I Finally Found A Serum To Address Texture & Dark Spots For My Sensitive Skin

In our series Trial Run, TZR editors and writers put the buzziest new beauty products to the test and share their honest reviews. This week, beauty writer Khera Alexander is testing the Omorovicza Even Tone Serum.

Bright, smooth, radiant skin is always a good look, but for some of us, it can be a little tough to achieve. From acne to hyperpigmentation and dullness, a number of variables can contribute to why we’re challenged with achieving a bright complexion that’s free of texture or dark spots. Personally, my journey with my skin has been a little tumultuous, and hyperpigmentation has always been a skin concern I constantly have to battle. Whether my skin was at its worst or at its best, textural irregularities and stubborn dark spots would remain.

Even though my breakouts are minimal right now, I’ve always had to focus on how I can gently smooth and even out my complexion — most exfoliants, masks, and treatments are too much for my sensitive skin to take. Instead, I’ll usually find a potent brightening serum to use. But I felt willing to put my current favorite to the side to test out the Omorovicza Even Tone, a brightening serum and the brand’s newest product.

Made to target dark spots, age spots, and textural issues, ingredients like niacinamide, mandelic acid, and amber micro algae work to exfoliate and brighten, helping to reveal a more even complexion and rejuvenated skin over time. To learn about how this product worked for me after testing it out for almost three weeks, keep reading.

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Fast Facts

• Price: $165
• Size: 5mL
• Best for: Uneven skin tone, hyperpigmentation, age, and sun spots
• Ingredient Highlights: Niacinamide, amber micro algae, mandelic acid
• Clean/Cruelty-Free? Yes
• What we like: Lightweight, very little product needed, non-irritating
• What we don’t like: Pricey, strong fragrance
• Your rating: 3.7/5

My Skin

My skin has had its fair share of ups and downs, but right now, it’s in much better shape. After trying different treatments, I settled on Accutane earlier this year to manage my acne. Since my skin has really improved, I’ve been focusing on the hyperpigmentation on my cheekbones and temples by using a daily vitamin C serum. My skin has textured areas as well, but I decided to tackle that at a later time — until recently. Testing out the Omorovicza serum was interesting to me because I wanted to see what my skin would look like after using a product that focuses on both of my skin concerns (which isn’t always the case with some formulas).

The Omorovicza Even Tone Serum

Omorovicza’s Even Tone is a serum that targets uneven skin tone. Ideal for all skin types that deal with hyperpigmentation, age spots, and sun spots, Even Tone addresses and corrects those areas to reveal a more even, brighter complexion. Good for textured skin as well, Even Tone smooths over textural irregularities to improve the overall appearance of the skin. With its three key ingredients — amber microalgae, niacinamide, and mandelic acid — Even Tone is gentle enough to be used morning and evening.

The Science Behind The Omorovicza Even Tone Serum

Formulated with a couple of popular key ingredients like mandelic acid and niacinamide, Even Tone is also made with amber micro algae, an ingredient with which I was unfamiliar. Dr. Geeta Yadav, board-certified dermatologist and founder of the FACET Dermatology Clinic, helps break down these three standout ingredients and how they all perform differently to reveal smoother, brighter skin.

Niacinamide is having a moment in the beauty sphere right now, but it’s actually quite good for the skin. “[It] works by reducing the transfer of melanin between cells that can cause hyperpigmentation,” Dr. Yadav says. “It also has anti-inflammatory benefits, which helps control oil production in the skin, helping to improve skin clarity.”

Coming from the alpha-hydroxy acid (AHA) family — a group of fruit, plant, or animal-based acid compounds — Dr. Yadav explains that mandelic acid exfoliates the skin, making it look brighter and smoother. “Mandelic acid is an alpha-hydroxy acid that's typically derived from almonds,” she says. “AHAs resurface the skin by breaking down the bonds securing dead cells to the surface that causes a dull look.”

Targeting areas of excess melanin in the skin, amber micro algae is Even Tone’s most unique ingredient. Dr. Yadav expands, describing how algae-rich ingredients work. “Marine algae are rich-sources of metabolites which combat oxidative stress, and therefore, skin aging,” she says. “Marine algae can have anti-melanogenic properties by inhibiting the enzyme called tyrosinase — the same enzyme that turns fruit skin brown as it oxidizes — and is an essential part of the process of hyperpigmentation in human skin.”

The Even Tone Packaging

The Even Tone serum comes in a compact, frosted glass bottle with an interesting dropper that’s also a pump; instead of squeezing the top of the dropper to dispense product, you twist the cap off to unlock the pump and use the serum. Packaging like this is great for a serum because it's hygienic and the chances of the product leaking are minimal.

My First Impression

When I used Even Tone for the first time, the texture and feel of it was great. The serum is lightweight and absorbs into the skin quickly, but I also noticed how strong the fragrance is. I’m sensitive to scents, so I would have preferred if the fragrance was a little milder.

How I Used the Even Tone Serum

Morning and evening, I used Even Tone after my cleanser and before my moisturizer and SPF. Dr. Yadav highlights the significance of using a serum day and night, noting that they penetrate the skin faster than creams. “Ingredients in serums are typically at higher concentrations than they would be in moisturizers; using serums in your morning and evening routines will allow for more intensive treatment of unique concerns,” she says.

Since the dropper has a pump, it was hard to know how much product would be dispensed initially. The first time I used the serum, I used a full pump and ended up using way too much product. After that, I used less than half of a pump, which is about a dime-sized amount of serum. For the next two and a half weeks, I used Even Tone, looking forward to seeing how my skin might change.

My Results

I’ve only been using Even Tone for less than three weeks, but I’ve still been able to notice a change in my skin. My complexion appears to be brighter, but most of all, my skin looks and feels so much softer. I don’t exfoliate my skin much because of how reactive it can be, which often means that my nose, forehead, and temples look a little rough and textured. My skin is noticeably smoother in those areas, and I was happy that I was able to test this serum and exfoliant hybrid without my skin reacting negatively to it.

Is the Omorovicza Even Tone Serum worth it?

Even Tone is priced at around $165 for 30 mL, and while the product is good, it’s pricey — but that’s not unusual for a serum, especially one from a prestige brand. One of my all-time favorite serums, the Skinceuticals C E Ferulic Serum, is about $169 for 30mL. Similar to the C E Ferulic, the Omorovicza serum is an investment, but depending on your skin concerns, it could be a worthwhile purchase.

BDG product reviews and recommendations are written and conducted by writers and editors with expertise in their fields. Testers often have specific experience with the situation or product at hand, and/or their review or recommendation is provided in consultation with experts. You can learn more about our standards here.