Home Cosmetic Science Talk Formulating Kojic Acid Cream

  • Kojic Acid Cream

    Posted by Shubh123 on February 17, 2017 at 4:45 am

    Hello Everyone,
                      I made skin lightening cream using 3% kojic acid, 5 % glycolic acid, 2% MAP.. After two months the colour changes from white to light brown due to kojic acid.. What will i do to avoid this?
    Thanks in advanced! :)

    Sayyed replied 3 years, 2 months ago 7 Members · 18 Replies
  • 18 Replies
  • microformulation

    Member
    February 17, 2017 at 5:28 am

    MAP will discolor at a pH <6. I would wager that this is a large part of your problem.

  • Shubh123

    Member
    February 17, 2017 at 6:24 am

    @Microformulation
    Thnx Sir! 
      pH of the cream  is 3.5…I will try new formulation with pH around 6 to 6.5.

  • microformulation

    Member
    February 17, 2017 at 1:30 pm

    Actually, if you read the documentation they recommend a ph of 7 minimum. Here is the issue. Your other ingredients need a lower pH, hence the reason you may want to reconsider your Formulation.

    For example, what benefit do you propose with Glycolic acid at the appropriate pH for MAP? With the Kojic acid? And even more important, would they be stable at a basic pH?

  • Shubh123

    Member
    February 18, 2017 at 4:15 am

    @Microformulation
    Thnx sir!
                 before trying new formulation i will read & understand all the documents as you told & then i will make new formulation.

  • microformulation

    Member
    February 18, 2017 at 4:26 am

    You need to ask; what pH does MAP need? What pH does an AHA (Glycolic acid) work best at? What is the appropriate pH that Kojic acid works best at? Answer those questions and you will see that you need to abandon this combination.

    http://www.thecosmeticchemist.com/education/skin_science/glycolic_acid_friend_or_foe.html

  • Shubh123

    Member
    February 18, 2017 at 4:34 am

    @Microformulation
                 yes sir! Actually i am new in formulating cosmetics.. So i need study the documents first before making formulation for any product and to find the answers of questions you mention..thnx for helping. :)

  • Anonymous

    Guest
    February 21, 2017 at 2:47 pm

    How much amount of kojic acid we can add into cream?

  • Shubh123

    Member
    February 22, 2017 at 8:19 am

    @Nilam

    we can add Maximum 3% kojic acid.

  • Anonymous

    Guest
    February 23, 2017 at 5:58 am

    Hello. I made a cream with a skin brightener (0.5% Undecylenoyl phenylalanine). I also added 1.5% licorice extract. Can i still add 1% kojic acid to this formula?

  • belassi

    Member
    February 23, 2017 at 4:06 pm

    what form is the licorice extract? % acid or is it the salt?

  • Anonymous

    Guest
    February 24, 2017 at 4:34 pm

    hello. thanks for responding. the licorice is in liquid form and the kojic is in powder/salt form

  • belassi

    Member
    February 24, 2017 at 5:09 pm

    that’s not what I asked. I presume you don’t know.

  • AlexGokhale

    Member
    March 1, 2017 at 8:09 am

    You could use Kojic Acid Dipalmitate, it is more stable in terms of Color and also makes it oil-solubke

  • Shubh123

    Member
    March 3, 2017 at 5:28 am

    @AlexGokhale
    Thnx! I will try :)

  • Mamun

    Member
    December 4, 2017 at 12:22 pm

    kojic acid is unstable and discolor at alkaline pH (recommended pH range 4.5-5.5). I recommend if u insist using MAP, then u should work with kojic acid dipalmitate as it has broader pH range and more stable than kojic acid.

  • octagonchem

    Member
    June 8, 2020 at 8:12 am

    Though kojic acid is cheap, it is very unstable, it won’t stand alkaline environment. Try use kojic acid’s improved form: Kojic acid dipalmitate powder for a change. Much more stable, better whitening effects.

    Kojic acid palmitate is a derivative of kojic acid and it is regarded as the best kojic acid version in kojic acid family so far. I compile their differences when they are used in cosmetics as below:

    #1 Different solubility

    Kojic acid dipalmitate a lipid-soluble substance insoluble in water or ethanol, if you want to use it for skin-whitening, you must choose oil-based lotions or serums, or it will not be dissolved and absorbed by your skin to achieve whitening effects. While Kojic acid is insoluble in lipids but soluble in water. So mix kojic acid into your water-based serums or lotions.

    #2 Pigmentation and melasma eliminating effects

    Clinical trials have shown that kojic acid dipalmitate’s efficiency is over 50%, and the total effective rate is over 90%, but the effect of kojic acid is much lower.

    #3 Whitening effect 

    Kojic acid ester has a stronger inhibitory effect on melanin production than kojic acid. For example, kojic acid dibutyrate ester is twice powerful in stopping melanin production than kojic acid

    #4 Stablility

    As an ester, Kojic acid dipalmitate is more stable than kojic free acid.

    Because there are two active hydroxyl groups in kojic acid within kojic acid, kojic acid is easier to be oxidized to change color or its character, while kojic dipalmitate is more difficult to be oxidized to be something else when these two hydroxy groups are protected, then it is less likely for kojic acid palmitate to go yellow or bad when exposed to air, heat, light, and moisture. Plus, kojic dipalmitate will not chelate with many metal ions like kojic acid does within the cosmetics, so kojic dipalmitate lotion will not easily go yellow or change color compared with lotions made of kojic acid.

    Plus, kojic acid is not stable in an alkaline environment due to its acid nature, while kojic dipalmitate is relatively more stable when the environmental PH value is between 3 to 10.

    #5 Compatibility with other whitening ingredients

    Kojic acid palmitate is almost compatible with any preservatives and sunscreens used for cosmetics. It blends well with Vitamin C, alpha arbutin, and Vitamin C derivatives to get a better-whitening effect. Researches have shown that the combined-whitening-effect increased exponentially.

    #6 Safety

    As an ester, kojic acid palmitate is neutral to your skin. While your skin is easy to get itchy when exposed to a formula containing acid such as kojic acid, glycolic acid, etc. Researches have shown that Kojic acid solution is more likely to cause itching or irritation to your skin.

    #7 Cost and Purity

    After so many advantages of dipalmitate over kojic acid, kojic acid powder has its advantages. Kojic acid is cheaper, it costs about 1/9 of dipalmitate powder. Also, the purity of kojic acid powder is 99% as min, dipalmitate kojic acid purity is 98% as min.

  • Anonymous

    Guest
    June 24, 2020 at 6:35 am

    How does kojic at 3% stay in chemical peels as 2%? MUAC has one with it and it’s mind boggling

  • Sayyed

    Member
    January 2, 2021 at 2:16 pm

    What MAP pls whatsap me 9096666805 sayyed aamer

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