Abstract: A skin bleaching skin preparation is disclosed. The preparation comprises hydroquinone, tertiary butyl hydroquinone, and optionally an additional stabilizer. The preparation can additionally contain a buffer to maintain the pH between about 3.5 and about 7.5. By maintaining this pH range in the presence of the tertiary butyl hydroquinone stabilizer, and optional additional stabilizers, the hydroquinone would not be oxidized, and thus the preparation would be characterized by an extended shelf life.

Abstract: A synthetic detergent bar is provided containing hydroquinone as a skin bleaching agent. The bar is maintained at a pH of between about 4 and 7 and includes a compressed mixture of a synthetic anionic detergent such as sodium cocoyl isethionate, sodium lauryl sulfoacetate and sodium methyl cocoyl tourate; hydroquinone, a stabilizer for said hydroquinone such as tertiary butyl hydroquinone, water, a buffer which maintains the pH of the bar at about 4 to about 7 and excipients such as waxes, paraffin, dextrin and starches. Because of the maintenance of low pH and the presence of a stabilizer, hydroquinone is not oxidized and thus the bar is characterized by an extended shelf life.