[amrutha]

1 teaspoon is actually 3g ... You might wanna add another 1.5 teaspoons ...

I just checked up and you are right. Its 4 grams to be precise. Thanks forpointing this hun! I checked with my digital scale with the amount I usually use and it says 5 grams. Good that you pointed it out early on. I'll standardise it to 7 -8% Kojic serum.

 

[amrutha]

I dunno if I'm hallucinating but my spots are looking lighter. After just one day. And its just lighteners (I didnt use HQ yesterday either) I have not used any exfolitators.. not even a scrub. Only showered with dove.

Is this possible? To lighten instantly without exfoliating?
Or is Kojic acid an exfoliator? I though it wasnt ? Someone shed light on this please ?!

 

[AIME]

I dunno if I'm hallucinating but my spots are looking lighter. After just one day. And its just lighteners (I didnt use HQ yesterday either) I have not used any exfolitators.. not even a scrub. Only showered with dove.

Is this possible? To lighten instantly without exfoliating?
Or is Kojic acid an exfoliator? I though it wasnt ? Someone shed light on this please ?!

You are not hallucinating @amrutha , that happens to me too especially when I mix a conc' / high % KA cream/lotion. If ur well exfoliated it can occur ... Plus don't forget you occluded. However, such brightening if not sustained will not be lasting, so keep doing what works ...

Also, yes! KA encourages some mild exfoliation too - as well as also being an antioxidant + skin lightener.

I'm happy for you gurl :boink::thumbsup:

 

[AIME]

I just checked up and you are right. Its 4 grams to be precise. Thanks forpointing this hun! I checked with my digital scale with the amount I usually use and it says 5 grams. Good that you pointed it out early on. I'll standardise it to 7 -8% Kojic serum.

You're very welcome hun ...

Could you please confirm for me how many grams a level teaspoon is exactly - on your digital scale? ... I need to be certain.

 

[amrutha]

Ok I made a mistake while measuring. Forget the previous weight I mentioned.

I fished out a measuring spoon marked 1 TSP - 5 ml. I had to put two level teaspoons of this to make it 5 g on the scale.
My Kojic powder is tiny needle like crystalline and very light champagne yellow. This kind is actually higher quality than the pure white powder you get from se sellers. I think we have to use two teaspoons bcos its crystalline like this.

I used two level teaspoons of this red measuring spoon. Says 5.01g on scale. (Paper weight is 0.1g )

 

[amrutha]

I'm so glad you brought this up. I had been using 1/3rd of what I intended to use. :/ I think I have to check irritation at higher levels now. I'm hoping the aloe vera, castor oil , n other actives offset any irritation kojic may cause.

And I have to stop eyeballing stuff and measure out everything properly.

You are not hallucinating @amrutha , that happens to me too especially when I mix a conc' / high % KA cream/lotion. If ur well exfoliated it can occur ... Plus don't forget you occluded. However, such brightening if not sustained will not be lasting, so keep doing what works ...

Also, yes! KA encourages some mild exfoliation too - as well as also being an antioxidant + skin lightener.

I'm happy for you gurl :boink::thumbsup:

Thats great to here AIME!!:marchmellow:
N no I'm not exfoliated at all. Its been a month since I used even a physical scrub. Thats why this is surprising. I was hoping to see results only by the 1 week mark atleast.
I had no idea kojic exfoliates. And I'm going to experiment with more kojic in the mix. See if it exfoliates n lightens. And I'm putting off my lactic peel till next saturday. So thats ample time to see if this occlusion works by itself. So it'll only be daily occlusion.

 

[AIME]

Ok I made a mistake while measuring. Forget the previous weight I mentioned.

I fished out a measuring spoon marked 1 TSP - 5 ml. I had to put two level teaspoons of this to make it 5 g on the scale.
My Kojic powder is tiny needle like crystalline and very light champagne yellow. This kind is actually higher quality than the pure white powder you get from se sellers. I think we have to use two teaspoons bcos its crystalline like this.

I used two level teaspoons of this red measuring spoon. Says 5.01g on scale. (Paper weight is 0.1g )

So, in a nutshell , I guess its safe and accurate to conclude that :

1 teaspoon = 5 ml = 5 g = 2 level tsps.
(1 level teaspoon = 2.5 g)

Great !!!

