Skin Whitening Ingredients From Nature

Mother nature provides us with everything we need for a brighter, lighter and healthier skin.

The key to effective and safe skin lightening is natural extracts. Even though laboratories can also make active ingredients that natural extracts have, nothing beats a gentle and safe change for your skin. Skin care brands, both big and small, use active compounds from plants to improve their skin lightening products.

 

A whitening cream is highly effective in lightening underarms, elbows, knees, groin area and other dark spots in the body while repairing the skin barrier, giving the skin a smooth and radiant feel.

 

Here is a short list of natural extracts that you might want to take note of when buying skin lightening products.

Arbutin

Arbutin is an extract from the bearberry or bear’s grape. It is actually from the leaf of the plant and not from the actual fruit, but the red fruits can be eaten. Bears actually like them, hence their name.

The Arbutin extract is a natural skin lightener. It helps in lessening the melanin activity on the body. Another plus for Arbutin is that it has some sun protection properties.

Aloe Vera

Aloe Vera is a tropical evergreen plant which have an antibacterial nature that helps to soothe inflamed skin. Aloe Vera has been used for thousands of years in traditional medicine to treat sunburn, psoriasis, and diaper rash.

Aloe Vera has a gel like substance in it that is used in skin care, beauty and health products. One of its use is to lighten the appearance of dark or brown discolored armpits.

Aloesin

The word itself is a clue to where it is extracted. Aloesin is a compound isolated from the aloe plant. It may not work as fast or as strong compared to its laboratory counterparts but it is a safer route. It is also slower in penetrating the skin.

But despite all of this, Aloesin is still a good choice as it has anti-inflammatory properties. Something that is good use when you want to lighten your skin as many skin lightening products can be a bit harsh on the skin.

Calendula

Calendula is a member of the sunflower family (Asteraceae). It’s a perennial herb that can grow up to 2 meters tall.

Calendula can decrease the pigment melanin found in skin to help brighten skin and reduce age spots. This may be due to the flavonoids found in Calendula. Studies have shown that Calendula can increase collagen production which improves the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles and can also improve skin tone and texture, making it firmer and smoother. Collagen is also an important part of your body’s immune system and helps keep you healthy and strong.

Citrus Extracts

Citrus fruits are overflowing with Vitamin C – an important antioxidant that helps in improving your immune system. For the skin, Vitamin C helps boost your collagen fibers and these fibers are the one responsible for your skin’s elasticity and firmness.

When your skin is in good condition, it will rejuvenate effectively. Skin care products with citrus extract when applied to the skin will slow down the melanin in the top layer of your skin.

Cucumber Extract

Cucumbers are in the same family as melons, squashes and pumpkins. They grow on vines and have a fruit that is a large, oblong, smooth-skinned cucumber.

The cucumber extract has anti-inflammatory properties and it is high in potassium which helps to soothe and keep the skin hydrated. Its refreshing properties can reduce puffiness and relieve itching, as well as help to ease redness – for example sunburn. Cucumber extract is suitable for all skin types.

Tea Tree Extract

Tea Tree is a plant native to Australia and New Zealand, and has been used as an herbal medicine since the early days of recorded history. It was one of the first herbal remedies used for relief of common cold symptoms. The leaves of the plant have been used to treat coughs and sore throats, and for many years it has been used in place of alcohol to clean wounds. Tea tree oil can be used externally on cuts, scrapes and burns. It can also be applied directly to the skin.

Tea Tree extract is a popular choice for treating acne because of its anti-inflammatory and antimicrobial properties. It's thought to calm redness, swelling, and inflammation. It may even help to prevent and reduce acne scars, leaving you with smooth, clear skin.

Licorice Extract

Licorice is an extract from the root of the same name. It is beneficial, not only in skin lightening business, but also in general dermatology procedures because of its antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, antiviral, and antimicrobial properties.

The galbridin compound in licorice is the one helping with the skin lightening process. This absorbs harmful sun rays that commonly cause skin discoloration. As a good measure of protection against the sun, skin whitening is sure to come after it.

Mulberry Extract

Derived from the Mulberry tree, it has antioxidants like Vitamin A, C, and E that are good for skin whitening. This extract helps in fading dark spots and enhance the skin’s firmness. It also lessens the production of melanin to keep the skin on a lighter shade.

 

What is an extract?

An extract is effectively taking a specific part (active ingredient) of a plant or animal tissue and putting it into a different form for its specific use - such as flavoring, medicine, perfume, skin care, etc.

 

Kojic Acid

Kojic acid is a by-product in the fermentation process of malting rice, for use in the manufacturing of sake, the Japanese rice wine. Yes, we call it acid but Kojic Acid is actually derived from fungal species like Acetobacter and Aspergillus. And like Arbutin and Aloesin, it helps in minimizing the melanin which results to the reduction of hyper-pigmented area and darkening in your skin.

Skin lightening products with Kojic acid are easily accessible in many shops, both online or from physical stores. They are one of the leading active ingredients for skin lightening as it It can lighten pigmentation and dark spots or patches that appear on your natural skin tone.

Vitamin C

Vitamin C boosts your immune system as it protects your body. And for your skin, it offers skin lightening effects as well.

The skin lightening happens when Vitamin C interfere with pigment synthesis at various oxidative steps of melanin production. Vitamin C promotes the differentiation of keratinocytes and decrease melanin synthesis, leading to antioxidant protection against UV-induced photo damage. This is the reason why Vitamin C is usually together with other skin lightening extracts.