La Roche-Posay Mela-D Pigment Control with Glycolic Acid.

Serums

About this product

A serum with glycolic acid and capryloyl salicylic acid designed to target dark spots and uneven skin tone.

Full ingredients

Water, Alcohol Denat, Glycolic Acid, Propylene Glycol, Potassium Hydroxide, Kojic Acid, Ammonium Polyacryldimethyltauramide/Ammonium Polyacryloyldimethyl Taurate, C12-13 Alkyl Lactate, Disodium Edta, Hydroxyethylcellulose, Capryloyl Salicylic Acid, Vitreoscilla Ferment

Guru Score

63%

Mixed

Early verdict · Few reviews so far

What they liked

Moisturizing panthenol included

What they flagged

Expensive at $40.49

What the gurus are saying

This serum pairs capryloyl salicylic acid with tranexamic acid and panthenol to address dark spots and redness, and gurus praise the ingredient lineup. However, experts split on the value: one dermatologist recommends avoiding it entirely, while another calls it effective but flags the steep price as a real drawback for what you get. The cost may matter more than the formula itself.

Synthesized from 2 expert reviews · most recent take November 2024

Best for

Oily skin Combination skin

Type

SerumsDrops & dropper

Key actives

Salicylic acid (BHA)AHA

Formula notes

Fragrance-freeContains drying alcohol

Where to buy

Ulta → Amazon → Google →

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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

Dr. Vanita Rattan

1.23M subs

~Nay

"They've put in denatured alcohol as the second ingredient, meaning it's very high up on the ingredients list and is going to lead to premature aging. This is just a disaster product in my mind, and it really has not been made for skin of color. The formulator does not have skin of color and they don't understand skin of color. For me, this one is to avoid."

Dr Dray

2.69M subs

~Mixed

"I think this is a great product, it has capryloyl salicylic acid which can do the same thing as salicylic acid but is a little more precise, it also has tranexamic acid which applied topically may help with dark spots and also might help with redness, and it has panthenol which is moisturizing. [...] But it's 40.49, this is formerly Mela-D Pigment Control, and that's really expensive."

What the evidence says.

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

Salicylic acid

Salicylic acid dissolves in oil, so it can get into a pore rather than just working on the surface. That is why it has long-standing evidence for blackheads and milder acne.

Source: DermNet

Alpha hydroxy acids

Alpha hydroxy acids loosen the bonds holding dead cells at the surface. The evidence supports smoother texture and more even tone over time, and they can leave skin more sensitive to sun.

Source: NIH, National Library of Medicine

Frequently asked.

What is La Roche-Posay Mela-D Pigment Control with Glycolic Acid?

A serum with glycolic acid and capryloyl salicylic acid designed to target dark spots and uneven skin tone.

Is La Roche-Posay Mela-D Pigment Control with Glycolic Acid worth it?

The gurus mostly approve it, but with enough reservations to keep it in the middle at a Guru Score of 63%.

What is La Roche-Posay Mela-D Pigment Control with Glycolic Acid's Guru Score?

La Roche-Posay Mela-D Pigment Control with Glycolic Acid holds a Guru Score of 63%. That is our read on how warmly the experts talk about it, based on the verdicts of 2 expert reviewers we have collected.