Epais Scalp Boosting Ampoule

Though this ingredient works well with most skin types, some people with sensitive skin may experience a reaction such as allergic rashes, closed comedones, or itchiness.

Your skin makes glycerin on its own (mostly from sebaceous oil breakdown) and shuttles it to your outermost layer of skin, or your epidermis, via aquaporin-3.

Aquaporin-3 is a transporter that is essential for normal skin hydration, elasticity, and repair. Interestingly, mice lacking in AQP3 have dry and less elastic skin that can be fully corrected with glycerin.

This ingredient is non-irritating, plays well with almost every ingredient, and works across all skin types. Typical use is anywhere between 3-10% but can go up to 79% in some leave-on products.

Just know very high concentrations (>40%) can feel tacky in low humidity.

Glycerin is the name for this ingredient in American English. British English uses Glycerol/Glycerine.

Early research also shows that caffeine can help calm redness, soothe irritated skin, and support hair growth by stimulating microcirculation in the scalp.

You might have seen eye creams marketing caffeine as a depuffing ingredient. This is because it is a vasoconstrictor meaning it can temporarily constrict blood vessels, though clinical evidence for this specific use is still limited.

Most skincare products contain this ingredient at concentrations between 1-6%. It is able to penetrate skin easily regardless of skin type or thickness.

Just so you know, a very small number of case reports describe caffeine-induced allergy. This ingredient is generally well-tolerated, non-irritating, and non-sensitizing for the majority of people.

Dipropylene glycol is technically an alcohol, but it belongs to the glycol family (often considered part of the ‘good’ alcohols). This means it is hydrating and gentle on skin unlike drying solvent alcohols like denatured alcohol.

As a masking agent, Dipropylene Glycol can be used to cover the smell of other ingredients. However, it does not have a scent.

Studies show Dipropylene Glycol is considered safe to use in skincare.

Menthol also has antimicrobial properties.

It can also form a thin protective film on skin. One study found that a formula using this polymer helped slow down how quickly other ingredients (like DEET) were absorbed through skin.

A 2024 study of over 1,300 patients confirmed that sensitization to this ingredient is rare. It is also non-mutagenic and has a clean track record.

The Cosmetic Ingredient Review (CIR) Expert Panel evaluated it (along with 22 other acryloyldimethyltaurate polymers) and concluded it's:

Due to its large molecular size, it sits on the surface of skin rather than penetrating it.

Some studies suggest betaine may support making skin tone more even.

Fun fact: Betaine naturally exists in the skin and the body. In cosmetic products, it can be either plant-derived (most commonly from sugar beets) or synthetically produced for consistency and stability.

Betaine is also known as trimethylglycine.

Research shows it can encourage your skin cells to turn over and renew by stimulating keratinocyte and fibroblast proliferation.

It also has mild keratolytic properties to help loosen and shed dead skin cells without being harsh.

Studies also suggest allantoin can help calm inflammation by dialing down some of the chemical signals your skin sends out when it is irritated.

This ingredient is typically used in the 0.1-0.5% range, and the FDA recognizes it as a skin protectant in OTC products up to 2%.

Overall, allantoin is a wonderful addition to most routines; it is stable across a wide pH range (~4-8), works well with other ingredients, and is considered non-sensitizing/non-irritating.

Fun fact: Allantoin is naturally occurring in comfrey root, beets, chamomile, and wheat sprouts. Our bodies even produce it as a byproduct of uric acid metabolism.

One component, glabridin, has extra potent antioxidant and soothing properties. It has also been found to block pigmentation from UVB rays in guinea pigs.

Licorice Root also contains a flavonoid. Flavonoids are a natural substance from in plants. Flavonoids also have antioxidant properties.

Another component, glycyrrhizin, has been found to have anti-inflammatory and antimicrobial benefits. This may make licorice root extract effective at treating acne. However, more research is needed to support this.

Liquiritin is one of the flavone compounds found in licorice. It has been found to help lighten skin by preventing tyrosinase from reacting with tyrosine. When the two react, protein is converted to melanin. Melanin is the substance in your body that gives your features pigmentation.

Licorice root is native to Southern Europe and Asia. It has been used in traditional Chinese medicine to help with respiratory issues.

On top of that, this ingredient can counteract the effects of hard water by binding to the minerals in it.

One thing worth knowing is that Disodium EDTA has been shown to be a mild penetration enhancer. It can help other ingredients absorb into skin more effectively which can be a double-edged sword (great for actives, but can also make the active too strong if you have sensitive skin).

