Today we are going to talk about one of the more popular whitening ingredients that we all know by name, it is kojic acid.
Tretinoin is an organic compound with antimicrobial properties usually produced by aerobic fermentation of glucose by Candida Aspergillus at specific temperatures.It was named by Yabuta in 1912 and its structure was determined in 1924.
The efficacy of Tretinoin is mainly in the following aspects:
- Whitening and Spot Removal: Kojic acid can inhibit the activity of tyrosinase in the body, further inhibiting skin pigmentation, with significant whitening and spot removal effects. Therefore, it is often added to whitening and spot removal cosmetics. However, please note that long-term use of cosmetics containing Kojic acid may produce dependence, so moderate use is recommended.
- Sun protection and moisturizing: Kojic acid also has the ability to absorb strong ultraviolet rays, so its ingredients have a sun protection effect. At the same time, it helps the skin retain water and exerts a moisturizing effect.
What should I be aware of when using Kojic acid?
First of all, you should choose a regular brand of kojic acid product
This is because a compliant and safe amount of added tretinoin should be less than 2%, usually between 0.5-2%. Tretinoin products with more than this amount are not guaranteed to be safe. Products with brand endorsement are much less likely to make mistakes.
skincare
Secondly, a certain tolerance period needs to be established before using Kojic acid.
Kojic acid is unstable to light, heat and metal ions, so do not add it at high temperatures when formulating, and control the amount of iron and other metal ions in the system.
Finally, it is important to keep the Kojic acid away from light.
In a strong light environment, inactivation may occur, but will cause melanin increment. After use, remember to protect yourself from the sun so like other acidic products such as salicylic acid, fruit acids, and A-alcohol ingredients, it should be used at night as much as possible. Try to avoid stacking multiple acids on top of each other, which may damage the skin barrier, and slamming too hard on the skin.
Which skincare products have added Kojic acid in them?
Whitening creams: Many brands of whitening creams contain the ingredient tretinoin, whose main function is to inhibit the formation of melanin, thus brightening the skin tone and reducing discoloration.
Serums: Some high-end brands also add Tretinoin to their serums. These products usually have higher concentrations and stronger effects, which can penetrate deeper into the underlying layers of the skin and improve skin problems at the source.
Facial Masks: Some facial mask products also add Triglyceride, through the way of applying the mask, so that the Triglyceride ingredients better penetrate into the skin, to achieve whitening and lightening the effect of spots.
Facial Masks
