Anua
Niacinamide 10%+TXA 4% Dark Spot Correcting Serum
Anua's Niacinamide 10%+TXA 4% Dark Spot Correcting Serum is a serum (30ml), built around Niacinamide for a Korean-market formula, positioned as the serum step, after toner or essence and before moisturizer.
No reviews yet30 ml
$86.30 per 100 ml
- Korean-market formula
- Ships from California or direct from Korea
- Korean barcode and batch code intact
- Suited to
- Congested skinUneven textureDry skinCompromised barrier
- Helps with
- Shoppers looking for Niacinamide in a serumRoutines that want Niacinamide and Tranexamic Acid in one stepFilling the serum step with a Korean-market formula
In stock. Arrives in 3 to 7 business days
We accept
You’re $100.00 away from free US shipping.
- 30-day returns
- Free US shipping on orders of $100 or more
- Tracked delivery to your door
How it works
The Niacinamide 10%+TXA 4% Dark Spot Correcting Serum is a 30ml serum, used after toner and before moisturizer, morning and evening. The active it is built around is Niacinamide, named third on its own ingredient list. The same list carries Tranexamic Acid, Arbutin and Alpha-Arbutin, so the active is not the only thing on it worth naming. How much of the Niacinamide stays on the skin, and for how long, is decided by the serum format rather than by the list alone. Anua sells this Niacinamide serum in Korea, and this is that version.
Key benefits
- Niacinamide, the active this serum is built around
- Tranexamic Acid, Arbutin, Alpha-Arbutin and Asiaticoside on the same list, actives
- Madecassic Acid and Asiatic Acid further down the same list
- Cyanocobalamin and Yeast Ferment Extract further down the same list
- Niacinamide named third on the manufacturer list printed on this page
Inside the formula
Inside the formula
Where does this serum go in my routine?
After toner and before moisturizer, morning and evening. Anything thinner than a serum goes on before it, and anything richer goes on after. If you are adding it to a routine you already like, give it a week on its own first, so what you see is the Niacinamide and not three changes at once.
What else is on the list besides Niacinamide?
Tranexamic Acid, Arbutin and Alpha-Arbutin. The order they are printed in on this serum's panel is the order on the box, so you can see where Niacinamide sits relative to them. Further down the same panel: Asiaticoside, Madecassic Acid and Asiatic Acid.
Not on the ingredient list below: fragrance or parfum, denatured or SD alcohol, essential oils, silicones, parabens, sulfate surfactants, mineral oil or petrolatum and added color.
Full INCI (51): Water, Glycerin, Niacinamide, Tranexamic Acid, Butylene Glycol, Diethoxyethyl Succinate, 1,2-Hexanediol, Arbutin, Sodium Hyaluronate, Alpha-Arbutin, Coccinia Indica Fruit Extract, Eclipta Prostrata Extract, Macadamia Integrifolia Seed Oil, Olea Europaea (Olive) Fruit Oil, Simmondsia Chinensis (Jojoba) Seed Oil, Vitis Vinifera (Grape) Seed Oil, Theobroma Cacao (Cocoa) Extract, Hydrolyzed Hyaluronic Acid, Chamaecyparis Obtusa Leaf Extract, Prunus Persica (Peach) Flower Extract, Camellia Sinensis Seed Oil, Yeast Ferment Extract, Centella Asiatica Extract, Artemisia Princeps Leaf Extract, Candida Bombicola/Glucose/Methyl Rapeseedate Ferment, Hyaluronic Acid, Pentylene Glycol, Betaine Salicylate, Sucrose Palmitate, Hydrogenated Lecithin, Gellan Gum, Sodium Phytate, Cellulose, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Panthenol, Cyanocobalamin, Polyglutamic Acid, 3-O-Ethyl Ascorbic Acid, Ceramide NP, Dextrin, Asiaticoside, Madecassic Acid, Asiatic Acid, Dimethylsilanol Hyaluronate, Hydrolyzed Sodium Hyaluronate, Potassium Hyaluronate, Hydroxypropyltrimonium Hyaluronate, Sodium Hyaluronate Crosspolymer, Sodium Hyaluronate Dimethylsilanol, Sodium Acetylated Hyaluronate, Xanthan Gum
Ingredient list read from anua.com on 10 September 2026.
