Within the cosmetic industry alpha arbutin and kojic acid are considered to be two different cosmetic ingredients; however consumers usually misidentify them as interchangeable ingredients, because both claim the same benefit (lightening and brightening skin by inhibiting the production of melanin producing tyrosinase enzymes).  In actuality, these are entirely different ingredients which compliment each other.

Alpha Arbutin was not used much in lightening products prior to 2003, because Kojic Acid was considered a superior ingredient.  However when Japan effectively banned synthetic Kojic Acid in 2003, followed by Korea and Switzerland, skincare manufacturers sought out an alternative ingredient that had similar effects but did not hold the stigma of Kojic Acid, and thus Alpha Arbutin became a natural replacement on cosmetic ingredient labels. Today a number of products include both, including Meloderm skin care as pictured on the right.

Many high end skincare companies continue to use Kojic Acid in their products, under such botanically derived source names as:  Polyporus umbellatus (mushroom) extract.  However, botanically derived equivalents can be very expensive, which means one will most likely only see this ingredient in doctor administered cosmeceuticals products.  Kojic Acid can also be derived from various fungal and plant materials, including: sake (rice), fermented soy, as well as mushrooms (reishi).

Types of Arbutin:

• Arbutin (Beta Arbutin) – primarily derived botanically from bearberry leaves
  • Arctostaphylos UvaUrsi (Bearberry) Extract
  • Aboca Uva Ursi (Bearberry) Leaf
  • Other sources:  blueberry, cranberry and other plant extracts
• Alpha Arbutin (synthetic arbutin, could be more potent than Beta Arbutin depending upon grade, quality, and percentage used in the formula)
• Deoxy Arbutin – Originally developed by P&G though not yet introduced to the marketplace and still awaiting EU and US regulatory approval, but studies have shown great promise for this ingredient.

Finally, due to patenting issues and regulatory restrictions, many skin care companies use arbutin-containing plant extracts (such as bearberry, blueberry, cranberry and other extract) instead of pure arbutin.  It is very hard to determine which is preferred because skincare companies claim percentages and ingredient sources as intellectual property.  This allows them to justify not disclosing to consumers where each ingredient comes from and at what percentage.  It is only a matter of time before they are required to make this information available to the public due to stricter global regulations.

Why Papaya?
There are dozens and dozens of popular fruits, so why are papaya kojic acid soaps all the rage? Well, there’s actually three reasons. First of all, some citrus and fruit extracts are said to help support the skin lightening process. It has been said that the concentrated papaya extract helps to do this. Secondly, papaya includes nourishing ingredients that many say can help your skin look and feel better. Last but not least, kojic acid papaya soap has a very pleasant scent to it. This is extremely important, because you want a soap that will make you smell nice too.

Who Makes Papaya Kojic Acid Soap?
Right now there are appears to be a few companies that are making this product. I did a search and came across a few brands over and over. Apparently, Diana Stalder papaya kojic soap is pretty popolar. I also saw quite a few generics that are probably manufactured by smaller skin care companies. Whoever you buy it from, fortunately this product is very inexpensive from what I have seen.

Papaya Kojic Acid Soap Reviews
Although I personally have not yet used this product yet (I just found out about it too) I decided to look around to see what others are saying about it. I checked forums and blogs for reviews… the average consensus was that this is a great product! Of course because these ingredients are so powerful when combined, a few people complained about irritation on their face when using it. Therefore if you have extreme sensitivity, it may be best to not use kojic acid soap, or to simply use it sparingly.  Fortunately all kojic acid skin lightener products use the same ingredient, so you don’t have to confine yourself to only the soap if you don’t want to.

Q: Which creams with kojic acid are the most popular?

A: First of all, thanks for your question. Well, actually, that depends on what part of the world you live. There are all kinds of creams with kojic acid sold globally. A brand which is popular in the United States may not be sold in Europe and vice-versa. Since I live in the U.S., I will talk about some of the kojic acid creams I know to be popular here…

Kinerase Skin Care Products
Kinerase is a very well known high-end brand and they have a number of kojic acid products in their line. They make great cream but the only drawback is they can be a bit pricey, so this is only for those who want (and are willing to pay for) the best of the best.

PCA Skin
This is also an excellent brand and fortunately it doesn’t cost too much. They make a number of products that contain kojic acid as a primary ingredient. The other added benefit is they make these in cream, gel, and serum forms… so you have a wide variety of options. Unfortunately I haven’t had a chance to try them yet but I do know they are one of the hottest selling brands in this arena so they’re definitely worth checking out.

SkinCeuticals Skin Care
This is yet another top selling brand for creams with kojic acid. They have several products that use strong concentrations of kojic. One of them that I see sold online frequently is the SkinCeuticals Phyto.

DDF Skin Care
What I particularly like about their product line is that they also offer cleansers which contain kojic acid, in addition to their serums, creams and gel formulations. They also make a very unique cream with kojic acid that is design specifically for underneath the eyes. It contains vitamin K and other ingredients which are powerful anti-aging fighters.

Dr. Michelle Copeland Skin Care
I actually don’t know a lot about this brand, but she seems to have a skin lightening treatments on the market that also use kojic acid.

