in-cosmetics Asia 2014:Skin-whitening ingredients

Katie Anderson, Associate Editor of Cosmetics & Toiletries reveals her favourite skin-whitening ingredients.

1) Flashwhite Unispheres from Induchem (Stand H11)        
The two-pronged approach to these lightening and brightening beads make them unique. First, they brighten the skin by correcting it with pigments, and second, they deliver skin lightening actives where they are needed.

2) Alwhite-7 from Bioland (Stand F21)
This new introduction by Bioland  combines a number of effective whitening ingredients together in one complex including Sophora root extract, licorice extract, Saururus Chinenesis extract, arbutin, niacinamide, glutathione and tranexamic acid. This is novel and the blend addresses melanogenesis through a number of routes.

3) IBR Clearly Bright Complex from IBR (Stand A27)        
This multifunctional combination of actives lightens the skin tone, but also protects the skin and makes it look younger.

4) Prodhywhite Concentre from Laboratoires Prod’Hyg (Stand A24)
Prodhywhite Concentre is a hydroglycolic complex of several unique plants (mulberry, liquorice, burnet and bearberry) with active ingredients. The combination is intriguing, with efficacious whitening reported.

5) Citrolumine 8 from Lipoid Kosmetik (Stand G67)
Citrolumine 8 has been developed to brighten skin tone, fade age spots and increase overall skin luminosity; however, they have also shown anti-inflammatory and antioxidant agents to contribute to great skin care.

6) Hentowhite AF from  Cobiosa (Stand J67)             
This resorcinol derivative lightens skin by decreasing melanin synthesis and tyrosinase activity in the melanocyte, decreasing melanosome transfer to keratinocytes and promoting the desquamation of superficial horny layers and melanin pigmentary residues therein; however it also does so without causing irritation.

7) Cellusomes Crithmum maritimum ST from BiotechMarine (Stand J63)
BiotechMarine created a unique sea fennel stem cell culture for this active, which  inhibits all the major steps of melanogenesis, but goes beyond skin lightening to scavenge free radicals, fight inflammation, regulate keratogenesis, heal and regenerate skin.

8) Delentigo from Mibelle Biochemistry (Stand L48)        
This active takes the interesting approach to combine Swiss garden cress sprouts and genistein into separate liposomes for a targeted and time-released activity. This allows the active to be applied all over the face to prevent and regulate the formation of melanin and lipofuscin, thereby lightening age spots.

9) Elastosome Whitening Complex from Welltech Biotechnology (Stand M28)     
This complex, which is designed to inhibit UV-induced melanin synthesis and prevent dark spots is a combination of alpha-arbutin, vitamin C, vitamin B3, and vitamin E encapsulated in nanovesicle elastic noisome. The high deformability allows the active to penetrate the skin better to reach melanocytes by squeezing through small pores between cells.

10) Actosome Whitenol from BiochemPro (Stand Q10)     
This active inhibits tyrosinase and TRP-1 using a nano-liposome technology to prevent the production of eumelanin and pheomelanin for a powerful skin lightening effect.