Bearberry Extract

Bearberry extract is made from the leaves of the bearberry shrub (whose berries are a favorite food for bears, hence the name). Its claim to fame? It contains the active agent, arbutin, which naturally lightens and brightens skin. Interestingly, there are 3 types of bearberry shrubs but only the common bearberry, arctostaphylos uva-ursi (fun fact: the Latin name “uva ursi” actually means, “bear grape”), produces arbutin.