Disclosed are coumarin derived compounds of formula I as skin lightening agents alone or in combination with other skin benefit agents and together with a cosmetic vehicle: ##STR00001## Where each or both R.sub.1 and/or R.sub.2 represents hydrogen (H); linear or branched, saturated or unsaturated C.sub.1-C.sub.12 alkyl, alkenyl, acyl, or heteroalkyl (preferably, alkoxy) groups; and R.sub.3 represents linear or branched, cyclic or acyclic, saturated or unsaturated C.sub.1-C.sub.12 alkyl, alkenyl, cycloalkyl, cycloalkenyl, or heteroalkyl group; and R.sub.4 represents a hydrogen atom (H); straight or branched, cyclic or acyclic, saturated or unsaturated, containing or not containing a heteroatom C.sub.1-C.sub.22 alkyl, alkenyl, cycloalkyl, cycloalkenyl, heteroalkyl, aryl, or heteroaryl group. In a most preferred embodiment, each R.sub.1, R.sub.2 and R.sub.4 represent H, while R.sub.3 represents a methyl group, referred to herein as a 4-methyl 7-hydroxy-coumarin derivative, or coumarin derived resorcinol derivative, which may be prepared by catalytic (nickel or paladium catalyst) hydrogenation of 4-methyl 7-hydroxy-coumarin followed by hydrolysis. The inventive compounds, compositions and methods have effective skin lightening properties, may be less irritating to the skin, and are cost-effective and relatively simple to manufacture.Also disclosed are processes for making the inventive compounds of general formula I from 4-substituted-7-hydroxy coumarin derivatives.