Skin Lightening (Whitening) Ingredients

List of popular skin-lightening and whitening ingredients found in home remedies and commercial preparations.
Dark skin has more Melanin than fair skin. Blemishes or patches on the skin are normally caused by excessive amount of Melanin.
Ingredients in Home Remedies may be included in Commercial preparations and vice-versa. India is the largest consumer of Skin whitening preparations in the world. The remedies are also called 'Fairness" preparations

Home Remedy Ingredients

Several ingredients which may be included are not listed here, examples: Saffron, Avocado oil, Grape seed oil, Shea butter, active Manuka honey, Aloe vera, Apple cider vinegar, Buttermilk, Dandelion sap

Yogurt

Yogurt is normally used as the base. Lactic acid in yogurt promotes exfoliation, moisturization, and a natural brightening of skin tone. It evens out skin discolorations, minimize fine lines and wrinkles. It allows deeper penetration by other skin lighteners.

Lime or Lemon Juice

Lime juice is the most potent and effective skin bleach. It can irritate skin in high concentrations. Direct application will dry-out skin. It is not a good exfoliating agent.

Tomatoes

Tomatoes help whiten skin. Tomatoes have many micronutrients for the health of skin: Vitamins C, E, K, B1, B6, B3, B2 and Lycopene.

Turmeric Powder

For centuries, Turmeric has been used in making curries, cosmetics, and medicinal purposes in India. Turmeric is a basic ingredient of Wedding whole body mask. Turmeric lightens the skin, but it must be used carefully. High amount will dye your skin yellow. Turmeric also interacts with soaps. Do not use soap after using a preparation with Turmeric powder for a period of 24 hours.

Vitamin C

There are many different forms of Vitamin C, when applied topically have shown to reduce melanin and whiten the skin. These include L-Ascorbic acid, Magnesium Ascorbyl Phosphate, and Sodium Ascorbyl Phosphate.

Vitamin B3

Vitamin B3 (Niacinamide), when applied topically, is effective skin lightening agent. It is also effective in reducing acne

Besan (Chickpea flour)

It can be used for normal skin (neither oily nor dry) as a base to formulate masks. Besan helps lighten skin. It has zinc. If you have dry-skin, substitute Besan with finely powdered oatmeal.

Oatmeal

Oatmeal is used to bind ingredients in preparations formulated for dry-skin

Almond Oil

Almond Oil is a penetrating moisturizer. Good against dry skin, helps restructure skin. Good for removing scars of old pimples. Almond oil is added because most of the skin-lightening agents tend to dry-up skin.

Honey

Honey promotes exfoliation, moisturizes, helps lightening agents to penetrate deeper.

Commercial Preparation Ingredients

Over the counter skin lighteners may contain many ingredient included in Home Remedy ingredients such as: Vitamin B3, Vitamin C, Lime juice extracts
Several other ingredients may be included that are not listed here, example: Extract of Extrapone nutgrass, Sun-screens (Mexoryl is modern UVA filter), Mercury Salts, Bismuth subnitrate, Hydrogen peroxide, Magnesium peroxide, Zinc peroxide.
In the olden days, Hydroquinone, was a standard skin- lightening agent. Recent studies suggest possible serious side effects associated with synthetic Hydroquinone.
Ingredients used by commercial over-the-counter products are as follows

Alpha-Arbutin

This is the most efficient, most effective, and fast acting skin whitening agent than any other single ingredient. It inhibits activation of Tyrosinase. This is derived from Bearberry through a complicated manufacturing process making it an expensive ingredient

Beta-Arbutin

This is an extract of Bearberry, often called as Arbutin. It inhibits activation of Tyrosinase. This is not as effective as Alpha-Arbutin.

Kojic Acid

Kojic acid is a by-product obtained when rice is malted and fermented to make Saki. It was isolated in 1989, and found to be very effective in inhibiting Melanin production

Licorice Extract

Glabridin in Licorice plant inhibits activation of Tyrosinase. Glabridin is found in small trace amounts, making plant-part selection very important. Licorice is also anti-inflammatory.

Mulberry Extract

Extract from the roots of Mulberry plants are potent inhibitors of of Tyrosinase enzyme. A 0.4% concentration of paper mulberry extract inhibits Tyrosinase by 50% compared to 5.5% for hydroquinone and 10.0% for Kojic acid.

Emblica Extract

It is extracted from Phyllanthus Emblica fruit. The extract provides long-lasting and stable antioxidant activity. The extract has significant skin lightening properties

Retinoic Acid

It helps to peel off the skin cells that are normally pigmented cells. This allows the lower skin layer to come up that is somewhat lighter

Rumex

Derivative from 'Western Dock' plant. It inhibits activation of Tyrosinase. Efficiency is increased when combined with Arbutic and Kojic acid

Glycolic Acid

Glycolic Acid promotes exfoliation and a natural brightening of the skin tone. It evens out fine lines and wrinkles. Helps other skin lightening agents to penetrate deeper. Glycerin is a form of Glycolic Acid

Alpha Hydroxy Acid

AHA are mild organic acids and act same as Glycolic acid, except it is more suitable for sensitive skins. These acids include Lactic, Citric, Malic, Glycolic, and Tartaric acids.

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