Tsujimoto Market: Our Guarantees
Description
Rohto Melano CC Premium Brightening Essence — 20 ml
Overview
Melano CC Premium is the higher-strength member of Rohto's Melano CC line: a light, citrus-scented essence applied by the drop to areas of concern rather than spread over the whole face. It is 医薬部外品 — a Japanese quasi-drug, a regulatory category between cosmetics and medicines, and that status is the reason it may make the claims it makes.
Rohto declares four active ingredients: ascorbic acid (the active form of vitamin C), pyridoxine hydrochloride (vitamin B6), allantoin and isopropylmethylphenol. Three further vitamin C derivatives are present as non-active moisturising ingredients, which is what the "four types of vitamin C" in the product name refers to. See also Japanese brightening skincare and Japanese essences.
Key Benefits
- ✓ All four declared actives, correctly named — ascorbic acid, pyridoxine hydrochloride, allantoin and isopropylmethylphenol, which is what a quasi-drug declaration looks like
- ✓ The "four types of vitamin C" explained — one is the declared active (ascorbic acid); three are derivatives present as moisturising ingredients. Knowing which is which is the difference between a claim and a fact
- ✓ Two problems addressed by two actives — allantoin for rough, irritated skin and isopropylmethylphenol as an antibacterial; between them they are why the product speaks to acne-prone skin at all
- ✓ Spot application, by the drop — Rohto's instruction is 4–5 drops once a day on the areas you are treating, which is why a 20 ml bottle lasts five to six months
- ✓ Quasi-drug status stated — 医薬部外品, with the approved effect wording rather than our own description
- ✓ Light texture, citrus scent — a clear essence rather than a cream, layered under moisturiser
- ✓ Dispatched from our base in Kobe, Japan, with tracking
Product Details
| Brand | Melano CC (メラノCC) |
|---|---|
| Manufacturer | Rohto Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd. |
| Country of origin | Japan |
| Product type | Brightening essence, spot application |
| Regulatory status in Japan | 医薬部外品 — quasi-drug |
| Volume | 20 ml |
| Declared actives | Ascorbic acid, pyridoxine hydrochloride, allantoin, isopropylmethylphenol |
| Contains alcohol | Yes — ethanol is in the formula |
| Approximate duration | 5–6 months at 4–5 drops once daily |
| Vendor | Tsujimoto Market, Kobe, Japan |
Who Is This For?
- People treating specific spots and freckles rather than looking for an all-over brightening product
- Acne-prone skin — the allantoin and isopropylmethylphenol pairing is what this formula has for rough, breakout-prone areas
- Anyone who prefers a light, fast-absorbing essence layered under a moisturiser rather than a cream
- People who want a Japanese quasi-drug rather than a cosmetic, and want to see the declared actives
- Not for: anyone avoiding alcohol in skincare — this formula contains ethanol; sensitive or compromised skin without a patch test; and use around the eyes
How to Use
- Cleanse and apply your toner or lotion first.
- Apply 4 to 5 drops directly to the areas you are treating.
- Spread gently over those areas with a fingertip; this is a spot product, not an all-over layer.
- Follow with your usual moisturiser or cream.
- Use sun protection during the day — brightening care and unprotected sun exposure work against each other.
Frequency: Once daily. One 20 ml bottle lasts roughly 5–6 months at this rate.
Full Ingredients
Declared active ingredients (医薬部外品):
- Ascorbic acid — active vitamin C
- Pyridoxine hydrochloride — vitamin B6
- Allantoin — soothing, for rough and irritated skin
- Isopropylmethylphenol — antibacterial
Other ingredients include: three vitamin C derivatives — ascorbyl glucoside, 3-O-ethyl ascorbic acid and ascorbyl tetraisopalmitate — plus tocopherol (vitamin E), panthenol, Alpinia seed extract, lemon and grapefruit extracts, serine, BG, 1,3-propanediol, 3-methyl-1,3-butanediol, PG, PEG-8, ethanol, and fragrance.
A note on panthenol. Panthenol is in the formula and is often listed among the actives in English descriptions of this product. It is not one of the four Rohto declares. The two that are easily overlooked — allantoin and isopropylmethylphenol — are precisely the ones that back what the product says about rough skin and acne, so they are worth knowing about.
Ethanol is in the formula. It is easy to miss in a long ingredient list, so it is stated here and in the details table.
Cautions
- For external use only. Avoid the eye area and the immediate area around the lips.
- This is a quasi-drug, not a medicine. It is not a treatment for melasma, acne or any diagnosed skin condition.
- Contains ethanol. If alcohol in skincare irritates you, or you avoid it, this formula is not suitable.
- Patch test before first use, particularly on sensitive or reactive skin.
- Stinging on freshly exfoliated, shaved or broken skin is expected from a vitamin C and alcohol formula, and is a reason to stop rather than to persist.
- Discontinue use if redness, itching or swelling occurs.
- Use sun protection during the day while using brightening care.
- Keep out of reach of children. Store away from direct sunlight and high temperatures; vitamin C formulas darken with heat and light.
- Once opened, use within the period indicated on the packaging.
Package Contents
1 × Rohto Melano CC Premium Brightening Essence, 20 ml, in the maker's sealed retail packaging.
Shipping & Store Notes
- Ships directly from Japan
- Processing time: 2–6 business days
- Tracking number provided after dispatch
- Import duties and taxes may apply depending on destination country
- This formula contains ethanol, which some carriers and destinations treat as a restricted substance
- Opened cosmetics cannot be returned for hygiene and safety reasons
Authenticity Guarantee
Every product at Tsujimoto Market is sourced directly from Japan and verified for authenticity. We never sell fakes or grey-market goods. Each order is carefully packed in Kobe, Japan and dispatched with full tracking.
FAQ
What are the actual active ingredients?
Four, declared by Rohto: ascorbic acid, pyridoxine hydrochloride, allantoin and isopropylmethylphenol. English descriptions of this product often list panthenol as an active and omit allantoin and isopropylmethylphenol altogether. Panthenol is in the formula but is not a declared active — and allantoin, which many people are specifically looking for, is.
What does "four types of vitamin C" mean?
One declared active — ascorbic acid, the unmodified vitamin — plus three derivatives present as moisturising ingredients: ascorbyl glucoside, 3-O-ethyl ascorbic acid and ascorbyl tetraisopalmitate. The derivatives differ in how quickly they convert and how well they sit in an oil or water phase. The product name counts all four; the quasi-drug declaration counts one.
Is it a medicine?
No. 医薬部外品 is a Japanese regulatory category between cosmetics and medicines — usually translated "quasi-drug". It allows a defined set of effect claims that a plain cosmetic may not make, and that set is narrower than the language often used to describe this product. It is not a treatment for melasma, acne or any diagnosed condition.
Does it contain alcohol?
Yes — ethanol. It sits partway down a long ingredient list and is easy to miss. If you avoid alcohol in skincare for any reason, or you are ordering to a destination where alcohol content affects whether a parcel arrives, this is the fact you need.
How long does one bottle last?
Rohto's own figure is about five to six months, at 4–5 drops once a day. That only holds if you use it as a spot treatment on specific areas. Used as an all-over serum, a 20 ml bottle will be gone in weeks and that is not how the product is designed.
