10% Azelaic Acid + 2% Salicylic Acid Serum

πŸ§ͺ pH 5.5 β˜€οΈπŸŒ™ AM & PM
Formulated For
Focus: Compromised Barrier, Dehydration, Redness, Excess Sebum
9.5
Glowwe Score β˜…β˜…β˜…β˜…β˜…
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Reality Check

Claims vs. Reality

This supercharged formula uses 10% Azelaic Acid + 2% Salicylic Acid, alongside other powerhouse ingredients, to target uneven tone, stubborn spots, and gentle exfoliation while soothing irritation β€” reducing the visibility of post-inflammatory hyperpigmentation (PIH) and redness (PIE).

Glowwe Verdict

A highly effective local Malaysian formulation designed to tackle stubborn hyperpigmentation and active breakouts simultaneously. Skinmade avoids pure azelaic acid which can be gritty and irritating, opting instead for Potassium Azeloyl Diglycinate. This advanced water-soluble derivative combines the brightening power of azelaic acid with the hydrating properties of glycine. Paired with 2% Salicylic Acid and a supporting dose of Niacinamide, it actively exfoliates inside the pore while shutting down melanin transfer and reduces surface oil pools safely. The physical texture is a completely transparent, lightweight fluid that absorbs flat into the skin within 15 seconds, leaving zero sticky residue.

"Fades persistent dark marks and evens out global skin tone beautifully."True

The Reality: The synergistic combination of high-purity niacinamide and azelaic derivatives blocks melanin pathways effectively, clearing surface shadows safely.

"Permanently erases structural ice-pick scars within a single week."False

The Reality: The formula fast-tracks the clearing of superficial post-inflammatory red and dark blemish marks beautifully, but deep physical pitted scars demand clinical fractional lasers to reconstruct tissue entirely.

"Controls daytime sebum and visibly shrinks dilated pore appearances."True

The Reality: Niacinamide regulates cellular oil output naturally, preventing internal pore congestion and allowing pore walls to visually contract back to their resting states cleanly.

πŸ‘ Formulator Pros

  • Utilizes an advanced water-soluble azelaic acid derivative to deliver brightening benefits without the chalky texture of raw azelaic acid.
  • High-purity 10 percent Niacinamide delivery provides exceptional oil regulation and skin tone clarifying speed.
  • 100 percent free from added fragrances, volatile alcohols, or silicones, maximizing long-term pore safety parameters.

πŸ‘Ž Potential Downsides

  • The high active strength can require a gradual tolerance building phase for individuals with hyper-lean barriers.
  • Features a basic dropper bottle design that requires clean handling to prevent air contamination variables over weeks.
  • The minimalist hydro-fluid base means chronically dry skin phenotypes must follow with a rich moisture cream.
Matchmaker

Is This Right for You?

Verify this formulation matches your specific skin profile before buying.

Free From vs. Contains
Free From Drying Alcohol
Free From Fragrance-Free
Free From Essential Oils
Free From Parabens
Free From Silicone-Free
Free From Oils
Profile Suitability
Post-Acne Dark Marks Sufferers βœ… Yes Dual-action brightening blocks from niacinamide and azelaic derivatives accelerate tone-correcting dynamics with high speed.
Oily and Acne-Prone Skin Maps βœ… Yes The oil-free water-light consistency leaves zero greasy film breakthroughs while actively suppressing blemish pathways.
Sensitive Skin Landscapes βœ… Yes Bypasses added perfumes, volatile alcohols, and harsh acids, providing an absolute zero-stinging experience.
Severe Open Weeping Tissue Wounds ❌ No Applying active chemical fluids over raw weeping cuts shocks exposed nerve networks entirely.

βœ… Perfect Match

Post-Acne Deep Dark Brown Spots Aggressively breaks up concentrated brown pigment blocks left behind by old breakouts cleanly and smoothly.
Greasy Faces seeking oil control Niacinamide shuts down afternoon oil breakthroughs flat, keeping the face looking fresh under intense midday sun exposure.
Inflamed Breakouts and Red Pimples Azelaic derivatives and Centella down-regulate inflammatory pathways to visually flatten painful acne nodes smoothly.

❌ Better Avoid

People wanting a slippery silicone glide Dries into a tight bare-skin matte layer rather than a slippery silicone finish entirely.
Severely Stripped Raw Skin Barriers Active chemical fluids can over-stimulate raw nerve endings if applied over un-buffered chemical acid burns entirely.
Lazy Sunscreen Users Suppressing melanin requires strict morning broad-spectrum SPF protection, or UV rays will instantly re-darken spot lanes.
Texture Profile

How It Feels & Absorbs

Thickness Water-Clear Weightless Fluid Liquid Serum
Greasiness None
Stickiness None
Absorption Instant (~15 secs)
Silicone Feel None
Scent Intensity None
Routine Guide

How to Layer It

Step placement, ingredient interactions, and what to expect over time.

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Cleanser
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Hydrating Toner
πŸ§ͺ
This Formula (Brightening Serum)
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Moisturizer Cream
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SPF (AM Mandatory)
⏱ Formulator Note

To maximize the spot-clearing action of this serum, practice the 'Press-and-Lock' method. Pat 3 drops across your face right after your toner until it sinks flat. Then immediately apply your ceramide moisturizer cream while the skin is still cool. This completely locks the active ingredients down underneath a lipid seal, stopping air-con evaporation completely.

