This Page

has been moved to new address

The Perfect Skin Lightening Regimen

Sorry for inconvenience...

Redirection provided by Blogger to WordPress Migration Service
----------------------------------------------- Blogger Template Style Name: Minima Black Designer: Douglas Bowman URL: www.stopdesign.com Date: 26 Feb 2004 ----------------------------------------------- */ body { background:#000; margin:0; padding:40px 20px; font:x-small "Trebuchet MS",Trebuchet,Verdana,Sans-Serif; text-align:center; color:#ccc; font-size/* */:/**/small; font-size: /**/small; } a:link { color:#9ad; text-decoration:none; } a:visited { color:#a7a; text-decoration:none; } a:hover { color:#ad9; text-decoration:underline; } a img { border-width:0; } /* Header ----------------------------------------------- */ @media all { #header { width:660px; margin:0 auto 10px; border:1px solid #333; } } @media handheld { #header { width:90%; } } #blog-title { margin:5px 5px 0; padding:20px 20px .25em; border:1px solid #222; border-width:1px 1px 0; font-size:200%; line-height:1.2em; color:#ccc; text-transform:uppercase; letter-spacing:.2em; } #blog-title a { color:#ccc; text-decoration:none; } #blog-title a:hover { color:#ad9; } #description { margin:0 5px 5px; padding:0 20px 20px; border:1px solid #222; border-width:0 1px 1px; font:78%/1.4em "Trebuchet MS",Trebuchet,Arial,Verdana,Sans-serif; text-transform:uppercase; letter-spacing:.2em; color:#777; } /* Content ----------------------------------------------- */ @media all { #content { width:660px; margin:0 auto; padding:0; text-align:left; } #main { width:410px; float:left; } #sidebar { width:220px; float:right; } } @media handheld { #content { width:90%; } #main { width:100%; float:none; } #sidebar { width:100%; float:none; } } /* Headings ----------------------------------------------- */ h2 { margin:1.5em 0 .75em; font:bold 78%/1.4em "Trebuchet MS",Trebuchet,Arial,Verdana,Sans-serif; text-transform:uppercase; letter-spacing:.2em; color:#777; } /* Posts ----------------------------------------------- */ @media all { .date-header { margin:1.5em 0 .5em; } .post { margin:.5em 0 1.5em; border-bottom:1px dotted #444; padding-bottom:1.5em; } } @media handheld { .date-header { padding:0 1.5em 0 1.5em; } .post { padding:0 1.5em 0 1.5em; } } .post-title { margin:.25em 0 0; padding:0 0 4px; font-size:140%; line-height:1.4em; color:#ad9; } .post-title a { text-decoration:none; color:#ad9; } .post-title a:hover { color:#fff; } .post div { margin:0 0 .75em; line-height:1.6em; } p.post-footer { margin:-.25em 0 0; color:#333; } .post-footer em, .comment-link { font:78%/1.4em "Trebuchet MS",Trebuchet,Arial,Verdana,Sans-serif; text-transform:uppercase; letter-spacing:.1em; } .post-footer em { font-style:normal; color:#777; margin-right:.6em; } .comment-link { margin-left:.6em; } .post img { padding:4px; border:1px solid #222; } .post blockquote { margin:1em 20px; } .post blockquote p { margin:.75em 0; } /* Comments ----------------------------------------------- */ #comments h4 { margin:1em 0; font:bold 78%/1.6em "Trebuchet MS",Trebuchet,Arial,Verdana,Sans-serif; text-transform:uppercase; letter-spacing:.2em; color:#999; } #comments h4 strong { font-size:130%; } #comments-block { margin:1em 0 1.5em; line-height:1.6em; } #comments-block dt { margin:.5em 0; } #comments-block dd { margin:.25em 0 0; } #comments-block dd.comment-timestamp { margin:-.25em 0 2em; font:78%/1.4em "Trebuchet MS",Trebuchet,Arial,Verdana,Sans-serif; text-transform:uppercase; letter-spacing:.1em; } #comments-block dd p { margin:0 0 .75em; } .deleted-comment { font-style:italic; color:gray; } .paging-control-container { float: right; margin: 0px 6px 0px 0px; font-size: 80%; } .unneeded-paging-control { visibility: hidden; } /* Sidebar Content ----------------------------------------------- */ #sidebar ul { margin:0 0 1.5em; padding:0 0 1.5em; border-bottom:1px dotted #444; list-style:none; } #sidebar li { margin:0; padding:0 0 .25em 15px; text-indent:-15px; line-height:1.5em; } #sidebar p { color:#999; line-height:1.5em; } /* Profile ----------------------------------------------- */ #profile-container { margin:0 0 1.5em; border-bottom:1px dotted #444; padding-bottom:1.5em; } .profile-datablock { margin:.5em 0 .5em; } .profile-img { display:inline; } .profile-img img { float:left; padding:4px; border:1px solid #222; margin:0 8px 3px 0; } .profile-data { margin:0; font:bold 78%/1.6em "Trebuchet MS",Trebuchet,Arial,Verdana,Sans-serif; text-transform:uppercase; letter-spacing:.1em; } .profile-data strong { display:none; } .profile-textblock { margin:0 0 .5em; } .profile-link { margin:0; font:78%/1.4em "Trebuchet MS",Trebuchet,Arial,Verdana,Sans-serif; text-transform:uppercase; letter-spacing:.1em; } /* Footer ----------------------------------------------- */ #footer { width:660px; clear:both; margin:0 auto; } #footer hr { display:none; } #footer p { margin:0; padding-top:15px; font:78%/1.6em "Trebuchet MS",Trebuchet,Verdana,Sans-serif; text-transform:uppercase; letter-spacing:.1em; } /* Feeds ----------------------------------------------- */ #blogfeeds { } #postfeeds { }

