The invention relates to a skin lightening composition especially to a cream that provides faster kinetics of skin lightening as compared to conventional compositions. The present inventors have found that inclusion of a very selective salt of a dicarboxylic acid viz. disodium fumarate in such a cream base along with selective non-\on\c surfactants provides for desired fast skin lightening kinetics without compromising on the desired sensorials afforded by vanishing cream bases.
