This is one of innisfree’s brightening creams. Like other South Korean brand’s it has a really long list of ingredients that are mainly “actives.” An active ingredient, is supposed to do something to your skin. E.g., Niacinamide as an active, is meant to lighten your skin. Other actives are anti-oxidants and are meant to neutralise free radicals.
I will be applying these guidelines, to figure out whether I should buy this product again?
No harmful chemicals that I look are in the product.
2) Ingredients and strategy for skin lightening?
This product achieves skin lightening in 2 ways. First, it has skin lighteners that lighten skin. Secondly, it has many anti-oxidants which indirectly lighten skin.
Skin lighteners are:
Niacinamide does not interfere directly with the synthesis of melanin*, but instead reduces the amount of melanin being transferred to the epidermis (the topmost layer of our skin). Less melanin in the epidermis results in the skin appearing visibly brighter/whiter or fairer.
*Melanin is a skin pigment that as Eumelanin (dark/brown pigment) is primarily responsible for giving skin its colour. (see What gives our skin its colour?)
Citrus Unshiu Peel Extract seems to be a skin whitener, as in animal studies it appears to be a Tyrosinase inhibitor. Tyrosinase is the main enzyme involved in the synthesis of melanin.
Glycyrrhiza Glabra Root Extract or Licorice extract, is one of the safest skin lightening agents with few side-effects. It too, is a tyrosinase inhibitor.
Antioxidants appear to be:
- Lycium Chinense Fruit Extract
- Raspberry, Strawberry, Cranberry and Blueberry fruit extracts
- Green tea extract
- Citrus Unshiu Peel extract
Simplistically, this is how antioxidants work: UV radiation generates free radicals, especially reactive oxygen species (or ROS) and both these will counter the effect of ROS. Antioxidant activity reduces the need for skin to react to UV exposure, by producing more melanin. Therefore, at best anti-oxidant activity may indirectly contribute to skin lightening.
They are always a good thing to have in skin whitening products.
Would I buy this product again?
This is not an aggressive skin lightening product and I’d be happy to use it. I don’t expect it to produce a drastic amount of skin lightening vs. some products where the 3rd ingredient is Niacinamide. I am OK with this, because this cream has so many other wonderful antioxidants in it.
Please note that if you have sensitive skin or fruit based products or essential oil based products do not suit you, then steer away from this.
If you do plan use to use this product, please absolutely use a separate sunscreen product with at least an SPF 30 and that protects your skin against both UVA and UVB.
See also Top 5 sunscreen recommendations
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