Sunday, April 4, 2010

The Perfect Skin Lightening Regimen

Photo Credit: ToniqueSkinCare

Building a skin lightening or skin brightening regimen is one thing, but being consistent with it is another. I think the latter is what is most difficult for us. Because there are so many skin lighteners out there, and so many ingredients out there that work for some people and cause adverse reactions for others, it's easy to burn out on skin lightening.

I get a lot of messages where people aren't seeing results or feel like nothing is working for their skin. I completley sympathize and empathize with messages like these. I've definitley been there. I know I've talked about skin lightening being a very gradual process at nauseam, but I think I should emphasis more on the value of consistency. The more you stick with a solid skin lightening regimen - the better the results will be, and the whole maintenance process will be.

I mentioned in Stopping Melanin Formation Through Combinations that the general rule for skin lightening is this:

Prevention = sunscreen daily (decent PPD levels (8 or higher))
Exfoliation = gentle regular, consistent exfoliation through AHAs, retinoids OR manual exfoliants
Treatment = using topical antioxidants, copper peptides, niacinamide or botanical lighteners

Now to have the 'perfect skin lightening regimen' regardless of your current skin tone or pigmentation issue, there are 3 key ingredients you need to cover in the 'treatment' portion.

The treatment aspect in a skin lightening regimen should attack melanin by:

- Inhibiting tyrosinase (the enzyme that creates melanin)
- Inhibiting oxidative/free radical response
- Inhibits melanin transfer to keratinocytes

There is an optional fourth one, which I have introduced recently and that is to inhibit the hormonal response to tyrosinase activity throught he use of Sepiwhite. Melasma sufferers may greatly benefit from adding this ingredient into their regimen.

A lot of times, skin lighteners have a host of ingredients that target the 3 areas of melanin so you basically get a three-in-one. However there is also the issue of percentages and potency. Certain ingredients need to be at certain concentrations to have an affect on the melanin production process.

The Featured Ingredients series I have implemented on my blog in the last 3 or 4 months is a way to focus on a specific ingredient and explain the mechanism of skin lightening action. To simplify it, I will list ingredients (I've featured mostly all of them, lol) and just explain their method of lightening skin color and recommended percentage:

Ingredient   Percentage    Mechanism of Skin Lightening

Kojic Acid           2-4%                    Tyrosinase Inhibitor
                                                        Antioxidant Activity

Mulberry Extract     0.396%             Tyrosinase Inhibitor
                                                        Antioxidant Activity

Paper Mulberry      0.1-1%               Tyrosinase Inhibitor
                                                         Melanin Transfer Inhibitor

Tranexamic Acid    3%                      Melanin Transfer Inhibitor
                                                         Tyrosinase Inhibitor

