Okay that title might be a little over the top so we’re sorry if we offended any of you extreme sports fans. Today we’ll be talking about a product that offers more of a natural skin lightening approach as opposed to the more common bleachers found on the market today.
Xtreme Brite Gel certainly has a lot of positive reviews about it at the larger shopping networks, but how does it compare to our top skin lightener in terms of its ability to lighten age spot, melasma as well as other hyperpigmentation?
Lets find out shall we?
Let’s Break This Shizzz Down!
When we talk about skin lighteners, there’s really only two categories they fit in:
- Those that bleach your skin using chemical agents like hydroquinone.
- Those that naturally help reduce skin pigmentation by blocking the production of melanin.
Products like Obagi Nu-Derm Clear fit into the first category as they tend to include ingredients whose purpose it is to bleach the the skin, quickly reducing skin pigmentation in the process.
Unfortunately and we talked more on this here, this particular ingredient had its approval revoked in 2006 by the FDA due to its properties being closely related to that of a carcinogen, or a cancer causing agent.
Now the majority of lighteners which do contain bleaching agents, use less then 5% to ensure they remain safe for daily use.
Xtreme Brite Gel on the other hand uses a more natural process of working with your body to reduce pigmentation and it does this by mainly using natural extracts like glabridin which is derived from the licorice root.
Licorice extract is interesting in that it works by preventing the activation of a chemical our body naturally produces called tyrosinase, which then leads to the production of melanin, the compound that gives our skin its color.
In other words, licorice extract stops the process that eventually leads to the coloration of skin.
The other notable ingredient used in Xtreme Brite is the natural cleanser, salicylic acid which helps clean and widen pores allowing for better overall absorption.
There are a lot of published articles suggesting potential dangers in combining salicylic acid with hydroquinone due to its amazing ability to increase absorption.
However when used with a natural pigmentation reducer like those found licorice extract, there should be no danger to long term health.
Overall there is a lot to like about Xtreme Brite Gel.
Why It’s HOT!
If you had time to read much of our material, you’ll see that we’re all for products that use naturally found ingredients which work WITH the body as opposed to just forcing it to do what you want.
Although this lightener is far from being 100% organic, the process it uses to achieve results is far safer and more sustainable then the usual process of bleaching your skin.
Another point worth mentioning is the number of positive reviews being mentioned on Amazon and the other large shopping networks, clearly indicating that it’s at least offering results for the majority of users.
Finally the price is fairly decent as well at just $12/tube, so if you’re on a budget then it might be a good option for you, although, THESE issues below might make you think otherwise.
Why It’s NOT!
We’re not going to lie, we really like this product. The only problem is…for some people it has the opposite effect!
That’s right, we’re noticing there’s at least a 20% chance that after application, Xtreme Brite may in fact have the opposite effect and therefore darken areas of hyperpigmentation.
That’s literally the worst thing that could possibly happen as we’re also seeing that those who did suffer from the opposite effect saw semi-permanent results, meaning that it’s extremely hard to reverse these negative effects when they do occur.
Okay, okay it is only a 20% chance, but still if you want to go down the more natural route, a better option would be the product we most recommend – Meladerm – as from what we’ve seen, there’s a 0% chance of some bad s*** happening after you use it!
Preferably (and you have the choice) choosing a natural skin lightener like Xtreme Brite or Meladerm is far more beneficial in the long term, then say any of the products that use chemical bleaching agents.
Though the time taken to achieve noticeable results is much slower, the reduction in pigmentation should still be visible.
However, it is because of this slow process that Xtreme Brite Gel didn’t even make our list of the top skin lightening treatments. Awwwwkward.