Why is my skin lightening cream not working?

There are  several reason why a skin lightening product may not be giving you the desired results. Here are a few tips to help you get the most out of your expensive beauty care investment:

1) Lighteners are more effective at night
Skin lighteners such as hydroquinone and kojic are light sensitive and can cause skin photo sensitivity. In fact, if Kojic is exposed to the atmosphere it rapidly turns dark brown (you may have noticed this around the cap of some lotions). Use your product at night if it does not contain a broad spectrum sunscreen of at least SPF30.

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2) Lighteners are only part of a complete skin care regimen
Using skin lighteners can boomerang if you don't apply them as part of a complete daily process of cleansing, nourishing and rejuvenating your skin. This means your skin is getting a sufficient dose of vitamins, emollients, antioxidants and skin protective ingredients daily. If you have skin infections and acne before hand your expensive investment will only further expose these existing problems. It could even make matters worse!

3) Monitor your skins response and take necessary precautions
Carefully monitor your skins response to a lightening product. It is unwise to continue using a lightener continuously even after you have attained the desired level of brightening. Skin lightening is a "treatment"not an all year long affair. If your skin reacts to a product discontinue use immediately.

4) Conduct a patch test for any new skin lightener before use
Always conduct a patch test for any new product. If you can get a sample from your beauty care vendor or even a friend it would enable you determine if your skin will tolerate a particular product. A patch test will help you avoid wasting money on a product that will only react with your skin. Remember that no two people have the same type of skin with the same characteristics. See how to conduct a patch test here

5) Good skin lightening products cost money
Every beautiful thing comes at a cost. Same can be said for skin lightening products. Although you may not need to spend hundreds of thousand you can expect to pay a premium for the most effective products. These products contain ingredients which provide a complete diet of everything your skin needs to feel and look beautiful. Skin lightening is not for the faint of heart or for the lean pockets.

Skin lighteners are perfectly okay if they are used carefully and safely. Those who say skin lightening and hydroquinone is bad are living in the past. These products will get better and be more readily available as the years go by. More and more people will take to skin lightening to keep up with styles and trends. After all,  white folk see nothing wrong in a summer tan so we Africans should not be afraid to search for the keys to our most beautiful skin. It can be done safely and in a healthy way.