No matter which part of the world you go to, a fairer complexion is always considered as a sign of beauty, purity and class. It started in 17th century England when Queen Elizabeth I maintained a pale, almost ghostlike complexion as a sign of her superiority. The entire kingdom soon followed, and the idea that lighter skin is synonymous with beauty gained mass recognition, not only in Europe but throughout the world as well.
 
The trend has continued to this day. Even today, whiter skin tones are considered desirable by men and women alike across the globe. The skin whitening industry is booming, with tons of products being sold at retail stores and skincare clinics. If you desire a brighter skin tone and have been considering using one of these skin whitening soaps, it is advisable to understand what these products contain and how they work on your skin.
 
The miracle soaps for skin whitening
 
Skin whitening soaps have certain ingredients with lightening traits. After years of research and development of these soaps by cosmetic experts around the globe, the industry is now replete with soaps having proven skin whitening properties. Most of these soaps work in the following ways:
 
They inhibit melanin production in your body by restricting the production of tyrosinase. Melanin is responsible for the darker hue of a skin. The lesser amount of melanin your body produces, the lighter your skin tone will be.

• Many of these soaps have exfoliating properties as well. By exfoliating your skin, these soaps make room for brighter and lighter skin to resurface.
• These soaps are excellent cleaning agents as well. They get rid of any dirt or impurities from the surface of your skin, thereby, reducing the probability of hyperpigmentation.
• Certain products, the Kojie san soap, for instance, have anti-fungal properties. They act against fungal growths in the skin and make it clearer.
• Most whitening soaps are excellent for achieving an even skin tone. They act on unwanted blemishes like sunspots, acne marks, and injury scars and even them out. These soaps have anti-aging and moisturizing effects too.
• As you can see, these are all natural ways of skin whitening which are well-accepted by the human body. Skin lightening soaps have no known side effects to speak of, making this approach entirely safe to use.

Active ingredients in skin lightening soaps
 
The effectiveness of a skin whitening product depends on the ingredients used in it. Some of the common elements are below. Check out for these components when purchasing a whitening product.

• Kojic acid- Has lightening as well as anti-ageing and anti-fungal properties; used extensively in Kojic san soap.
• Papaya- Papain enzyme helps in exfoliation and skin rejuvenation.
• Glutathione- ‘Master antioxidant’ which inhibits melanin production.
• Arbutin- Derived from pear, bearberry and cranberry, it has anti-tyrosinase properties.
• Saffron- Offers protection against UV rays, promotes even skin tone.
• Liquorice- Contains glabridin which has antimicrobial qualities.
• Turmeric- Reduces dark spots, tans and helps in skin rejuvenation. 

Skin whitening soaps have gained immense popularity in recent times as they are readily available, relatively inexpensive and have no side effects. They are dermatologically tested for safety and effectiveness, and have proven time and again to be the easiest way for attaining a lighter complexion.