Discoloration Defense
Reviewed by SerumTruth Editorial · Updated July 2026
A genuinely multi-active pigment serum with all three brighteners on the label, which is rare at any price. You pay a steep prestige premium, and the kojic acid means the clock starts the day you open it.
- Evidence18 / 30
Strength of the research behind the key actives
- Tranexamic Acid: moderate evidence
- Kojic Acid: limited evidence
- Niacinamide: moderate evidence
- Score is the average of the key actives’ evidence grades.
- Potency21 / 25
Dosed at studied levels, not fairy-dusted
- Tranexamic Acid (3%): dosed at a studied level
- Kojic Acid (1%): dosed at a studied level
- Niacinamide (5%): dosed at a studied level
- Potency tracks how strongly the actives are dosed, led by the strongest, not how many there are.
- Delivery & stability12 / 20
Delivery tech + packaging that protects fragile actives
- Delivery: standard
- Packaging: tinted glass
- Air- or light-sensitive actives (Kojic Acid), so packaging is scored.
- Formulation9 / 10
Disclosure, active breadth, and ingredient generation
- 3 of 3 actives disclose a concentration
- 3 key actives (breadth credit caps at 3)
- Current-generation or synergistic: Tranexamic Acid, Kojic Acid
- Value3 / 15
What a month of use costs vs. the category
- About $69 per month to use
- $115 for 30 ml, used about twice a day (about 0.3 ml each time), so a bottle lasts about 1.7 months
- Band: $6/month or less earns full marks, $60/month or more hits the floor.
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What’s inside
| Active | Disclosed | Dose |
|---|---|---|
| Tranexamic Acid | 3% | Studied |
| Kojic Acid | 1% | Studied |
| Niacinamide | 5% | Studied |
Three disclosed brighteners aimed at the appearance of dark spots from different angles: 3% tranexamic acid, 5% niacinamide and 1% kojic acid, plus 5% HEPES for gentle surface turnover. Kojic acid browns in air and light, and the opaque dropper bottle protects it less than an airless pump would, so use it fresh and re-cap it fast.
How it’s delivered
Air- and light-sensitive actives (vitamin C, copper peptides) lose potency fast in the wrong packaging, so delivery and the bottle are scored, not just what’s on the label.
The actives, explained
Cosmetic information for general education, not medical advice. The SerumProof score reflects our reading of publicly available research and formulation disclosures. See how scoring works.