This niacinamide serum helped fade my dark spots and acne scars

This is Product of the Week – a weekly round-up of the Dazed Beauty team and wider community’s must-have buys.

WHAT IS IT?

Brand: ROWSE
Product: All-Day Hydration Serum with Niacinamide
Price: £47.00

WHY IS IT SO GOOD?

I’ve been blessed with pretty normal skin. While my face is never too oily or too dry, there is one issue I regularly deal with: blemishes. As someone with a darker complexion, if I get a spot and can’t resist the urge to pop it (which is admittedly often), I’ll be left with an indelible reminder of my decision. Over the years, I’ve tried everything from Bio Oil to coconut oil in an attempt to fade the scarring but my complexion has routinely suffered for my crimes. 

I found a solution in Dr Sturm’s Hyaluronic Serum for Darker Skin Tones but at £235 per 30ml bottle, I use the serum sparingly – and feel like Meryl Streep’s character Madeline taking a sip of the immortality potion in Death Becomes Her (1992) every time I do. In need of a cheaper alternative that I could use more frequently, a friend who struggles with the same fate recommended ROWSE’s All-Day Hydration Serum with Niacinamide.

The Spanish brand specialises in primarily organic, vegan beauty products, so I knew I was off to a good start. The serum is milky, lightweight and has a delicate citrus scent: likely due to the combination of orange blossom, bergamot and prickly pear that make up the ingredients. I apply the serum every other morning after cleansing and toning my face (with Cerave and Kiehl’s products, no less), and let it sit for ten minutes before applying my La Roche-Posay sunscreen.

I’ve been using it for over a year now and I’ve only had to buy two bottles in that time. My skin is more taut and the serum doesn’t interact with my other skincare products, meaning no horrible breakouts. The product has been gentle on my skin; the niacinamide and hyaluronic acid help retain moisture, so my face looks Bella Hadid-level dewy and my complexion is a lot clearer. After an intense picking session, I now feel less guilty (kind of!)

QUICKFIRE QUESTIONS

If this product was a song it would be… “Water” by Tyla. Hydrating and intended to “make me hotter” – but in a slightly different way, of course.

The fictional character who would use this product is… Regina George from Mean Girls. She could switch out the peppermint foot cream and use this to tackle her “huge” pores instead.

If this product was one of the astrological signs it would be… Gemini. The twin power of hyaluronic acid and niacinamide working together is unmatched.

Revisit our previous Product of the Week picks below.