In order to ensure quality and safety of cosmetic products in the Philippines, the Bureau of Food and Drugs announces a list of accepted whitening agents and their corresponding minimal and maximum concentrations.  These ingredients should be effective at a certain minimum concentration for skin whitening and safe at such maximum levels.  It is at such concentrations that the consumer should experience neither itching, redness nor blotching.  Bases for these set standards have been obtained from experiences of clinical trialists and various product information.

The following are the list of whitening agents, with the recommended level of concentration:

Whitening agents
Level of Concentration
  1. GIGAWHITE 0.2 - 5% 2. DERMWHITE 0.5 - 2% 3. PAPAYA EXTRACT
1- 5% PAPAIN EXTRACT 0.2 - 0.5% 4. MULBERRY EXTRACT
powder form 0.10 - 1%   liquid form 1 - 5% 5. LACTIC ACID (EXFOLIANT) 1 - 10% 6. MELAWHITE 2 - 4% 7. VITAMIN C - Rovisome C = 1 - 5%   - Glycosphere Vitamin   C = 0.2 - 5%   - Vitaceton = 1 - 5% 8. MAGNESIUM ASCORBYL PHOSPHATE (MAP)
0.01 - 18.5% 9. SODIUM LACTATE 10 - 12% 10. BEARBERRY EXTRACT (MELFADE) 3 - 10% 11. LICORICE EXTRACT 0.0003 - 1% 12. KOJIC ACID 2.0% 13. UNINONTAN U-34 (SODIUM CITRATE LEMON EXTRACT         AND CUCUMBER EXTRACT) 5.0%

Above list is subject to revision and updating pending i

ntroduction of new safe and effective skin whitening agents.  Any of those products maybe delisted if warranted once the product has been deemed unsafe by the BFAD.

Adopted: 3 April 2004


(SGD.) PROF. LETICIA BARBARA B. GUTIERREZ, MS
Director