Gigawhite            5%                         Melanin Transfer Inhibitor
                                                         Antioxidant Activity

Bearberry Extract    1-5%                 Tyrosinase Inhibitor
                                                         Antioxidant Activity

Licorice Extract      2-8%                  Tyrosinase Inhibitor

Vitamin C              10-20%               Antioxidant Activity

Sepiwhite              1-3%                   Hormonal Response Inhibitor

Rumex Extract      1-3%                    Tyrosinase Inhibitor

Arbutin                 3%                       Tyrosinase Inhibitor
                                                         Melanin Transfer Inhibitor

Green Tea Extract    1%                    Antioxidant Activity

N-Acetyl Glucosamine     2%            Melanin Transfer Inhibitor
                                                         Tyrosinase Inhibitor

Copper Peptides     5-10%                Antioxidant Activity
                                                         Tyrosinase Inhibitor

Niacinamide            5%                     Melanin Transfer Inhibitor

Chromabright         0.1-1%               Tyrosinase Inhibitor
                                                        Antioxidant Activity

With all this information, hopefully building the perfect skin lightening regimen for yourself can become a little less overwhelming. The general template should look like (and I am only referring to the treatment aspect):

AM:
- some kind of antioxidant (there are lots, Vitamin C is the most potent though)

PM:
- either all three or the two remaining keys to skin lightening (enzyme inhibition and melanin transfer inhibition).

I generally recommend antioxidant based lighteners to be used in the day since they are the perfect compliment to sunscreen. I don't know about any of you, but I can't stand layering too many products on my face. Especially during the day. But the other 2 kinds of lighteners can be used during the day as well. Just remember to protect your hard work with sunscreen!

<333

Labels: , ,

32 Comments:

Anonymous Anonymous said...

hey mileena, i saw u recommended neutrogena ultra sheer dry touch sunblock in a post. well, i looked it up and it does seem nice. i'm confused between the spf 45 vs. 55 vs. 85 versions, though.. i have acne prone skin, so that prevents me from wanting to apply products to my face and well..

the spf 55 version has a review on amazon with 6/6 voting it was helpful:
Warning for acne-prone users
This is a warning that the Ultra Sheer SPF 55 and higher with helioplex seems to clog pores, as opposed to Ultra Sheer SPF 45. I have used the SPF 45 version for over a year with no problems. When I switched to this product, I had several pimples the very next day, only in the area where this product was applied. Comparing the labels, the SPF 45 says "non-comedogenic...(won't clog pores)", whereas the SPF 55 product does not make this claim. So if you are prone to having clogged pores, I suggest you use the Ultra Sheer SPF 45 formula.

and yet.. the spf 55 and spf 85 reviews in general don't mention much of this acne sensitivity. since u use spf 55, what do u think? i'm also confused that the prices of each of these three are about equal. what do u think i should do?

thanks!

April 5, 2010 at 12:40 AM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

hey, you mentioned you use tazorac gel somewhere as a retinoid for acne control, but i looked it up and its expensive! 100 to 400 dollars! what the..? is this really how much you paid for it, or do have a special place you get it from? and is this a retinoid? also does it satisfy the requirement for the exfoliation step? are there any other products that are far cheaper.. like sub-25 that are recommended for this step?

thanks!

April 5, 2010 at 3:13 AM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

nevermind about my tazorac question! i researched it myself and figured it out, thanks tho! i found out its similar to tretinoin, but its a 3rd generation formula. its chemical generic name is what i looked up. i also found that adapalene, which i have, is a similar 3rd generation acne fighter and is good at exfoliating too, so i'll just use that :) feel free to delete this and the last comment if u wish!

April 5, 2010 at 3:34 AM  
Blogger Mileena said...

Hi!

I don't use the Neutrogena Ultra Sheer line actually. I use the Sofina UV Lucent sunscreen which is a japanese sunscreen that is incredibly matte.

I believe I did recommend the Ultra Sheer line for people who are interested in decent US-brand sunscreens. My skin for some reason loves Japanese sunscreens, probably since I am so oily/acne prone. Their sunscreens have a lot of oil-absorbing ingredients/matifiers so they don't look greasy at all.

