Al
Alpha Arbutin
Alpha-ArbutinActive
Hydroquinone derivative for tone-evening. Well-tolerated alternative without hydroquinone's regulatory baggage.
What it does
Alpha arbutin slowly releases hydroquinone in the skin at sub-clinical levels, giving brightening benefit with much better tolerance. Works over 8–12 weeks. Often combined with niacinamide or vitamin C for additive effect.
The evidence, graded
emergingAlpha arbutin is pH-flexible and works alongside AHAs without efficacy loss. The AHA's mild exfoliation can enhance arbutin penetration into the targeted melanocyte layer.Maeda 1996 · Journal of Pharmacology and Experimental Therapeutics ↗
Graded per the methodology: strong · moderate · emerging · expert consensus. A weak source on a strong claim gets the weaker label.
Also known as
arbutin
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