Hydroquinone
On the label: Hydroquinone · Active · regulated as a drug in some uses
What it is
A skin-bleaching drug. In the US it is no longer allowed in over-the-counter cosmetics (the 2020 CARES Act); 2 percent and up is prescription only. Dew & Balm does not list products containing it.
Actives: Actives are the ingredients a product is built around: acids, retinoids, vitamins and the like.
Wikidata: Chemical compound. Q419164 →
In the research
994 PubMed papers mention it with skin, cosmetics or hair; the three most recent:
- Management of Refractory Facial Melasma Using the NewMelan Topical Protocol Following Multiple Unsuccessful Treatment Modalities: A Case Report · Cureus, 2026
- Remodeling the oxidative-inflammatory skin microenvironment via metal-polyphenol coordination microneedles for high-efficacy multi-target melasma treatment · Biomaterials science, 2026
- Development of a Pigment-Correcting Serum Addressing Key Pathways in the Melanin Life Cycle · Clinical, cosmetic and investigational dermatology, 2026
A paper is a paper, not a verdict: titles are listed so you can read them, and a study on cells or mice says little about a cream on a face.
Other actives
Dew & Balm describes ingredients from the public record and makes no claim about what a product will do for you. Statements about dietary supplements have not been evaluated by the FDA. If a product causes a reaction, stop using it; a reaction that spreads or affects breathing is a call to a doctor or 911.