There is very little difference between the Ultra Sheer Dry Touch SPF 55 and the ones higher than that. I think there is an SPF 100 or something too, lol. It's really silly, since the SPF is going higher, but the PPD (UVA protection) is remaining the same. Plus higher than SPF 55 usually leaves a stronger white cast and chance of breakouts (thickness of product, comedogenic etc.)

I have never tried the SPF 45 one, but if that has Helioplex (which is important, Helioplex is just a fancy word to say the sunscreen is STABLE. Meaning it doesn't degrade when exposed to sunlight. A lot of sunscreens out there have unstable active ingredients which provide very little protection in actuality. The helioplex is just Neutrogena's stamp of approval that the Ultra Sheer sunscreens have stabilized ingredients.) than it should be fine to use.

I have heard many people breaking out from the SPF 55 and higher ones. I don't use it, since I can imagine it probably will be too thick and pore clogging for my oily skin (and plus the warmer weather).

The price differences between them is not much. I believe they are all the same price, maybe the SPF 55 being a bit more expensive (a dollar or two). The SPF 85 is useless, since it is exactly the same as the SPF 55 but probably will end up clogging your pores since they thickened the consistency to add to the SPF (UVB) protection.

Stick to the SPF 45. ;)

April 5, 2010 at 12:13 PM  
Anonymous PP said...

Dear Mileena,
I love to read your blog, it has become a daily routine to check on anynew posts from you ;)I would like to know about your opinion towards my daily regimen...
I use home made vitamin c serum (20%) , Lacto calamine, fair and lovely , and Isispharms's uvaebloc sunscreen every day. I use acne aid bar in the mornioing, pond's white beauty facial cleanser and Aichen Beauty's papaya peel cleanser in the evening on consecutive days. For scrubing I use pond's nourishing facial srcub. For my body I use Olay ultra sheer body wash followed by in shower body lotion of the same line. And Body shop's pomegranate body polish for scrubbing. I have oily face but weirdly the rest of my body is dry so i mix glycerine with fair and lovely body lotion or lacto calamine lotion. I also use retin a at night 5 days a week. I live in Bamgladesh and its very sunny here. My skin's condition is improving but unfortunaly no matter how much I want to use the products you reccomend i cannot have them as most of them are found only through e-shopping! so, as I was going through the shopping mall the other day and found this product called"After Sun Whitening body cream" by " healthy shop natural" I was wondering what would you say about this. My sin is very sensitive and gets tanned very easily. Would you suggest me try out this body cream? And is it safe to tae whitening pills like ivory caps?
Thank you so much <3

April 5, 2010 at 12:59 PM  
Blogger Mileena said...

Hey PP!

Aw, thanks for checking out my blog regularily! I really appreciate it. <333

I just checked online for the After Sun Whitening Body Cream, and it states the active ingredients are aloe, Vitamin E and C. I wouldn't suggest you getting it, it's a waste of money, since there really isn't anything potent enough in there to do anything.

Your regimen looks good. Fair & Lovely has a good amount of niacinamide (vitamin B3) which is great for your skin and does have lightening properties. You have to be consistent with your regimen to see the results you want. It seems great. E-shopping can be a little tedious, but I much prefer it over shopping in stores since there aren't any good lightening products out there.

As far as the ivory caps go, you know I can't make a solid opinion on it. Over at the Bright Skin Forum (a message board I moderate) there is a hot topic about glutathinone and Vitamin C supplements. Many members are trying it out, and they are updating as they go along. I'm not sure if any of them have gotten drastic lightening, but it's interesting to see it unravel.

I personally think glutathione is best used for skin lightening through IV (injections) however I am very weary of this and don't recommend people using injections without dermatologists or professionals involved. Glutathione has been shown to lighten skin when directly injected into the blood stream though. It is the antioxidant effect that it has over the body.

Good luck and keep up with your regimen. You got some good products in there, it takes time. <3

April 5, 2010 at 2:57 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

hey mileena,

so i've been researching this all a LOT more and basically i concluded that the sofina perfect uv lucent is indeed the best.. or at least better than the rest. plus, people say the $30 60ml one lasts about 3 months, so it doesnt appear insanely expensive. on the flip side, the neutrogena ultra sheer dry touch spf 55 seems like a good choice as a high-ish quality choice for use as body sunscreen.

what do you think about all this? do you have a more affordable source of the sofina? and how long do you feel it lasts? also do you use sunscreen outside your face, if so which?

thanks!

