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Propolis
Propolis Extract · PropolisSoothing
Bee-derived resin popular in K-beauty for calming and barrier support. Skip if bee-allergic.
What it does
Propolis is the resinous mixture honeybees use to seal hives. As a skincare ingredient it carries flavonoids and phenolic compounds with antimicrobial and mild calming action. K-beauty essences and ampoules use it for soothing claims; the supporting evidence is mostly mechanistic with a handful of small open-label trials. Quality varies widely — standardized propolis extracts are more reliable than unspecified ones.
The evidence, graded
expert consensusPropolis is a documented contact sensitizer, with roughly 1 to 7 percent of patch-tested dermatitis patients reacting to it.Walgrave 2005 · Dermatitis ↗ expert consensusPropolis (bee resin) is anti-inflammatory and antibacterial; pairs well with most actives. Allergy is rare but possible — patch-test if you have known bee-product allergies or are atopic.Sforcin 2007 · Journal of Ethnopharmacology ↗ Graded per the methodology: strong · moderate · emerging · expert consensus. A weak source on a strong claim gets the weaker label.
Also known as
bee glue, propolis extract
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