some acne scar fading! However I wouldn’t go in expecting overnight results - it works slowly but surely! I will also say that you do need to use it by putting ... More*received for free, gifted by theordinary* This stuff is pretty effective! As someone with combination skin, I get acne around my chin and t-zone pretty frequently, which has left some acne scarring. I’ve also been trying to combat some sun damage and fade freckles from living in sunny South Florida. This serum has been a nice addition to my night time skincare routine. It’s plenty hydrating with the hylauronic acid, and doesn’t aggravate my face even if I use it following actives such as retinol or glycolic acid. Sharing some before and after photos about 2 weeks apart - I think it definitely helped expedite some acne scar fading! However I wouldn’t go in expecting overnight results - it works slowly but surely! I will also say that you do need to use it by putting it on the back of your hand and then applying it to the face. I’ve tried rubbing it between my hands before applying but it absorbs into the skin too fast to be effective. You also don’t need to use a lot, maybe 1/3 of a dropper.

Holy Grail for Acne-Prone Skin!

I’ve been using this Alpha Arbutin serum religiously in the mornings for years, and it has completely changed the apperance of my skin. In a matter of weeks it helped reduce my acne scarring and hormonal cheek acne. It quickly became part of my everyday routine! It pairs beautifully with The Ordinary niacinamide serum to brighten and even out the skin! I would recommend not using this with a vitamin C serum — I like to alternate between using alpha arbutin one day and vitamin c another to not compromise my skin barrier or cause over sensitivity on my skin. Make sure to put on sunscreen afterwards to protect the skin! I can’t say enough things about this product as it truly made such a difference and helped me regain my confidence after struggling with severe ... MoreI’ve been using this Alpha Arbutin serum religiously in the mornings for years, and it has completely changed the apperance of my skin. In a matter of weeks it helped reduce my acne scarring and hormonal cheek acne. It quickly became part of my everyday routine! It pairs beautifully with The Ordinary niacinamide serum to brighten and even out the skin! I would recommend not using this with a vitamin C serum — I like to alternate between using alpha arbutin one day and vitamin c another to not compromise my skin barrier or cause over sensitivity on my skin. Make sure to put on sunscreen afterwards to protect the skin! I can’t say enough things about this product as it truly made such a difference and helped me regain my confidence after struggling with severe scarring for so many years. Product was gifted by ordinary, but I’ve purchased this myself more than 10 times since 2020.

Lactic acid reaction

I bought this alpha arbutin serum to diminish dark spots. I used it twice a day for a week or two. Then my skin reacted with stinging when even moisturizers were applied. Flaking occured in areas of my face that normally don't flake. I underestimated the effects of lactic acid in this serum. I have tried The Ordinary 10% lactic acid serum and had the same reaction. I mistakenly thought this lactic acid was too far down the ingredient list to cause problems and would benefit the skin lightening effect of alpha arbutin. But who knows because I can't continue using it until my skin barrier gets back to normal. My recommendation is to use this at night with a good moisturizer and don't use twice a day until your skin can handle it.

New formula awful smell

I am the most disappointed in this. My skin is super sensitive and this product is the only thing that has worked for me for years. Like in boots I buy this in bulk simply because it's one of the few products I can use and it has helped so much with my hyperpigmentation. Ran out of it 2 months ago and for some reason boots had none but the lady told me to try Selfridges which I did and bought the big bottle. Opened it and got this nasty chemical smell but I choose to carry on but after a couple of days I just could not any more because the smell was too over powering and lingers on your hand. I thought perhaps it was just this bottle so I went back to Selfridges who said the product was out of stock for a while but the ordinary representative confirmed to them that ... MoreI am the most disappointed in this. My skin is super sensitive and this product is the only thing that has worked for me for years. Like in boots I buy this in bulk simply because it's one of the few products I can use and it has helped so much with my hyperpigmentation. Ran out of it 2 months ago and for some reason boots had none but the lady told me to try Selfridges which I did and bought the big bottle. Opened it and got this nasty chemical smell but I choose to carry on but after a couple of days I just could not any more because the smell was too over powering and lingers on your hand. I thought perhaps it was just this bottle so I went back to Selfridges who said the product was out of stock for a while but the ordinary representative confirmed to them that everything is still the same formula wise so she offered to give me another product but then when we tested 2/3 product for smell, we realised they all had that chemical smell. Emailed customer service on Instagram and they have the audacity to lie about the formula not changing that it was the natural smell of the product. How! I have been using this for years so I know it's not supposed to have any smell. I replied back that that can't be true as I smelled a few bottles and they all had that chemical smell so surely something has changed to which they did not reply. Honestly super disappointed because now I have to find another product somewhere else that works for my skin. Now I know that I might seem like 1 customer you do not care about because you have other customers giving you money but it's about integrity and satisfying your customer fan base in general. Why fix something that is not broken perhaps cost now cheaper for you but what's the point if no one can use the product.

