All About Skin Lightening: Product Review – AmLactin Moisturizing Body Lotion

Sunday, March 6, 2011

Product Review – AmLactin Moisturizing Body Lotion

Photo Credit: AmLactin

I cannot believe how long it’s been since I have done a review on here! It’s actually pretty shameful since this is a skin care blog, which means I should be doing a lot more reviews, lol it’s just I haven’t really had a reason to! I haven’t changed much in my regimen since I am very happy with it. I have used a couple of new toners and masks which so far aren’t that spectacular =( I am still using the Lantomi Skin Lightening Cream and I really love it – honestly I now plan on using it throughout spring and hopefully summer (we’ll see about that since my skin is just crazy oily during the summer months I don’t think I can handle an emollient cream but I’ll remain optimistic).

I decided to review my all time favorite AHA lotion for the body – AmLactin Moisturizing Body Lotion! A lot of you know or have used AmLactin. I have been recommending it to a lot of people who e-mail about body exfoliants. I currently am using the AmLactin Body Lotion and I cannot begin to tell how amazing this product is. It is SO excellent at smoothing out any rough, dry flaky skin and does wonders for evening uneven coloring of the body as well. It also has gotten rid of some minor body acne I was getting.

AmLactin contains 12% lactic acid and comes already neutralized with the addition of ammonium hydroxide. The pH is 4.4-5.5. Lactic Acid is amazing at not only exfoliating gently and efficiently but also can treat many skin issues like keratosis pilaris, hyperpigmentation, redness and dry skin (it is a naturally occurring humectant).

12% lactic acid is also a great strength for a leave-on lotion. It’s enough to make a significant impact on the above skin conditions.

I began using the AmLactin Body Lotion because in winter my skin becomes very flaky and dry – I needed some type of leave-on AHA product to slough off the dead skin cells without contributing to further dryness or irritation. I’m pleased to say I have found more than just dry skin relief with AmLacin!

Within 24 hours of applying this lactic acid lotion, my severe dry skin on my body was quenched significantly. My skin texture was smoother and silky.

By the second week of usage, my elbows which were ashy and dry evened and smoothed out completely. The color on them has become lighter as a result of the exfoliation and conditioning from the lactic acid. Acne marks on my upper arms have completely faded after 3 weeks of consistent usage and my body skin looks healthier than it’s ever looked!

The color of my skin tone also dramatically (and yes I said dramatically, I am not kidding around) really enhanced and evened out. The complexion on my body was GLOWING by the second week of twice a day usage - I was SO astonished at how fast this lotion treated my skin.

Week after week, my skin has just improved amazingly. I now don’t even have to use the DDF Brightening Cleanser with my luffa everyday in the shower, I can use other body washes and still get great exfoliation and luminosity just by using the AmLactin lotion.

This product is just phenomenal. I cannot believe I didn’t use it years before. It’s so good at doing exactly what an alpha hydroxyl acid product is supposed to do! The skin evening effects from it are really beneficial for anyone struggling with mottled hyerpigmentation, freckles or ashy areas.

Like I stated above in the post, AmLactin can be used on the face as well. I have used it around my nose area and cheeks to combat flakiness from Retin-A. It does a great job at keeping those pesky flakes at bay and making the skin drastically smoother. It’s also excellent to use after an AHA peel to condition and hasten the peeling effect that occurs afterwards.

I plan on using AmLactin for a long time. The fresh, glowing and smooth look it gives my skin is irreplaceable. This will definitely come in handy during the spring and summer when we shed off our winter garbs and show more of our skin. Anyone who needs exfoliation on their body should get this lotion, it is a star product in my eyes.

AmLactin comes in both a cream version and lotion version and there are other variations of it like the XL formula which is an intense hydration treatment. The size of the bottle I got was 7.9oz but I know it comes in much larger sizes. The prices vary on them, the one I got was about $20.00 (retail price). It’s worth every penny.

It’s found pretty easily online on Amazon, Drugstore.com and if you live in the US, most major drugstores carry it.