So the above are several different brands of creams with kojic acid in them. To get the maximum benefit, I always recommend you go with one that is designed to treat multiple problems at once. That way you won’t have to apply multiple creams – saving you time and money. Fortunately all of the above kojic acid products are designed to do that.

Q: Can you use kojic acid for acne scars?

A: Despite the fact that I’m on my way to be thirty years old, I still suffer from acne on a regular basis. Although it’s not as bad as when I was younger, I still get a big pimple every week or two (in addition to many small ones). The problem with my type of acne – acne vulgaris – is that the resulting scars are usually pretty nasty. They bleed and then turn into a dark spot. So whether you’re a teen or an adult, this is a problem for many people.

Kojic acid acne scars treatment…
Initially, before I started this blog about kojic acid, my main concern about skin lightening is that it was dangerous. I had read stuff about it containing cancer causing agents. Only later did I find out that is in reference to  the other lightening ingredient; hydroquinone. Kojic acid is completely different. It’s a naturally occurring substance that is usually extracted from mushrooms. Although there is a possible side effect of increased sensitivity, it doesn’t have all those dangers that the other lightening ingredient does.  After I discovered this, I was intrigued at the idea of using kojic acid for acne scars…

The different types of kojic acid products available…
Typically, kojic acid is applied regularly for a few weeks or months (whatever the manufacturer recommends). Now there are all sorts of kojic acid products on the market; soap, creams, gels, cleansers, etc. Each of them have their advantages. For example, the benefit of the soap version is that it can easily be used in the shower and doesn’t involve a separate application. However the advantages of the kojic acid cream and gels is that they are worn for longer periods of times, so therefore they have more of an impact.

Using it as a acne scar remover…
Ultimately, you will need to do further research to find out if kojic acid is the right way for you to go. Even though kojic acid products are non-prescription, it still wouldn’t hurt to talk with a dermatologist to get their professional advice. They may have a recommendation as to which type of kojic acid product would be best for your type of acne scars.

Which Ingredient To Choose?
There are to primary ingredients used in skin lightening gel. There are kojic acid based versions and there are hydroquinone based versions. I can’t tell you which one to choose (that’s something you need to ask your doctor) but I can tell you a few things about them.

Hydroquinone Gel
There’s no doubting that this is an extremely effective substance for skin whitening. But the problem is with its safety. Although it’s widely used for a few decades now, there have been conflicting reports as to its safety. When used in extremely strong concentrations it was even found to cause cancer in experiments with laboratory rodents. Although many say it’s safe when used in the recommend 2% or 4% versions, many others take the approach that “’it’s better to be safe than sorry.”

Kojic Acid Gel
Right now this is probably the hottest skin lightening product on the market. Kojic acid has been used by the Japanese for a very long time for all sorts of things including food. But it wasn’t until the 90’s when they discovered it’s whitening effect. Since then, it has really skyrocketed in popularity. The reason? Well, it comes from mushrooms so it’s considered by many to be the more natural choice. Also, unlike hydroquinone, the results shouldn’t be permanent. In other words, you can stop using the kojic acid product and your skin should return to normal. The last thing you want is a skin bleaching disaster, so that’s why many people are opting for the kojic based products instead.

But why would you want to use kojic acid cream? Well, are you tired of those sun spots or those annoying freckles? Now I am kind of going out on a limb here, but did you ever think of the day that we would be talking about skin bleaching? This to me sounds like a strange beauty treatment, but many people who deal with freckles as well as different types of skin pigmentation problems would most likely disagree. Have you ever heard of kojic acid cream? Well, for people that deal with these skin variations this product is a very hot commodity and an important treatment for these problems.

What is kojic acid cream?
It is usually a combination of chemicals and vitamins all with different types of strategies in mind when it comes to their functions and benefits. The chemical compound of kojic acid has a prevalent history in Japan dating back to 1989. Until recently hydroquinone cream was the primary cream for lightening the skin, but many people are now turning to kojic acid cream as a way to treat various pigmentation problems associated with the skin. The reason for this sudden change in treatment is that hydroquinone has been said to cause cancer which frightened many people from using it, so they are now looking for another alternative treatment for skin pigmentation discoloration.

Ingredients To Look For
There are a variety of kojic acid creams available for purchase online and in certain specialty stores. Each one has it’s own unique blend of ingredients which set them apart from one another. Some combine lactic acid, which is a known as alpha hydroxy and commended for it’s anti aging properties. Therefore with this product, you get a good dose of anti aging ingredients which are good for exfoliation and are effective in lightening of the skin.

Other creams combine various vitamins like A and E which give them different effects. The vitamin A is known for cell productivity and the vitamin E is known for being a great moisturizer. The reason many people mix these vitamins within the kojic acid creams is to help them alleviate the skin irritation that has been said to occur with kojic acid products.

Another cream combines retinol, Vitamin C ,with kojic acid, and glycolic acid. The glycolic acid is said to help with the dissolving of the darker discolored skin and helps bring newer brighter skin to the surface.

