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How we build Even Intensive Skin Tone Correcting Serum

The original, what makes it special, the shelf parts we use and how to get closer. Add or swap parts and the score updates.

Even Intensive Skin Tone Correcting Serum

The original · SkinBetter Science

Even Intensive Skin Tone Correcting Serum

~$190 Price not confirmed · 1.7 fl oz (50 ml); also 0.5 fl oz (15 ml)

A stronger successor-style serum that combines a brightening and gentle-AHA system (alpha-arbutin, tranexamic acid, niacinamide, glycolic and lactic acid, vitamin C, phloretin) with an antioxidant sy…

Official product page (opens in new tab)

Prices and listings checked Oct 28, 2026. Amazon prices change; the link shows today's price.

Step 2 · The build

Our build 4 parts

Single-bottle COSRX + vitamin C

  • Illustration of COSRX 2% Alpha Arbutin Discoloration Care Serum

    COSRX

    COSRX 2% Alpha Arbutin Discoloration Care Serum

    Alpha-arbutin + tranexamic acid + niacinamide

    AAlpha-arbutin · 20BTranexamic acid · 15 of 20CNiacinamide · 11 of 15
    ~$25Buy on Amazon (opens in new tab)
  • Illustration of Timeless Skin Care Timeless 20% Vitamin C + E Ferulic Acid Serum

    Timeless Skin Care

    Timeless 20% Vitamin C + E Ferulic Acid Serum

    AM vitamin C + E + ferulic antioxidant half

    EAscorbic acid and aminopropyl ascorbyl phosphate · 14 of 15FAstaxanthin, ergothioneine, PQQ, SOD and phloretin antioxidant system · 4 of 15
    $27.95Buy on Amazon (opens in new tab)
  • Illustration of The Ordinary Glycolic Acid 7% Exfoliating Toner

    The Ordinary

    The Ordinary Glycolic Acid 7% Exfoliating Toner

    Adds: Glycolic and lactic acid (gentle AHAs)

    DGlycolic and lactic acid (gentle AHAs) · 11 of 15
    $9Buy on Amazon (opens in new tab)
  • Illustration of Anua Niacinamide 10% + TXA 4% Dark Spot Correcting Serum

    Anua

    Anua Niacinamide 10% + TXA 4% Dark Spot Correcting Serum

    Adds: Tranexamic acid; Niacinamide

    AAlpha-arbutin · 15 of 20BTranexamic acid · 20CNiacinamide · 15EAscorbic acid and aminopropyl ascorbyl phosphate · 4 of 15
    ~$20.76Buy on Amazon (opens in new tab)

Partial credit means the part only partly matches that standout.

The 100 points

What stands out 100 pts

We split Even Intensive Skin Tone Correcting Serum into 6 standout parts. Each bar shows what the build earns.

Optional

Get closer optional

84 / 100. One add-on lifts this build to 86/100.

Illustration of Paula's Choice RESIST Ultra-Light Super Antioxidant SerumIllustration

Add Paula's Choice RESIST Ultra-Light Super Antioxidant Serum

Paula's Choice

+2 pts → 86/100 · Check price on Amazon

FAstaxanthin, ergothioneine, PQQ, SOD and phloretin antioxidant system · +2

Antioxidant serum for the antioxidant system; ingredient list not confirmed.

Listing not re-checked. Check the title and size on the retailer page.Buy on Amazon (opens in new tab)

91 is our ceiling. No retail serum combines astaxanthin, PQQ, SOD and ergothioneine; vitamin E or ferulic acid gives partial credit.

Step 3 · Buy

Buy the build

One link per part. Each opens the retailer in a new tab.

Skincare SuppliesOct 28, 2026

Your build

  1. 01COSRXCOSRX 2% Alpha Arbutin Discoloration Care Serum~$25

    Running total ~$25

    Buy on Amazon (opens in new tab)
  2. 02Timeless Skin CareTimeless 20% Vitamin C + E Ferulic Acid Serum$27.95

    Running total ~$52.95

    Buy on Amazon (opens in new tab)
  3. 03The OrdinaryThe Ordinary Glycolic Acid 7% Exfoliating Toner$9

    Running total ~$61.95

    Buy on Amazon (opens in new tab)
  4. 04AnuaAnua Niacinamide 10% + TXA 4% Dark Spot Correcting Serum~$20.76

    Running total ~$82.71

    Buy on Amazon (opens in new tab)
Build total~$82.71
The splurge~$190
Match84/100
You keep~$107.29

Snapshot prices. Each link shows today's price.

