No.3 Skin Softening Serum
What it's good for
Key actives from our research database. Click any to read the full evidence dossier.
A yeast-based ingredient that brightens skin tone and refines the look of pores. Made famous by SK-II essences.
Good for: Brightening, Hydrating
A multitasker that calms redness, evens out skin tone, and helps oily skin balance out. One of the safest do-a-little-of-everything ingredients.
Good for: Brightening, Barrier repair, Anti-inflammatory
Evidence behind the ingredients
Real citations from our research database, one per tracked active in this product. Click any ingredient name to read its full evidence dossier.
A yeast-based ingredient that brightens skin tone and refines the look of pores. Made famous by SK-II essences.
Snowball JM et al., Integration of Transcriptomics and Spatial Biology Analyses Reveals Galactomyces Ferment Filtrate Promotes Epidermal Interconnectivity, International Journal of Cosmetic Science 2024
Miyamoto K et al., Significant Reversal of Facial Wrinkle, Pigmented Spot and Roughness by Daily Application of Galactomyces Ferment Filtrate-Containing Skin Products for 12 Months—An 11-Year Longitudinal Skin Aging Rejuvenation Study, Journal of Clinical Medicine 2023;12(3):1168 — 86 female volunteers; 12-month daily application reversed wrinkle, spot, and roughness markers that had deteriorated over the prior 11-year interval
Yan X et al., Galactomyces Ferment Filtrate Potentiates an Anti-Inflammaging System in Keratinocytes, Journal of Clinical Medicine 2022;11(21):6338 — GFF activates AHR/NRF2 antioxidant signaling, attenuating inflammaging
A multitasker that calms redness, evens out skin tone, and helps oily skin balance out. One of the safest do-a-little-of-everything ingredients.
Moro F et al., Skin Cancer Prevention and Antiaging: Role of Nicotinamide, International Journal of Molecular Sciences 2026
Passeron T et al., An Investigator-Blinded, Randomized Trial of a Broad-Spectrum Sunscreen Containing Sclareolide and Niacinamide, Dermatology and Therapy (Heidelberg) 2026
Vergilio MM et al., Topical Formulation with Niacinamide Combined with 5 MHz Ultrasound for Improving Skin Ageing, Current Medicinal Chemistry 2025
Sources: 10 clinical journals and regulatory databases across the US, EU, Korea, Japan, and China. Every entry points to a specific document. See methodology for the full list and what each outcome label means.
Full ingredient list
Everything on the package label, not just the tracked actives above.
+−Show all 28 ingredients
Listed in the order printed on the package. By regulation, ingredients at 1% or higher are listed in descending order by concentration, so the first entry is the largest part of the formula.
- Bifida Ferment Lysate (42%)
- Galactomyces Ferment Filtrate (21%)
- Butylene Glycol
- Methyl Gluceth-20
- Purified Water
- Niacinamide
- PEG-90
- 1,2-Hexanediol
- Glycerin
- Squalane
- Alteromonas Ferment Extract
- Silk Extract
- Goat Milk Extract
- Sodium Hyaluronate
- Panthenol
- Adenosine
- Glycereth-26
- Xanthan Gum
- Polyglyceryl-3 Distearate
- Glyceryl Stearate SE
- Glyceryl Stearate Citrate
- Polyglyceryl-3 Methylglucose Distearate
- Carbomer
- Tromethamine
- Ethylhexylglycerin
- Caprylyl Glycol
- Tropolone
- Disodium EDTA
Similar comparisons
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