Official Site:
http://www.amlactin.com

Rating: 10/10

Ingredients:
Water, Lactic Acid (Neutralized with Ammonium Hydroxide), Light Mineral Oil, Glyceryl Stearate, PEG 100 Stearate, Propylene Glycol, Glycerin, Magnesium Aluminum Silicate, Laureth 4, Polyoxyl 40 Stearate, Cetearyl Alcohol, Methyl, Propylparaben, Methylcellulose

Labels: acne marks, hyperpigmentation

37 Comments:

Randy said...: wahaha! Im not absent on twitter. Twitter's so boring :-/ i like facebook rather than twitter. If u have fb, type randy zanuar :-D
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generally, my skin is fair with yellow tone. How asian. My face is oily so it looks kinda darker (or dull?). What should i do then? Brightening or lightening treatment?; March 7, 2011 at 6:49 PM
Anonymous said...: can i apply it to my face instead of the regular face moisturizer?...i apply paulas choice bha solution first followed my moisturizer (dry parts only) retin-A and makari...so instead of my regular moisturizer can i use amlactin?

Thanks; March 7, 2011 at 8:43 PM
Mileena said...: I will be setting up a Facebook fan page for All About Skin Lightening soon! But seriously Twitter is not boring - it can be fun! You have to start tweeting more in order for it to be more fun. :)

I think most of us with oily skin get that dull look because of the oxidized oil on our skin. It's normal and common. Both either a brightening or lightening treatment are effective, it depends on what you really want. You are fair skinned (I can tell from your pic on Twitter) so just using a brightening products can enhance the 'glow' or radiance of your skin which makes a huge difference. It can offset the dullness too.

I always find matte sunscreens like Biore UV Perfect Face Milk to be great oil controllers which do help to keep my face fresher and less dull looking longer. =); March 8, 2011 at 8:51 AM
Anonymous said...: Hi there

I have a quick question, can you look into the ingredients for me for the product Ex White 2 or Ex white (whichever one is better) on UNT? I know your like this genius when it comes to looking up ingredients. On your recommendation, I am thinking of purchasing the C Clarity as the homemade serum isn't doing much for me :( And I can't shell out 80 bucks for the Neostrata one, although it's such a brilliant product :(

Thank you!!! :D; March 9, 2011 at 11:06 AM
Mileena said...: Hello!

I just sent an e-amil requesting for the full ingredients of Ex White 2 and the original Ex white. It's always best to know the complete ingredient list to know if the product has tolerable inactive ingredients.

From what I know of it, it contains 2% tranexamic acid which is the right amount to impact melanogenesis. I blogged about it a year ago and since then I've received e-mails and comments about it from people who used it. Most people say that it gave them nothing more than a glow. I think it's mainly because it only contains tranexamic acid and possibly a small amount of licorice extract so it's mainly lightening through tyrosinase inhibition. To get more profound lightening, it's best to get a lightener that is either stronger (tranexamic acid is NOT as potent as other botanical lighteners when they are are their optimal %)or has multiple ingredients that target melanin in different stages.

You know...I totally share the same experience with you regarding the homemade vitamin c. No matter how long I used it I never got the results I got from a ready-made vitamin c serum. Skinceuticals and UNT offer the best ones. The C Clarity is VERY good. The finish isn't the best one (it doesn't have many emollients that is why) but it's lightweight and a great vitamin c serum (perfect pH too). Go slow with it though, every 3 days is more than enough with 20%. Some people use it like a treatment only 2 times a week and still get wonderful results and a glow!

<3333; March 9, 2011 at 1:12 PM
Mileena said...: e-mail not e-amil...sorry about that, lol!! =P; March 9, 2011 at 1:13 PM
Randy said...: if my complexion is always dull bcz of oxydation, then my regimen is futile! Literally :D; March 9, 2011 at 8:09 PM
Mileena said...: lol, well if your skin's melanin content decreases you will look look lighter. The oxidized sebum happens to all of us - especially in the summer or humidity. ;); March 9, 2011 at 8:21 PM
Anonymous said...: Oh really, that's so depressing. I really had my heart set on the Ex White. I have tried Makari and Hypercreme, both which failed me terribly and combined I have spent about $200 on it (for Hypercreme I purchased two products, the Illuminator and the Extratone or something like that). I really want to try a product that is backed up by science, such as hydroquinone (which I am currently using once a week, and would love to get off it). I read about the success with the peptide lightener but sort of hesitant to purchase it as its quite pricey :(

