Skin Lightening Ingredient Dictionary

Looking for a list of skin lightening ingredients? This is a complete glossary of skin lightening, brightening, and whitening ingredients.

These skin lightening ingredients can be used in skin care products to lighten skin. Many of them are natural and clean, but not all. Click on the skin lightening ingredient name to go to a blog to learn more about that brightening ingredient.

Most skin whitening products combine different types of ingredients from this list. It is best to combine skin lightening ingredients from different categories together in your skin care routine to treat melasma and hyperpigmentation.

Look below for categories of skin lightening ingredients and an alphabetical list of ingredients used to lighten skin and erase dark spots.

Hydroquinone is the most effective skin-lightening ingredient but is regulated due to safety concerns.

Tyrosinase inhibitors like arbutin, kojic acid, and licorice extract help to reduce dark spots by slowing melanin production.

A combination of multiple skin lightening ingredients is recommended for the best results in treating hyperpigmentation.

Choose the best skin lightening ingredients based on your Baumann Skin Type.

Table of contents

Best Skin Lightening Ingredients

Hydroquinone is the most effective skin lightening ingredient to decrease melanin pigment production. However, due to safety concerns, hydroquinone is now only available by prescription.

These are the top 10 tyrosinase-inhibiting skin lightening ingredients to lighten dark spots on the skin:

Arbutin

Artemisia Capillaris

Bilberry extract

Cysteamine

Hexylresorcinol

Hydroquinone

Kojic Acid

Licorice extract

Resorcinol

Tranexamic acid

Niacinamide is also a wonderful ingredient to lighten skin, but it is not a tyrosinase inhibitor like the skin lightening ingredients on the above top 10 list. Niacinamide is an anti-inflammatory ingredient and a PAR-2 blocker.

What Skin Conditions Do Skin Lightening Ingredients Treat?

Skin lightening ingredients treat hyperpigmentation conditions such as:

Melasma

Post inflammatory hyperpigmentation

Dark spots

Skin whitening, lightening, brightening, or skin bleaching ingredients work best when different categories of ingredients that target the skin pigment melanin are used together in the same skin care routine.

Categories of Skin Lightening Ingredients

You should choose an ingredient from the tyrosinase inhibitor category and from two other categories to include in your skin care routine to treat melasma or to treat hyperpigmentation.

Anti-Inflammatory Ingredients

Antioxidant Ingredients

Exfoliants

PAR-2 Blockers

Retinoids

Tyrosinase Inhibitors

Combining cosmeceutical ingredients from this list of categories of skin lightening ingredients below will help you to achieve the fastest results. Take the quiz for personalized advice.

List of Skin Brightening and Lightening Ingredients in Alphabetical Order

Click on each ingredient to learn more about the science of the skin brightening ingredient and how it works to treat hyperpigmentation.

Aloesin- an extract of aloe

Arbutin – Alpha and Beta Arbutin

Artemisia capillaris flower extract

Ascorbic Acid (Vitamin C)

Azelaic Acid-

Carnosine

Corticosteroid (Hydrocortisone, Fluocinolone)

Cysteine

Cysteamine

Ferulic Acid

Gallic Acid

Glabridin (Licorice Extract)

Green Tea Extract

Hesperidin

Hexylresorcinol

Hydroquinone

Hydroxy Acids

Kojic Acid

Mulberry Extract

Niacinamide ( Vitamin B3)

Pentasodium Tetracarboxymethyl Dipeptide-51

Phenylethyl Resorcinol

Polyhydroxy Acids

Resorcinol

Retinoids

Retinols

Saururus Chinensis

Tranexamic Acid

Note: these lists will be continuously updated as more dark spot treatments are discovered.

Safe and Clean Skin Lightening Ingredients

There are many safe, clean and natural skin lightening ingredients. To learn more about the safety of ingredients and if they meet clean beauty standards, click on the skin brightening ingredient in the alphabetized list.

Here are examples of safe and clean skin lightening ingredients:

Artemisia Capillaris

Ascorbic Acid (Vitamin C)

Bilberry extract

Cysteamine

Licorice extract

Niacinamide

Prescription Skin Lightening Creams

The prescription medication for melasma called Tri-Luma® is an example of a melasma cream that contains ingredients from 3 different skin lightening categories.

