Propolis
Also known as: bee-propolis, propolis-extract
The resin bees make to seal their hives. On your face it seals barriers, calms redness, and smells faintly of honey. COSRX built a line on it.
What It Does
Deep Dive
Propolis is the sticky resinous substance honeybees produce by mixing saliva with plant exudate and beeswax — they use it to seal cracks in the hive and inhibit microbial growth. Its bioactive profile is a cocktail of flavonoids (chrysin, pinocembrin, galangin), phenolic acids, and essential oils; the dominant active varies by the plant source but the functional result is consistent: broad-spectrum antibacterial + anti-inflammatory activity, plus a faint humectant pull from its honey content. COSRX's Propolis Light Ampoule put it on the global map; VT, Dear Klairs, and Abib all do variants. The caveat: propolis allergies exist, especially for anyone allergic to bees or honey — patch test 48 hours before committing.