And if I haven't mentioned it before, your blog is one of the most wonderful things I have come across, with such genuine concern and the most knowledgable blogger ever! A thousand thank yous' :D

PS. There is this youtube channel called dermtvdotcom and the doctor who hosts is just brilliant (much like you!) and provides very helpful information. Check him out :D; March 9, 2011 at 8:33 PM
Anonymous said...: Hi Mileena

Can i use am-lactin after my MUAC 40% lactic acid peel?

Thanks; March 9, 2011 at 8:43 PM
Mileena said...: Hi!

Aw, thank you so much for your kind words! It means so much! <3

Using HQ once a week is actually the safest way to use it. There still isn't concrete evidence showing that short term, all over use causes problems - it's only in long term use with high percentage HQ.

Adding in other things like peels (MUAC peels or leave-on AHAs like MD Forte), stronger sunscreen (La Roche Posay Anthelios series) are also great at lightening as well, not just lighteners.

All products work differently on different people. The UNT EX White may work very well on you, it's much less expensive than Makari IMO which isn't good at all. I received an e-mail back from UNT giving me the ingredients for each product:

EX WHITE
Water, Polyglyceryl Methacrylate, Tranexamic Acid, 1,3-Butylene Glycol, Aloe Extract, Grape Fruit Seed Extract, Glycerin, PEG-40 Hydrogenated Caster Oil, Ascorbic Acid 2-Glucoside, Xanthan Gum, Licorice Extract, Diazolidinyl Urea, Lecithin, Gamma-Polyglutamic Acid, Tocopheryl Acetate, Methyl Paraben, Sodium Hyaluronate, Disodium EDTA, Sodium Disulfite, Perfume.

The tranexamic acid is the third on the list, and we already know that it's 2% which is the correct amount. The vitamin c (ascorbyl glucoside) and licorice are quite low but with consistent usage should work well along side the tranexamic acid. Hydrogenated Castor Oil is a very well tolerated natural oil.

It should be lightweight though.

Here's the EX White 2:
Water, Polyglyceryl Methacrylate, Tranexamic Acid, 1,3-Butylene Glycol, Aloe Extract, Grape Fruit Seed Extract, Glycerin, OEG-40 Hydrogenated Caster Oil, Ascorbic Acid 2-Glucoside, Xanthan Gum, Licorice Extract, Diazolidinyl Urea, Lecithin, Gamma-Polyglutamic Acid, Tocopheryl Acetate, Methyl Paraben, Sodium Hyaluronate, Disodium EDTA, Sodium Disulfite, Perfume.

I see very little difference between them. I would go with the EX WHITE (original) since very little is different.

Have you looked into vitamin c serums? The C Clarity by UNT is excellent and could be alternative to plant extract based lighteners.
<333; March 10, 2011 at 9:24 AM
Mileena said...: Hello! You certainly can use it after a lactic acid peel. I personally use it the day after around my cheeks and flaky-prone areas.

If you are a novice to peels then I highly suggest not doing applying it right after since tolerance of acids can be any issue. However if you've used AHAs in the past before, using it afterward should be no problem and does offer a lot of benefits because it can continue with exfoliating any little bit on your skin that wasn't full 'saturated' in the solution. It'll speed up the peeling process anyway so it's great.

=); March 10, 2011 at 9:26 AM
Anonymous said...: Thanks for the quick response for the UNT products. I think I might wait on that for a bit. Right now I am using the DIY vitamin c serum which personally doesn't give me the same effect as the Neostrata one. But I am going to purchase the C Clarity this week and also I am going to order amlactin. Where did you order amlactin from? Because on drugstore.com to ship it to Toronto area its like 32.00 which is almost the cost of the cream itself!; March 10, 2011 at 8:31 PM
Anonymous said...: Hi Mileena

Can i use am-lactin during AM?, moisturizer followed by makari and sublock is my morning regime...now can i use amlactin instead of regular moisturizer?

