Kojic Acid? Kojic Acid Dipalmitate? Which One Should I Choose For Skin Whitening?

Time : 2025.03.14 Page View : 288 Author : Alice

In the cosmetics industry, skin whitening are always the focus of consumers. Among them, kojic acid and its derivative kojic acid dipalmitate stand out with their outstanding whitening performance, becoming the king of whitening cosmetic raw materials and attracting much attention. Next, this article will take an in-depth look at the unique properties of these two ingredients, the mechanisms of action behind them, and their actual applications in various cosmetics.

Kojic acid: the starting point of whitening

Kojic acid is a natural compound produced by fermentation of Aspergillus oryzae. It was first discovered in Japan and is widely used in cosmetics for its significant whitening effect. Kojic acid prevents the production of melanin by inhibiting the activity of tyrosinase, thereby achieving a whitening effect. However, kojic acid itself is sensitive to light and heat, easily oxidized in the air, and reacts with many metal ions, especially trivalent iron ions, causing the formulated skin whitening products to gradually turn yellow-brown during storage and use.

Kojic acid dipalmitate: dual enhancement of stability and whitening effect

In order to overcome the instability of kojic acid, kojic acid dipalmitate was developed as its derivative. Kojic acid dipalmitate is a fat-soluble derivative of kojic acid, which is significantly different from kojic acid in terms of source and formation steps. Kojic acid is usually made from glucose through a series of steps including fermentation with Aspergillus niger, filtration, and concentration. Kojic acid dipalmitate is synthesized by the acylation of kojic acid and palmitoyl chloride, and then purified by filtering, washing, decolorizing, crystallizing, recrystallizing, and drying. It not only maintains the efficacy of kojic acid in inhibiting tyrosinase activity and blocking the formation of skin melanin, but also this inhibition is stronger than kojic acid. Kojic acid dipalmitate completely overcomes the shortcomings of kojic acid, such as instability to light, heat and metal ions, poor skin absorption and irritation, because the active hydroxyl groups in the kojic acid molecular structure are protected by forming esters. Stability is greatly improved.

In skin care products, kojic acid dipalmitate plays many important roles such as whitening agent, freckle remover, skin conditioner, emollient, etc. As fat-soluble whitening agents, arbutin and kojic acid dipalmitate work together to inhibit melanin production. The combination of the two can enhance the whitening effect.

Synergistic effect of whitening partners

The application of kojic acid and kojic acid dipalmitate in cosmetics lies not only in their individual effects, but also in their synergistic effects. The improved stability and permeability of kojic acid dipalmitate have made it more and more widely used in cosmetic formulations. There are more than 132 products on the market containing kojic acid dipalmitate, which is often used in cosmetics with vitamin C ethyl Ether, azelaic acid, arbutin and niacinamide and other raw materials are used in combination. Its products are mostly in the form of lotions, essences, emulsions, creams, facial masks, etc.

The application of kojic acid and its derivative kojic acid dipalmitate in cosmetics not only reflects the development of whitening ingredients, but also reflects the cosmetics industry's pursuit of safe, effective and stable whitening ingredients. With the advancement of technology and the increasing demand of consumers for whitening, the research and application of kojic acid and its derivatives will become more in-depth, bringing a safer and more effective whitening experience to the skin.

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