Disclosed is a skin composition for lightening hyperpigmented skin, comprising 1 to 25 percent by weight of at least one carbohydrate-based melanin inhibitor selected from the group consisting of arbutin, bearberry extract, ascorbyl glucoside, and rutin incorporated into 5 to 60 percent by weight of an ultra-low molecular weight aminoglycan polymer gel and at least one cosmetically acceptable ingredient, wherein said aminoglycan polymer is hyaluronic acid sodium salt.
