INGREDIENT · PIGMENT ACTIVE
Kojic acid for skin: dark spots, EU limit and safety
Kojic acid is one of the oldest ingredients sold for dark spots, and one of the few with an EU opinion that changed once. Here is what the trials show, and what the limit does and does not say.
You may see it written as
- Kojic Acid
What kojic acid is
Kojic acid is a natural compound of fungal origin. A 2026 review describes it as acting by inhibiting tyrosinase, the enzyme that catalyses melanin production, and notes that it has been used in lightening products for many years. The same review lists its problems: poor chemical stability, adverse effects, and delivery challenges.1
What the trials found
In a 2025 trial, 72 Indian women with melasma used either 2% kojic acid cream or 5% cysteamine cream once a night for 16 weeks. Kojic acid lowered melasma scores by 10% and cysteamine by 12.25%, and the difference was not statistically significant. Neither group had abnormal clinical signs.2 It was open-label, so everyone knew what they were using. Its authors work for pharmaceutical companies.2
A 2025 split-face pilot of 30 people compared a cream with 5% alpha-arbutin and 2% kojic acid with the standard triple combination cream for 12 weeks. Pigment measures did not differ between sides. The triple cream side had more recurrence after stopping, and more redness and stinging.3
These are small studies, and the second tested kojic acid together with another active, so it cannot say what kojic acid did alone.
What the EU safety committee concluded
The EU permits kojic acid only in face and hand products at up to 1% because of endocrine concerns. India has no equivalent concentration cap.
The EU's Scientific Committee on Consumer Safety (SCCS) assessed kojic acid, with specific attention to concerns that it might disrupt hormones. In a 2022 opinion it concluded that kojic acid is safe when used as a skin lightening agent in cosmetic products at concentrations of up to 1%.4
It added a caution: kojic acid is sometimes added to peeling agents, and a weakened skin barrier may be of additional concern because of greater dermal absorption. The opinion covers kojic acid itself. Derivatives such as kojic acid dipalmitate were not included, because no data had been submitted.4
Snifff's summary above describes the EU's limit and how India differs. It says the EU permits kojic acid only in face and hand products at up to 1%; the 2022 opinion we read frames the limit around use as a skin lightening agent. The legal text agrees with Snifff's summary: kojic acid is allowed as a skin lightening agent in face and hand products at up to 1%.5
Using kojic acid with other products
We did not find a source saying kojic acid must be kept apart from another ingredient. The SCCS's note about peels suggests extra care if your skin barrier is damaged, because more may be absorbed.4
Kojic acid in pregnancy and breastfeeding
Use with caution during pregnancy and lactation: pregnancy safety data for kojic acid are limited.
Evidence on cosmetic products in pregnancy is limited overall, so ask your doctor or midwife about the specific product you use.6
What you will see on the label
The names to look for are Kojic Acid. In Snifff, it reads as Low risk. For the rest of the formula, see what the score means and how to read the list.
As Snifff shows itKojic Acid
Pregnancy and nursing
Use with caution during pregnancy and lactation: pregnancy safety data for kojic acid are limited.
Regulatory gap
The EU permits kojic acid only in face and hand products at up to 1% because of endocrine concerns. India has no equivalent concentration cap.
Wording as it appears in the extension, which can change between releases.
A FEW MORE ANSWERS
Common questions about kojic acid
Is kojic acid safe?
The EU safety committee concluded in 2022 that kojic acid is safe as a skin lightening agent at up to 1%, while noting greater absorption through a weakened skin barrier.4
Does kojic acid work for dark spots?
In a 72-woman trial, a 2% kojic acid cream lowered melasma scores by about 10% over 16 weeks, similar to a 5% cysteamine cream.2 The trials are small.
What does kojic acid do to skin?
A 2026 review says it works by inhibiting tyrosinase, the enzyme that makes melanin.1
Is kojic acid the same as kojic acid dipalmitate?
No. The EU opinion did not include derivatives such as kojic acid dipalmitate, because no data had been submitted.4
Is kojic acid safe in pregnancy?
Snifff's note, quoted above, is to use caution because pregnancy safety data for kojic acid are limited. Ask your doctor or midwife about the product.
WHERE THIS COMES FROM
Sources
- Kojic acid as a natural hypopigmenting agent: biological activities, delivery challenges, and nanotechnology-based strategiesElbekbashy MA, et al. · Pharmaceutics · 2026
- Comparison of the effectiveness and safety of 5% cysteamine and 2% kojic acid creams in the treatment of melasma in Indian adult femalesPatil R, et al. · Cureus · 2025
- The efficacy of topical cosmetic containing alpha-arbutin 5% and kojic acid 2% compared with triple combination cream for the treatment of melasma: a split-face, evaluator-blinded randomized pilot studyTantanasrigul P, Sripha A, Chongmelaxme B · Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology · 2025
- Opinion on kojic acidScientific Committee on Consumer Safety, European Commission · 2022 · SCCS/1637/21, final version and corrigendum of 10 June 2022
- Commission Regulation (EU) 2024/996 amending Regulation (EC) No 1223/2009 as regards the use of Vitamin A, Alpha-Arbutin and Arbutin and certain substances with potential endocrine disrupting properties in cosmetic productsEuropean Commission · 2024
- Cosmetic dermatology in pregnancy and lactation: a risk-benefit framework for clinical practiceKovacs T, et al. · International Journal of Dermatology · 2026
This page explains an ingredient. It is not medical advice, and it is not an assessment of any product. If you are pregnant, breastfeeding, or have a skin condition, ask your doctor or pharmacist.