Skin lightening products are always controversial because it’s so hard to say if they really work or not. It takes months of usage to see if there truly is any change in skin pigmentation. So all we can really go by is the science of the ingredients that the products use.
In the case of Luminuque, that science is an ingredient called Diacetyl Boldine, an extract from the Chilean Boldo tree. You don’t see this used in very many skin lighteners and I could find no data published in peer-reviewed journals to show how it works. However, there does appear to be at least one, small study conducted by the manufacturer showing that it does lighten age spots.
Luminique Facial Brightener Ingredients
Water, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, C12-15 Alkyl Benzoate, Glycerin, Cyclomethicone, Dimethicone, Glyceryl Oleate, Titanium Dioxide, Polysorbate-20, Ceteareth-20, Cetearyl Alcohol, Glyceryl Stearate, PEG-100 Stearate, Cetyl Alcohol, Stearic Acid, Stearyl Alcohol, Sodium Hyaluronate, Tocopheryl Acetate (Vitamin E), Retinyl Palmitate (Vitamin A), Panthenol, Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer, Polymethylmethacrylate, Trilaurin, Diacetyl Boldine, Grape (Vitis Vinifera) Seed Extract, Green Tea (Camellia Sinensis) Extract, Ginseng (Panax Ginseng) Extract, Chamomile (Anthemis Nobilis) Extract, Algae Extract, Bearberry (Arctostaphylos Uva-Ursi) Extract, Coneflower (Echinacea Angustifolia) Extract, Licorice (Glycyrrhiza Glabra) Extract, DMDM Hydantoin, Tetrasodium EDTA, Phenoxyethanol, Caprylyl Glycol, Sorbic Acid, Triethanolamine
We’re big time bloggers so we got samples of these products for FREE. You’re not so lucky so before you spend your hard cash on anything we tell you about, please do your own research.
{ 2 comments… read them below or add one }
Its controversial in social sciences too because of racial issues.
Well, as a blonde, blue-eyed, Euro-American, I LOVE skin lighteners. I’ve never subscribed to our tanning culture, and I prefer to see my skin perfectly pale. Right now I use a high-dose vitamin C product, but I’m always on the lookout for more products to keep my pasty complexion Casper-white. I may need to give this a try.