Dark spots, sun spots, melasma — whatever form it takes, hyperpigmentation can be one of the hardest skin concerns to address. Left alone, it can take months to fade (if that) and be difficult to conceal, especially if it’s on your face. That’s where kojic acid, a brightening ingredient, can be helpful. Kojic acid is a compound produced by certain fungi, although it can also form as a byproduct during the fermentation of certain foods, like soy sauce and rice wine.
In the context of skin, “kojic acid blocks the production of tyrosinase, which is critical for the formation of melanin, the pigment molecule in the skin,” says Carmen Castilla, M.D., a board-certified dermatologist in New York City. In inhibiting the production of tyrosinase — and therefore the production of melanin — it has a lightening effect on skin. It also has antioxidant properties, meaning that it’s capable of neutralizing free radicals that can damage collagen and lead to the formation of dark spots, brown patches, and other forms of hyperpigmentation. Below, I rounded up the best products that harness this ingredient. I also spoke with four dermatologists to get their shopping advice.
SKIP AHEAD How we picked the best kojic acid products | The best kojic acid products of 2024
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How we picked the best kojic acid products
The best kojic acid products can vary in concentration and supplementary ingredients. The experts we spoke to recommended considering the following factors when shopping:
- Other active ingredients: While kojic acid works well on its own, its effects are even better when paired with other brightening agents, such as niacinamide and azelaic acid.
- Product type: Kojic acid needs time to absorb into skin in order to work, so it should be in a product you leave on versus one you rinse off.
- Concentration: Most over-the-counter kojic acid products have 1 to 2% of the ingredient, although the exact concentration may not always be shared.
The best kojic acid products of 2024
You’ll most commonly find kojic acid in face serums, which deliver a high concentration of active ingredients in a lightweight formula. These typically target hyperpigmentation and are intended for use beneath a moisturizer. That said, it’s possible to find kojic acid in masks and other types of skin care products, too. We asked experts and staffers for their recommendations, and included highly rated products.
Best face serums with kojic acid
SkinCeuticals Discoloration Defense
My acne-prone skin is especially prone to hyperpigmentation, so I’ve used this product to fade dark spots that appear after breakouts. (Dr. Gabriela Soza, a board-certified dermatologist based in New York City, also uses this in her own routine for her combination-acne-prone skin.) It has 1% kojic acid, 5% niacinamide, and 3% tranexamic acid to help fade dark spots, red marks and brown patches, and may also be helpful for melasma, according to the brand. Plus, it’s fragrance free.
La Roche-Posay Glycolic Acid B5 Serum
This exfoliating serum targets uneven skin tone by pairing tyrosinase inhibitors with a chemical exfoliant. The combination of kojic acid, 10% glycolic acid and tranexamic acid “act synergistically for brightening skin overall and lightening dark spots,” says Castilla, who notes that it’s a relatively gentle formulation. (Since it exfoliates skin, follow it with sunscreen in the mornings.)
Curology Dark Spot Serum
The ingredient list for this serum reads like a greatest hits of brightening ingredients: it has niacinamide working alongside a complex of glycolic acid, tranexamic acid, kojic acid and licorice root extract. These interfere with multiple steps of the pigment-production process, therefore fading hyperpigmentation while still being gentle on the skin barrier, according to the brand. It has a 4.7-star average rating from 393 reviews at Target.
Dr. Idriss Major Fade Hyper Serum Dark Spot Treatment
Discoloration doesn’t always appear the same across skin tones — it can appear red in those with fair skin and purple or brown in those with deeper skin. This serum addresses both with a combination of alpha arbutin, kojic acid and niacinamide — as well as the addition of diglucosyl gallic acid, which minimizes skin redness, according to the brand. Since air and light can break down active ingredients, the product is divided in two separate cartridges, so you get a fresh (and therefore potent) formula halfway through using it. It has a 4.8-star average rating from 305 reviews at Sephora.
Topicals Faded Serum
Designed with all skin tones (and ethnicities) in mind, this serum has niacinamide and centella asiatica (also known as cica) to soothe skin, while the blend of azelaic and kojic acids works to even out tone, according to the brand. It does have a sulfur-like scent, but that’s not a dealbreaker: “Even though the smell is strong, the product works so well that I don’t even notice it anymore,” says NBC Select associate SEO reporter Ashley Morris.
Other skin care products with kojic acid
Urban Skin Rx 3-in-1 Even Tone Cleansing Bar
This solid cleanser doubles as a face mask and exfoliator to address uneven skin tone and dark spots. Like other formulas on this list, it uses a combination of kojic acid, niacinamide and azelaic acid (another tyrosinase inhibitor that helps with both acne and hyperpigmentation). It comes with a sponge, which you can dampen and use to lather the bar into a foam.
Versed Weekend Glow Daily Brightening Solution
This toner takes skin-brightening to the next level by pairing kojic acid with vitamin C — yet another tyrosinase inhibitor — as well as bearberry extract, a plant-based alternative to hydroquinone that’s much gentler on skin, according to the brand. It has a 4.4-star average rating from 404 reviews on Amazon.