During night...PC BHA ligquid followed by moisturizer, retin-A and makari are my PM regime can i use Amlactin instead of my regular mositurizer?

Thanks.; March 10, 2011 at 8:51 PM
Randy said...: Hahaha you got another admirer, yes! Hey, do u layer ur night regimen? U know, im influenced a lot by michelle phan's videos, including d new one about layering skincare prdcts :D u should watch. Its gonna be like oh my goodness how could they be absorbed by skin???? I question that. Regardless, she is absurdly pretty.; March 11, 2011 at 7:11 AM
Mileena said...: I ordered mine from drugstore.com =( I know, it was crazy expensive with the shipping but it does a great job and is worth it in my experience. I splurged on it honestly because I sold a few things on Kijiji and got enough to get a product for my body, lol. It all worked out! lol

Great news is that I just recently found in the aisles of Shoppers and London Drugs a VERY similar product available here in Canada called Lac Hydrin. Another lactic acid based lotion with similar inactive ingredients. Very inexpensive too. =); March 11, 2011 at 10:03 AM
Mileena said...: Hi,

AmLactin can replace your regular moisturizer. If you find it moisturizes enough on it's own. It is a moisturizer in essence with exfoliating properties. Do whatever works best for your skin.

You can use it during the AM and PM. Just be careful about using it twice a day on your face. On the body it's okay, but on the face twice a day application of a strong alpha hydroxy acid can be a bit irritating so monitor your skin and just be cautious.

But yeah it can be used during the day, underneath the Makari and your sunscreen. :); March 11, 2011 at 10:08 AM
Mileena said...: @Randy
Michelle Phan IS gorgeous. I hardly get a chance to watch her vids anymore, I used to a lot but I'm so busy with school and work and this blog! I'll check that vid out on layering products though!

I do layer my night regimen. I use Lantomi Skin Lightening Cream and apply Retin-A gel (0.025%) on top. It's basically for buffering purposes but I find this method lightens my skin very well (lightener + retinoid). If my skin feels really dry, I'll replace the Retin-A gel with AmLactin Lotion so it's basically a lightener layered underneath an AHA product. Same effect, but less drying.
<33; March 11, 2011 at 10:11 AM
Anonymous said...: Hi

Can we use Amlactin under eyes too?; March 12, 2011 at 10:17 AM
Mileena said...: Hi! I usually do not recommend using Amlactin under your eyes. Though I don't find 14% lactic acid to be stinging or irritating on my facial skin, I still do not put it directly underneath my eyes. Alpha hydroxy acids should be at low %'s if used there.

There is a loop hole though in the system of alpha hydroxy acids or any exfoliant. You can always buffer, so apply a regular eye cream or hydrating moisturizer underneath your eyes and sparingly dab the AmLactin there. That could work actually. I would advise to be super cautious and go slowly with this method. You don't want to irritate that delicate area.

I just personally don't do it and don't go out of my way to recommend it, but it can be done this way. =); March 12, 2011 at 12:26 PM
Anonymous said...: Thanks! Yea I came across LacHydrin as well and in your opinion is AmLactin better? And what time of the day is best to use it?
Thanks again!; March 12, 2011 at 8:24 PM
Mileena said...: They are both excellent. LacHydrin is probably what I will be getting once I'm done with the AmLactin since it's very expensive to order it. I believe it comes in different %'s like 5% lactic acid and 12% lactic acid. Both great and effective.

I use AmLactin right after my shower at night and re-apply if my any area on my body gets dry throughout the day. I don't wear body sunscreen at the moment because it's still freezing here, lol. Though once the warmer weather comes and I ditch the long sleeves, I'll be wearing sunscreen on top.

