— § 01
What propolis actually is.
Propolis is a sticky resin honeybees produce by collecting plant exudates and mixing them with their own enzymes. The bees use it as a hive sealant and antimicrobial coating. The cosmetic-relevant fraction includes flavonoids (galangin, pinocembrin, chrysin), phenolic acids (caffeic, ferulic), and terpenoids — most of which have measurable antioxidant and antimicrobial activity in vitro.
The composition varies meaningfully by region and bee species, which is why brand-to-brand consistency is harder to evaluate than for synthetic ingredients. Korean and Brazilian propolis are the two most-studied sources in modern cosmetic literature.