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Paula's Choice

Discoloration Repair Serum.

Paula's Choice Discoloration Repair Serum
Serums

About this product

A lightweight serum designed to reduce dark spots and uneven skin tone, formulated with tranexamic acid, bakuchiol, kojic acid, alpha arbutin, azelaic acid, licorice extract, and niacinamide.

Serums

The Guru Index verdict

80%

Approved

Approved · 80%
4Reviewers
4Approved
0Mixed
0Skip

What the gurus are saying

The gurus who reviewed it praise the formula for targeting discoloration through multiple skin-lightening ingredients that work to reduce dark spots and even out tone. Several experts highlighted the bakuchiol component as a standout, noting it works similarly to retinol but without the irritation, making the serum usable regularly even for those with sensitive skin. The main trade-off is price, it sits on the pricier end, so it's worth considering based on budget and how it fits alongside other products already in a routine.
Synthesized from 4 expert reviews

Key actives & flags

RetinoidNiacinamideVitamin EFragrance-freeAlcohol-free

Full ingredients

Water (Aqua), Niacinamide (Skin-Restoring), Glycerin (Skin-Replenishing), Tranexamic Acid (Skin-Conditioning/​Brightening), Caprylic/​Capric Triglyceride (Skin-Replenishing), Dicaprylyl Carbonate (Emollient Solvent), Ethyl Macadamiate (Skin-Softening), C13-15 Alkane (Solvent), Behenyl Alcohol (Texture Enhancer), Glyceryl Stearate (Emulsifier), Butylene Glycol (Hydration), Silybum Marianum Seed Oil (Non-Fragrant Antioxidant Plant Oil), Tocopherol (Vitamin E/​Antioxidant), Lactobacillus/​Coconut Fruit Juice Ferment Filtrate, Lecithin (Skin-Restoring), Bakuchiol (Skin-Restoring/​Antioxidant), Xanthan Gum (Texture Enhancer), Caprylyl Glycol (Emollient), Hydrogenated Lecithin (Skin-Restoring), Allantoin (Skin-Soothing), Glycine Soja (Soybean) Oil (Non-Fragrant Antioxidant Plant Oil), Hexylene Glycol (Solvent), Boerhavia Diffusa Root Extract (Skin-Soothing Antioxidant Plant), Glycine Soja (Soybean) Sterols (Skin-Replenishing/​Antioxidant), Citric Acid (Ph Adjuster), Sodium Phytate (Chelating Agent), Malic Acid (Ph Adjuster), Phenoxyethanol (Preservative), Ethylhexylglycerin (Preservative)

Every take, in full

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 Approved only Skip only Mixed only Hide sponsored
Approved
"Paula's Choice discoloration repair serum is nave safe and contains tranexamic acid. It is £46, so it is an expensive product. Paula's Choice generally is a little bit more on the expensive side. I love the product. I love the packaging."
Approved
"I just picked this up mainly because it's got bakuchiol in there, which is like an alternative to retinol. There's a lot of studies that look at bakuchiol and look at its effectiveness in comparison to retinol, so it does pretty much a similar thing to retinol but doesn't have the sensitivity. Good retinol formulations nowadays have bakuchiol on it because they just take down the concentration of retinol, build it up with bakuchiol, and then suddenly you've got something that you can use all the time."
Approved
"Paula's Choice Discoloration Repair Serum is an option for applying tranexamic acid topically to help with redness quite a bit."
All 2 takes from Dr Dray
The Truth About Tranexamic Acid Serum
"Paula's Choice Discoloration Repair Serum has 3% tranexamic acid but it also has 5% niacinamide. Niacinamide, like tranexamic acid, is a good ingredient for dark spots and redness. It's anti-inflammatory, and niacinamide has a lot more research supporting that it does these things. I like that it's included because when treating dark spots and hyperpigmentation, it's not usually just one ingredient. Having multiple ingredients that target different arms of the pigment pathway really can lend better results. Niacinamide specifically works for hyperpigmentation because it slows down the spread of those pigment packets that are produced in the melanocytes to the neighboring keratinocytes, which is totally different from how tranexamic acid works for dark spots by targeting the plasminogen pathway."
How To Get Rid Of Rosacea | Dermatologist Tips
"Paula's Choice Discoloration Repair Serum is an option for applying tranexamic acid topically to help with redness quite a bit."
Approved
"Paula's Choice Discoloration Repair Serum can be used depending upon your budget and availability. For achieving an even skin tone, serums that contain skin lightening agents which reduce melanin production are important. Paula's Choice Discoloration Repair Serum contains ingredients like kojic acid, alpha arbutin, azelaic acid, licorice extract, and niacinamide that can help in reducing dark spots."
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