Is CODE3 a hydroquinone replacement?

Yes. CODE3 is built around 10% tranexamic acid (TXA), the highest concentration typically available in a physician-grade serum. A head-to-head randomized clinical trial showed TXA is as effective as hydroquinone for melasma and hyperpigmentation — without the irritation, rebound pigmentation, or ochronosis risk (PMID 38918942). Paired with bakuchiol and quercetin, CODE3 replaces both hydroquinone and retinol in a single step.

Are the ingredients in CODE3 clinically studied?

Yes. Every active ingredient was selected based on peer-reviewed clinical evidence. The TXA vs hydroquinone head-to-head (PMID 38918942) and the bakuchiol vs 0.5% retinol randomized trial (PMID 29947134) are the cornerstone studies. The formula has been refined across 2,500+ patients over 12 years.

How is CODE3 different from other brightening serums?

Most brightening serums target a single pigmentation pathway. CODE3 targets all three simultaneously: melanogenesis (10% tranexamic acid), inflammation (bakuchiol), and oxidative stress (quercetin). Single-ingredient serums let pigment re-enter through the pathways they leave open. CODE3 closes all three.

How long before I see results from CODE3?

Most patients notice visible improvement in dark spots and skin tone within 4 to 8 weeks of twice-daily use. Full results typically develop over 12 weeks. Daily broad-spectrum SPF 30+ is non-negotiable — UV exposure re-triggers pigmentation and slows results.

Can I use CODE3 with my current skincare routine?

Yes. CODE3 layers well with moisturizers, SPF, and most actives. Avoid using a separate retinol product simultaneously — bakuchiol provides retinol-equivalent benefits, making stacking redundant. If transitioning off hydroquinone, use CODE3 in the morning while tapering hydroquinone in the evening.

Is CODE3 suitable for sensitive skin or rosacea?

Yes. Bakuchiol was chosen over retinol specifically because it delivers equivalent pigment and texture results with significantly less irritation — clinically demonstrated in a 12-week randomized trial (PMID 29947134). Patients with rosacea, reactive skin, or a history of retinoid sensitivity are among those who benefit most.

CODE3 — Hydroquinone Alternative + Retinol Replacement Serum - Alón Labs

CODE3 serum bottle for abnormal pigment, melasma, and dark spots — Alón Labs

CODE3 Skin Texture & Pigment Smoothing Serum - Alón Labs

CODE3 — Selective Pigment Correction Serum

Name: CODE3 — Selective Pigment Correction Serum
Brand: Alón Labs
SKU: 2199
Price: 240.00 USD
Availability: InStock

$240.00

By Dr. Daniel Jacobs, Board-Certified Plastic Surgeon and Founder of Alón Labs

CODE3 is a hydroquinone alternative and retinol replacement in a single physician-formulated serum. If you've been told hydroquinone is your only option for melasma or dark spots — or that retinol irritation is just something you have to live with — this formula was built specifically to change that.

The clinical evidence now supports non-hydroquinone, non-retinol options that match or exceed the originals. CODE3 applies that evidence in one bottle, targeting the three parallel pathways that drive hyperpigmentation:

Melanogenesis → 10% Tranexamic Acid. Head-to-head clinical data shows TXA is as effective as hydroquinone for melasma and PIH, with significantly less irritation and no ochronosis risk (PMID 38918942).
Inflammation → Bakuchiol. A 12-week randomized, double-blind trial found bakuchiol matched 0.5% retinol on wrinkle and pigment reduction — with far less irritation (PMID 29947134).
Oxidative Stress → Quercetin. A potent polyphenol antioxidant that neutralizes the free radicals that re-trigger melanocyte activity and cause pigment to return.

Why combination beats monotherapy. Single-ingredient brighteners address one pathway. Pigment finds a way around the rest. CODE3 closes all three simultaneously — which is why it outperforms stand-alone TXA, bakuchiol, or vitamin C serums in the patients who've used it.

Developed by Alón Labs across 2,500+ patients over 12 years. Patent-pending formula. Apply twice daily, morning and evening, with broad-spectrum SPF 30+ in the morning.

