Alpha Arbutin is Extracted from plants such as bearberries, blueberries, and cranberries,
and its a safe skin brightening ingredient which helps to fade scars and pigmentation
left behind by two things, breakouts and sun damage.
In this video, you will learn what exactly alpha arbutin is, how does it work in the
skin, who should consider using it, and how to incorporate it into your skincare.
Its a topic im excited to talk about, because you guys have been asking me about it, so
im happy to make a video addressing it.
Please make sure to stay till the end, as ill reveal to you what my favorite alpha arbutin
product is.
I'll be making more in depth active ingredient videos in the future, just like this one with
a lot ingredients, so make sure to hit that subscribe button down below, to not miss out
on future videos.
Also, If you learn anything in this video, give it a like down below too, itll seriously
make my day, and itll help others find this video as well.
So to make this video short and simple and easy to refer back to, ill first talk about
what it is: Arbutin is a naturally-occurring compound found in many plant sources such
as bearberry, mulberry, and one of my favorites: pomegranate.
You may have even heard of arbutin, alpha arbutin and arbutin are both used interchangeably.
Alpha arbutin is just the chemically synthesized version which you find mostly in skin-care
products.
There is a beta arbutin version out there too, but dont bother trying to get your hands
on it, as it is much less effective than the alpha version.
Secondly, lets talk about how itll work in the skin.
You see, Alpha arbutin is frequently marketed as a safer alternative to hydroquinone, which
you all know has been banned in most countries and has been getting a lot of controversy.
It has similar results in brightening skin but without the dangerous bleaching process
that hydroquinone has.
But because alpha arbutin is still a derivative of hydroquinone, It works by slowly releasing
hydroquinone over time, inhibiting tyrosinase, which is the key enzyme responsible for the
production of melanin, or pigment, in the skin.
To put it simple, less tyrosinase, means less pigment, which means less discoloration and
dark spots.
And on top of that: Alpha arbutin is also known to have antioxidant and anti-inflammatory
properties.
But you might be starting to think, well if it releases hydroquinone: doesnt it still
have all the same side effects?
Thats an excellent question.
The short answer is no.
Because Alpha arbutin releases the hydroquinone slowly, the skin isn't exposed to too much
of it all at once.
Which is awesome right, because, This reduces the chances of those side effects.
But if you are pregnant or planning to be pregnant, since it does release hydroquinone,
I would skip it as it would not be deemed safe in pregnancy.
Now lets talk about, who should consider using it.
If youre not pregnant, and you are struggling to fade away those dark spots, acne scars,
and melasma, and used to be on hydroquinone and cant find it anywhere because of the ban,
alpha arbutin may be a great alternative.
Especially if you have a darker skin tone, which is more prone to hyperpigmentation and
youve tried every other product out there and found no luck.
Alpha arbutin may in fact work for you.
But what if i have lets say, sensitive skin.
Would alpha arbutin be a good choice then?
Another good question!
Give this video a like, for all your great questions.
If you have sensitive skin, then it’s worth giving alpha arbutin a try since it’s known
for being gentler than other skin brighteners like retinol and glycolic acid.
Its found to be relatively well-tolerated, compared to other powerful ingredients I see
people trying all the time like certain acids and peels, which may cause irritation and
dryness.
It also doesn't make the skin more sensitive to the sun, meaning you can safely use it
year-round.
But when you do first use it, give it a spot test to make sure your skin reacts kindly.
Now that we covered who it might be best for and who should consider using it.
Lets talk about how to incorporate it into your skincare routine.
The first question Ill probably get is, does it interact well with my other products.
And to answer that: Alpha arbutin plays really well with your other products.
So you can easily work it into your existing routine.
Now: you want to Follow the directions of the particular product you pick, but, generally
speaking, you'll want to apply it twice daily on clean, dry skin for maximum results before
your moisturizer.
And To boost its benefits before giving up on it, lets say youve tried it for a month
or two and havent seen any good news, apply it alongside your vitamin C, azelaic acid,
kojic acid or niacinamide.
Which i have videos for all those ingredients that you should watch too.
Because lets face it: Dealing with hyperpigmentation is complicated, and can take a lot of trial
and error.
Sp by combining them, you're coming at the issue from every angle.
And ill be here for your guys to answer any questions.
One thing to note is that since it is very heat sensitive, you want to make sure you
dont leave it in your car and that you do store it in a cool and dry place like a drawer
in between uses.
And now what you al been waiting for, which product do i recommend?
With the research ive done, ive surprisingly found a number of great products from different
brands out there, and although Im not paid to promote or sponsored, I really do like
the budget friendly one, Ordinary's Alpha Arbutin 2% + Hyaluronic acid if I had to pick
one product.
For about 10 bucks, you can get all the benefits of alpha arubutin with hyaluronic acid.
The combination, Im a fan of because the HA is there to improve absorption, its super
light weight and delivers a healthy dose of hydration.
Its also fast absorbing and layers easily under other products and is great for all
skin types.
There is no fragnance, no alcohol, sulfates, parabens, mieral oil, formaldehyde and its
vegan if that matters to you in anyway.
And I have always loved The Ordinary's packaging.
It's compact, minimalistic, and the dropper makes it easy to control how much of the product
you apply to the skin.
It’s a great product, and ive left it down below alongside other great ingredients that
fight dark spots, so definitely check those out below this video.
Let me know what your thoughts are down below, ill be answering questions, so definitely
comment below.
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