Anytime of the day is fine really. It's great to apply a body lotion right after your shower or any time of cleanse.
<3; March 13, 2011 at 9:36 AM
Anonymous said...: Hi Mileena.
Love your blog! I am trying to lighten up my severely hyperpigmented eye area (Panda bear, raccoon eyes, etc). I am using Phyto+ (Cosmetic Skin Solutions Version) and RoC Multi-Correction Eye Treatment (w/retinol & Vitamin C). Do you think this is a good combo? Do you know if the Phyto+ works for black Skin (think Oprah Winfrey's complextion). Also, what do you think of the Vitamin C & Retinol being combined in one cream? Does that make it less effective? I apply the Phyto+ first since it is almost a liquid and the RoC is a cream. Thanks!; March 15, 2011 at 1:18 AM
Mileena said...: Hi Miss!

Thank you for liking my blog! <333

From all the people I have connected with that have used Phyto+, it seems to work on all skin tones. I haven't used the Cosmetic Skin Solutions version, only the Skinceuticals one.

I have heard from some of my readers that the Cosmetics Skin Solutions version isn't as effective as the Phyto+ but I can't pin point exactly why. Perhaps it's a minor potency issue with the active ingredients, but I think it has to do with some different inactive ingredients the CSS version. Still, it should have some effect.

Vitamin c and retnol can be used together with great results, but don't use it during the day. Retinol degrades in sunlight (even with sunscreen on) and some studies show when it does this it attracts free radicals which can lead to a lot of skin problems. Use it around your eyes at night.

But going to your question, there unfortunately isn't much that can be done about hyperpigmentation or dark circle around the eyes. Unless you know for sure it's from spending too much time in the sun, most dark circles are hereditary. They are very common in people with more melanin production.

Because it's genetics and it's more to do with skin density (blood capillaries, skin thinness etc.) than epidermal pigmentation.

The only small evidence out there is vitamin K and vitamin C. I wouldn't look into vitamin K as the studies have been sparse and a bit inconsistent. Vitamin C however *may* have a small effect on lightening the area up by boosting collagen which may plump up the area. But still it's currently something that cannot be treated. Most lighteners don't do much for it.

Make sure you are wearing sunscreen around your eyes as well to keep them from further darkening.

<33333; March 15, 2011 at 10:42 AM
Mileena said...: Oh, I forgot to mention! A great L-ascorbic acid eye serum that is non-irritating is the La Roche Posay Active C eyes. Probably the best in the market for a vitamin c based eye product.
Best of luck! =); March 15, 2011 at 10:44 AM
Anonymous said...: Thanks for the response Mileena. I'll check out the La Roche Posay. I'm not exactly sure of the reason for the darkened eye area, but I assume it is from sun damage, because that is the only area where I never put sunscreen (until a few weeks ago). I've used Retin-A for years, so I'd put the suncreen on the rest of my face, but I assumed that I didn't need it for my eye area, because I wasn't using Retin-A there. WRONG! The dark areas around my eyes have a very pronounced line of demarcation showing where I've been using suncreen for many years and where I haven't.; March 16, 2011 at 2:06 AM
Mileena said...: Aha! Sunscreen around the eyes is really important. When driving I always wear sunglasses too with sunscreen around my eyes. The skin around the eyes reacts to external stress very rapidly, so I always wear sunscreen around there.

=); March 16, 2011 at 5:55 AM
SkinDeep said...: Hi Mileena,
Is this product, available in Toronto,Canada? I've also heard about LacHydrin, is that the same thing as Amlactin?; March 16, 2011 at 6:40 AM
SkinDeep said...: Hi Mileena,
Is this product available in Toronto,Canada? I've also heard about Lac-hydrin, is that the same as Amalactin?!?; March 16, 2011 at 6:46 AM
Anonymous said...: Hi Mileena,
Is this product available in Toronto,Canada? I've also heard about Lac-hydrin, is that the same as Amalactin?!?; March 16, 2011 at 6:51 AM
Mileena said...: No it's nowhere available in Canada which sucks! =( I got it off drugstore.com

LacHydrin is a similar knock off to it that is available here. It's pretty good but not exactly the same.
<3; March 16, 2011 at 11:17 AM
Ria said...: Hi Mileena,

I know this is not the correct post to ask this question. But I really want to solve my problem of dark lips. I am a 29 year old female and my lips have become darker recently. On research I found this "Latisha Dark lips" balm. But its kinda expensive too. You being an expert of Skin lightening, it will be great if you could help me and Guide me to get back my pink lips.