April 6, 2010 at 12:09 AM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

hey one other thing, do you think mixing niacinamide with sofina perfect uv lucent is a decent idea? how about mixing niacinamide powder with the neutrogena ultra sheer dry touch spf 55 (which has helioplex, avobenzone, etc) ? i'm trying to incorporate the niacinamide into the regimen... btw, you mentioned using the vitamin c serum under the sunscreen in the AM, so the niacinamide would also come into contact with that, i'm assuming. is this also okay?

April 6, 2010 at 1:39 AM  
Blogger Mileena said...

Hi!

Yes, that is pretty standard price for Sofina. You can try ebay, there are a lot of reputable sellers there that run for lower.

Local asian shops (in China Towns) also carry it for about $20-25.00.

I definitley think the Sofina is the best. The finish is what makes it. A greasy/shiny sunscreen only makes you hate wearing ss.

I apply the Aveeno Ultra Calming SPF 30 on my neck area (more moisturizing) and I alternate between the RoC SPF 60 Spray and LRP SPF 30 spray for my body (forearms, chest etc.) =)

April 6, 2010 at 8:03 AM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

cool, thanks! also, i'm trying to incorporate the niacinamide into the AM regimen, so i was thinking of mixing the niacinamide powder with the sofina... how does that sound lol? and what if i want to incorporate vitamin C serum into the AM as well (the skinceuticals ferulic aox)? what order would u recommend applying these and how many minutes do i need to wait before applying the next product? thank you!

April 6, 2010 at 10:04 PM  
Blogger Mileena said...

Hey!

I wouldn't mix the niacinamide powder with the Sofina. Sofina is a sunscreen, and sunscreens shouldn't directly be mixed with powders.

You can however mix niacinamide with a moisturizer - or even another bland niacinamide serum like Olay Regenerist.

The rule of layering is that sunscreen should always go last. So the first thing is the lowest pH product, and that would be niacinamide, then Vitamin C and then sunscreen.

If there isn't any niacinamide, then just Vit. C and sunscreen. ;)

April 7, 2010 at 6:27 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Hi Mileena,

I was wondering will i be able to use Nia 24 strenghtningh products and Vivite vibramce therapy (which used AHA) at same time(night)if i can what order should i apply . I am using them for melasma i do not want to use hydroquinne products.
Thnak you

April 8, 2010 at 9:10 AM  
Blogger Mileena said...

Hi!

You certainly can. Apply the NIA 24 first, wait 15-20 minutes and apply the AHA on top.

;)

April 8, 2010 at 5:54 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

I'm using the Tonique 10X Gel + Retin A on top and so far so good! I have been using it for two weeks and see a big difference.

April 9, 2010 at 11:17 AM  
Anonymous JESS said...

Hi!
I bought the Aveeno Ultra Calming Moisturizer SPF 30, but I find it so greasy! I think I'm just gonna bite the bullet and buy the Sofina on Ebay. Even though it's waterproof, it says it can still be removed with a gentle cleanser. Is that true? I am quite acne prone and last time I used a waterproof sunblock I broke out like crazy, because the cleanser I was using wasn't removing it properly.

I am on my 10th week of Retin-A 0.01 and I am STILL breaking out badly. So I ordered the next highest strength 0.025 on MedsMex.com. Unfortunately they only offer it in cream form, but my skin is not very oily so hopefully it will be OK.

The good news is that the scar on my arm is lightening up very nicely from the Neostrata HQ Skin Lightening Gel :)

April 9, 2010 at 12:14 PM  
Blogger Nikkicute said...

Consistency has ALWAYS been my problem!! I would use a cream see results and immediately set the cream aside and would not apply it again until I noticed I was back to my original skin color and then I'd do it all over again. Unfortunately I did this for YEARS!! I was also what I'd like to call a "product jumper". Jumping from one skin lightening cream to another without really giving the one I already had a chance to work. I never wanted to be one of those members who have been on the skincare boards for years still looking still searching for a solution to lighter skin because of inconsistency or not using what I already had long enough but it was too late. I look back at all the products I have used over the years and I think to myself how I never really gave most of them enough time. But it wasn't until I evoked my own "bottom of the jar" rule that I started to reap the benefits!! To me it means use a cream until you hit the bottom of the jar. lol Or at least 30 days(a month). Consistency is not using a product for a week then complain you don't see results!! Lightening is gradual and the effects are cumulative. With a continuous skin regime you'll probably find out what works for you quicker and when you do find that product that is most suitable to your skin, stay with it!! Keep on...Keeping on...:)

April 9, 2010 at 2:53 PM  
Blogger Mileena said...