49 of 51 explained
- Water solvent
- Water is the base almost every serum, toner and cream is built on. It dissolves the water-loving ingredients and sets how light the finished texture feels. On an INCI list it is usually first, which only means it is the largest single ingredient by weight.
- Glycerin humectant
- Glycerin is the most used humectant in skincare. It draws water into the outer layer of skin and holds it there, and it is one of the very few ingredients whose hydrating effect is settled science rather than marketing. Higher amounts feel tacky, which is why it is usually blended.
- Niacinamide active
- Niacinamide is vitamin B3, and it is the most studied active in Korean formulation. It is used at roughly 2 to 5 percent for the look of uneven tone and visible pores, and it is water soluble, stable and comfortable beside almost every other active, which is why it turns up in so many lists.
- Tranexamic Acid active
- Tranexamic Acid is a synthetic amino acid derivative used for the look of stubborn discolouration and post-blemish marks. It is water soluble, stable and comfortable next to niacinamide, which is how it is usually paired.
- Butylene Glycol humectant
- Butylene Glycol is a small glycol that does two jobs at once: it holds water in the top layer of skin and it dissolves plant extracts and actives that plain water cannot. It also thins a formula, which is why watery Korean essences lean on it.
- Diethoxyethyl Succinate solvent
- Diethoxyethyl Succinate is a solvent that helps water-resistant actives spread and sink in evenly. It also leaves a light, silky feel.
- 1,2-Hexanediol humectant
- 1,2-Hexanediol is a glycol used for two reasons: it holds water like glycerin, and it makes a formula harder for microbes to live in, so less traditional preservative is needed. Korean formulas use it heavily for that second reason.
- Arbutin active
- Arbutin is the naturally occurring form of the same compound, from bearberry and related plants, used for the look of uneven tone. The alpha isomer is the more stable of the two.
- Sodium Hyaluronate humectant
- Sodium Hyaluronate is the salt of hyaluronic acid, and it is what most products labelled hyaluronic actually contain. The salt dissolves more readily and the molecule is smaller, so it sits in the outer layer of skin rather than only on top of it.
- Alpha-Arbutin active
- Alpha-Arbutin is a plant-derived compound, related to the sugar-bound form found in bearberry, used for the look of dark spots and uneven tone. It is stable in water and works at skin-friendly pH.
- Coccinia Indica Fruit Extract plant extract
- Coccinia Indica is ivy gourd. Its fruit extract is used as a conditioning, hydrating plant extract in Korean formulas.
- Eclipta Prostrata Extract plant extract
- Eclipta Prostrata is false daisy, long used in Ayurvedic and East Asian practice. Its extract is used as a conditioning plant extract, most often in scalp and hair formulas.
37 more explained
- Macadamia Integrifolia Seed Oil emollient
- Macadamia Seed Oil is unusually high in palmitoleic acid, a fatty acid that human sebum also contains, which is why it absorbs faster than most nut oils. It is a cushioning emollient for dry skin.
- Olea Europaea (Olive) Fruit Oil emollient
- Olive Fruit Oil is high in oleic acid and plant sterols. It is a rich emollient that suits dry skin and is heavy enough that blemish-prone skin often does not get on with it.
- Simmondsia Chinensis (Jojoba) Seed Oil emollient
- Jojoba Oil is a liquid wax rather than a true oil, and its structure is close to human sebum, which is why it absorbs so readily. It is an emollient that leaves a soft, non-greasy finish.
- Vitis Vinifera (Grape) Seed Oil emollient
- Grape Seed Oil is a light, linoleic-acid-rich oil with a fast, dry absorption. It is one of the plant oils used where an oil is wanted without a heavy finish.
