Obagi’s brand entry is organized around one naming distinction: Clear Rx versus Clear Fx. The suffix changes the formula and the route being compared. Keeping it visible is particularly important in a melasma directory, where readers may encounter a prescription discussion and a retail offer in the same search.
The official Rx page, Fx store listing and US return policy were reviewed on October 14, 2026. This publication did not prescribe, dispense or use either preparation. The profile introduces the verified identities while leaving personal eligibility, dispensing cost and comparative treatment outcomes unresolved.
The prescription declaration cannot migrate to the cosmetic
Clear Rx lists hydroquinone at 4%, or 40 mg per gram. Clear Fx identifies arbutin and does not declare hydroquinone. These are product-specific facts, not interchangeable ingredients attached to a common Clear family name. The paired review retains both identities. [1] [2]
AAD’s melasma treatment information discusses hydroquinone in clinical context. It does not establish an equivalent result from an arbutin cosmetic, endorse a particular purchase or determine which preparation fits an individual. No personalized treatment schedule is offered in this directory. [4]
The retail amount is not a prescription quote
The Fx store page displayed $125, while an actual Clear Rx pharmacy quote was not established. Insurance, availability and dispensing details remain separate questions. An amount for the cosmetic should never be used to make the prescription route appear cheaper or more transparent than the record supports. [1] [2]
US direct-store terms describe thirty days from delivery and include exclusions. Those terms do not automatically govern a separate dispensing pharmacy. Identifying the actual seller is therefore part of the comparison, rather than an administrative detail to assume after a purchase. [3]
A shared brand does not complete the evidence comparison
We have not independently appraised a current head-to-head melasma trial of the two formulations. Their known ingredient differences are informative but do not quantify relative results, tolerability or time to change. Broader self-care guidance also remains relevant to the care discussion. [5]
Obagi is included to clarify the available records, without an invented performance score. CoreAge Rx’s first position is sponsored and supplies no comparative evidence for this brand. The longer review and linked guides preserve the distinction between cosmetic shopping and supervised prescription decisions.
Sources & further reading
Provider pages establish what a brand markets. Clinical and regulatory sources establish the limits of the evidence. Each source has its own last-checked date below.
- Dark Spot Lightener & Corrector Cream | Obagi Nu-Derm® RxOfficial product or purchase record; claims and transaction performance not independently tested · Checked October 14, 2026
- Skin Brightening Cream | Obagi Clear FxOfficial product or purchase record; claims and transaction performance not independently tested · Checked October 14, 2026
- Refund policy – ObagiOfficial product or purchase record; claims and transaction performance not independently tested · Checked October 14, 2026
- AAD: melasma diagnosis and treatmentAAD guidance rechecked October 10, 2026. · Checked October 14, 2026
- AAD: melasma self-careAAD guidance rechecked October 10, 2026. · Checked October 14, 2026