That's awesome. The key is consistency. Stick with it and you will hopefully get some great results.

I've never heard of the Tonique 10XBGel.

<3

April 9, 2010 at 7:08 PM  
Blogger Mileena said...

Hey Jess!

Woo!! The Neostrata HQ is lightening up the mark on your arm. That's awesome.

You are still breaking out by the 10th week? That is definitley not purging. The purging stage only lasts 1-2 weeks. Hmm, perhaps it is something in your regimen that is causing this. Removing sunscreen (whether it waterproof, super matte or greasy) is really important.

The Sofina Lucent I'm sure can be removed by a strong foaming cleanser on its own (I'm thinking Neutrogena Fresh Foaming Cleanser right now) but I like to use a cleansing oil, which instantly dissolves the sunscreen away. I then remove the 'cleansing oil' with a gentle foaming cleanser. Pat dry and I'm completley clean from sunscreen.

It is pivotal that we do this, sinc sunsreen (the number one thing in our skin regimen) is very good, but if not removed can give anyone (acne prone or not) breakouts. I got breakouts from many sunscreens without properly removing them.

The Aveeno ultra calming can be greasy, it's great for fall/winter months. I like it since it has some really good inactive ingredients (very good for acne prone skin types, since there are no common comedogenic ingredients).

The Sofina is definitley worth it. It can be removed with a good foaming cleanser. You can always tell if your skin isn't fully clean just by looking and feeling it. Clean, bare skin has smooth, even feel.

;)

April 9, 2010 at 7:16 PM  
Blogger Mileena said...

YES Nikki! You are absolutley right. And I was definity a product jumper, lol, believe me. When i first started, I would use products constantly and never gave them a full fighting chance at seeing real results. I look back at some of posts from Bright Skin, in 2005-2006 and I just find it insane how almost every month I'm using something different.

I remember those days. Ugh, so much money wasted. I never even knew about skin purging either, so when I used AHA/BHA products, I would get small breakouts in the beginning and then just be like, "Oh, this product is crap!". UGH UGH, I now know SOOO much better. lol

You're right, just keep on keeping on. It took me a long time to get to where i am now. There are some great products out there. Building a regimen that lightens skin in all areas is what I found to be the most rewarding routine. It just took me a hell of a long time to realize and learn it.

<3

April 9, 2010 at 7:21 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Hi, I have a question about retinoids. I tried to research it, but it seems the answers are mixed. Apparently Retin A Cream has Isopropyl Myristate in it which is highly comedogenic. Does that mean Retin A in cream form causes acne? Thanks :)

April 12, 2010 at 5:34 PM  
Blogger Mileena said...

Hi! You are absolutley right. Retin-A cream, or Tazorac Cream (any rx retinoid cream) have comedogenic inactive ingredients such as Isopropyl Myristate. That is why I usually recommend the gel versions of these which are very limited in inactive ingredients and are perfect for warmer months - especially on oily/acne prone skin.

=)

April 12, 2010 at 6:31 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Is it okay to use an AHA and BHA together? Or is it not recommended? Thanks!

May 5, 2010 at 1:28 PM  
Blogger Mileena said...

AHA and BHA work very well together. Particularily for acne, as well as pore cleaning, exfoliation etc.

May 5, 2010 at 6:03 PM  
Anonymous Kaylee said...

Hello,
Thank you for this post. I was wondering if I buy Arbutin and Kokic aCid extract from SkinActives and add it to a lotion if I will get the lightening benefits? I have a skin tone close to Gabrielle Union and want to go about 2 shades lighter.Thank you

June 18, 2010 at 4:02 PM  
Blogger Mileena said...

Hi Kaylee

I haven't extensively looked into or tried making my own lighteners with the extracts from SkinActives, but most of the time they work well with bland moisturizers and serums or other skin lighteners that have say...kojic acid or arbutin.

