Alpha Arbutin KB Silver Soap Review

I never fully understood how soaps could cost a couple hundred bucks. I mean, P100 for a regular sized bar soap is expensive, considering you can buy good quality soaps from Japan for P50-80. KB does not care about explaining the inexplicable. In fact, its 60 gram soap, (regular soaps are 135-180g) is priced at P120-P300 depending on the seller. That's double the price for half the size. 

Considering their arrogance, er confidence, you'd think the product must be something. 

This isn't the first time I've tried KB Silver Soap. Probably the fourth? And because I'm a sucker for sales and marketing promos, this is probably not the last time I'd buy. I bought this 60g soap for P55, still expensive but in my mind at the time of the promo, it was a good deal.

The box says it has Alpha Arbutin + Hyaluronic Acid + Collagen. 

Alpha Arbutin- I've come across this wonder ingredient countless times. It's often marketed as the safest whitening ingredient, with kojic acid powers minus its drying effects. I've used countless alpha arbutin products, and for some reason, I have nothing to show for effectiveness. I don't know. It isn't that I expect a lot from a star whitener, but I've seen more amazing results from local papaya soaps. 

Hyaluronic Acid - This is controversial. I remember how this was once touted as the best moisturizing ingredient that the world has seen. And yet in recent years, it's been proven to cause long-term drying effects on skin. I remember reading a paper showing how hyaluronic acid tricks users into thinking it moisturizes the skin by drawing out moisture from inside the skin towards its outer layers, effectively drying the inner layers while temporarily moisturizing the outer layers. IDK though. I need to find that paper. But Lab Muffin has discussed this in her blog. 

Collagen - Like glutathione, this is supposed to be taken orally for it to take effect. I do not know why it's on soaps and lotions and topical products. Nonetheless, KB claims this is from fish ovary peptides "to maximize body's collagen for supple and firm skin."

The box explains that it's main ingredient, Alpha Arbutin, is a skin brightener that works by blocking epidermal melanin biosynthesis. So I guess what it really does is prevent darkening by preventing the skin from producing dark pigments.

Other interesting ingredients include:

• titanium dioxide (sunscreen)
• lactic acid (exfoliant)
• citric acid (exfoliant/brightener)
• honey extracts
• vitamin A
• vitamin E
• vitamin C

Box instructions say you're supposed to rub this on the skin using a special loofah. Rinse. And repeat. I use this directly on my skin, let it sit for a bit while I apply hair conditioner and brush my teeth. 

As mentioned earlier, I am yet to experience extraordinary magical stuff from something this expensive. What I can back up though is that this soap does not cause crazy levels of dryness you'd get from kojic and bleaching soaps. This also has a pleasant smell, no artificial, sickeningly sweet smell. The smell is hard to describe, but it reminds me of milk and babies, probably the secret reason I keep buying despite not seeing immediate results.

KB has another soap that go by the name Gold Premium. Judging by the ads, it's like the Silver soap but with more whitening ingredients like Kojic Acid and Soybean Extract. Unlike the Silver soap though, it isn't expensive, it's crazy expensive at P475+ for a 135g bar. I'll review it as soon as I chance on a promo. I'm waiting for it to go below a hundred bucks. That's the most I can do for soap.