With the summer heat and the increased damage of ultraviolet rays to the skin, many people choose to use spot-removing whitening products to protect and beautify their skin, and according to statistics, the variety of domestic whitening products is close to 1,000 in 2023, while there are more than 200 imported whitening products. This also reflects the immediate demand for whitening products in the domestic market. Today we analyze the efficacy of whitening ingredients in whitening products through the 2023 annual special product registration data.
Main ingredients in whitening cosmetics
According to the "Test Methods for 11 Raw Materials Including Magnesium Ascorbyl Phosphate in Cosmetics" and "Announcement on the Test Methods for 4 Raw Materials Including α-Arbutin in Cosmetics" issued by NMPA, it is not difficult to come up with the list of the above 13 commonly used freckle whitening agents in China:
Combined with the "Functional Cosmetics Review Regulations" published by the Cosmetics Policy Division of the Ministry of Food and Drug Safety (MFDS) in Korea, the "Cosmetic Ingredient Restriction List" of Taiwan, China, and other literature data, we can obtain the corresponding concentration and other information.
Selection of whitening ingredients in whitening cosmetics
With the data of Specialty Spot-removing and Whitening Cosmetics for the whole year of 2023, we found that domestic products have their unique preference in ingredient selection. Domestic whitening products prefer to use ingredients such as niacinamide, 3-o-ethyl ascorbic acid, and phenylethyl resorcinol (377). Among them, the usage rate of niacinamide is as high as 93%, which has almost become the standard ingredient in domestic whitening products. This ingredient is favored for its excellent whitening effect and wide applicability.
In addition to niacinamide, imported products tend to use ascorbyl glucoside, tranexamic acid, potassium methoxysalicylate and other ingredients. These ingredients have their own advantages, reflecting the research results and market strategies of different brands in whitening technology. The obvious difference in ingredient selection also reflects the differences in R&D and market positioning between Chinese and foreign brands.
In terms of frequency of use, domestic products are more diversified in the use of whitening agents. 79% of domestic cosmetics use two or more whitening agents, and up to 7 whitening agents are used, in order to achieve a more comprehensive and integrated whitening effect.
Imported cosmetics are relatively conservative, with 89% of products using only one whitening agent, and the most using four. This difference may be related to many factors such as product positioning, usage habits and market demand of foreign brands.
Dosage form selection for whitening cosmetics
When it comes to the dosage forms of whitening products, we can see the diversity of different brands and product lines. Most whitening products are mainly liquids, creams and lotions. These dosage forms are not only easy to use but also cater to consumers with different skin types and needs.
Liquid products are usually refreshing and non-greasy, suitable for oily and mixed skin; cream products are thicker and suitable for dry skin; lotion products have both moisturizing and whitening effects and are suitable for a variety of skin types.
It is worth mentioning that 25% of imported products are powder products that not only have the effect of removing spots and whitening, but also have sun protection functions. The main whitening ingredient in these products is niacinamide. Powder products are easy to carry and use, suitable for people who need to go out frequently and pay attention to sun protection and whitening.
The working principles of different whitening ingredients
The main factors that affect skin colour are the following:
1.Inhibition tyrosinase or dopachrome isomerase activity
Tyrosinase is the rate-limiting enzyme in a series of chemical reactions during melanin production. Many cosmetic whitening agents can inhibit melanin production by inhibiting the activity of tyrosinase, thereby whitening the skin; while dopachrome interconvertase affects the size, structure and type of melanin molecules. Currently, there are few studies on dopachrome interconvertase inhibitors, and the enzyme is mainly inhibited by competitive inhibition to achieve the effect of inhibiting melanin.
Commonly used inhibitory ingredients on the market currently include kojic acid and its derivatives, liquiritigenin, plant flavonoids, hydroquinone (banned), arbutin, phenethylresorcinol, 4-butylresorcinol, etc.
2.Oxidation Inhibitors
Melanin is a macromolecular amino acid derivative that can be converted into a colorless precursor under the action of a strong reducing agent, thereby reducing visible pigmentation. At the same time, a strong reducing agent can reduce the intermediates in the melanin production process or combine with the intermediates to reduce melanin production.
Currently, the commonly used raw materials are vitamin C and its derivatives. These ingredients can not only inhibit tyrosinase activity, but also reduce melanin deposition on the skin surface through their own reduction effect to achieve a whitening effect.However, because vitamin C is easily oxidized and not stable enough, more stable derivatives are often used in cosmetics, such as magnesium ascorbyl phosphate, ascorbyl glucoside, ascorbyl tetraisopalmitate, etc.
3.Inhibition of melanin transport
Melanosomes originate from the Golgi vesicles of melanocytes and are transferred distally along the dendrites of melanocytes and delivered to keratinocytes to regulate skin color. Current research shows that nicotinamide is a representative component that inhibits the transport of melanin by melanosomes.
4.Blocking the signal transduction pathway in melanin production
The signalling pathways that regulate melanocytes are influenced by many cytokines. In addition, some of these factors can stimulate tyrosinase activity, making melanocytes highly pigmented. Inhibition of the binding of relevant cytokines to melanocyte receptors by endothelin antagonists, α-promelanin inhibitors, etc. can inhibit melanin production.
It is now recognized that endothelin antagonists extracted from the European herb chamomile (Matricaria recutita) are more effective, blocking the promotion of endothelin on melanocyte growth and metabolism, and improving skin discolouration and uneven distribution of pigment due to ultraviolet irradiation.
5.Promotion of exfoliation for epidermal cells
Melanocytes are transported to the basal cells through dendrites and further metabolized to the stratum corneum. When melanin is distributed in keratinocytes, it will eventually fall off with the keratinocytes. Therefore, accelerating the shedding of aging keratinocytes is also a way to accelerate melanin metabolism, which can further improve skin color and appearance.
Currently, ingredients such as salicylic acid, fruit acid, and mandelic acid are commonly used to accelerate the renewal rate of keratinocytes and accelerate melanin metabolism. Yeast fermentation products are also used as substitutes. These fermentation products contain organic acids, amino acids, polysaccharides and other ingredients, which are milder than the former.
Through the detailed analysis of the ingredients of domestic whitening products, we can see the diversity and complexity of the whitening market. Different ingredients have their own advantages in whitening effect, stability and experience, and brands need to optimize their product formulations according to market demand and consumer feedback. At the same time, with the advancement of science and technology and the improvement of consumers' skincare concepts, the research and development of whitening products will focus more and more on science and safety.
For cosmetic brands and the industry, understanding market trends and consumer preferences is an important foundation for developing product strategies. In the future, with the further improvement of regulations and continued technological innovation, the market outlook for whitening products remains broad. Brands should keep abreast of market changes and continue to improve product quality and efficacy to meet consumers' diverse needs for whitening skincare.
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