About this material
Alpha-Arbutin is an Arbutin derivative supplied by MakeYourSkin as powder / liquid depending grade for professional cosmetic formulation. Used worldwide across mainstream cosmetic formulation, it is valued for tone-evening / melanogenesis-pathway support depending active.
What is Alpha-Arbutin?
Alpha-Arbutin is supplied under the INCI / technical name Alpha-Arbutin and carries CAS number 84380-01-8.
It belongs to the Arbutin derivative group and is available from synthetic, nature-identical, botanical or biotech routes depending on the grade ordered. The material reaches you as powder / liquid depending grade. It is a specialty material: expect a narrower supplier base, longer lead times and grade-to-grade variation.
Key Properties & Benefits
- Tone-evening / melanogenesis-pathway support depending active
- Supplied cosmetic grade with a Certificate of Analysis for every batch.
Uses & Applications
Alpha-Arbutin is used in brightening serums, spot-correcting treatments, tone-evening creams, sheet masks, after-sun products and body-brightening lotions.
Typical applications from the catalogue record: Serums, spot care, creams.
In leave-on skincare it is normally dosed into a serum, ampoule or moisturiser where contact time is long enough for the claim to hold up. In rinse-off formats it is used at a lower level for label presence and sensory contribution rather than measurable performance.
How to Use — Recommended Use Level
| Typical use level | 0.2–2% |
|---|---|
| Recommended pH | 4.0–7.0 |
| Addition phase | Water phase, cool-down (<40 °C) |
| Solubility | Water-soluble. Disperse into the water phase with stirring; avoid prolonged high heat where the material is heat-sensitive. |
General rule: always begin at the lower end of the range, confirm the level against the supplier technical data sheet, and validate stability, pH, colour, odour and preservative efficacy on the finished formulation before scaling up.
Technical Specification
| INCI / Technical Name | Alpha-Arbutin |
|---|---|
| CAS Number | 84380-01-8 |
| Ingredient Family | Arbutin derivative |
| Primary Cosmetic Functions | Tone-evening / melanogenesis-pathway support depending active |
| Typical Applications | Serums, spot care, creams |
| Source / Feedstock | Synthetic / nature-identical / botanical / biotech |
| Origin / Tradition | Global |
| Typical Bulk Form | Powder / liquid depending grade |
| Appearance | Supplied as a powder or a liquid depending on the grade ordered |
| Solubility | Water Soluble |
| Market Status | Established / specialty |
| Catalogue Range | Core Range |
| Storage | Store in a tightly closed container at 15–25 °C, away from direct sunlight. Protect from freezing and from prolonged heat. |
| Shelf Life | 24–36 months from manufacture in unopened original packaging; see the Certificate of Analysis |
| Vendor | MakeYourSkin |
| MYS Catalogue Code | COS-A00128 |
Regulatory Note
Supplier diligence required: Standard review; regional concentration rules may apply.
Sold as a cosmetic raw material for professional formulation. A published INCI name does not by itself authorise use: the buyer is responsible for confirming permitted status, maximum concentration, restrictions by product type, labelling and claim rules in every market the finished product is sold in. In India, cosmetics fall under the Drugs and Cosmetics Act 1940 and the Cosmetics Rules 2020 administered by CDSCO, with BIS standards (including IS 4707 Part 2) listing restricted substances. The EU applies Regulation (EC) No 1223/2009 and its Annexes; the United States applies the FD&C Act as amended by MoCRA; Korea, Japan and China operate their own positive lists and functional-cosmetic frameworks. Every finished product needs its own safety assessment.
Reference: Regulatory / scientific reference
Documentation Supplied
- Certificate of Analysis (CoA) for the batch supplied
- Safety Data Sheet (SDS / MSDS) in the current GHS format
- Technical Data Sheet (TDS) with specification, solubility and handling guidance
- INCI declaration and, where assigned, CAS / EINECS numbers
- Non-GMO statement on request
- Vegan / animal-origin declaration on request
- Halal and Kosher certification on request where the supplier holds it
- Heavy-metal and microbiological test data on request
Available Pack Sizes
Supplied in 50 g, 225 g, 1 Kg and 5 Kg packs. Bulk quantities above 5 Kg, and drum or sack quantities, are available on request — contact the MakeYourSkin sales desk for a quotation and lead time.
| 50 g | Pilot batches and small production runs |
|---|---|
| 225 g | Pilot batches and indie production runs |
| 1 Kg | Regular production for small and mid-size brands |
| 5 Kg | Scaled production and contract manufacturing |
Disclaimer & Caution in Use
For external cosmetic use in professionally formulated products only. This is a concentrated raw material, not a finished cosmetic, and it is not intended for undiluted application to skin, for ingestion, or for any medicinal purpose. Wear gloves and eye protection when handling, avoid raising dust with powders, and keep out of reach of children and pets. Always run a patch test on the finished formulation, and validate stability, compatibility, pH and preservative efficacy before sale. Information supplied is offered in good faith as formulation guidance and does not constitute a safety assessment, a regulatory approval or a medical claim.
Fine powder — avoid generating and inhaling dust. Use local exhaust ventilation or a suitable respirator when weighing, and wet the powder into the formulation phase rather than dry-blending in open air.
Specification
| INCI NAME | Alpha-Arbutin |
|---|---|
| CAS NUMBER | 84380-01-8 |
| FAMILY | Arbutin derivative |
| ORIGIN | Global — Synthetic / nature-identical / botanical / biotech |
| SUPPLY FORM | Powder / liquid depending grade |
| SOLUBILITY | Water Soluble — Water-soluble. Disperse into the water phase with stirring; avoid prolonged high heat where the material is heat-sensitive. |
| TYPICAL USE LEVEL | 0.2–2% |
| pH RANGE | 4.0–7.0 |
| ADD AT | Water phase, cool-down (<40 °C) |
| FUNCTIONS | Tone-evening / melanogenesis-pathway support depending active |
| USED IN | Serums, spot care, creams |
| STORAGE | Store in a tightly closed container at 15–25 °C, away from direct sunlight. Protect from freezing and from prolonged heat. |
| PACK SIZES | 50 g to 5 Kg |
| REGULATORY | Standard review; regional concentration rules may apply |
How to work with it
The specification's Add at row is the one to read first. Water-phase materials added to a hot oil phase are the most common reason a batch separates.
Measure the finished product, not the premix. Outside the range the activity drops away and, for some materials, the degradation route is what causes complaints.
Then work up through stability and compatibility testing. Higher is not better, and the destination market's limit may sit below your formulation ceiling.