Manufacturing skin whitening sunscreen from kojic acid extracted from a local isolate of fungus Morchella importuna for combination skin type

Continuous exposure to sunlight will expose skin to various problems, including hyperpigmentation, premature winkles, sunburns, and skin cancer. Thus, in order to protect skin from these risks, sunscreen should be used to have a healthy and bright skin. Therefore, a skin whitening sunscreen was manufactured from kojic acid extract of a local isolate for Morchella Importuna fungus, in addition to Vitamin E. Sensory and biochemical tests revealed that this sunscreen has a white colour, a smooth homogeneous texture, a pH of 6.2, and a diffusion time of 12 seconds. In addition, safety tests on rats showed no signs of irritation, redness, or skin sensitivity during the 48- hour test duration. It was shown that manufactured cream has a protection factor of a value of 50, which provides a 98% protection from ultraviolet rays, while that of La Roche sunscreen was 33, which provides 97% protection. Therefore, it is advised to use this manufactured skin whitening sunscreen regularly to maintain skin's health, improve its appearance, and lighten skin via kojic acid use, and protecting it at the same time from harmful ultraviolet rays, including people with combination skin types, and people who care about natural and sustainable products.