- Theobroma Cacao (Cocoa) Extract plant extract
- Cocoa Extract carries polyphenols and a little caffeine. It is used as an antioxidant plant extract and gives a faint warm tint.
- Hydrolyzed Hyaluronic Acid humectant
- Hydrolyzed Hyaluronic Acid is hyaluronic acid cut into much shorter fragments. The smaller the fragment, the further into the outer layer it can settle, which is why serums stack several sizes together instead of using one.
- Chamaecyparis Obtusa Leaf Extract plant extract
- Chamaecyparis Obtusa is hinoki cypress. Its leaf extract carries aromatic plant compounds and is used in Korean formulas aimed at oily, congested skin.
- Prunus Persica (Peach) Flower Extract plant extract
- Peach flower extract. Flower extracts of the stone fruits carry flavonoids and sugars and are used as conditioning, water-holding extracts.
- Camellia Sinensis Seed Oil emollient
- Oil pressed from tea seeds. It is high in oleic acid, carries some of the antioxidants of the tea plant, and is lighter in feel than most oleic oils.
- Yeast Ferment Extract ferment
- The extract of a yeast culture, carrying amino acids, sugars and B vitamins. It is used as a conditioning ferment.
- Centella Asiatica Extract plant extract
- Centella Asiatica is the plant behind the whole cica category, sold as gotu kola or Madagascar centella. Its extract is the anchor of Korean formulas built for easily reddened skin, and its work is done by four triterpenes: asiaticoside, madecassoside, asiatic acid and madecassic acid.
- Artemisia Princeps Leaf Extract plant extract
- Artemisia Princeps is Korean mugwort, one of the country's oldest skincare and bathing plants. Its leaf extract is used for the look of reddened, reactive skin, and it is the ingredient behind the mugwort category.
- Candida Bombicola/Glucose/Methyl Rapeseedate Ferment ferment
- This ferment produces sophorolipids, sugar-based molecules that behave as very mild surfactants and emulsifiers. It is used to keep a formula blended without a harsh cleanser.
- Hyaluronic Acid humectant
- Hyaluronic Acid is a sugar chain the body already makes, and one gram of it can hold several litres of water. In a formula it is a humectant that pulls water to the surface of skin and holds it in a film, which is what makes skin look plumper while it is there.
- Pentylene Glycol humectant
- Pentylene Glycol hydrates and, like the other longer-chain glycols, makes a formula less hospitable to microbes so the preservative system can be lighter. It also improves how evenly a product spreads.
- Betaine Salicylate exfoliant
- Betaine Salicylate is a gentler salicylic derivative. Korean formulas use it at around 2 to 4 percent, which is roughly comparable to a low-strength salicylic acid, and it is easier on the skin barrier.
- Sucrose Palmitate emulsifier
- A sugar ester: table sugar joined to a fatty acid. Sugar esters are mild emulsifiers with a light, silky feel and no detergent sting.
- Hydrogenated Lecithin emulsifier
- Hydrogenated Lecithin is lecithin with its unsaturated bonds filled in, which makes it far more stable. It emulsifies and is the standard shell for the liposomes that carry actives into the outer layer of skin.
- Gellan Gum thickener
- Gellan Gum is a fermentation-derived polysaccharide that sets a clear, brittle gel at very low levels. It is used to suspend particles without thickening the liquid much.
- Sodium Phytate chelator
- Sodium Phytate is a rice-derived chelator used in place of EDTA. It ties up trace metals so the formula stays stable and its colour and scent hold.
- Cellulose absorbent
- Cellulose is plant fibre. In a formula it thickens, absorbs oil and, in a sheet mask, is often the fabric itself.
- Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride emollient
- Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride is the light fraction of coconut oil, with the heavy parts removed. It is the workhorse emollient of modern formulas: it softens skin, dissolves oil-soluble actives and absorbs without the greasy weight of a whole plant oil.
