4-Butylresorcinol can effectively reduce melanin synthesis by inhibiting the activity of tyrosinase. Kolbe et al. conducted a systematic comparative study on the whitening performance of hydroquinone, arbutin, quercetin, and 4-butylresorcinol. They tested the inhibitory effects of four whitening agents on human tyrosinase activity and melanin production in the artificial skin model MelanoDerm. The experimental results showed that 4-butylresorcinol was more than 6 times stronger than 377, 24 times stronger than quercetin, and 310 times stronger than arbutin. However, 4-butylresorcinol is unstable under light, has poor water solubility, and excessive local concentration can irritate the skin, limiting its application in cosmetics.

1: Low solubility and poor water dispersibility

2: Poor stability, unstable light and heat, and prone to discoloration

3: Skin irritation exists at high doses

4: Poor transdermal absorption and low bioavailability

1. High stability: effectively improves the photo/thermal stability of 4-butylresorcinol

2. High compatibility: Good water dispersibility, easy to mix with various substrates, especially suitable for transparent systems

3. Low irritation: The carrier sustained-release effect effectively reduces skin irritation

4. High bioavailability: Active ingredients with different whitening mechanisms synergistically enhance efficacy, promote transdermal absorption of active ingredients into the whitening target site, and effectively improve bioavailability