Kojic acid is a mushroom by-product and is produced during the fermentation process of malted rice in sake production. Though the compound is a regular component of the Japanese diet, it was first cultivated for use in skin care in 1989. When used on the skin, kojic acid inhibits melanin production, the pigment that gives us our unique skin color, lightens skin tone and attacks pigmentation problems.It has been successfully used to lighten pigment spots and skin discoloration and considered as a kind of popularly specialized inhibitor for melanin. At present, it is assigned into various kinds of cosmetics for curing freckles, spots on the skin of elder men, pigmentation and acne.How can Kojic acid inhibit the melaninOn a molecular level, melanin is produced in the body from the conversion (in several steps) of the amino acid tyrosine. The conversion requires the enzyme known as tyrosinase. Kojic acid can prevent the tyrosinase activity through synthesizing reaction with its antioxidant properties after penetrating upper skin layers and entering skin cells to inhibit the formation of pigment at the deep cells on the skin.Kojic acid can produce excellent effects in even toning the skin, fighting age spots, pregnancy marks, freckles as well as general skin pigmentation disorders of face and body.