Merck launches new skin lightening trio

Ronacare MAP, Emblica and Ronacare Nicotinamide are, according to the company, safe skin pigmentation control ingredients that can lighten the skin whilst also containing antioxidant and anti-ageing properties.

In Asia, bright, even skin tone is valued over evenly tanned skin preferred by the Europeans and Americans. However, Merck says in virtually every part of the world, even-toned, youthful looking, healthy skin is desired and its agents be applied to all preferences.  

Skin lightening​

Various ingredients including basic chemicals like hydroquinone, niacinamide, kojic acid and extracts from natural sources like emblica, mulberry or licorice have been found to be of particular use in the skin lightening area.

However, Merck says some products classically used for skin lightening are banned today in some countries because of toxicological concerns. The company believes that these three agents are a safe answer to what the industry has been searching for.

The agents...​

According to Merck experts, if you want to lighten skin, you must interrupt the pigmentation formation process,  therefore these three substances have been designed to influence the pigmentation process.

“Each one has various PH levels, blocking the production of melanin at different sites, and can be combined with each other or other active ingredients​,” says a company spokesperson.

Emblica ​is extracted from the Phyllanthus Emblica fruit using a water based process and is suitable for skin lightening, skin care and anti-spots products.

Studies, according to Merck, have shown that the influence of the agent on UV-induced pigmentation revealed that it was effective in both prevention and reversal of UV-induced pigmentation while significant improvement of uneven skin pigmentation also achieved.

“Comparable studies with Emblica and conventional skin lightening products  (kojic acid etc.) were performed with different ethnic groups with Emblica showing good properties in all studies,​” says a company spokesperson.

RonaCare Nicotinamide, ​a soluble vitamin B3 active ingredient and anti-ageing agent is said to reduce the visibility of melanin by inhibiting the transfer of melanin-containing melanosomes to keratinocytes of the epidermis and is most suitable in anti-acne and dry and sensitive skin products.

According to Merck, the agent was observed in Asian volunteers after four weeks treatment with 5 per cent nicotinamide, while improvement in hyperpigmented spot appearance was demonstrated after eight weeks of 5 per cent nicotinamide usage verses vehicle.

And finally, the active ingredient in RonaCare MAP ​ magnesium ascorbyl phosphate, derived from Vitamin C is most suitable in oral care products as well as skin lightening.  Its function is to operate the transformation of the magnesium salt of ascorbic phosphate into ascorbic acid via acidic phosphatases in human skin.