A bioactive compound isolated from various fungi or fermented products. It is one of the most common and potent anti-pigment and brightening ingredients, and has been successfully tested on humans.
Antioxidant
Antioxidant
Antioxidants reduce the oxidative stress caused by free radicals and prevent accelerated skin aging.
Antioxidant
Antioxidants reduce the oxidative stress caused by free radicals and prevent accelerated skin aging.
Other functions
Anti-Pigmentation
Anti-Pigmentation
Anti-pigmentation ingredients help to even skin tone by reducing the intensity of dark spots and hyperpigmentation.
Anti-Pigmentation
Anti-Pigmentation
Anti-pigmentation ingredients help to even skin tone by reducing the intensity of dark spots and hyperpigmentation.
Origin
Botanical,
Botanical
Ingredients derived from plants, mosses, and lichens: extracts, oils, powders, juices and other types of processed plant materials.
Botanical,
Botanical
Ingredients derived from plants, mosses, and lichens: extracts, oils, powders, juices and other types of processed plant materials.
Biotech,
Biotech
The biotech origin of the ingredient implies that it was made in a lab using cultured microorganisms (bacteria or fungi) and a substrate (e.g. through the fermentation process), and then extracted and/or purified.
Biotech,
Biotech
The biotech origin of the ingredient implies that it was made in a lab using cultured microorganisms (bacteria or fungi) and a substrate (e.g. through the fermentation process), and then extracted and/or purified.
Synthetic
Synthetic
All kinds of ingredients formulated or produced by a chemical process, or those that have a chemical modification in their structure.
Synthetic
Synthetic
All kinds of ingredients formulated or produced by a chemical process, or those that have a chemical modification in their structure.
Kojic acid is a bioactive compound isolated from various fungi such as the Aspergillus species or various fermented products. In skincare it is used as one of the most common and potent anti-pigment ingredients, for brightening skin tone and reducing pigment blemishes.
It inhibits an enzyme in the skin called tyrosinase, which is the main player in the process of melanin synthesis. It has been tested in a variety of ways and the most telling are the tests on volunteers with melasma – dark, discolored patches on the skin.
In these tests, kojic acid was effective in reducing the pigmented patches (the visible results were achieved after 12 weeks) although, in some cases, after they stopped using the kojic acid cream, the discoloration returned following sun exposure.
Kojic acid is a very reactive molecule, which is the very reason why it is an effective antioxidant and tyrosinase inhibitor. But, this also means that the skincare product has to be very well protected against light and air to prevent the inactivation of kojic acid.
Science
1
Saeedi, M., Eslamifar, M., & Khezri, K. (2019). Kojic acid applications in cosmetic and pharmaceutical preparations. Biomedicine & Pharmacotherapy, 110, 582–593.
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