Clinical patch testing showed no significant skin irritation at typical use concentrations and minimal dermal absorption.

You'll most likely see this ingredient near the end of an ingredient list. It's typically found in concentrations less than 1%.

D-panthenol is also known as dexpanthenol. Most cosmetics use dexpanthenol or a mixture of D and L-panthenol.

Panthenol is famous due to its ability to go deeper into the skin's layers. Using this ingredient has numerous pros (and no cons):

Like hyaluronic acid, panthenol is a humectant. Humectants are able to bind and hold large amounts of water to keep skin hydrated.

This ingredient works well for wound healing. It works by increasing tissue in the wound and helps close open wounds.

Once oxidized, panthenol converts to pantothenic acid. Panthothenic acid is found in all living cells.

This ingredient is also referred to as pro-vitamin B5.

Studies show GFF improves our skin's natural moisturizing factors (NMF). Our NMF consists of many components that naturally moisturize our skin. Having healthy NMF keeps our skin plump, protected, and hydrated.

This ingredient tells our skin to create more filaggrin, an important component for NMF.

Filaggrin gathers all the structural proteins in our outer layer of skin and creates a tight barrier, helping to protect our skin against allergens and bacteria. This also helps prevent moisture loss.

Thanks to its antioxidant properties, GFF also protects our skin against oxidative stress and UV induced inflammation.

One study found GFF helped regulate sebum (oil) production and keratin in participants.

GFF may not be fungal-acne safe. We recommend speaking with a professional if you have concerns.

Many components of sake, such as GFF, are studied for their anti-aging benefits today. This is because sake brewers are known to have youthful hands.

A 2023 review noted that probiotic fermentation ingredients like this one can enhance antioxidant capacity, reduce UV-induced oxidative damage, and support barrier function.

One clinical study from the same year showed a Lactobacillus ferment lysate significantly reduced transepidermal water loss and improved skin hydration.

Another review highlighted that topical Lactobacillus-based preparations can improve ceramide levels in the stratum corneum, support barrier integrity, and even help reduce S. aureus colonization in atopic dermatitis.

Why is this so cool?

Basically, your skin's outer layer works as a brick wall; skin cells are bricks and ceramides are the mortar holding it together. Moisture escapes, irritants get in, and your skin gets dry and reactive when ceramide levels drop. On top of that, "bad" skin bacteria S. aureus loves to move in when your barrier is weak to make inflammation and irritation worse.

So Lactobacillus ferment is basically patching the wall and evicting the troublemaker when it boosts ceramide production and help keep S. aureus in check.

On top of all this, it also acts as a mild antimicrobial preservative booster.

Just so you know, most studies focus on specific strains or the lysate form rather than this generic "Lactobacillus Ferment", so results can vary.

Though it's a promising ingredient, it doesn't have decades of robust clinical data behind it just yet.

Lactobacillus Ferment is generally considered safe for fungal-acne prone skin. The key thing to understand is that it comes from bacteria, not yeast or fungus.

Yeast-derived ferments (like galactomyces) have been shown to activate a protein that's linked to Malassezia-related skin issues whereas lactobacillus doesn't have that problem.

Its byproducts also don't contain the types of fatty acids (C11-24 chain lengths) that Malassezia feeds on.

The DNA is extracted from several different animal sources, including: calf thymus, the gonadic tissue of a male sturgeon, or herring / salmon sperm.

You have probably seen this ingredient in anti-aging skincare. But what is it?

DNA is composed of nucleotides, or chemical building blocks. Nucleotides include adenine (A), thymine (T), guanine (G), and cytosine (C). Talk about a flashback to biology! Nucleosides are formed from these nucleotides.

The science behind Sodium DNA is based on an ingredient called Polydeoxyribonucleotide or PDRN.

PDRN are DNA fragments mainly extracted from the sperm cells of trout or salmon. Meaning, PDRN can be derived from Sodium DNA.

PDRN consists of chains of nucleotides and nucleosides mentioned above. They can range anywhere from 80 - 2000 pairs.

Studies show PDRN has the following properties:

Most of the research on PDRN has been done using injectable forms. That’s important, because PDRN is a large molecule and doesn’t absorb well through the skin. So if you’re applying it topically, the effects are likely to be much milder.

Still, topical Sodium DNA is emerging as a trendy anti-aging ingredient. It’s generally well-tolerated and offers good biocompatibility with human skin, making it a low-risk addition to most routines.

