Leucine

A humectant moisturizing amino acid that is a part of the skin's Natural Moisturizing Factor. It helps to increase water content on the skin’s surface and is often used in conjunction with anti-pigmentation products.
Moisturizing
Other functions
Origin
Leucine

Overview

Leucine is an essential amino acid that builds the proteins in our body. Like other amino acids, leucine has humectant moisturizing properties that help to retain water to the skin’s surface.

There are also experiments in scientific literature that add leucine into anti-pigment and skin tone evening creams.

We unfortunately cannot tell from the study if leucine itself had any effect on pigmentation and skin tone because it was mixed with other ingredients such as resorcinol.

Science

1
Dreher, F., et al. (2013). Efficacy of hydroquinone-free skin-lightening cream for photoaging. Journal of cosmetic dermatology, 12(1), 12–17.