It has an anti-inflammatory corticosteroid, a tyrosinase inhibitor, and a retinoid. Dermatologists call this a Triple Combination Cream and it is the gold standard of prescription melasma creams.

You can combine ingredients from different classes of skin lighteners in your routine to mimic this triple combination cream. Just make sure you have at least 3 of the categories discussed above in your routine and that the products all increase the effectiveness of each other. Let us help you build a skin care routine and shop for products using our skin type.

What skin type am I?

What Is the Purpose of Skin Lightening Ingredients and Products?

Skin lightening ingredients lighten dark spots on the skin caused by an increase in skin pigment. These skin conditions will benefit from skin lightening ingredients:

Age spots

Dark spots from acne

Discoloration due to hormones

Hyperpigmentation

Melasma

Postinflammatory hyperpigmentation (PIH)

Uneven skin tone

What Is the Most Effective Way to Lighten the Skin?

The goal is not to whiten your skin but to lighten the dark spots so that your complexion and skin color is the same all over your face. This is particularly important when treating dark spots on black skin.

Skin lightening ingredients can inactivate each other and the moisturizer and cleanser you choose affect how well skin lightening ingredients work. Every product in your routine matters!

To build an effective hyperpigmentation skin care routine you should choose products according to what your Baumann Skin Type.

Skin Care Products with skin lightening ingredients for Dry Skin:

PCA Skin Vitamin B3 Brightening Serum

$128.00

Add to Cart

PCA Skin Pigment Gel HQ Free

$95.00

Add to Cart

Replenix Pigment Correcting Brightening Cream

$41.00

Add to Cart

Revision Skincare C+ Correcting Complex 30%

$116.00

Add to Cart

ClarityRx Let There Be Light Powerful Lightening Serum

$110.00

Add to Cart

Medature Hydro Bright Treatment

$45.00

Add to Cart

ISDIN Pigment Expert

$48.00

Out of Stock

Neocutis PERLE Skin Brightening Cream

$121.00

Add to Cart

Obagi Nu-Derm Blend Fx (Hydroquinone Free)

$119.00

Add to Cart

Obagi Nu-Derm Clear Fx (Hydroquinone Free)

$119.00

Add to Cart

PCA Skin Vitamin B3 Brightening Serum

$128.00

Add to Cart

PCA Skin Pigment Gel HQ Free

$95.00

Add to Cart

Replenix Pigment Correcting Brightening Cream

$41.00

Add to Cart

Revision Skincare C+ Correcting Complex 30%

$116.00

Add to Cart

ClarityRx Let There Be Light Powerful Lightening Serum

$110.00

Add to Cart

Medature Hydro Bright Treatment

$45.00

Add to Cart

ISDIN Pigment Expert

$48.00

Out of Stock

Neocutis PERLE Skin Brightening Cream

$121.00

Add to Cart

Obagi Nu-Derm Blend Fx (Hydroquinone Free)

$119.00

Add to Cart

Obagi Nu-Derm Clear Fx (Hydroquinone Free)

$119.00

Add to Cart

PCA Skin Vitamin B3 Brightening Serum

$128.00

Add to Cart

PCA Skin Pigment Gel HQ Free

$95.00

Add to Cart

Replenix Pigment Correcting Brightening Cream

$41.00

Add to Cart

Revision Skincare C+ Correcting Complex 30%

$116.00

Add to Cart

ClarityRx Let There Be Light Powerful Lightening Serum

$110.00

Add to Cart

Medature Hydro Bright Treatment

$45.00

Add to Cart

ISDIN Pigment Expert

$48.00

Out of Stock

Neocutis PERLE Skin Brightening Cream

$121.00

Add to Cart

Obagi Nu-Derm Blend Fx (Hydroquinone Free)

$119.00

Add to Cart

Obagi Nu-Derm Clear Fx (Hydroquinone Free)

$119.00

Add to Cart

Skin Care Products with Skin Lightening Ingredients for Oily Skin:

Obagi Nu-Derm FX Starter System – Normal to Oily

$470.00

Add to Cart

PCA Skin Vitamin B3 Brightening Serum

$128.00

Add to Cart

PCA Skin Pigment Gel HQ Free

$95.00

Add to Cart

PCA Skin Pigment Gel PRO

$128.00

Add to Cart

Biopelle Brightening KNR Serum

$126.00

Add to Cart

ClarityRx Let There Be Light Powerful Lightening Serum

$110.00

Add to Cart

Medature Hydro Bright Treatment

$45.00

Add to Cart

ISDIN Pigment Expert

$48.00

Out of Stock

La Roche-Posay Glycolic B5 Serum

$44.99

Add to Cart

Obagi Nu-Derm Clear Fx (Hydroquinone Free)

$119.00

Add to Cart

Obagi Nu-Derm FX Starter System – Normal to Oily

$470.00

Add to Cart

PCA Skin Vitamin B3 Brightening Serum

$128.00

Add to Cart

PCA Skin Pigment Gel HQ Free

$95.00

Add to Cart

PCA Skin Pigment Gel PRO

$128.00

Add to Cart

Biopelle Brightening KNR Serum

$126.00

Add to Cart

ClarityRx Let There Be Light Powerful Lightening Serum

$110.00

Add to Cart

Medature Hydro Bright Treatment

$45.00

Add to Cart

ISDIN Pigment Expert

$48.00

Out of Stock

La Roche-Posay Glycolic B5 Serum

$44.99

Add to Cart

Obagi Nu-Derm Clear Fx (Hydroquinone Free)

$119.00

Add to Cart

Obagi Nu-Derm FX Starter System – Normal to Oily

$470.00

Add to Cart

PCA Skin Vitamin B3 Brightening Serum

$128.00

Add to Cart

PCA Skin Pigment Gel HQ Free

$95.00

Add to Cart

PCA Skin Pigment Gel PRO

$128.00

Add to Cart

Biopelle Brightening KNR Serum

$126.00

Add to Cart

ClarityRx Let There Be Light Powerful Lightening Serum

$110.00

Add to Cart

Medature Hydro Bright Treatment

$45.00

Add to Cart

ISDIN Pigment Expert

$48.00

Out of Stock

La Roche-Posay Glycolic B5 Serum

$44.99

Add to Cart

Obagi Nu-Derm Clear Fx (Hydroquinone Free)

$119.00

Add to Cart

Best Skin Lightening Products

It can take 8-16 weeks for dark spots on the skin to improve if you are using the right combination of skin care products. I suggest combining products from the following categories.

Products with Niacinamide

Skin whitening products with niacinamide help block inflammation and prevent melanin from getting into keratinocyte skin cells. Here are the best niacinamide products:

Biopelle Brightening KNR Serum – has niacinamide, retinol and kojic acid

SkinCeuticals Discoloration Defense- This serum has 3% tranexamic acid, 1% kojic acid and 5% niacinamide.

Medature Hydrobright- Combines hexylresorcinol, hyaluronic acid and niacinamide.

Zerafite Brightening Barrier Cream- Combines unsaturated fatty acids, niacinamide, Camellia Japonica Seed Oil, Artemisia Capillaris Extract, Bilberry extract, and Ulmus Davidiana Root Extract

Products with Kojic Acid

The best kojic acid products to lighten the skin are serums.

These are our 5 favorite dermatologist-recommended kojic acid products:

Biopelle Brightening KNR Serum

Derma Made Mela Fade

SkinCeuticals Discoloration Defense

La Roche-Posay Glycolic B5 10% Serum

PCA Skin Pigment Gel HQ Free

Oils to Lighten Skin

Oils that have a large amount of unsaturated fatty acids can inhibit tyrosinase. So make sure your face cream has these oils or unsaturated fatty acids when you want to brighten skin.

Oils with unsaturated fatty acids:

Argan oil

Avocado oil

Safflower oil

Sesame oil

Soybean oil

Sunflower oil

Tsubaki oil

How to Find the Best Skin Lightening Ingredients for Your Skin Type

Using a custom skin lightening routine for your skin type is the best way to combine different skin lighteners in a skin care routine. So make sure you shop for skin lightening products using your Baumann Skin Type!

Diagnose your Baumann Skin Type.

Get a step-by-step skin care routine.

Choose products from many brands for each step.

Read reviews from others with your same skin type.

