Mela B3 Dark Spot Serum With Melasyl+Niacinamide
The La Roche-Posay Mela B3 Dark Spot Serum With Melasyl+Niacinamide is a serums, essence, ampoule. Our analysis of its 32 ingredients (27 low-risk) rates it Excellent (99/100). Based on its ingredients, it looks well-suited to dry skin. Heads up: it contains fragrance, which can irritate sensitive or reactive skin.
The La Roche-Posay Mela B3 Dark Spot Serum With Melasyl+Niacinamide is a serums, essence, ampoule. Our analysis of its 32 ingredients (27 low-risk) rates it Excellent (99/100). Based on its ingredients, it looks well-suited to dry skin. Heads up: it contains fragrance, which can irritate sensitive or reactive skin.
Summarised from our ingredient analysis — not brand marketing copy.
The evidence
| EWG | CIR | Ingredient Name & Cosmetic Functions | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
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Water
(Solvent) |
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Dimethicone
(Antifoaming Agent, Skin Protecting, Emollient, Skin Conditioning) |
Silicone
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Niacinamide
(Hair Conditioning, Skin Conditioning, Smoothing) |
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Glycerin
(Denaturant, Fragrance, Hair Conditioning, Humectant, Oral Care Agent, Oral Health Care Drug, Skin Protecting, Viscosity Decreasing Agent, Perfuming, Solvent) |
Good for Dry Skin
Fungal Acne Trigger
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Propylene Glycol
(Fragrance, Humectant, Skin Conditioningagent Miscellaneous, Solvent, Viscosity Decreasing Agent, Skin Conditioning, Viscosity Controlling) |
Good for Dry Skin
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Polysilicone-11
(Film Forming) |
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Silica
(Abrasive, Absorbent, Anticaking Agent, Bulking Agent, Opacifying, Viscosity Controlling) |
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Bis-PEG/PPG-16/16 PEG/PPG-16/16 Dimethicone
(Emollient, Emulsifying, Skin Conditioning, Surfactant) |
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Cystoseira Tamariscifolia Extract
(Skin Conditioning) |
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Capryloyl Glycine
(Cleansing, Hair Conditioning, Surfactant) |
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PEG-20 Methyl Glucose Sesquistearate
(Skin Conditioning, Emollient, Emulsifying, Surfactant) |
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Sodium Hyaluronate
(Skin Conditioning, Humectant) |
Good for Dry Skin
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Sodium Hydroxide
(Denaturant, Ph Adjuster, Buffering Agent) |
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Sodium Thiosulfate
(Reducing) |
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Carnosine
(Skin Conditioning) |
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Poloxamer 338
(Emulsifying, Surfactant) |
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Ammonium Polyacryloyldimethyl Taurate
(Emulsion Stabilising, Viscosity Increasing Agent, Viscosity Controlling) |
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Dipotassium Glycyrrhizate
(Flavoring Agent, Skin Conditioning, Humectant) |
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Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride
(Emollient, Masking, Perfuming, Skin Conditioning, Solvent) |
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Capryloyl Salicylic Acid
(Skin Conditioning) |
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Caprylyl Glycol
(Hair Conditioning, Skin Conditioning, Emollient, Humectant) |
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Citric Acid
(Chelating Agent, Fragrance, Ph Adjuster, Buffering Agent, Masking) |
Bad for Sensitive Skin
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Trisodium Ethylenediamine Disuccinate
(Chelating Agent) |
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Xanthan Gum
(Binding Agent, Emulsion Stabilising, Skin Conditioning, Surfactant Emulsifying Agent, Viscosity Increasing Agent, Binding, Gel Forming, Viscosity Controlling) |
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Pentylene Glycol
(Skin Conditioning, Solvent) |
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Octyldodecanol
(Fragrance, Skin Conditioning, Emollient, Perfuming, Solvent) |
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Retinyl Palmitate
(Skin Conditioning, Skin Conditioning Miscellaneous) |
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TOCOPHEROL
(Antioxidant, Fragrance, Skin Conditioning) |
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Pentaerythrityl Tetra-di-t-butyl Hydroxyhydrocinnamate
(Antioxidant) |
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Phenoxyethanol
(Fragrance, Preservative) |
Paraben
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CI 17200
(Cosmetic Colorant) |
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PARFUM
(Fragrance, Perfuming) |
No personal ingredient notes yet. Save ingredients to your profile to get good/bad alerts here.
How to use
General guidance from this product's category and active ingredients — always follow the directions on the package.
Trust & honesty
Contains ingredients some choose to avoid or double-check while pregnant or nursing.
Topical retinoids (retinol, retinaldehyde, retinyl esters) are widely advised against in pregnancy as a precaution. The strongest evidence is for ORAL retinoids; topical absorption is low, but most clinicians err on the side of caution.
Low-strength topical salicylic acid (BHA) is generally considered fine. Caution is usually reserved for high-strength leave-on products and salicylic peels.
This is general information, not medical advice. Pregnancy guidance varies and depends on concentration and your individual situation — always check with your doctor, midwife or pharmacist. How we flag this.
The concentrations these actives are typically effective at in research — not a measurement of this product.
Most studied between 0.1% and 1%. Higher is not automatically better — irritation climbs with dose, so a well-formulated lower strength is often the sweet spot.
Retinyl Palmitate
Most research uses 2–5%; some formulas go to 10%. Very high levels can cause flushing in sensitive skin.
Niacinamide
Salicylic acid is OTC-capped at 2%; 0.5–2% is the usual leave-on range. Much below that it acts more as a soothing agent than an exfoliant.
Capryloyl Salicylic Acid
INCI lists don't disclose amounts, and we don't claim to know this product's levels — these are the ranges these ingredients are usually effective at, so you can tell a real formula from "fairy-dusting" a marketed active. How we estimate this.
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