By comparing the different Camellia oleifera extracts from by-products of the tyrosinase activity inhibition in vitro, and select the best inhibiting effect of Camellia oleifera flowers extract, and using the kojic acid as the positive control, using human A375 melanoma cells in vitro culture model and zebrafish embryo model to explore its influence of tyrosinase activity and melanin synthesis in vivo and in vitro. The results showed that Camellia oleifera flowers extract, Camellia oleifera leaves extract, Camellia oleifera shell extract and Camellia oleifera meal extract showed good inhibitory effects on tyrosinase activity, and Camellia oleifera flowers extract had the best inhibitory effect with an IC50 of 0.49 mg/mL. Compared with kojic acid, Camellia oleifera flowers extract showed significant inhibition of intracellular tyrosinase activity and melanin synthesis (P <0.01). When the concentration was 160 μg/mL, the inhibition rate of intracellular tyrosinase activity reached 34.30%, and the relative melanin content decreased by 26.41%. When the exposure concentration of Camellia oleifera flowers extract was 100μg/mL, the inhibition rate of tyrosinase in zebrafish reached 32.47%, and the relative melanin content was reduced to 64.39%. The effect was similar to kojic acid. Camellia oleifera flowers extract showed good tyrosinase inhibition in vitro and in vivo, and significantly inhibited melanin production in cells and zebrafish, with high safety. It is a potential whitening functional component, and has a high application prospect in the field of daily cosmetics.