How to use

  1. Patch test any new active on the inner forearm or behind the ear for 24-48 hours first. AM: cleanse, Timeless vitamin C, COSRX serum, moisturizer, SPF 30+. PM: COSRX only. Use vitamin C on alternate days at first.
  2. Add The Ordinary Glycolic Acid 7% Exfoliating Toner: Glycolic acid is the main AHA in the formula; this covers it, but lactic is missing.
  3. Add Anua Niacinamide 10% + TXA 4% Dark Spot Correcting Serum: Publishes 10% niacinamide and 4% tranexamic acid with arbutin, covering three of the original's main brighteners in one bottle.

Other single-product swaps

One bottle instead of a build. Sorted by match score; scores use the same standouts as above.

budget Closest we found

Anua Niacinamide 10% + TXA 4% Dark Spot Correcting Serum

Anua

Match score 54 out of 100

No close match yet — we show the nearest formulas.

~$20.76 Price not confirmed · 30 ml / 1.01 fl oz
What it shares, what it misses

Shares

  • Niacinamide 10%
  • Tranexamic acid 4%
  • Alpha-arbutin + arbutin (~2% combined)
  • 3-O-ethyl ascorbic acid (trace)

Misses

  • Glycolic / lactic acid
  • Astaxanthin / ergothioneine antioxidant complex

Why it is close. Publishes 10% niacinamide and 4% tranexamic acid with arbutin, covering three of the original's main brighteners in one bottle.

Ingredient list source

Buy on Amazon (opens in new tab)
budget

COSRX 2% Alpha Arbutin Discoloration Care Serum

COSRX

Match score 46 out of 100
~$25 Price not confirmed · 1.7 fl oz (50 ml)
What it shares, what it misses

Shares

  • Alpha-arbutin (2%)
  • Tranexamic acid
  • Niacinamide
  • Hyaluronic acid

Misses

  • AHAs
  • Vitamin C
  • Astaxanthin and PQQ/SOD antioxidants

Why it is close. Closest single-bottle overlap: alpha-arbutin plus tranexamic acid plus niacinamide in one serum. Ingredient and price details come from retailer listings, so verify on the label.

Ingredient list source

Buy on Amazon (opens in new tab)
budget

Naturium Tranexamic Topical Acid 5%

Naturium

Match score 31 out of 100
$20.99 · 1 fl oz (30 ml)
What it shares, what it misses

Shares

  • Tranexamic acid (5%)
  • Niacinamide
  • Licorice root extract
  • Hyaluronic acid
  • Tocopherol

Misses

  • Alpha-arbutin
  • AHAs (glycolic/lactic)
  • Vitamin C
  • Astaxanthin and other antioxidants

Why it is close. Shares the tranexamic acid + niacinamide + licorice backbone of Even Intensive. Its tranexamic acid is first-ingredient-adjacent so it is likely a meaningful dose. It misses alpha-arbutin and the AHA/antioxidant half.

Ingredient list source

Listing not re-checked. Check the product title and size on the retailer page.

Buy on Amazon (opens in new tab)
budget

The Ordinary Alpha Arbutin 2% + HA

The Ordinary

Match score 24 out of 100
$11.50 · 1 fl oz (30 ml)
What it shares, what it misses

Shares

  • Alpha-arbutin (2%)
  • Hydrolyzed sodium hyaluronate
  • Lactic acid (trace, pH adjuster)

Misses

  • Tranexamic acid
  • Niacinamide
  • Vitamin C
  • Antioxidants

Why it is close. Gets you the alpha-arbutin piece for $11.50. Best used as a component of a stack, not alone.

Ingredient list source

Buy on Amazon (opens in new tab)
budget

Good Molecules Discoloration Correcting Serum

Good Molecules

Match score 21 out of 100
$11.99 · 1 fl oz (30 ml)
What it shares, what it misses

Shares

  • Niacinamide
  • Tranexamic acid derivative (cetyl tranexamate mesylate)

Misses

  • Alpha-arbutin
  • AHAs
  • Vitamin C
  • Antioxidants

Why it is close. Very cheap niacinamide + tranexamate serum. Only covers two of the key actives and uses an ester form of tranexamic acid, which is less well studied than the acid itself.

Ingredient list source

Buy on Amazon (opens in new tab)

Cheaper in store: Dewy Skin Serum. In store at Trader Joe's, $9.99 (price as of Oct 28, 2026), no link, we don't earn from this. 1 fl oz. $9.99/fl oz vs $11.99/fl oz, about 17% less per fl oz. A different product, a close match, not identical. The ingredient list comes from a third party, so check the label in store: ingredient source (opens in new tab).

budget

Minimalist Alpha Arbutin 2% Face Serum

Minimalist

Match score 20 out of 100
~$10.99 Price not confirmed · 30 ml / 1 fl oz
What it shares, what it misses

Shares

  • Alpha-arbutin 2%
  • Ferulic acid
  • Sodium hyaluronate

Misses

  • Kakadu plum / diglucosyl gallic acid
  • Ceramide NG
  • Resorcinol analogue (formula unconfirmed)

Why it is close. Publishes 2% alpha-arbutin with ferulic acid and hyaluronate. Which formula this listing ships is not confirmed, so we do not credit a resorcinol.

