You have a mountain of beauty brands to choose from. These are days where we not only want to choose the brand but also make a choice of ingredients that will work on your skin. The term active ingredient has been making rounds recently and you see a line up of products getting released be it whatever brand there is an active ingredient addressing a skin concern.
When you decide to incorporate products into skincare routine the most important step is to understand your skin and to choose products which are made of ingredients that would suit your skin. Just because there is an ‘XYZ ‘ brand advertising their vitamin C range promises clear skin in 10 days, it doesn’t mean the result is guaranteed, the range of products will work for you, they will not give you side effects. So take time in learning about the ingredients, the problems they can address or the benefits they have for your skin and then choose a brand.
Or if you have complicated skin conditions it is best suggested to consult a dermatologist and proceed with what they describe. Whatever you see on social media is not going to work for every person who purchases the product.
As a skincare blogger here and an influencer on Instagram, when I promote products I leave an honest review after 2-3 weeks of usage of products. However I also leave a disclaimer that what works for me might not work for everyone else as every skin is unique.
The second ingredient that I want to talk about is kojic acid. The first time I hear the term I was like , “Kojic what?”. Using acid on skin sounded to make me terrified.Though I have been someone who has been using lemon peels on skin for the vitamin C absorption, I do it with water sprinkled and patted on skin to not make the acid act directly on skin.
I decided to read through what kojic acid is and what benefits of kojic acid would my skin agree to and who can use it. I tried some and there you also have my reviews on them later on this post.
What is Kojic acid?
Mushrooms are the basic sources of kojic acid or simply put it is a natural by-product derived from various fungi and fermentation of foods like soy sauce and rice wine. Benefits of Kojic acid is it’s mainly used to lighten the skin pigment and helps treat discolouration and reduce dark spots.
How does it work?
Melanin is responsible for providing colour to eyes , hair and skin. An amino acid called tyrosine helps in melanin production. Kojic acid works to block tyrosine production which in turn stops melanin production leaving the skin light.
BENEFITS OF USING KOJIC ACID
ANTI -AGEING
Kojic acid lessens dark spots and helps lighten the skin which in turn gives anti-ageing benefits when used on skin.
TREATS MELASMA
Pregnancy can induce melasma which is pigmentation that causes your complexion to be uneven. Kojic acid works to neutralize the pigmentation there by giving you lighter skin.
SCAR DISAPPEARANCE
Usage of kojic acid can lessen the presence of scar by making it appear light. Though the thick tissue might be there, it’s presence can be greatly reduced by lessening it.
ANTI-FUNGAL BENEFIT
Being derived from various fungi, kojic acid provides anti-fungal protection from diseases like athlete’s foot and yeast infection.
SIDE EFFECTS:
When used over a long period of time kojic acid can make your skin susceptible to sun. Rashes, itches and irritation are commonly observed side effects. So always make sure to incorporate a sunscreen when using kojic acid in skincare routine.
PRODUCTS IN INDIA
The derma . co kojic acid cream for pigmentation
This cream works with a formulation that incorporates 2% of kojic acid in combination of vitamin C in reducing dark spots and improving pigmentation. I really liked the pump method to get the cream out which is light on application. I do it post cleansing in both AM and PM routine.
Price : 449 quantity: 30 gm
Kozicare skin lightening serum
This is a serum that is formulated with kojic acid along with aloe vera, arbutin, glutathione,glycerine. Compared to a cream base this is lighter because of its serum consistency and requires application through a dropper.
The serum does not leave a oily residue post application.
Price : 399 quantity : 30 ml
Make sure to do a patch test before trying out any new product on your skin.
This blog post is part of the blog challenge ‘Blogaberry Dazzle’ hosted by Cindy D’Silva and Noor Anand Chawla in collaboration with VoxBox and Journery Matters.
That Madras Mom 