Missha Artemisia Calming Essence
A highly rated essence with 5 ingredients.
This calming essence is formulated around Artemisia Annua Extract to calm redness and strengthen the skin barrier.
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What's inside
Benefits
Ingredients Explained
Artemisia Annua Extract comes from sweet wormwood or the annual mugwort. This plant is best known historically as the source of the anti-malarial drug, artemisinin.
In skincare, this ingredient has skin soothing and conditioning properties that make it a great choice for sensitive, reactive, or acne-prone skin.
The extract is rich in polyphenols, flavonoids, and sesquiterpenes that do most of the work in a formula.
A 2020 human clinical trial found that cosmetics containing Artemisia Annua Extract increased stratum corneum hydration and reduced transepidermal water loss while also calming redness and inflammation over four weeks of use.
Lab and animal studies build on this as well, showing the extract reduces inflammatory signals, boosts a protein important for barrier health (filaggrin), and has anti-itch/antibacterial activity (including against C.acnes, the bacteria linked to breakouts).
There's also a well-documented artemisinin-free version called Artemisia Naphta oil which performed well at 1% in a small human trial for sensitive and acne-prone skin.
On concentrations, published research clusters around 1% for finished products.
The ingredient is generally well-tolerated, but people with Asteraceae or ragweed allergies may want to patch test first.
Learn more about Artemisia Annua ExtractWater. It's the most common cosmetic ingredient of all. You'll usually see it at the top of ingredient lists, meaning that it makes up the largest part of the product.
So why is it so popular? Water most often acts as a solvent - this means that it helps dissolve other ingredients into the formulation.
You'll also recognize water as that liquid we all need to stay alive. If you see this, drink a glass of water. Remember to stay hydrated!
Learn more about WaterDipropylene Glycol is a synthetically created humectant, stabilizer, and solvent.
This ingredient helps:
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.
Learn more about Dipropylene Glycol1,2-Hexanediol is a synthetic liquid and another multi-functional powerhouse.
It is a:
- Humectant, drawing moisture into the skin
- Emollient, helping to soften skin
- Solvent, dispersing and stabilizing formulas
- Preservative booster, enhancing the antimicrobial activity of other preservatives
Propanediol is an all-star ingredient. It softens, hydrates, and smooths the skin.
It’s often used to:
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.
Learn more about PropanediolReviews
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Where it's from
Missha is a Korean brand
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The data we've presented on this page has been verified by a member of the SkinSort Team.
Read more about us· Updated March 7, 2025 • Added by Alodia
