Last year, I broke up with vitamin C. Out of nowhere, the antioxidant-packed ingredient was causing unwanted redness and irritation whenever I used it in my skin-care routine. So, after so many flare-ups, I decided enough was enough, and I stopped using it cold turkey.

Since then, I’ve been trying to find a product that offers the same sort of benefits (brightens, fades dark spots, etc.) sans irritation. And while it’s only been a few weeks of testing, I think I have found my replacement: the Omic+ Skincare 10% Tranexamic Acid Face Serum.

The serum is made with 10% tranexamic acid, which is an ingredient that is “used to prevent or reduce excessive bleeding in various medical conditions," Purvisha Patel, MD, a board-certified dermatologist based in Memphis, Tennessee, previously told Allure. "It works by helping to stabilize blood clots and prevent their breakdown."

But when used in skin care, tranexamic acid “slows melanin synthesis by inhibiting the plasminogen/plasmin pathway," Hadley King, MD, a board-certified dermatologist based in New York City, previously told Allure. "This blocks interactions between melanocytes [the skin cells that produce melanin] and keratinocytes [cells that provide skin structure]." In non-science speak, this means it can help reduce the production of hyperpigmentation.

So in this serum, the tranexamic acid works its magic on dark spots, while moisture- boosting glycerin and hyaluronic acid hydrate skin. Texture-wise, it’s super lightweight and layers well under moisturizer, sunscreen (a must with this treatment), and makeup. I like to use it solo before the rest of my skin-care routine, but you can also add two to three drops to your moisturizer to dilute it.

Omic+ Skincare 10% Tranexamic Acid Face Serum is in the April Allure Beauty Box.