Further studies are needed to truly confirm this ingredients anti-aging ability (Remember, retinol has decades of research!).

Sodium DNA may be sourced from fish, animal tissue, or plants. Since this isn’t always disclosed, we recommend asking the brand directly if the ingredient’s origin is important to you.

More research is needed on applying biotin topically. However, taking biotin orally has been shown to help nourish the skin, hair, and nails. They play a role in forming skin-hydrating fatty acids.

Biotin is water-soluble. It can be found in foods such as fish, eggs, dairy, nuts, and meat. Vitamin H stands for "haar" and "haut". These are the German words for hair and skin.

This ingredient has a low sensitization risk and testing shows it does not classify as a skin irritant or sensitizer.

FOS are usually produced from sugar beets and can also be found in foods like bananas, garlic, and onions.

In Chinese traditional folk medicine, Scutellaria Baicalensis Root Extract is used to help treat lung issues and hypertension.

Typical use levels range from 10-20% in cleansers and 15-30% in shower products.

Once on your skin, your skin's glucoside hydrolases breaks it down into glucose and the parent fatty alcohols.

This ingredient is considered fungal acne safe because its fatty alcohol portion sits outside the Malassezia yeast's metabolization range.

This flower also contains many antioxidant enzymes. Antioxidants help fight free-radical molecules. Free-radical molecules are capable of damaging our cells and other genetic material. They may originate from sunlight, air pollution, or cigarette smoke. These free-radical molecules are unstable and are often looking for missing electrons. This instability causes free-radicals to damage our cells. Antioxidants help stabilize free-radicals by donating extra electrons.

Thus, Camellia Japonica Flower Extract may help reduce the signs of aging.

Because it has a C12 (lauric acid) fatty acid chain, this ingredient can potentially feed the Malassezia yeast that causes fungal acne. The Malassezia yeast prefers esters with C11-C24 fatty acids If you're prone to flare-ups, you might want to patch-test or skip this one.

This ingredient is an ester of lauric acid and Polyglycerin-10.

The Malassezia yeast survives by eating certain fats, including oleic acid. Since this ingredient is made from oleic acid, it might not be fungal acne safe. However, it should be noted this oleic acid is chemically bound to a large polyglycerol molecule, so it might not trigger fungal acne for everyone.

Propanediol is not likely to cause sensitivity and considered safe to use. It is derived from corn or petroleum with a clear color and no scent.

Beyond smoothing, Argireline may also support collagen production. Collagen is the protein that helps keep your skin firm, bouncy, and well-hydrated by strengthening the skin barrier.

So while Argireline isn’t a miracle fix, it can be a helpful addition to a routine focused on both prevention and skin health.

Read more about other common types of peptides here:

An in-vivo study from the manufacturer found 95% of volunteers saw eye bag improvement by the end of the study.

Eye puffiness is caused by two major factors: fluid retention and fat.

Those with fluid retention may see improvement from using this ingredient. However, those with eye fat will need surgical intervention in order to get rid of puffiness.

Studies have found adenosine may also help with wound healing.

In skincare products, Adenosine is usually derived from yeast.

Glycation is the process of sugars binding to and damaging proteins. Too much sugar in our skin can lead to damaged collagen, contributing to factors of aging.

Carnosine is water-soluble and is not able to travel deeper layers of skin. This leads to some doubt about whether it can boost collagen in skin, since collagen is located in the deeper layers of skin.

Fun fact: Carnosine can be naturally found in our muscles and brain.

Less inflammation = slower collagen breakdown and a longer-lasting, youthful appearance.

Palmitoyl Tetrapeptide-7 also stimulates collagen production and supports a healthier skin barrier.

Over time, this can improve skin firmness, hydration, and reduce the appearance of fine lines. It’s commonly paired with Palmitoyl Tripeptide-1 in the well-known Matrixyl 3000 complex for enhanced anti-aging effects.

This ingredient has been shown to be effective and safe in cosmetic use and you'll typically find it in small amounts (less than 0.01%).

Due to its palmitic acid base, it may not be safe for Malassezia folliculitis.

Read more about other common types of peptides here:

Due to its palmitic acid base, this peptide may not be fungal-acne safe.

This ingredient has perfuming properties and contains linalool and limonene. These fragrance and terpinen components can cause skin sensitivity.

Learn more about the benefits of Tea Tree Oil here.

Industry-reported use ranges from 8% in rinse-off products and 2% in leave-on formulations.