Topicals Faded Brightening Under Eye Masks
While blood vessels under the eyes can contribute to dark circles, so can hyperpigmentation in skin. These under-eye patches address both with a combination of caffeine, which helps boost microcirculation, and niacinamide and kojic acid for brightening — and, unlike other options, they don’t slip or move around on skin, according to the brand. They have a 4.5-star average rating from 450 reviews on Amazon.
InnBeauty Project Bright & Smooth Body Serum for Dark Spots & Bumps
For discoloration on the body, such as dark spots following bacne or post-inflammatory hyperpigmentation from a mosquito bite, this exfoliating body serum, which has 4.5-star average rating from 200 reviews at Sephora, can help. It’s designed to be more powerful than a face serum, and has a blend of beta hydroxy and alpha hydroxy acids as well as brightening ingredients, including kojic acid, tranexamic acid, vitamin C and niacinamide. While it does have nourishing ingredients, like shea butter and camellia oil, the brand recommends layering a moisturizer over this since it can be drying.
How to shop for kojic acid products
Kojic acid works best when you pair it with other, similar ingredients. To that end, “look for the inclusion of niacinamide, tranexamic acid and azelaic acid, which can function synergistically to achieve your intended results,” says Castilla. It also works well alongside vitamin C “to enhance skin brightening abilities and treat dark spots and even out skin tone,” says cosmetic chemist Ginger King.
Tranexamic acid, azelaic acid and vitamin C all function as tyrosinase inhibitors, meaning that, as with kojic acid, they prevent the formation of an enzyme that’s critical for the pigment-production process. Niacinamide, meanwhile, works by preventing melanosome transfer — in other words, it keeps newly formed melanin from reaching the surface of the skin.
Manufacturers will also commonly pair kojic acid with chemical exfoliants, such as alpha hydroxy acids (which include lactic and glycolic acids). These “can drive better penetration into skin and give faster results,” says King. By combining all of the above ingredients, you can target pigment production at multiple levels to prevent excess melanin from forming and creating dark spots.
Next, consider the type of product you’re using. Ideally, “choose a product that sits on the skin such as a serum or a cream instead of a wash-off product,” says Castilla, who notes that kojic acid needs time to penetrate skin and reach its intended target (the layer of skin where pigment is produced).
A cream or liquid solution is often your best bet, too, says Chris Adigun, M.D., a board-certified dermatologist in Chapel Hill, NC. “I typically recommend patients to choose the formulation that they are best able to adhere to, for example, if they prefer a cream or a solution, both of these are available with kojic acid,” she says.
Finally, consider the concentration. “Typically, over-the-counter concentrations of kojic acid are 1 to 2%,” says Castilla. “People with sensitive skin should keep in mind, higher concentrations are likely to be more irritating.”
Frequently asked questions
What does kojic acid do for the skin?
The primary role of kojic acid in skin is to brighten and even out tone by fading dark spots and other forms of discoloration. What sets it apart is its similarity to hydroquinone, a much more potent brightening ingredient that’s categorized as a bleaching agent and commonly offered for hyperpigmentation, says Melanie Palm, M.D., a board-certified dermatologist in San Diego, CA . Hydroquinone can be irritating and is off-limits during pregnancy, so kojic acid serves as a gentler, safer alternative.
That said, kojic acid can also be combined with hydroquinone to make the latter easier to tolerate. Since hydroquinone can cause inflammation and even thin the top layer of skin, combining it with kojic acid, significantly lessens its irritation and thinning effects, says Adigun.
Who should use kojic acid in their skincare routine?
Anyone can benefit from kojic acid, but especially those “interested in evening out their skin tone, improving age spots or addressing signs of chronic sun damage,” says Palm. And unless you have an allergy to it, there’s no downside to using kojic acid, either. “It has an excellent tolerability profile, so patients with sensitive skin are able to use it,” says Adigun. However, kojic acid can make skin more sensitive to sun damage, so it’s important to follow kojic acid with regular sunscreen application — which is a good idea if you’re dealing with hyperpigmentation, anyway.
Meet our experts
At NBC Select, we work with experts who have specialized knowledge and authority based on relevant training and/or experience. We also take steps to ensure all expert advice and recommendations are made independently and without undisclosed financial conflicts of interest.
- Carmen Castilla, M.D., is a board-certified dermatologist in New York, NY who specializes in both cosmetic and medical dermatology.
- Melanie Palm, M.D., is a board-certified dermatologist based in San Diego, CA. Her interests include laser technology and injectables.
- Chris G. Adigun, M.D., is a board-certified dermatologist in Chapel Hill, NC. Her specialties include skin cancer and nail disorders.
- Ginger King is a cosmetic chemist at Grace Kingdom Beauty in New Jersey. Her expertise includes hair care, skin care and sun care.
Why trust NBC Select?
Deanna Pai is a freelance beauty writer and editor who has been covering beauty and health for more than a decade, including topics like curl types and vitamin E. For this article, Pai spoke to three dermatologists and a cosmetic chemist to narrow down the best kojic acid products to shop, and highlighted their recommendations about what to consider when shopping.
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