Thanks!!; March 20, 2011 at 12:11 AM
Mileena said...: Hi Ria!

When you say your lips have recently become darker, is this in the last couple of years of has it been a very long time?

If your lips have darkened, the first priority is to get a SPF lip balm or chapstick to wear everyday. You can't underestimate the importance of this because sun damage (i.e. darkening) can occur on the lips too, and this is what it seems like to me. It's best to avoid SPF lip balms/chapsticks that contain many chemical filters because these need to remain on the skin to protect you. Physical sunblock ingredients like zinc oxide are safer to use on the lips anyway.

Burnout SPF lipbalms are quite nice, as well as the Badger Sunblock Balm. If you live in the US, Softlips zinc oxide sunscreen (at Target) is great from what some readers have told me.

You also need to exfoliate your lips and keep them moisturized at night. This can easily be done by scrubbing them with your facial scrub or a towel (don't go too harsh). I know Lush makes an exfoliator for the lips. A light brush with a tooth brush can do it too.

Make sure you follow up with a good moisturizing lip balm or chapstick (any will do - ones with vitamin E are great).

There aren't many lighteners other than Godiva's Licowhite Lip products and Latisha Dark Lips balm that is geared towards actually *lightening* the lips.

I know a few people who use 10-15% vitamin c serum (either homemade or a ready-made serum) on their lips and layer a bit of vaseline or dab a moisturizing lip balm on top to prevent irritation. This can possibly work since vitamin c is great at lightening than these low concentrated plant extracts found in lip lightening products.

Do not use HQ or anything like that on your lips.

I would suggest start out by exfoliating the lips and protecting them from the sun. If your lips are naturally pink, then they should revert back to this color by exfoliation, protecting and moisturizing them. Never let them get dry as this causes purple-ish post-response hyperpigmentation.

Best of luck Ria! <333; March 20, 2011 at 10:23 AM
Ria said...: Thanks so much Mileena. That was a very detailed response.

I do live in the US and I will check out Target this weekend for the sunblock lipbalm. Just to give you a background, I was on accutane about 6 months ago for a period of 5 months and you can imagine how chapped my lips would have been. So I started using Dr.Dan's Corti Balm and it helped a lot with my peeling lips. Even though I used it only during the nights, my lips have turned darker :( I use 15% Vit CE Ferulic acid serum(cosmetic skin solutions) on my skin everyday in the morning. I will try to apply it on my lips too. I am worried abt 2 things.

- 1. The Vit c might just disappear if I eat it along with my breakfast :P
-2. I dont think it will reduce Melanin..would it?
FYI..Since I am of Indian origin, my lips are kinda light brown and not exactly pink..but would love to have pinkish (if not exactly pink) lips.

Do you think I shuld still buy Latisha or stick with regular exfoliating, moinsturizing, sun block and Vit C serum?; March 21, 2011 at 4:02 PM
Mileena said...: No problem! =)

Excess dryness and peeling from Accutane usage can definitely cause darkening of the lips.

It wouldn't hurt to use Latisha since it's a pretty decent product and may help to lighten a lot of the discoloration. It contains Alpha Arbutin (great lightening agent) and licorice extract.

But if you aren't willing to shell out the cash for it just yet, sticking it out the exfoliating, moisturizing, sun protecting and vitamin c can go a long way.

Vitamin C will not disappear. If you use a lemon + glycerin or some type of vitamin c solution on there (be it with L-ascorbic acid crystals and water etc.) method to get the vitamin c on there you should only leave it on for 20 mins max. It shouldn't be left on there anyway for risk of irritation.

If your lips aren't naturally pink, using the above method will probably just fade the discoloration and revert your lips back to what they were prior to Accutane. The Latisha may push it further.

Best of luck! <333; March 21, 2011 at 5:25 PM
leogirlie said...: Cool..Thanks for the tip..will keep u posted!; March 22, 2011 at 9:24 AM
Mileena said...: Looking forward to it. =); March 22, 2011 at 11:34 AM

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Sunday, March 6, 2011

Product Review – AmLactin Moisturizing Body Lotion

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