- Panthenol humectant
- Panthenol is pro-vitamin B5: skin converts it to pantothenic acid. It is a humectant that holds water and leaves skin feeling soft and less tight, and it is one of the ingredients formulators reach for when a formula also contains something harsh.
- Cyanocobalamin vitamin
- Cyanocobalamin is vitamin B12, and it is a deep pink-red, which is why a formula carrying it often has a colour nobody added on purpose. It is used as a conditioning vitamin.
- Polyglutamic Acid humectant
- Polyglutamic Acid comes from fermented soy and holds several times more water than hyaluronic acid for its weight. It forms a light film on the surface, so it is often layered with hyaluronic rather than replacing it.
- 3-O-Ethyl Ascorbic Acid antioxidant
- 3-O-Ethyl Ascorbic Acid is a stable vitamin C derivative that skin converts to ascorbic acid. It survives in a formula far better than pure vitamin C and works at a gentler pH, so it suits skin that finds the pure acid uncomfortable.
- Ceramide NP barrier lipid
- Ceramide NP is the most used cosmetic ceramide, the same class of lipid that makes up roughly half the mortar between cells in the outer layer of skin. Added to a cream it slots into that structure, which is why ceramide formulas feel less leaky rather than merely greasy.
- Dextrin thickener
- Dextrin is a starch fragment used to thicken and to give a formula a light, powdery finish. It is also a common carrier for powdered extracts.
- Asiaticoside active
- Asiaticoside is one of the four active triterpenes isolated from centella and the most studied of them. Korean formulas name it separately when they want to show which fraction of the plant they standardised.
- Madecassic Acid active
- Madecassic Acid is the fourth centella triterpene. A list that names all four is telling you the extract was standardised rather than simply pressed, which is the difference between a cica claim and a cica formula.
- Asiatic Acid active
- Asiatic Acid is the third of centella's four triterpenes and the aglycone form, meaning it has no attached sugar. It is oil soluble, so it turns up in cica creams and balms more than in watery layers.
- Dimethylsilanol Hyaluronate humectant
- Dimethylsilanol Hyaluronate is hyaluronic acid joined to a silicon-based group. It hydrates and leaves a smoother, silkier finish than hyaluronic acid alone.
- Potassium Hyaluronate humectant
- Potassium Hyaluronate is another salt of hyaluronic acid, used for the same reason as the sodium form: it dissolves easily and holds a large amount of water in the outer layer of skin.
- Hydroxypropyltrimonium Hyaluronate humectant
- Hydroxypropyltrimonium Hyaluronate carries a positive charge, and skin carries a slight negative one, so it is attracted to the surface and stays through rinsing. It is the hyaluronic used where a formula gets washed off.
- Sodium Hyaluronate Crosspolymer humectant
- Sodium Hyaluronate Crosspolymer is hyaluronic acid linked into a mesh. It holds water in a soft gel on the surface rather than sinking in, and it releases that water slowly through the day.
- Sodium Acetylated Hyaluronate humectant
- Sodium Acetylated Hyaluronate is hyaluronic acid modified to be part oil-loving, so it clings to skin instead of rinsing away. Formulators call it the one that stays put.
- Xanthan Gum thickener
- Xanthan Gum is a polysaccharide made by fermenting sugar. It thickens a watery formula into a gel and holds the whole thing in suspension so nothing separates. Too much of it and a serum turns stringy, which is why it appears in fractions of a percent.
- Market
- Korean market, the version sold in Korea
- EAN (barcode)
- 8809640734526
- Made in
- Republic of Korea
- Volume
- 30 ml
- Category
- Serum & Ampoule
- Actives
- Arbutin, Betaine Salicylate, Centella Asiatica, Ceramide NP, Green Tea, Hyaluronic Acid, Jojoba Seed Oil, Mugwort, Niacinamide, Panthenol, Sodium Hyaluronate, Tranexamic Acid, Vitamin C
- Ships from
- California or Korea
Orders ship from California or direct from Korea with tracked delivery to your door, and both routes carry the same Korean-market release. Shipping is free on orders of $100 or more. Returns are accepted for 30 days, by mail.