Any of these products discussed could be used by people with various skin discoloration problems. People with freckles can use kojic acid cream as a freckle remover and people with years of sun damage can use this treatment to help reveal fresh skin underneath that was hidden by the damaged layer on top of it.

Using It Correctly
I am not a trained professional nor do I claim to be, therefore any advice sought from this article should only be used as one source of information along with many others you find. Using any type of kojic cream product should be well thought out and a consultation with a dermatologist wouldn’t be a bad idea as well, before you begin using any type of skin bleaching cream.

Many of the physical flaws that we have are either caused by biology or environment. These factors also contribute to the way that we look. In regards to biological factors, we could be born with freckles or a skin disorder, or we could be born without freckles and an uneven skin tone. In relation to the environment, we could spend countless hours in the sun and not wear any type of sun protection. I know that I have done it and I am sure there are many others who have done the same thing. We do it without thinking of the effects that could cause harm to us later in life.

History
It wasn’t until about 20 years ago or so that doctors and dermatologists started discovering different types of skin cancer in people who had spent a lot of time in the sun. Some of these people were avid sunbathers, while others had no choice because their job entailed them to be outside for extended periods of time. Whatever the reason, the end result was in many cases cancer, and if you were lucky sometimes your skins appearance was altered by unsightly skin spots caused from sun damage. Although these are two completely different reasons why these physical anomalies occur the important aspect is that they are both very unpleasant and many people want to get treatment for them.

Treatment
One way that people who have any type of skin discoloration can get rid of sun spots, or freckles is to use a kojic acid skin lightener. Kojic acid is a substance that comes from mushrooms. The use of this product has a history in Japan and until recent times was discovered for its skin lightening properties. The way that it works is that it inhibits the production of melanin in the skin which is what gives our skin color. By doing this it can be used as a treatment in many different forms to help people with various skin conditions.

People with freckles are often among some of the users associated with kojic acid skin lightener products. They use this product as an effective freckle remover. Many of these users say they can see visible results within 4-6 weeks with continuous use of these products. The same goes for people with sun damaged skin and sun spots who also report to have seen results with the use of this and many other skin whitening products.
A word of caution should be used when using kojic acid skin lightener or any type of these products because there have been numerous claims that it causes skin sensitivity and could cause an allergic type of dermatitis in the skin. I am in no way a trained professional or a medical expert, therefore it would wise to consult the advice of a doctor before beginning this or any other type of treatment.

One Last Important Note
Whether you are paying the price for having spent numerous hours in the sun and have seen your skin change over the years, or have freckles that you would like to see lighter, kojic acid has been shown to fade excess pigment.  It works as both a freckle remover and can dissipate the many abnormal discolorations we have. Add in the fact that it comes from natural sources, and it’s easy to see why it’s used in the most popular skin whitening products on the market today.

The secret is regular use. One of the things people love so much about kojic acid soap is it’s such an easy way to do this.  Simply lather up in the shower with it instead of your regular bar soap.

Everyone has heard of Irish Spring! The so called “European inspired” soap that smells like a so called spring in Ireland (yeah, right!). But how long have you known about kojic acid soap? I bet you probably haven’t very long, and the reason being is because it’s not your average run of the mill kind of soap. This is like no other – it actually works to lighten the color of your skin. Now this might not sound like the type of soap that catches your interests, but for people that have freckles, age spots and problems with skin discoloration this product would be right up their alley.

Many people are born with freckles and other people spend day in and day out in the sun. Even though these are two completely different reasons for skin discoloration they have one thing in common, people want these babies gone. Although there are a a number of products that help with this problem I will talk about one in particular with strong roots in Japan.

Kojic Acid soap is made from Kojic acid, which comes from a fungi that is multi dimensional with roots in Japan around the late 1990′s. The Japanese are said to use this product in their foods for it’s alleged antioxidant properties. It has recently been discovered that this acid can actually be combined with other compounds and substances as a treatment to make skin lightener.

Many people who are self conscious with their skins appearance turn to products like these in order to lighten the imperfections in their skin. Some of these imperfections with continued usage are said to improve within 4-6 weeks. The way it works is that it penetrates the skin and prevents melanin production. Melanin is what gives our skin the color. Therefore, the end result is the outer most layer of the skin becomes lighter.

The only way that it will work is through continuous use. Therefore if you stop using it the product will no longer work. It is kind of like the diet you tried and didn’t stick to. You know what I mean. The only downside to this so far that has been noted is that with continuous use of any type of kojic skin whitening products you have the chance of developing skin sensitivity and possibly a form of dermatitis. That is why it is important to find a kojic acid product that contains the cortisol compound in it which helps with this side effect.

There are a number of different products with this dervative based acid in them in addition to kojic acid soap. and they all basically have the same result. This is the lightening of the skin. Skin lightening lotions with this substance can be used as an alternative to the soap. If you chose more then one skin whitening product, remember to keep in mind the side effects.

It is very important that you check with your doctor before using any skin whitening products.  Always be sure to do your research and find out if this treatment or any other type of treatment for that matter is appropriate for your health. I am not a medical professional or a licensed dermatologist so it important that you cover all of your bases with your doctor.