APRILSKIN - TXA Niacinamide Toning Shot 99 Serum 30ml

APRILSKIN TXA Niacinamide Toning Shot 99 Serum — Step Zero

Most serums are a step in your routine. This one is designed to go before the routine — APRILSKIN calls it Step Zero, a skin booster you apply first to prep skin and help everything after it absorb better. It is an unusual position for a product to claim, and the format is the reason it can.

30ml, a jelly texture, and 99% high-purity Tranexamic Acid at 3% with Niacinamide at 5%.

What the Numbers Mean

Two different numbers get confused constantly, so: 99% is the purity of the TXA raw material. 3% is how much of it is in the bottle. Purity matters because high-purity TXA absorbs faster than impure TXA and does not leave a sticky film. The 3% is the dose — and 2–5% is the range where TXA does its work.

Niacinamide at 5% is the other half, working on tone, pores and texture.

The Spicules

Look for Hydrolyzed Sponge in the ingredients — those are the spicules. Micro-needles from freshwater sponge, 25 times smaller than your pores, coated with TXA, niacinamide and exosomes, that carry the actives in as they absorb.

This is why you will feel a mild tingle. That is the format working, not a warning sign, but it is also why this is not a blind buy for reactive skin.

Also inside: Milk Exosomes, Alpha-Arbutin and Ascorbic Acid for tone, Betaine Salicylate and Gluconolactone for gentle exfoliation, sh-Oligopeptide-1, Panthenol and Sodium Hyaluronate.

Who It's For

Dark spots, hyperpigmentation, uneven tone and dull skin. APRILSKIN lists it for all skin types, but the tingle is real — if your skin is currently reactive, start slowly.

It is the first step of the TXA line, and the TXA Niacinamide 99 Milky Toner is the step APRILSKIN designed to follow it. The TXA Niacinamide 99 Deep Cleanser comes before both, and the Night Wrapping Mask and Collagen 99 Capsule Gel Mask round the line out. All in the APRILSKIN collection.

See also Korean Serums, niacinamide, Brightening & Even Skin Tone, Sun Damage & Pigmentation and Smooth & Pore-Refining Skin. If you are choosing between serums, our guide to which serum you actually need is the place to start.

How to Use It

1. Cleanse, then apply this first — before toner, before anything else.
2. Dispense one shot and press it gently over the face.
3. Expect a mild tingle as it absorbs. Let it settle.
4. Follow with the TXA 99 Milky Toner, or your own toner and moisturizer.
5. Start a few times a week and build up. Spicules are a physical delivery system, not a lotion.

Then sunscreen every morning, without exception. Working on dark spots while collecting new ones from UV is the most common way people waste a year — see our 2026 SPF guide.

Questions

Why does it tingle?
The spicules. They are micro-needles from freshwater sponge, listed as Hydrolyzed Sponge, and the tingle is them delivering the actives. It should be mild and it should pass as the serum absorbs.

Does 99% mean 99% TXA?
No, and this trips up a lot of people. 99% is the purity of the TXA used. The amount in the formula is 3%, which is inside the 2–5% range where TXA is generally effective.

Really the first step, before toner?
Yes. APRILSKIN designed it as a booster that preps skin so the products after it absorb better. That is what Step Zero means.

Can sensitive skin use it?
APRILSKIN lists it for all skin types including sensitive. But it is a spicule serum and it tingles, so patch test and build up slowly rather than starting nightly.

Why Buy APRILSKIN at K-Touch

Every APRILSKIN product at K-Touch is authentic and sourced from verified distributors — carefully stored and securely packaged, with secure checkout and order tracking. See also Best Sellers and New Arrivals.