Can Combine With

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Broad-Spectrum SunscreenThe perfect morning sequence: this serum blocks spot formation beneath while your SPF filters out external UV rays flawlessly.
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Ceramide Barrier CreamsThe ultimate skin barrier blueprint: active brightening from this serum, lipid bricks from subsequent ceramide creams to lock it flat flawlessly.
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Salicylic Acid LiquidsThe ultimate pore-purging stack: leave-on BHA liquefies deep internal blackheads while this serum regulates surface oil output beautifully.

Enemies β€” Do Not Mix

⚠️
Pure L-Ascorbic Acid (Direct Stacking)Mixing pure low-pH Vitamin C and high-strength Niacinamide in the exact same step can trigger intense temporary facial flushing loops entirely; split them AM and PM flawlessly.
⚠️
Physical Walnut Face ScrubsCombining physical abrasion seeds with targeted spot correctors shreds your moisture shield and risks worsening hyperpigmentation.

⏳ Timeline Expectations

Day 1
Skin surface layout displays a subtle, immediate brightness bounce and surface texture feels soft and oil-free.
1 Week
Fresh red mark shadows from recently healed breakouts start to visibly look quieter and less angry.
4 Weeks
Stubborn dark brown spot clusters and old acne blemishes show a highly visible reduction in size and pigment depth.
8 Weeks
Global dermal landscape achieves a beautifully uniform, transparent, and significantly more radiant baseline tone safely.
Ingredient Breakdown

Inside the Bottle

Heroes and formulation notes auto-extracted directly from the INCI list. Hover chips for details.

The Heavy Lifters
Hydrating

Works like a sponge to bind water to your skin, providing lasting plumpness.

Barrier repair

Acts like mortar between skin cells to lock in moisture and keep environmental stressors out.

Skin-identical

Ingredients your body naturally produces, meaning your skin recognizes and absorbs them instantly.

Antioxidant

Daily defense against pollution and sun-induced free radicals that accelerate aging.

Good to Know
Pregnancy unsafe
Pregnancy caution
Irritation risk
Live INCI Decoder

Full Formula Scan

Automatically parsed and cross-referenced with the Glowwe Lab database. Unrecognized elements are filtered into the queue below.

#IngredientWhat It DoesSafetyIrr / Com
01 Water Solvent Base solvent. Safe 0 / 0
02 Propanediol Hydrator / Humectant The natural, skin-friendly alternative to Propylene Glycol. Safe 0 / 0
03 Butylene Glycol Hydrator / Humectant A water-binding liquid that helps ingredients penetrate. Safe 0 / 1
04 Ethoxydiglycol Functional / Support The invisible carrier that drives Vitamin C deep. Safe 0 / 0
05 Glycerin Hydrator / Humectant A natural skin-identical moisture sponge. Safe 0 / 0
06 Ascorbyl Glucoside Antioxidant The gentle, water-soluble Vitamin C for sensitive skin. Safe 0 / 0
07 Panthenol Hydrator / Humectant Pro-Vitamin B5; incredible for quenching skin irritation. Safe 0 / 0
08 Azelaic Acid Active Ingredients The multi-tasking acid that treats acne, rosacea, and dark spots. Safe 2 / 0

⚠️ Priority Update Processing (4 items queued)

Sorry, some ingredients from this product's label are currently not available in our system. However, we are in the process of adding them and they will be available very soon! They have been added to our chemists queue.

Pending Data: Coffea Arabica Fruit Extract, Calendula Officinalis Extract, Lonicera Caprifolium Flower Extract, Glycine Soja Seed Extract
FAQ

Common Questions

What the community asks most β€” answered with formulation facts.

What is Potassium Azeloyl Diglycinate and why is it better than standard Azelaic Acid?
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Pure Azelaic Acid is notoriously difficult to formulate. It does not dissolve well in water, resulting in thick, gritty creams that pill under makeup. Skinmade utilizes Potassium Azeloyl Diglycinate, a highly advanced derivative that attaches hydrating Glycine to the Azelaic molecule. This makes it completely water-soluble, allowing it to penetrate the skin instantly without any gritty texture while delivering the exact same dark spot fading benefits safely.

Will this serum cause my acne-prone skin to go through a purging phase?
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No. Niacinamide and Azelaic derivatives are skin-brightening and barrier-stabilizing nutrients. They do not accelerate cellular turnover speeds, so they cannot physically induce purging. Any sudden breakouts point to an initial sensitivity to the high active strength instead cleanly.

Can I use this serum in both my morning AM and evening PM routines?
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Yes, absolutely. The formula is completely photostable and non-photosensitive. Using it in the morning creates an amazing antioxidant baseline that controls midday oil beneath your sunscreen, while using it at night drives rapid cellular pigmentation clearance while you sleep flawlessly.

Is it safe for fungal acne (Malassezia)?
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Yes, 100 percent. This advanced watery formula completely avoids all plant lipids, long-chain fatty acids, and triggering esters entirely, making it thoroughly safe for fungal acne skin templates under local humidity loops safely.

Can I layer this serum while using prescription Tretinoin cream?
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Yes, it is highly recommended. Niacinamide actively triggers endogenous ceramide synthesis pathways, creating a robust hydration buffer that directly mitigates the harsh peeling, dryness, and scaling side effects of prescription vitamin A retinoids safely.

Does it contain parabens or synthetic perfumes?
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No, it is 100 percent free from added artificial fragrances, masking perfumes, volatile essential oils, and traditional parabens, providing clean, high-performance sensory peace for highly reactive skin profiles cleanly.

How many drops do I need for my entire face area?
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Because it spreads with an incredibly fluid, lightweight slip, you only need 3 precise drops for your entire face landscape. Dot it over your forehead and cheeks, and massage it outward smoothly; it will dry touch-bare within 15 seconds flat.

Community Voice

Real User Experiences

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