Beauty 101: Kojic Acid

What is Kojic Acid?

Kojic Acid – is derived from several species of fungi and is known to limit melanin production. A fungus – “aspergillus oryzae” which in Japanese named as “Koji”, hence the name Kojic Acid. It is a by-product in the fermentation process of malting rice, for use in the manufacturing of sake, the Japanese rice wine.^[1] It is a mild inhibitor of the formation of pigment in plant and animal tissues, and is used in food and cosmetics to preserve or change colors of substances.

A fungus – “aspergillus oryzae” which in Japanese named as “Koji”, hence the name Kojic Acid.

There are many uses of Kojic Acid, here in the Philippines it’s a widely known component of whitening soaps. Other uses of this acid include; prevention of oxidative browning on fruits during cutting and production, to preserve the red/pink colors of seafood, and as antibacterial and anti-fungal. These useful benefits aside from naturally lightening the skin only prove that Kojic Acid is indeed a wonderful discovery from nature.

here in the Philippines it’s a widely known component of whitening soaps

Let’s discuss the side-effects of Kojic Acid, these “side-effects” maybe beneficial for some but harmful for sensitive and irritated skin.

• this acid is a peeling agent and should be used with caution. It assists in skin exfoliation to remove dead skin cells, oil, dirt and debris from our skin

• penetrates deeply into the skin and remove the outermost layer of the skin

• As the outermost layer is stripped off, new skin is exposed. Kojic Acid enhances cellular turnover to compensate for the lost tissue during exfoliation. Your skin now has clean, soft, smooth, flawless, and fair skin

• Kojic Acid, as an acid and may alter some of the skin’s normal flora. According to Material Safety study by Oxford, it was found out that Kojic Acid – as purely unprocessed Kojic – is a dangerous substance by itself so it’s better to read product labels, go for the organic and natural ingredients before putting anything to your face

 

 

After exfoliation, the new skin underneath is more sensitive. The new, fresh skin is more sensitive to sunlight, pollution, radiation, and to other harsh products. It’s a must to apply sunscreen with SPF 20 or higher especially when going out to avoid further damage on skin. Sun Protection

The skin is now also at risk for dryness so apply a generous amount of moisturizer or lotion while using Kojic acid.

we also recommend a variation of Kojic Soap with the addition of Papaya to whiten and moisturize the skin. Click this photo for details

 

 

 

Kojic acid is an important product in skin whitening but should be use with caution and ample product knowledge. It’s always best to go for natural and organic.

 

hope this helps 🙂

much love,