I have been hooked on this website for 1 week. Reading through forums, researching all the recommended lotions and potions, getting excited about a cream, feeling deflated to find out it's a hoax. These are my findings and my plans, I would appreciate your feedback:

Benoquin - Bad idea - permanent depig - takes up to 2 years, leaves the user dependent forever - can leave the user patchy and disfigured

Hydroquinon 4% - good for a short time, once desired effect achieved switch to other skin lightners to maintain result as using HQ long term can darken the skin again.

Makari Cream - Good probably the best loved by the lightening loving crowd.

My Plan:

I will use Hydroquinon 4% + Retina 0.5% for 6 months or less
Then switch to Makari skin care range. I will always use a strong sunblock, exfoliate with a kojic acid soap.

I applaud you for doing great research. I do agree with the mono and HQ. I have used prescription strength HQ 10% with retin a on my face only. In one month, my face lighten one shade. If you have any dark spots from scars or pimples, use Meladerma. It also works quickly. Good luck in your journey.

Hq4% + retin-a sounds like a good plan
Don't know about Makari

@cluless
Thanks love, it's great to get some confirmation. I 'linked' myself to you on the website and looked up all the forums you commented on. I also read through Golden-girl, lighterr, Haiji, loanyb and icy whites forums. That's just a few of many names amongst many. My husband thought I had been planning world domination over the Internet since last Friday LOL. I don't have any spots or pimples but as you can tell from my pic, my forehead and chin is darker then rest of my face. Would meladerma help with that? I think you had noticed this in my pic and were being polite and approaching the subject cautiously. How lovely :o) if you don't mind me asking, where in the world do you live? The reason I ask is, if you live in UK I could pick your brains about best way to obtain HQ. So far I have learnt 'buy HQ powder and mix it in eurecin base + retin A. I feel a bit scared to play pharmacist at home. Also there's time constraint, I want to start my new skin regime ASAP. Are there any ready mixed creams available? Minimum 4%, if it's 10% then even better. I wish you good luck with your journey too. I hope you will post pics once you have achieved your goal.

@Nickol, I am sorry about your vitiligo, I hope things are getting better for you. If not Makari, what else? There's also a lot of buzz about glut-c cream. Heard of that?

Poca, I live in the US. I get a prescription strength HQ10% from a doctor here as well as retin-a. So, I'm not quite sure about mixing it. Overall, I think your complexion is great and it would not take much for you to lightening up. I really do think HQ + Retin-a would work. But, you would need 4% or higher. The retin-a is extremely vital cause it does the majority of the work. Retin-a speeds the turnover rate for your skin cells. So you would use the HQ 2x daily(morning and night) Then apply retin-a at night only. Don't forget the sunscreen. On top of that apply Meladerma to any dark spots on your face. In about a month, you will see results. This combo works very fast. It worked for me. Now, Mono is a different story and a long process. I got so tired of the scams and lost lots of money trying to find mono. So, I finally researched and researched and made my own. When you start getting PMs we can discuss it more.

Good luck, Poca. And I will help you any way I can.

Hey I found someone who sells 5% HQ... wooo hooooo :o)
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Also this site:

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I am bloody impressed with myself ;o)

As far as mono is concerned, I was too late to realize that 'Mono is a no no for skin lightening' and had already ordered it from Mac shifa, I am now £150 lighter, it arrived this morning, I haven't opened the packaging yet, I am thinking about returning it as it is and get a refund(if they will refund that is! ). On the other hand a part of me wonders, shall I get it tested? That means spending another 30quids. But what if after the test Mac might not accept the cream back because the seal is broken, and I will be another 30quids lighter!! And another part of me says 'so what if its not mono, what if its some other wonderous whitening miracle? It sounded like that reading Fairskin4U’s post. You might remember that post, you commented on it a few times. I was thinking if it worked for fairskin in 6 weeks, may be I should be game too, I am just being silly now aren’t I…hehehe

Thank you clueless, this website and you have been a life saver ;o)

No, I don't believe that you are being silly. But, there was a girl on here that I know that had it tested and used it herself. She got found out that it was a TCA chemical peel instead of real mono. I would take it straight to a lab and have it tested. It messed this girl's face up and is not worth the risk.

Is Meladerma or meladerm same thing? Do you recommend any on-line seller?

I'm sorry, it's called Mederma. I misspelled it. I bought it from Walgreens.

Ok, I think that you can buy Mederma from Drugstore.com

Cheers Clueless, you are not that Clueless after all LOLz, you are a star, thank you. X

LOL@ Poca! You are so welcome!

Sorry, Pocahantas--Because we get CONSTANT sellers on these boards (you guys would not believe the number of posts deleted JUST from skin lightening every week), no links are allowed to sites selling products. Links to medical sites are okay.

It's been abused here too many times, and so it's just not allowed.

