| abstract |
It is intended to provide a composition for cosmetic or edible use which is excellent in skin-care effects, in particular, an effect of whitening the skin having been darkened by ultraviolet ray-irradiation or aging and can be safely and easily used by a large number of mammals. Namely, a whitening composition which contains, as the active ingredient, a reduced coenzyme Q represented by the formula (1) (wherein n represents an integer of from 1 to 12); a whitening composition which further contains, as the active ingredient, an oxidized coenzyme Q represented by the formula (2) (wherein n represents an integer of from 1 to 12); and a method of whitening the skin of a mammal which comprises administering the above composition to the mammal. |