Read the full formula story: https://www.alonlabs.com/blogs/news/tranexamic-acid-bakuchiol-quercetin-serum

Key Ingredients:
10% Tranexamic Acid, Bakuchiol, Quercetin.

Other Ingredients:
Urea, Niacinamide (Vitamin B3), Caffeine, Hyaluronic Acid, D-alpha Tocopherol Acetate (Vitamin E), Cholecalciferol (Vitamin D3), L-Carnosine, Ferulic Acid, Pterostilbene, Melatonin, Resveratrol, Glutathione, Phenoxyethanol, L-Tyrosine, Sorbic Acid, Caprylyl Glycol.

Unsure if the Alon Labs products will work for you?

We totally understand. If they don't work for you, we offer a full refund on your first purchase up to $100.

Apply plenty of formula generously on and around the face and neck. Use morning and evening.

Everybody responds a little bit differently to skin products. If you're one of those individuals who notices irritation, we recommend to reduce or stop use.

Patent Pending Formula with 10% TXA, Bakuchiol, and Quercetin.

The clinical hydroquinone alternative and retinol replacement — in one serum. Physician-formulated by Dr. Daniel Jacobs, board-certified plastic surgeon. 2,500+ patients, 12 years.

Extensive Experience

Drawing on 12 years of research and clinical refinement, our formulas harness the very best ingredients to even and smooth your skin.

Free Shipping

on orders over $150

Risk Free

Free return on your first bottle

Cruelty Free

not tested on animals

Meet the pioneering plastic surgeon behind the Alón formulas...

Dr. Daniel Jacobs

“I needed something to calm my own redness (rosacea) and my wife's melasma. I tried everything that modern clinical practice suggested but nothing worked. I had to find a solution, which then became the Alon formulas. It changed everything.”

Our Science-Based Approach

1. PLASMIN REDUCTION

10% Tranexamic Acid interrupts the plasmin–tyrosinase signaling pathway that triggers melanocytes to produce pigment. Clinically shown to match hydroquinone for melasma and PIH without the irritation (PMID 38918942).

2. INFLAMMATION

Bakuchiol is a plant-derived retinol alternative that calms the inflammatory cascade driving post-inflammatory hyperpigmentation — with retinol-equivalent results and significantly less irritation in a 12-week randomized trial (PMID 29947134).

3. OXIDATIVE STRESS

Quercetin is a potent polyphenol antioxidant that neutralizes the free radicals (UV, pollution, post-procedure ROS) which re-trigger melanocyte activity and drive pigment recurrence — the third pathway no single-target brightener addresses.

Some Additional Natural Ingredients

Vitamin B3

Caffeine

Hyaluronic Acid

TXA

Quercetin

Bakuchiol

Yes. CODE3 is built around 10% tranexamic acid (TXA), the highest concentration typically available in a physician-grade serum. A head-to-head randomized clinical trial showed TXA is as effective as hydroquinone for treating melasma and hyperpigmentation — without the irritation, rebound pigmentation, or ochronosis risk that make hydroquinone unsuitable for long-term use (PMID 38918942). Paired with bakuchiol (a retinol alternative) and quercetin, CODE3 is designed to replace both hydroquinone and retinol in a single step.
Yes. Every active ingredient in CODE3 was selected based on peer-reviewed clinical evidence. The TXA / hydroquinone head-to-head (PMID 38918942) and the bakuchiol / 0.5% retinol randomized double-blind trial (PMID 29947134) are the two cornerstone studies. The formula has also been refined by Alón Labs across 2,500+ patients over 12 years of research and clinical use. It is a clinically studied, physician-formulated serum — not a "natural" cosmetic claim.
Definitely. The highest form of evidence is the randomized, double-blind trial — and exactly that study design has been published comparing bakuchiol against 0.5% retinol cream (Dhaliwal et al., 2019, PMID 29947134). Over 12 weeks, both groups showed similar wrinkle and hyperpigmentation reduction, but the retinol group reported significantly more skin irritation. That's why CODE3 uses bakuchiol as its retinol alternative — comparable efficacy, meaningfully better tolerability, and safe to layer during the Days 0–14 post-procedure window when retinol is contraindicated.