
No.5 Glutathione TXA Advanced Dark Spot Ampoule Concentrate — Reddit Reviews
by numbuzin
Updated October 17, 2026
Tranexamic acid brightening serum for PIH; quick wins, inconsistent fading.
What the community says
Redditors reach for this multi-active serum when post-inflammatory marks are the target, with some reporting visible fading within one to two weeks. Others saw only lingering shadows or no improvement, so expectations should stay firmly YMMV.
What this means for you
What people love
- TXA-led glutathione brightening cocktail
- Some users report PIH fading within one to two weeks
- Vitamin C-serum alternative for people who do not tolerate vitamin C
Watch out for
- Some users see only partial fading, with shadowy spots remaining
- Does nothing for some spots and freckles
- Cannot outpace acne that keeps creating new dark spots
Product details
Product Traits
Key Ingredients
Where to buy
What the science says vs. what Reddit says
Hyperpigmentation
Some evidence
Tranexamic Acid: 9 studies tested it on its own. See all 19 studies
On Reddit: Acne-mark PIH gets specific mentions, with users saying it made a difference on lingering discoloration. 14 mentions
Both ingredients for hyperpigmentation
Tranexamic Acid Some evidence
- Most studies found it helped fade dark patches, especially in melasma
- It often worked about as well as other common dark-spot treatments
- Using it with other treatments often faded patches more than the other treatment alone
- Some studies found injected tranexamic acid, microneedling, or oral use worked better than other ways of using it
- The most common side effects were stomach upset, skin irritation, and menstrual changes
Niacinamide Some evidence
4 studies tested it on its own. See all 17 studies
Acne
Some evidence
Niacinamide: 6 studies tested it on its own. See all 17 studies
Anti-Aging
Some evidence
Niacinamide: 2 studies tested it on its own. See all 8 studies
Skin Barrier
Not proven yet
Few or mixed studies. This claim isn't established.
Niacinamide: 1 study tested it on its own. See all 17 studies
Research context, not treatment advice. Studies are about the ingredient, not necessarily this exact product.
Real Reddit threads — 25 mentions across 19 threads
numbuzin No.5 Glutathione TXA Advanced Dark Spot Ampoule Concentrate on Reddit, in one place — 19 threads from r/AsianBeauty, r/koreanskincare and 4 more, summarized.
“- Numbuzin no. 5”
Positive
“Numbuzin no. 5 and Skin1004 brightening ampoule: These are both gentle alternatives to a vitamin C Serum.”
Positive
“I don't tolerate vitamin C well, but I love these.”
Positive
“I have faint acne hyperpigmentation left which is fading by numbuzin no 5 serum and toner pad.”
Positive
“numbuzin no 5 serum and toner pad”
Positive
“I just want to know in how many days did you notices the difference in brightening with medicube?”
Positive
“Serum: I rotate the following as needed - Numbuzin no. 5”
Positive
“Current maintenance routine”
Positive
“Serum: I rotate the following as needed”
Positive
“Numbuzin dark spot serum and sheet mask did nothing for me”
Cautionary
“did nothing for me”
Cautionary
“Numbuzin dark spot serum”
Cautionary
“I use the Numbuzin glutathione toner pads along with their serum, and it ended up being more effective in brightening my skin than without it!”
Positive
“I prefer toner pads to toner, mostly because they're easy for me to use.”
Positive
“I use the Numbuzin glutathione toner pads along with their serum”
Positive
“i have dark spots from acne that i had ,ngl i seen some result with numbuzin no5 but still i can see some shadowy left”
Positive
“ngl i seen some result with numbuzin no5”
Positive





