Brightening helps rejuvenate your skin and achieve the natural glow lost under dull skin; while lightening targets dark spots, blemishes, hyperpigmentation, scars, and inflammation. Many ingredients function in both categories, resulting in a more youthful-looking and even-toned complexion.
Lightening is safer for your skin whereas whitening can cause some damage. I personally would not recommend whitening procedures, but of course, if you prefer a drastic change in your skin color then it may be the way to go.
Key takeaways: Brightening creams give your skin a natural glow and rejuvenate it. Lightening creams target dark spots and hyperpigmentation, giving you an even skin tone. Whitening creams chemically bleach your skin beyond its natural skin tone.
A skin brightening lotion is designed to address common concerns like dark spots, hyperpigmentation, and uneven skin tone. These lotions typically contain active ingredients that reduce melanin production, leading to an even skin tone and glowing skin over time.
While both skin brightening and skin whitening products may cause some irritation, the key difference to note is that brightening helps you achieve a natural, healthy and even complexion while whitening offers an alteration of your actual skin tone.
Skin lightening creams, also known as skin brightening creams, are designed to lighten skin color. The creams are often used to spot-treat dark areas of the skin, such as age spots or acne scars. They are sometimes used to lighten the complexion overall.
Skin brightening is one treatment that has become increasingly popular among beauty enthusiasts, as it helps revive lackluster complexions by promoting an even tone and youthful glow.
“Skin brightening” and “skin bleaching” are not the same: Brighteners add radiance to dull skin, typically deliver a natural glow and come in the form of serums or exfoliators. These are safe to use. Skin lighteners do the same thing in addition to diminishing discoloration, darks spots and acne scars.
Depending on the product you're using, make sure you are only using the brightening cream as often as directed. Some more gentle ones are able to be used every day while the harsher ones should be used less frequently.
Skin whitening creams take about 4 to 6 weeks to show results. Depending on the individual's skin type, the duration taken for results would vary. Usually sensitive skin would start showing results in 3 weeks' time. Normal and combination skin would take 4-8 weeks for the results to become evident.
If 'brightening' products are about bringing your skin back to its original healthy state (complexion tone and texture), 'whitening' products are more about making your face several shades lighter.
Can Skin Whitening Really Be Permanent? The truth is, no treatment can permanently change the way your skin produces melanin. While various treatments can lighten your skin and provide lasting results, the effects will always be influenced by factors like sun exposure, lifestyle choices, and genetics.
Vaseline® Healthy Bright UV Extra Brightening | Vaseline®
For my part, I tried several times to stop depigmenting my skin because I knew very well that these lightening products were destroying my skin. However, I didn't know that each time I stopped, my skin would go through a transition phase. My complexion would darken and hyperpigmentation spots would appear.
- Do not wash or wipe your skin immediately after applying the cream. For best results: Use the cream just before sleep. The cream can effectively penetrate the skin overnight.
Skin brightening refers to increasing the skin's radiance and glow. Brightening is more about restoring vibrancy to the skin, having it look healthy, clear and naturally brighter.
Most commonly, celebrities resort to chemical peels or laser therapy to get rid of hyperpigmentation fast. Others opt for vitamin C supplements, retinol, or serums to lighten their skin.
In this case, skin whitening is referring to the use of creams that combat hyperpigmentation. Contrast this with skin bleaching products which change the color of your natural skin. Bleaching is achieved through the use of very harsh and possibly dangerous chemicals and is not recommended.
An important distinction between brightening and whitening is that brightening products do not always come with whitening effects, although there can be an overlap between the two when certain ingredients such as white ginseng saponin is incorporated into a product.
They target the cells that produce melanin in the deep dermal layers and destroy them. The skin brightening or lightening process takes time. The creams can take from anywhere to a week or four weeks to start showing results.
Brightening is also used to describe products that may block the production of pigment and/or lift pigment out of the skin (think dark spots from the sun or acne scars).