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Arbutin

goodie
Also-called-like-this: Beta-Arbutin
What-it-does: antioxidant, skin brightening

Details

A pretty well-known and often used ingredient with the magic ability to fade brown spots. It's used traditionally in Japan and can be found naturally in a couple of plants, including the leaves of pear trees, wheat and bearberry

Arbutin seems to work its magic and hinder the pigmentation process at the second step of it. An enzyme called tyrosinase is needed to create melanin (the pigment that causes the brown spots) and while several other skin lightening agents work to inhibit the synthesis of tyrosinase itself (like vitamin C or licorice), arbutin lets tyrosinase be and rather hinders the melanin-forming activity of the enzyme. (So it might be a good idea to combine arbutin with some direct tyrosinase inhibitors for more skin lightening effect.)

All in all, arbutin is one of the better-known skin brightening agents, that's probably worth a try if pigmentation is an issue for you.

Show me some proof

  • Journal of Pharmacology and Experimental Therapeutics February 1996, 276 (2) 765-769; Arbutin: mechanism of its depigmenting action in human melanocyte culture
  • Leslie Baumann, MD, Cosmetic Dermatology, 2nd edition, Arbutin - page 280

Products with a known amount of Arbutin

Other products with Arbutin

Arbutex Whitening Cream Blu42 Bright Eye Cream Divine Derriere 5% Alpha Arbutin Whitening Cream - Dark Spot Corrector Flawless Authentic Arbutin & Licorice Black Soap G2G Rejuwhite Arbutin Cream Hada Labo Arbutin Whitening Shirojyun Cream Hada Labo Rohto Mentholatum - Hada Labo Shirojyun Arbutin Whitening Milky Lotion Hada Labo Shirojyun Arbutin Whitening Lotion (Rich) Her Hyness Sheet Mask Rohto Mentholatum Hada Labo Shirojyun Arbutin Whitening Lotion SANA White Cream SANA Nameraka Honpo Whitening UV Base The derma CO 2% Alpha Arbutin Serum ciaga Kojbatin Cream Acqua perfection Aydınlatıcı Ve Leke Karşıtı Serum Answer19 Cica Arbutin Cream Bougas Beauty Advanced Serum Dermedic Melumin Dremz Ultra Cream Ebanel Hydroquinone Cream Skin Glenmark Pharma Demelan Cream Good Molecules Daily Brightening Serum Good Molecules Daily Brightening Serum I Flawless Whitening Facial Serum With Lorisa+ Ishizawa-Lab Toumei Shirohada White Essence It's Skin Caviar Double Effect Toner Klirvin Eye Care Cream La vie en rose Mon Elixir Serum Lamelle Correctives Brighter Serum Langsre Banaberry Brightening Eye Cream MCM Melano Out Cream Micro Labs Kojivit Ultra Obagi Nu Derm Clear FX Pharmaclinix Lightenex® Gold Cream Rimu Health Products Brightening Serum Arbutin %2 + Hyaluronic Acid Rohto Mentholatum Hada Labo Shirojyun Premium Whitening Essence Tosowoong Vita Clinic Vitamin Eye Cream Unimed Arbutin Whitening Serum Wellwell Gentle Face Wash cos.kim 2% Arbutin Serum kymblyn Slightly Dark Bright Cream Abbott Melaglow Rich Cream Avoskin Your Skin Bae Glow Concentrate Treatment 2% Alpha Arbutin + Multi Probiome + Beta Carotene Azarine Radiant Luminous Serum AziMD Skincare Dermabright Pads B.Glen Qusome White Essence BeautyMed ABM Clarifying Arbutin Serum Chifure Whitening Essence W Cos De BAHA AN Arbutin Niacinamide Serum Cos De BAHA Arbutin 5% + Niacinamide 5% Serum