DQH Can I use salicylic acid first and then vitamin C? It’s easy to create a skincare routine, but knowing how to use it is another thing entirely. In most cases, if you’re not getting the desired skin results, it could be due to the layering of conflicting ingredients. So, is it possible that salicylic acid and vitamin C are such ingredients? Or are these active ingredients the duo that’s been missing from your skincare routine? If you want answers, stick around because today we are going to explain the benefits of salicylic acid and vitamin C and how they can be used in your daily life. What are the benefits of salicylic acid for skin? Salicylic acid is one of the most commonly used beta hydroxy acids and is favored by many people with oily, acne-prone skin. This acid is derived from willow bark, and unlike its water-soluble relatives (called alpha-hydroxy acids), salicylic acid is oil-soluble, which means it can penetrate deeper into the lower layers of the skin. Once it reaches the lower layers, it can help unclog pores of excess sebum, dirt, bacteria, debris, and impurities. This results in clearer skin tones and greater definition. Not only does salicylic acid benefit the underlying layers, but the outer surface of the skin benefits as well. When applied to the skin, salicylic acid removes the buildup of dead skin cells. This is accomplished by breaking the bonds that hold dead cells to the surface. Over time, this can cause the complexion to look dull and prone to acne, blackheads, and other blemishes. If you’d like to learn more about salicylic acid and how it can improve your skin, check out this dedicated blog post from a beauty insider. What are the benefits of vitamin C for skin? Vitamin C is considered one of the most powerful antioxidants, which means it is very effective at fighting free radicals and preventing them from causing further skin damage. Examples of free radicals include pollution, central heating, UV rays and harsh climate. They attack proteins, fats and cell membranes as soon as they come into contact with the skin, causing signs of premature aging such as fine lines and wrinkles as well as hyperpigmentation, flaky patches of skin and loss of elasticity. Many people usually prefer to use vitamin C in their morning routine as this ingredient gives the complexion a radiant glow. You’ll also find that vitamin C can target areas of hyperpigmentation, plumping the skin and reducing the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles. The thing about vitamin C is that there are a lot of outdated studies going back to the 1950s that describe vitamin C as an unstable skin component. Thanks to improvements in modern technology, this is no longer the case as all products now contain a stable form of vitamin C. Visit The Beauty Insider to learn more about vitamin C. So please check out our blog post. Can I use salicylic acid first and then vitamin C? Yes, you absolutely can. In fact, it’s thought that using salicylic acid before using vitamin C ensures it penetrates faster and works faster. This is an efficient way to utilize two power sources, and the reason has to do with pH. For example, the skin’s natural pH is about 4.7, making it slightly acidic. Salicylic acid and vitamin C are also both acidic, and you’ll find that vitamin C is absorbed quickly into the skin. Therefore, using salicylic acid beforehand can increase the acidity of the skin and allow vitamin C to penetrate into the skin faster. While this is considered an effective way to combine two powerful ingredients, you need to be aware of your skin type and how it reacts to certain active ingredients. Even people with perfect, normal skin can experience skin sensitivity and irritation. Therefore, always consult a doctor or dermatologist before using any new products on your skin. It’s also important to follow skin application rules. In this case, you need to use the product correctly to ensure you get the best results for your skin. If you’re not sure what I mean, the basic rule for skin is to start with the thinnest consistency and work your way up to the thickest consistency. This prevents a barrier from forming on the surface, preventing other active ingredients from penetrating the skin. Can I use salicylic acid at night and vitamin C in the morning? Yes, absolutely, this is considered the most effective way to get returns without any adverse side effects. This is because there is enough time between applications to ensure that the skin’s pH levels return to balance. You’ll also find that Vitamin C is rich in antioxidants and is perfect for use in the morning to ensure your skin is protected and looking its healthiest. Due to the small size of salicylic acid molecules, it is an acid that is able to reach the deepest parts of the skin. While this is effective at keeping skin clear, it also increases the risk of irritation and photosensitivity. Therefore, many people prefer to use powerful BHAs in their evening routine without exposure to UV rays, pollution, or harsh weather. Warning: If you avoid using sunscreen every day, none of these ingredients will do what your skin needs. The combination of chemical peels and powerful ingredients increases the risk of further damage to the skin’s surface. Use SPF 50 every day to keep your skin protected and your lipid barrier healthy, even on cloudy days, keeping your skin in top condition.

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