No worries Synnen, this website has helped me sooooo much. I just wanted to contribute and let someone else take advantage of my research. But I completely understand your concerns. Have a good day.

Hi V,

Thank you for taking the time to answer my question. What is the wrap method?

I have just order 10% HQ from USA. I am also going to use Gluta-c cream on the days when the skin is feeling too raw for HQ+retin a combo... fingers crossed... have you ever tried gluta-c.

About Makari... from all the reviews I have read, it seems it works for the majority of people, and doesn't work for very few. But most people complain about breaking out when using it. I assume the cream must have some sort of steroids in it.

It is so great to talk to someone with the same goal, I feel so much closer to success having found this website. I had given up on skin lightening, now I feel I have a new wave of enthusiasm... I thank you.


By the way, for some reason I have 2 post with the same title, please look up my post and answer this question on the 'other' post with the same title. Other one has a lot more replies and comments as well as a picture. I am going to delete this one once you have read my answer... just to avoid confusion...

See V's original reply below:

Violaename wrote:
Not a bad idea at all my friend!
I am using Retin a now and hq4% just on my toes ,knuckles and face.
Its really going well.I do the wrap method from time to time... but it mad my feet a little too light... I want to concentrate on my toes first.
I use Makari and the cavair glycerinon my skin... but not my face for fear of breakouts.I can't emphasise on how well it works on my skin!
I was using F&W Exclusive before this.I just switched to Makari because I wanted a little break from using HQ all over my body. If Makari wasn't that expensive, it would have been my life partner!!

Clueless, unable to send you more PMs, appearently you need to delete some messages, your inbox too full... must be hard being so popular LOL x

Ok, I will.

Hi V,

Thank you for taking the time to answer my question. What is the wrap method??

I have just order 10% HQ from USA. I am also going to use Gluta-c cream on the days when the skin is feeling too raw for HQ+retin a combo.....fingers crossed...have you ever tried gluta-c.

About Makari....from all the reviews I have read, it seems it works for the majority of people, and doesn't work for very few. But most people complain about breaking out when using it. I assume the cream must have some sort of steroids in it.

It is so great to talk to someone with the same goal, I feel so much closer to success having found this website. I had given up on skin lightening, now I feel I have a new wave of enthusiasm...I thank you.


By the way, for some reason I have 2 post with the same title, please look up my post and answer this question on the 'other' post with the same title. Other one has a lot more replies and comments as well as a picture. I am going to delete this one once you have read my answer....just to avoid confusion...

The wrap method is when you use whatever lotion on part of your body,then tie it or cover the area with a plastic bag.It makes absorption fast!
I used to wrap my feet after putting cream on my toes then wear socks all through the night.I did it for like 3 weeks and my feet became so light!!

Oh... I forgot to mention... Makari has no steroids!
I am very very sure!
I have used it for a good time and it has never for once given me reason to think it has steroids.
The breakouts will probably be caused by the caviar...

Thank you for letting me know about the wrap method.

Last year I got 'Special socks' from Boots. Cost me around 10 quid. The idea behind the socks were same as your 'wrap method'. You were suppose to apply a thick moisturiser (preferably vaseline) at night, pop the socks on and wake up with soft feet - what a load of rubbish the socks were - I wasted my money - I should have been better off with your method, the plastic bag and just a normal pair of socks - so thank you for sharing that method.

V, as far as the creams are concerned... I have ordered Makari, Gluta-c and Bio Claire.

I have researched soooooo many that my head spin when I think about it - to name a few Makari, Gluta-c, Meladerma, African queen gel, Fair and White, bio claire... the list goes on...

I am excited about ALL of them and wanted to buy and try ALL of them - but I had to calm myself down. As they say 'patience is a virtue', I can't try them all together, I wish I could mix them up in a blender and put them on for even quicker result, but I know that's just silly, chemicals will react with each other :o( End of the day I have only one face.

And having read through people's experience it seems that skin lightening is all about patience and trial and error. Some cream may have amazing results for one and be completely useless for another person. People who have tried to be too impatient have ended up with burns, reverse results, patches to say the least.

I am not a very patient person, I want results tomorrow - so its being a real psychlogical battle with myself to stay in control and not play russian roullette with my skin.

By the way, all of this rant is aimed at my own impatience - I appreciate your comments and your feedback, please keep it up. I will inform you of my progress. The creams should arrive on the 27th of Dec.

x x

clue clue, where are you? Unable to pm you, you need to delete some messeges, need you help, don't want to discuss here. Please pm me x x

Hey Clue,

Long time no chat. Happy new year to you and your family. Need some help please.

I registered to 'the website you emailed me about', that was a few weeks ago, my account still not activated.

On the home page it says if you account is still inactive contact the board administrator - but I don't know admin's email?

Can you please either give me admin's email or ask Lynn to activate my account.

I am still serious about MB, I want to start my journey in feb with the support of others who are in the same boat as me... please please help!

look forward to hear from you.

x x