New formula has a smell

I have loved this product in the past, but the formula has changed (confirmed by customer care at The Ordinary) and what I received in the "new" brown bottle version has a distinct chemical, bleaching odor, the best way to call it. It's hard for me to use now since I am so sensitive to smells. It is faint, but it's noticeable. They told me they don't use fragrances. This is not a fragrance, but a new ingredient they've added that has this definitive smell. Have yet to hear back from them on what this new ingredient is. Maybe the product works better for more even skin. Just not sure I can handle the smell now. I've added a few drops of lavender essential oil to mask it, maybe that will help. Just want people to know who have loved this product in the past that it ... MoreI have loved this product in the past, but the formula has changed (confirmed by customer care at The Ordinary) and what I received in the "new" brown bottle version has a distinct chemical, bleaching odor, the best way to call it. It's hard for me to use now since I am so sensitive to smells. It is faint, but it's noticeable. They told me they don't use fragrances. This is not a fragrance, but a new ingredient they've added that has this definitive smell. Have yet to hear back from them on what this new ingredient is. Maybe the product works better for more even skin. Just not sure I can handle the smell now. I've added a few drops of lavender essential oil to mask it, maybe that will help. Just want people to know who have loved this product in the past that it comes with an odor now that's not super pleasant.

Reduce dark spots, scarring and smoothen texture

This product has completely transformed my skin! I achieved the best results by using it twice a day, applying it in the morning and at night before bed and applying it after I cleanse my face but before my other skin care products. Because I have sensitive skin, I worry about irritation. Thamkfully i didnt experience any! It has helped reduce my dark spots, reduce the appearance of a large scar on my face, and smoothed the texture of my skin. I was blown away by how quickly I started seeing results. It is silicone free, alcohol free, gluten free, cruelty free, and is vegan too. These are all things I love in a skincare product. I honestly can't say enough positive things about this product. If you are thinking about trying it, do it immediately! You will not be ... MoreThis product has completely transformed my skin! I achieved the best results by using it twice a day, applying it in the morning and at night before bed and applying it after I cleanse my face but before my other skin care products. Because I have sensitive skin, I worry about irritation. Thamkfully i didnt experience any! It has helped reduce my dark spots, reduce the appearance of a large scar on my face, and smoothed the texture of my skin. I was blown away by how quickly I started seeing results. It is silicone free, alcohol free, gluten free, cruelty free, and is vegan too. These are all things I love in a skincare product. I honestly can't say enough positive things about this product. If you are thinking about trying it, do it immediately! You will not be disappointed! I received this as a gift from theordinary and couldn't be happier about it!

[Rewarded Review] Effective over time!

This stuff is impressive! As someone with combination skin, I experience occasional acne around my chin and t-zone pretty, which has left scarring. I’ve also been trying to reverse sun damage and freckles caused by living in a sunny environment. This serum has been a nice add to my skincare routine at night. It helps keep my face hydrated but not oily with the hylauronic acid, and doesn’t cause burning or irritation to my face even if I use it after a toner that contains retinol or glycolic acid. I think it definitely helped speed up some acne scar fading! I wouldn’t go in expecting overnight results - it works slowly but surely, so just give it a few weeks! You also do need to use it by putting it on the back of your hand and then applying it to the face. I first ... MoreThis stuff is impressive! As someone with combination skin, I experience occasional acne around my chin and t-zone pretty, which has left scarring. I’ve also been trying to reverse sun damage and freckles caused by living in a sunny environment. This serum has been a nice add to my skincare routine at night. It helps keep my face hydrated but not oily with the hylauronic acid, and doesn’t cause burning or irritation to my face even if I use it after a toner that contains retinol or glycolic acid. I think it definitely helped speed up some acne scar fading! I wouldn’t go in expecting overnight results - it works slowly but surely, so just give it a few weeks! You also do need to use it by putting it on the back of your hand and then applying it to the face. I first used it by rubbing it between my hands before applying but it absorbs too fast to be effective. You also don’t need to use a lot, maybe 1/3 of a dropper, to cover the whole face.

[Rewarded Review] Reduce scarring, dark spots and even skin texture!

This product has worked wonders on my skin! It recommends that you use it twice a day so I started applying it in the morning and at night before bed. I apply it after I cleanse my face and before my other skin care products. This is how I achieved the best results. It has not only helped reduce my hyperpigmentation, but reduce the appearance of a large scar on my forehead, and smoothed the texture of my skin. I was blown away by how quickly I started seeing results! Something else I love about this product is that it is silicone, alcohol, gluten and cruelty free! It is a vegan product as well. I didn't experience any irritation while using it, and that is something I worry about because I have fairly sensitive skin. I truly can't say enough good things about this ... MoreThis product has worked wonders on my skin! It recommends that you use it twice a day so I started applying it in the morning and at night before bed. I apply it after I cleanse my face and before my other skin care products. This is how I achieved the best results. It has not only helped reduce my hyperpigmentation, but reduce the appearance of a large scar on my forehead, and smoothed the texture of my skin. I was blown away by how quickly I started seeing results! Something else I love about this product is that it is silicone, alcohol, gluten and cruelty free! It is a vegan product as well. I didn't experience any irritation while using it, and that is something I worry about because I have fairly sensitive skin. I truly can't say enough good things about this product. If you are looking for the results I mentioned, I highly recommend you give this product a try!