I'm surprised to hear that offwhite KA powder is higher/better quality than the pure white one. I thought that means it has started oxidization so ain't good at all. @amrutha are you certain of this?

Btw, where did you buy your KA powder (and other actives) from & how much ....??

 

[AIME]

I'm so glad you brought this up. I had been using 1/3rd of what I intended to use. :/ I think I have to check irritation at higher levels now. I'm hoping the aloe vera, castor oil , n other actives offset any irritation kojic may cause.

And I have to stop eyeballing stuff and measure out everything properly.



Thats great to here AIME!!:marchmellow:
N no I'm not exfoliated at all. Its been a month since I used even a physical scrub. Thats why this is surprising. I was hoping to see results only by the 1 week mark atleast.
I had no idea kojic exfoliates. And I'm going to experiment with more kojic in the mix. See if it exfoliates n lightens. And I'm putting off my lactic peel till next saturday. So thats ample time to see if this occlusion works by itself. So it'll only be daily occlusion.

The recommended kojic acid % is 1-3%.

You can however use safely upto 5% , & gradually even push it to 8% - if (and only if) your skin can handle it ... 2 of that red tsp measure in 100 ml water will give you about 9% - Pleeeease watch your skin like a hawk.

 

[amrutha]

So, in a nutshell , I guess its safe and accurate to conclude that :

1 teaspoon = 5 ml = 5 g = 2 level tsps.
(1 level teaspoon = 2.5 g)

Great !!!

I'm surprised to hear that offwhite KA powder is higher/better quality than the pure white one. I thought that means it has started oxidization so ain't good at all. @amrutha are you certain of this?

Btw, where did you buy your KA powder (and other actives) from & how much ....??

Yes that measurement seems to be right.

When I received my kojic acid and found out that it was off-white I thught it had oxidised. Buts not so. If you google for Kojic acid data sheets n properties you'll see its mostly offwhite or light yellow. Besides Ive specifically read about this comparison is more than 1 place that the pure white stuff isn't the best quality stuff.You should only watchout if it goes deep yellow- caramel- brown.
I got it from different places - bulkactives , purebulk, amazon, iherb etc. I got the KA from a local dealer (India) I know for a high price after a lot of hassle.

 

[amrutha]

The recommended kojic acid % is 1-3%.

You can however use safely upto 5% , & gradually even push it to 8% - if (and only if) your skin can handle it ... 2 of that red tsp measure in 100 ml water will give you about 9% - Pleeeease watch your skin like a hawk.

Yes hun . Thank you for your concern I'll keep a close watch on my skin. And try to go from 5 to 8% gradually. Also I'm hoping regular incorporation of the mega soothing balm will counter irritation if there is.

 

[amrutha]

I found something interesting.
Linoleic acid not only suppresses melanin production but also increases cell turnover rate and gets rid of existing pigment sooner. I think this has something to do with my instant brightening. (Lotion is Safflower oil based which is the highest source of linoleic acid (78%))

Heres a link to the study

http://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s004030050320

Note:
Grape seed oil (73%) and Sunflower oil (68%) are also high in linoleic acid.

 

[amrutha]

Yes hun . Thank you for your concern I'll keep a close watch on my skin.

And two of that red spoon will in 100 ml will give slightly less than 5% hun. I will be starting with this.
And try to go from 5 to 8% gradually. Also I'm hoping regular incorporation of the mega soothing balm will counter irritation if there is.

 

[AIME]

Yes that measurement seems to be right.

When I received my kojic acid and found out that it was off-white I thught it had oxidised. Buts not so. If you google for Kojic acid data sheets n properties you'll see its mostly offwhite or light yellow. Besides Ive specifically read about this comparison is more than 1 place that the pure white stuff isn't the best quality stuff.You should only watchout if it goes deep yellow- caramel- brown.
I got it from different places - bulkactives , purebulk, amazon, iherb etc. I got the KA from a local dealer (India) I know for a high price after a lot of hassle.

Okay then. If the KA is kosher when offwhite I have no problem .... How much was it?

 

[AIME]

Yes hun . Thank you for your concern I'll keep a close watch on my skin.

And two of that red spoon will in 100 ml will give slightly less than 5% hun. I will be starting with this.
And try to go from 5 to 8% gradually. Also I'm hoping regular incorporation of the mega soothing balm will counter irritation if there is.