Ingredient list source

Listing not re-checked. Check the product title and size on the retailer page.

Buy on Amazon (opens in new tab)
budget

Naturium Vitamin C Complex Serum

Naturium

Match score 15 out of 100
$16.79 · 1 fl oz / 30 ml
What it shares, what it misses

Shares

  • Ascorbic acid
  • Sodium ascorbyl phosphate
  • Glutathione
  • Kakadu plum (Terminalia ferdinandiana) extract
  • Sodium hyaluronate

Misses

  • Alpha-arbutin
  • Hexylresorcinol
  • Ceramide NG
  • Bisabolol

Why it is close. Ascorbic acid plus ascorbyl phosphate, glutathione and fruit-extract antioxidants; no arbutin, tranexamic acid or AHA, and percentages are not published.

Ingredient list source

Buy on Amazon (opens in new tab)

What the science says

  • Tranexamic acid (oral, topical, intradermal) significantly reduces pigmentation in melasma and PIH; topical forms comparable to hydroquinone with fewer irritant reactions.

    AlJabr 2026 · J Cosmet Dermatol

  • Topical tranexamic acid 5% / niacinamide 4% cream was as effective as hydroquinone 4% for melasma over 3 months in a randomized double-blind trial.

    Ghasemiyeh 2025 · Sci Rep

  • Arbutin and derivatives inhibit melanin synthesis and have antioxidant activity.

    Boo 2021 · Antioxidants (Basel)

Full ingredient list

Show the INCI list

Aqua/Water/Eau, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Neopentyl Glycol Diethylhexanoate, Polyglyceryl-3 Distearate, Niacinamide, Trehalose, Polyglycerin-6, Alpha-Arbutin, Propanediol, Glycerin, Butylene Glycol, Cetyl Palmitate, Tranexamic Acid, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice Powder, Ascorbic Acid, Astaxanthin, Buddleja Officinalis Flower Extract, Glycyrrhiza Glabra Root Extract/Licorice Root Extract, Pancratium Maritimum Extract, Vitis Vinifera Flower Cell Extract, Grape Flower Cell Extract, Ziziphus Spina-Christi Leaf Extract, Acetyl Glycyl Beta-Alanine, Aminopropyl Ascorbyl Phosphate, Arginine, Citric Acid, Ergothioneine, Glycolic Acid, Hydrolyzed Sodium Hyaluronate, Lactic Acid, Pentaerythrityl Tetra-Di-T-Butyl Hydroxyhydrocinnamate, Phenylethyl Resorcinol, Phloretin, Phytic Acid, Pyrroloquinoline Quinone Allyl Ester, Sodium Hydroxide, Sodium Magnesium Silicate, Superoxide Dismutase, Cyclodextrin, Ethoxydiglycol, Glyceryl Stearate Citrate, Lecithin, Potassium Cetyl Phosphate, Pullulan, Sclerotium Gum, Silica, Sodium Starch Octenylsuccinate, Xanthan Gum, Ethylhexylglycerin, Phenoxyethanol

Source

Questions

What does the 84/100 score for our Even Intensive Skin Tone Correcting Serum build mean?

We split Even Intensive Skin Tone Correcting Serum into 6 standout parts worth 100 points in total. The build earns 84 of a possible 91. 91 is the most we claim, because some standouts have no close retail equivalent.

What is the best dupe for Even Intensive Skin Tone Correcting Serum?

Anua Niacinamide 10% + TXA 4% Dark Spot Correcting Serum by Anua is our closest single-product match at 54 out of 100 for ~$20.76 (30 ml / 1.01 fl oz). It shares Niacinamide 10%, Tranexamic acid 4%, Alpha-arbutin + arbutin (~2% combined), 3-O-ethyl ascorbic acid (trace).

How much can I save on Even Intensive Skin Tone Correcting Serum?

Even Intensive Skin Tone Correcting Serum costs ~$190 for 1.7 fl oz (50 ml); also 0.5 fl oz (15 ml). The closest dupe costs ~$20.76, a saving of about $169.24. Prices change, so check the seller page.

Is Anua Niacinamide 10% + TXA 4% Dark Spot Correcting Serum exactly the same as Even Intensive Skin Tone Correcting Serum?

No. Dupes share the key actives but can differ in concentration, vehicle and supporting ingredients. Missing from this one: Glycolic / lactic acid, Astaxanthin / ergothioneine antioxidant complex. See our methodology for how we score.

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