We split shipments free, so one out-of-stock item never holds up the rest of your order.
Where this unit came from
- 1Seoul
Bought as Korean-market stock - 2Barcode
Listed against the Korean barcode on its box - 3California or Korea
Ships to you from either, as the same Korean-market release
We stock the version of a formula that is sold in Korea, not the release a brand prepares for another market under the same name. The barcode in the specification above is the Korean-market one and it is printed on the box you receive.
Every unit keeps its original barcode and batch code intact, so the unit in your hands can be checked against the brand’s own records.
Every order ships from California or direct from Korea, and returns run for 30 days.
Every claim on this page traces to the unit in the box, the barcode, the batch code and the price you can read for yourself.
How to use
- Apply toner first so skin is clean and slightly damp before this serum goes on.
- Use two to three drops across the face, avoiding the immediate eye area.
- Follow with moisturizer once the serum has settled in, usually within a minute or two.
- Do not combine this with a separate strong exfoliating acid step on the same night at first, since stacking two active heavy steps at once raises the chance of irritation before skin has adjusted.
Worth knowing
- Patch test this serum on a small area and wait a day before using it more widely, especially with Niacinamide on the list.
- Introduce this serum on its own for the first week, so anything your skin does is traceable to the Niacinamide rather than to three changes at once.
Complete the routine
- This itemAnua Niacinamide 10%+TXA 4% Dark Spot Correcting Serum$25.89
- Cleanse first, so the next step meets bare skinAnua Peach Niacin Spread Cleansing Foam 150ml$30.00
- Prep after cleansing, before the treatment stepAnua PDRN 100 Hyaluronic Acid Booster Toner 250ml$37.50
Total for 3 items$93.39
Reviews
No reviews yet. Tell us how much you love the product!
Write a reviewWrite a review
ANUA Niacinamide 10%+TXA 4% Dark Spot Correcting Serum
How it felt, how your skin took it, what you layer it with. Straight answers help the next person choose.
We’re on gram!
Creators trying on authentic Korean skincare routines and products from us.
Rating a shelf of Dr. Althea products one by one.
Jasmine Loo · YouTube
Two hydrating serums side by side, IUNIK and Dr. Althea.
Kristin · YouTube
A walk through the Dr. Althea serum lineup and who each one suits.
auraofmahmuda · YouTube
A blunt first take on the Dr. Althea range.
Lexi Chang · YouTube
A first look at the viral 345 Relief Cream before buying.
Shelley Nayak · YouTube
A first try of the Dr. Althea serum on camera.
Hannah Ziad · YouTube
Anua, Korean-market original
Built around Niacinamide, named on this product's own ingredient list, sourced as the authentic Korean-market formula.
Verify your unit when it arrives
Verify your unit when it arrives
Korean-market stock with the original barcode and batch code intact, exactly as it left Korea.
Anua uses a holographic QR seal that only the HiddenTag app can read. Install HiddenTag from your phone’s app store and scan the seal on the box. A camera app alone will not resolve it.
Source: Anua packaging, HiddenTag scheme
On the unit itself
- The Korean-market barcode, unaltered from the retail package.
- The manufacturer’s batch code, exactly as the maker printed it.
정품Genuine article, Korean-market stock
What professionals say
What professionals say
What skin-care professionals say about skin care, quoted from the medical sources linked beside each.
Your skin barrier is basically your outer layer of the skin.
Melissa Piliang, MDDermatologist, Cleveland Clinic Pretty much every step of a Korean skin care routine is going to have some component of hydration.
Alok Vij, MDDermatologist, Cleveland Clinic
Ask an AI assistant about this product
Ask an AI assistant about this product
Opens ChatGPT, Perplexity or Claude in a new tab with the question prefilled. Claude asks you to sign in first.