Skin-Lightening Products: Consumer Preferences and Costs

Disorders of skin hyperpigmentation have an appreciable impact on quality of life, carrying social and cultural importance that influences widespread consumer demand for cosmetic lightening products. We sought to investigate product factors that may influence consumer preference when choosing an over-the-counter cream for skin-lightening purposes. The keyword "lightening cream" was searched in the "Beauty and Personal Care category" of online retailer Amazon.com. The top fifth percentile of products was determined by filtering the search results for a minimum of four out of five stars from customer reviews, and then further filtered by products with over 100 reviews. Number of reviews, rating, price per unit, vehicle, application instructions, ingredients, and review attributes were evaluated. Over 2,900 products were catalogued as "lightening cream" on Amazon.com. There were 40 products rated >4 stars and >100 reviews, constituting the top 1.34% of entries. Tocopheryl was present in 58% of the top 40 products, ascorbic acid in 40%, and niacinamide in 20%. Notably, 22.5% of the top 40 products contained no known skin-lightening ingredient. There was a moderate positive correlation (R²=0.378) between price and consumer rating, with kojic acid being the most expensive per ounce ($24.89) and salicylic acid being the most highly rated (4.54 stars; $15.00/oz). This study provides insight on the factors influencing the choice, preferences, and satisfaction of consumer that sought Amazon for the purchase of lightening products.