All scans / Serums / Vichy Liftactiv Pigment Specialist B3 Serum
Vichy Liftactiv Pigment Specialist B3 Serum ingredients: is it worth it?
A genuinely capable dark-spot serum, but the marketing is louder than the evidence.
A genuinely capable dark-spot serum, but the marketing is louder than the evidence.
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The efficacy score is 4.4/5: niacinamide is exceptionally high in the list, while glycolic acid, tranexamic acid, HEPES, and the newer 2-mercaptonicotinoyl glycine provide a credible pigment-focused system; however, the actual percentages of most actives are undisclosed, the glycolic-acid strength and final pH are not stated, and ascorbyl glucoside is a weaker, slower vitamin-C derivative rather than a primary brightening driver. The formula is fragrance-free and includes humectants plus allantoin, supporting a safety score of 4.4/5, although the combination of exfoliating acids and multiple pigment actives can still irritate sensitive skin. The marketed Melasyl is promising but relatively new, so it should not be treated as equivalent to long-established clinical standards.
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DemythSkin rates Vichy Liftactiv Pigment Specialist B3 Serum 4.4/5 for efficacy and 4.4/5 for safety.
ACTIVE INGREDIENTS BY TIER
Gold Standards
High clinical proof | Skin-transformativeReliable
Proven resultsPotent
Developing evidenceOverhyped | Marketing
Hype | Limited dataDocumented Irritants
Evidence-backed flagFORMULATION BASE (10)⌄
FULL INGREDIENT LIST⌄
Aqua / Water / Eau, Niacinamide, Butylene Glycol, Hydroxyethylpiperazine Ethane Sulfonic Acid, Glycerin, Pentylene Glycol, Propanediol, Hydroxyethyl Urea, Glycolic Acid, Arginine, Tranexamic Acid, Hydrolyzed Rice Protein, Allantoin, Citric Acid, Cystoseira Tamariscifolia Extract, Sodium Hydroxide, Trisodium Ethylenediamine Disuccinate, 2-Mercaptonicotinoyl Glycine, Ascorbyl Glucoside, Dipotassium Glycyrrhizate, Caprylyl Glycol, Xanthan Gum, CI 16035 / Red 40.
WHAT EACH INGREDIENT DOES (23)⌄
- Aqua / Water / Eau
- Solvent and formula base
- Niacinamide
- Brightening and barrier-support active
- Butylene Glycol
- Humectant and solvent
- Hydroxyethylpiperazine Ethane Sulfonic Acid
- Acidic exfoliating and pH agent
- Glycerin
- Humectant for water retention
- Pentylene Glycol
- Humectant and solvent
- Propanediol
- Humectant and solvent
- Hydroxyethyl Urea
- Humectant and skin conditioner
- Glycolic Acid
- Alpha-hydroxy exfoliant
- Arginine
- Amino acid and pH adjuster
- Tranexamic Acid
- Pigment-modulating treatment active
- Hydrolyzed Rice Protein
- Film-forming skin conditioner
- Allantoin
- Soothing skin protectant
- Citric Acid
- pH adjuster and acid
- Cystoseira Tamariscifolia Extract
- Algae-derived skin conditioner
- Sodium Hydroxide
- pH adjuster
- Trisodium Ethylenediamine Disuccinate
- Chelating stabilizer
- 2-Mercaptonicotinoyl Glycine
- Melanin-pathway treatment active
- Ascorbyl Glucoside
- Vitamin C derivative
- Dipotassium Glycyrrhizate
- Soothing licorice-derived agent
- Caprylyl Glycol
- Humectant and preservative booster
- Xanthan Gum
- Thickener and stabilizer
- CI 16035 / Red 40
- Colorant
EXTERNAL CITATIONS
Niacinamide: Vichy identifies niacinamide as a key dark-spot and texture ingredient; it appears second in the published INCI list.
Tranexamic Acid: The published formula contains tranexamic acid, a pigment-focused treatment ingredient.
Glycolic Acid: Vichy and retailer descriptions identify glycolic acid as part of the exfoliating complex.
Ascorbyl Glucoside: The complete published INCI includes ascorbyl glucoside, a vitamin-C derivative.
DISCLAIMER: THIS ANALYSIS IS FOR INFORMATION ONLY. NOT MEDICAL ADVICE. AI-GENERATED DATA BASED ON PUBLICLY AVAILABLE INGREDIENT LISTS. VERIFY WITH A MEDICAL PROFESSIONAL.
A cheaper serum that scores as high or higher
A different formula for the same concern (brightening) that scores at least as high on both efficacy and safety.
Vichy Liftactiv Pigment Specialist B3 Serum: common questions
Is Vichy Liftactiv Pigment Specialist B3 Serum worth it?
Vichy Liftactiv Pigment Specialist B3 Serum scores 4.4 out of 5.0 for efficacy (Effective) and 4.4 out of 5.0 for safety (Gentle) on DemythSkin's independent ingredient analysis. A genuinely capable dark-spot serum, but the marketing is louder than the evidence.
What are the key active ingredients in Vichy Liftactiv Pigment Specialist B3 Serum?
Vichy Liftactiv Pigment Specialist B3 Serum contains these gold-standard actives with strong clinical evidence: Glycolic Acid, Tranexamic Acid.
Does Vichy Liftactiv Pigment Specialist B3 Serum contain fragrance or known irritants?
DemythSkin's analysis found no flagged irritants in Vichy Liftactiv Pigment Specialist B3 Serum. It scores 4.4 out of 5.0 for safety.
How is Vichy Liftactiv Pigment Specialist B3 Serum scored?
DemythSkin grades every product on two independent scores: efficacy (whether the ingredients have clinical evidence of working) and safety (irritation and sensitisation risk). Ingredients are graded S through D against a database of over 3,000 compounds. Brand and price are not part of the score, and no brand pays for one.
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