Another Friday, another Ingredient 101 post. Today we are diving into Propolis.
Besides honey –one of nature’s best and most powerful products– bees also produce another byproduct: propolis! And much like honey, it is jam-packed with good stuff; amino acids, antioxidants and vitamins. All of which can help treat a variety of skin concerns.
Where does it come from?
Sometimes referred to as “bee glue,” propolis is a naturally-occurring ingredient made by bees. Bees use it to fill-in honeycomb crevices within beehives for protection.
It’s essentially a mixture of the bees’ saliva with beeswax and sap from local trees and flowers. Sounds gross, but it’s great news for your skin, particularly if you’re prone to breakouts!
What type of skin benefits the most from this ingredient?
All skin types can benefit from this amazing ingredient, but oily/acne-prone skin would benefit the most.
Propolis helps keep hydration from leaving your skin, allowing it to function correctly and stay healthy. In addition to its amazing healing properties –that help your skin focus on repairing itself– this ingredient will help calm and restore irritated skin caused by blemishes/acne, post-acne marks, and dryness.
What are the benefits of propolis?
- Helps treat acne (even fungal acne): Because of its antibacterial and anti-inflammatory properties, it’s not only effective at getting rid of pimples, but also preventing them! (By easing the inflammation that leads to the acne in the first place) Propolis also has amazing anti-fungal properties, making it the perfect ingredient for treating fungal acne!
- Treats redness and pigmentation: This ingredient has powerful healing and anti-inflammatory benefits, it can also help ease redness and prevent post-inflammatory hyperpigmentation.
- Moisturizing and repairing benefits: It’ll keep your complexion hydrated without an oily, heavy feeling. Moreover, it works to regenerate skin and make its texture smoother and suppler.
- It helps fight free radicals: Propolis is packed with antioxidants, which really helps in fighting free radicals that leads to premature aging, dullness, dark spots, and more.
- It helps increase the effectiveness of Vitamin C: Vitamin C and antioxidants is truly a match made in heaven. This doesn’t only apply to Vitamin E, the antioxidant-rich propolis can also boost
What are some of the best propolis products?
Benton Aloe Propolis Soothing Gel. Containing aloe vera and propolis, this lightweight gel is great for healing troubled skin and fading acne scars.
COSRX Propolis Synergy Toner + COSRX Full Fit Propolis Light Ampoule + COSRX Propolis Light Cream. If you’re looking to start a propolis-based routine, you can’t go wrong with this trio!
With a minimal and clean ingredients list featuring black bee propolis, these COSRX products will bring that smooth, healthy glow back to your skin.
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