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.
