Propolis

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.

Also known as

bee glue, propolis extract

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