Lightenex

Lightenex is a skin lightening cream that is designed particularly for people of Asian and Arabic descent who want to look like the pale-skinned movie stars they see on TV. This product claims that it whitens the skin without the use of bleach or harsh chemicals, and that it also improves the tone of the skin. It claims to help rid the skin of freckles and pregnancy masks, and make age and liver spots less noticeable. Further, it claims to reduce wrinkles and age lines, as well as lighten the dark circles around the eyes. Those kinds of results would require a myriad of powerful ingredients. Let’s see if Lightenex delivers.

History of Lightenex

Only the active ingredients are listed for this product. They are provided here along with a brief explanation of why they will or will not work.
Not all of the ingredients for this product are listed, but the active ingredients that are listed can be best described as a joke.
Kojic dipalmitate. This is not nearly as effective as a skin lightener as other products are, and in fact is known to cause skin irritation and allergies.
Glycyrrhiza Glabra Extract. This is the scientific name for licorice. This is often ingested and it said to help with headaches and various internal ailments, but there is no research supporting that is effective as a skin lightener.
Imperata Cylindrica Extract. This is scientific name for blady grass. It is noted as having some astringent qualities, but is untested.
Arctostaphylos uva-ursi L. Sprengel. This is the scientific name for Bearberry. The reason it is an ingredient in this product is because it contains arbutin, which blocks melanin production, but research has shown that pure forms of arbutin are more effective as skin lighteners.
Daucus Carota Sativa (carrot) root extract. This is said to stimulate skin cell regeneration in the essential oils crowd, but we have no way of knowing whether there is enough extract in this cream to be effective.
Mitracarpus Scaber Extract. This is another melanin inhibitor. Like bearberry, however, it is not as effective as pure arbutin.
Octocrylene. This is basically sun block that has been linked to DNA damage and skin cancer.

Benefits

This product does contain some melanin inhibitors, which are proven to lighten the skin.

Possible Side Effects

Irritation, allergies, CANCER, DNA damage.

Conclusion

We would not recommend this product as a skin lightener and definitely not as an anti-aging treatment.