It can definitley strengthen the % of active ingredients already in a lightener. A lot of people mix these actives with Olay Regenerist (a pretty neutral serum) or any ol' plain moisturizer that doesn't have any 'active ingredients'.

It's definitley worth a shot IMO. =)

June 18, 2010 at 5:07 PM  
Anonymous kaylee said...

Mileena,
I am currently using Carotein Cream. Do you know anything about it? I only started using it for a week so I don't really know how the results are going to be. I was thinking of adding Kojic Acid or Arbutein to the cream. I am looking for a good natural skin lightener that will work for my body. I don't wanna use Hydroquinone, and this is my first time trying something out. Do you have any suggestions? Oh and I want something affordable too, I don't wanna invest in Makari or Fair & Flawless, their creams are for $100 for a bare 4 ounces. Thank you!

June 19, 2010 at 12:35 AM  
Blogger Mileena said...

Honestly the Carotein cream doesn't impress me. It's basically carrot extract, some synthetic derivatives of Vitamin C and E, as well as some AHA. You may get some brightening and mild evening of skin tone but don't expect much from it. How is it going for you thus far? Mixing some kojic acid might help strengthen it.

Lightening the body is hard, because a lot of the products are either expensive or just not economical in size like you stated.

You might benefit from an alpha hydroxy acid based body lotion which should help exfoliate your body and even out the skin tone (and perhaps lighten sun damage at least).

MD Forte hand & body cream, Alpha Hydrox products, or M2 Body Refinish are just a few I can suggest that have decent prices and good amount of AHA in them.

Lemons can work too, due to vitamin c content but dilute it 50/50 with water and use it only every other a day or a couple of times a week on your body. It can be sticky which is why most people don't use it on their body but if you dilute it might work out. It can be used at night, so then in the morning you can just shower it off. The vitamin c in lemons do lighten overtime.

June 19, 2010 at 4:59 PM  
Anonymous kaylee said...

Hello Mileena,
Thank you for your response. To be honest, I only started using the Carotein cream for about a week not so I guess it's too early to notice anything. I haven't noticed anything so far. The thing is I just don't wanna waste my time, so I'd rather use something that works than be stuck with something that wouldn't work. I also head about Otentika & Hypercream, do those work? A lot of people are recommending Hydroquinone 4%+ra for my entire body. I just don't wanna go to that route if there are other options but honestly I am to the point where I might just crack and use the HQ since I am desperate to find a product that works lol. So should I go for it or try the Otentika? Thank you again for taking the time to answer my questions.

June 19, 2010 at 11:35 PM  
Blogger Mileena said...

Otentika & Hypercream do work for some people, but all skin lighteners are honestly subjective. Most people like the Otentika a lot and dry skin types love the Hypercream.

I would not recommend HQ and Retin-A all over your body. Though that is a very solid skin bleaching method, it's for localized regions only not large surface areas.

O'tentika is worth a shot.
=)

June 21, 2010 at 12:46 PM  
Anonymous kaylee said...

Thanks a lot. I will give it a shot. You've been very helpful :)

June 22, 2010 at 12:28 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Hi, what regimen do you recommend for melasma sufferers? Thanks :O)

November 24, 2010 at 1:21 AM  
Blogger Mileena said...

Hey,

For melasma sufferers I always state to go for a higher PPD sunscreen (Bioderma MAX Fluide tinted, La Roche Posay Anthellios series, RoC or Vichy sunscreens) over regular sunscreens. You want a PPD of at least 10, but aim for 15 like in the Bioderma.

A study came out (and I posted about this) that melasma is best treated (even over laser) with 3 topical treatments:

1) Topical Corticosteroids like Fluocinolone Acetonide

2) Tretinoin (Retin-A) OR a topical alpha hydroxy acid product

3) Hydroquinone on melasma legions (hydroquinone on localized areas is something that I highly advocate. It is designed for this and when in combination with the above two can product great fading results of melasma.

...and ofcourse the sunscreen.

Here's the article that I posted a couple of months ago detailing this 3 step approach.

http://allaboutskinlightening.blogspot.com/2010/09/melasma-best-treated-with-triple.html

November 24, 2010 at 9:35 AM  

Post a Comment

Subscribe to Post Comments [Atom]

<< Home