From the perspective of composition, cosmetics are generally obtained by physical mixing of various raw materials, and the efficacy of cosmetics can be regarded as the concentrated expression of the functions of the raw materials used. That is to say, the whitening effect of whitening cosmetics depends on the variety and amount of whitening agent added to the product.

In addition to the products that achieve the whitening and whitening effect by physical covering, at present, the mechanism of action of whitening cosmetics mainly includes: inhibiting the production of melanin, blocking the transport of melanin, reducing melanin, and promoting the peeling of epidermal melanin, etc. Different from whitening agents, the whitening effect of a product is usually reflected by one or more of the mechanisms and the combination of raw materials.

Whitening agents commonly used in cosmetics include: arbutin, niacinamide, glabridin, phenethyl resorcinol, ascorbic acid (ie, vitamin C), ascorbyl glucoside, 3-o-ethyl ascorbic acid, magnesium ascorbyl phosphate , tranexamic acid, potassium methoxysalicylate, bisabolol, etc. Among them, the whitening plant components mainly include oil-soluble licorice extract, mulberry leaf extract, mother chrysanthemum flower extract and so on. Titanium dioxide, zinc oxide, mica, talc and other raw materials are commonly used physical whitening ingredients.