are selected from the group consisting of kojic acid derivatives of kojic acid arbutin derivatives of arbutin bearberry extract lemon extract cucumber extract vitamin c and its derivatives extracts of acerola cherry and fermentates of acerola cherry the kojic acid or its esters may be represented by the formula str1 wherein r 1 and r 2 are the same or different and each is hydrogen atom or an acyl group of 3 to 20 carbon atoms non exclusive examples of the esters are for instance kojic acid monoesters such as kojic acid monobutyrate kojic acid monocaprate kojic acid monopalmitate kojic acid monostearate kojic acid monocinnamoate and kojic acid monobenzoate kojic acid diesters such as kojic acid dibutyrate kojic acid dipalmitate kojic acid distearate and kojic acid dioleate a preferred monoester is an ester in which a oh group at 5 position of kojic acid is esterified esterification can improve stabilities against ph or sun light while maintaining a melanin synthesis inhibiting activity equal to that of kojic acid non exclusive examples of the vitamin c derivatives are for instance alkyl esters of l ascorbic acid such as l ascorbyl palmitrate l ascorbyl isopalmitate l ascorbyl dipalmitate l ascorbyl isostearate l ascorbyl distearate l ascorbyl diisostearate l ascorbyl myristate l ascorbyl isomyristate l ascorbyl 2 ethylhexanoate l ascorbyl di 2 ethylhexanoate l ascorbyl oleate and l ascorbyl dioleate phosphates of l ascorbic acid such as l ascorbyl 2 phosphate and l ascorbyl 3 phosphate sulfates of l ascorbic acid such as l ascorbyl 2 sulfate and l acorbyl 3 sulfate their salts with alkaline earth metals such as calcium and magnesium they can be used alone or in a mixture of two or more when the.