If 1 red spoon is 5 g, then 2 will be 10 g right? So - 10/110x100 = 9% ...

 

[laylahai]

Hi @amrutha
I occluded once with lactic acid on my arms and it really did burn me! I was scared i got PIH. But it went away in about 2 weeks or more maybe. I had been using diy lactic acid lotion and it hardly peeled me. So I think you shouldn't occlude with LA lotion or any acidic high concentration. Maybe a 5% concentration would be okay for occlusion.
Thanks for bringing my attention to occlusion I want quick lightening esp on my face, arms and feet I will definitely try this method with KOEE serum. Thats all I have for now
What do you guys think of this serum? Kojic acid is the fourth on the list. Could it be potent enough?
It is in a dark bottle with a constricted opening and i think that is to prevent kojic acid from getting oxidised.
there was some serum on the opening and it was dark brown, while the one inside the bottle was clear. Could it mean a good enough kojic acid concentration?

 

[amrutha]

Okay then. If the KA is kosher when offwhite I have no problem .... How much was it?

KA cost me about $200 for 500 gms.

 

[amrutha]

If 1 red spoon is 5 g, then 2 will be 10 g right? So - 10/110x100 = 9% ...

No hun. 1 teaspoon of the kojic powder I had weighed 2.5 g. Although 1 teaspoon in general is about 5 ml in weight. This is because the kojic powder wasnt a fine powder but needle like crystalline so it doesnt compact well.

 

[amrutha]

Hi @amrutha
I occluded once with lactic acid on my arms and it really did burn me! I was scared i got PIH. But it went away in about 2 weeks or more maybe. I had been using diy lactic acid lotion and it hardly peeled me. So I think you shouldn't occlude with LA lotion or any acidic high concentration. Maybe a 5% concentration would be okay for occlusion.
Thanks for bringing my attention to occlusion I want quick lightening esp on my face, arms and feet I will definitely try this method with KOEE serum. Thats all I have for now
What do you guys think of this serum? Kojic acid is the fourth on the list. Could it be potent enough?
It is in a dark bottle with a constricted opening and i think that is to prevent kojic acid from getting oxidised.
there was some serum on the opening and it was dark brown, while the one inside the bottle was clear. Could it mean a good enough kojic acid concentration?

Thank you laylahai. Did you use 12% Lactic acid? Wont occluding with Amlactin be genetler ?because of the ph. Its actually less acidic than our 12% Lactic lotion.

Mail the seller or company for the Kojic percentage in it maybe? We cant be sure of the potency just with placement.
If you can try and discard the brown part n seperate away the clear part before using it.

Its my opinion, if you are going through the hassle of occlusion which is rather uncomfortable the to make sure the contents are of highest potency. Mixing kojic powder with water and a little glycerine or aloevera or regular moisturiser will be most efficient.

I see that it does take more than 2.5 gms in 50 ml to cover the entire body. Kojic powder on amazon, making cosmetics etc cost only $20 for 100 gms. This should be enough to get you through more than a month of daily occlusion at 5% Kojic Serum.

 

[amrutha]

Day 2 :
Occluded just once with mega lightener and Kojic gel overnight (4 hrs)
There some definite lightening. My spots look lighter. This is cool . I havent even incorporated any exfoliators so far. Its either Kojic acid as a mild exfoliator or linoleic acid in safflower oil thats doing the trick. Either ways I'm happy. I have to start on likas and a exfoliating towel.

I think I'm going to chuck the HQ from the regime. Just keeping it on standby to see if I can lighten and evenout with just this night occlusion regimen. I had been queasy abt including the HQ but I bought some out of desperation. It does cause rebound pigmentation and I have to be extra careful in the sun even if it works great. So HQ is out of the picture for now. I'll see if I can replace it with some thing else thats more natural or increase the concentration of some other active.

I'm only confused as to the exfoliation regimen. If I should go if LA peels, 12% Lactic acid everyday , Amlactin or Jermsliteside's Level Gel peel recipe (30% Lactic acid). I want to practice occlusion atleast 5 days a week and I dont the exfoliation regime to interfere in this. Any suggestions? Will occluding while micropeeling cause problems?

 

[AIME]

KA cost me about $200 for 500 gms.

Lawdness ... !!!