Product record / Essences, Ferment Filtrates
EssenceMIZON Skin Power Original First Essence
- $23.30
- retail price
- 94.5%
- ferment
- $0.16
- per mL
- Data source
- Concentration disclosed on product (94.5% Galactomyces Ferment Filtrate) MIZON discloses 94.5% Galactomyces Ferment Filtrate on product packaging and marketing; INCI from INCIDecoder (incidecoder.com/products/mizon-skin-power-original-first-essence).
- Best for
- Hydration · Brightening & dark spots · Anti-aging & firmness
- How it feels
- Hydrating, slip-y essence
- Value
- $23.30 for 150 mL · $0.16/mL
Bottom line The budget galactomyces bet that gets the percentage right but smuggles in sensitizing essential oils SK-II deliberately avoided — good value if your skin tolerates fragrances, a liability if it doesn't.
Editorial verdict / Social intelligence
The budget galactomyces bet that gets the percentage right but smuggles in sensitizing essential oils SK-II deliberately avoided — good value if your skin tolerates fragrances, a liability if it doesn't. 1
- Beauty benefit
- A 94.5% galactomyces ferment filtrate essence that delivers the same active concentration as SK-II Pitera at a fraction of the price — with bonus niacinamide and ceramide NP. Targets hydration, skin texture, and barrier reinforcement through the AhR/filaggrin pathway. The honest catch: all galactomyces research is P&G/SK-II-affiliated, the composition is undefined, and 94.5% is not a dose-response number because no dose-response curve exists for this ingredient.
- Does it work
- Directionally yes, with the same caveats as SK-II Pitera: the galactomyces AhR/filaggrin mechanism is scientifically credible (PMID:25786502; PMID:36012891), and a 12-month longitudinal study (PMID:36769815) showed measurable improvement in wrinkles, spots, and roughness. As a budget alternative to SK-II FTE (~$165), Mizon at ~$15-20 delivers the same listed 94.5% galactomyces concentration — but 'same percentage' is not the same as 'same Pitera,' which is a proprietary fermentation with a specific microbial strain and process. The formula also includes phototoxic and sensitizing essential oils (bergamot, lavender, orange peel, limonene) that SK-II avoids entirely — a real formulation weakness SK-II does not share. See the verified data below →
Consensus strength
MixedINCIDecoder ingredient-level consensus: galactomyces ferment filtrate rated 'goodie'; niacinamide and glycerin rated 'superstars'; orange peel oil, lavender oil, bergamot oil, and limonene flagged 'icky' as sensitizers and phototoxins. Scientific literature directionally positive for galactomyces class but almost entirely P&G/SK-II-affiliated. No independent retailer rating pool verified for this product — ratings: [].
01 / The key active
Ferment Filtrates at 94.5%
This product discloses 94.5% ferment filtrates — concentration disclosed on product (94.5% galactomyces ferment filtrate).
Concentration disclosed on product (94.5% Galactomyces Ferment Filtrate). MIZON discloses 94.5% Galactomyces Ferment Filtrate on product packaging and marketing; INCI from INCIDecoder (incidecoder.com/products/mizon-skin-power-original-first-essence).
Other products with Ferment Filtrates:
02 / The full ingredient list
Every ingredient, in label order
Exactly as printed, each token matched to the EU CosIng register and flagged where a CIR safety assessment exists. Highlighted rows are the key actives.
| # | Ingredient, as printed | CosIng functions | CIR |
|---|---|---|---|
| 01 | Galactomyces Ferment Filtrate |
| ✓ reviewed |
| 02 | Butylene Glycol |
| ✓ reviewed |
| 03 | 1,2-Hexanediol |
| ✓ reviewed |
| 04 | Niacinamide |
| ✓ reviewed |
| 05 | Glycerin |
| ✓ reviewed |
| 06 | Water |
| — |
| 07 | Adenosine |
| ✓ reviewed |
| 08 | Carbomer |
| ✓ reviewed |
| 09 | Xanthan Gum |
| ✓ reviewed |
| 10 | Tromethamine |
| ✓ reviewed |
| 11 | Trehalose |
| ✓ reviewed |
| 12 | Citrus Aurantium Dulcis (Orange) Peel Oil | no CosIng function record | ✓ reviewed |
| 13 | Coptis Japonica Extract |
| — |
| 14 | Sodium Hyaluronate |
| ✓ reviewed |
| 15 | Theobroma Cacao (Cocoa) Extract |
| — |
| 16 | Hydrogenated Lecithin |
| ✓ reviewed |
| 17 | Lavandula Angustifolia (Lavender) Oil |
| — |
| 18 | Citrus Aurantium Bergamia (Bergamot) Fruit Oil |
| — |
| 19 | Salvia Sclarea (Clary) Oil |
| — |
| 20 | Cymbopogon Martini Oil |
| — |
| 21 | Ceramide NP |
| ✓ reviewed |
| 22 | Glycine |
| ✓ reviewed |
| 23 | Serine |
| ✓ reviewed |
| 24 | Glutamic Acid |
| ✓ reviewed |
| 25 | Biosaccharide Gum-1 |
| ✓ reviewed |
| 26 | Aspartic Acid |
| ✓ reviewed |
| 27 | Leucine |
| ✓ reviewed |
| 28 | Alanine |
| ✓ reviewed |
| 29 | Lysine |
| ✓ reviewed |
| 30 | Arginine |
| ✓ reviewed |
| 31 | Tyrosine |
| ✓ reviewed |
| 32 | Phenylalanine |
| ✓ reviewed |
| 33 | Valine |
| ✓ reviewed |
| 34 | Threonine |
| ✓ reviewed |
| 35 | Proline |
| ✓ reviewed |
| 36 | Isoleucine |
| ✓ reviewed |
| 37 | Histidine |
| ✓ reviewed |
| 38 | Methionine |
| ✓ reviewed |
| 39 | Cysteine |
| ✓ reviewed |
| 40 | Dextrin |
| ✓ reviewed |
| 41 | PEG-60 Hydrogenated Castor Oil |
| ✓ reviewed |
| 42 | Ethylhexylglycerin |
| ✓ reviewed |
| 43 | Disodium EDTA |
| ✓ reviewed |
| 44 | Limonene |
| — |
44 ingredients as printed · 44 exact CosIng matches · source: concentration disclosed on product (94.5% galactomyces ferment filtrate)
03 / Where to buy
Where to buy Skin Power Original First Essence
Some links on this page earn us a commission. It never changes our analysis — the methodology is public.
04 / What people say
What buyers actually say
What works
- Common 94.5% galactomyces ferment filtrate matches the active concentration tier of SK-II Pitera FTE at roughly 10-15% of the price — the most affordable galactomyces-first essence on the market 12
Galactomyces Ferment Filtrate: 94.5% — marked as a 'goodie'; Niacinamide and Glycerin rated 'superstars' database
- Common Galactomyces ferment filtrate activates the aryl hydrocarbon receptor and upregulates filaggrin — a peer-reviewed, mechanistically credible pathway for barrier reinforcement shared by SK-II Pitera 45
Galactomyces fermentation filtrate activates the aryl hydrocarbon receptor to upregulate filaggrin and other skin barrier proteins, effectively counteracting the suppressive effects of immune cytokines Study
- Some Formula includes niacinamide and ceramide NP alongside galactomyces — both evidence-backed actives that strengthen barrier and even skin tone, making this more than a one-ingredient essence 1
Niacinamide and Glycerin labeled 'superstars'; Ceramide NP listed as co-active alongside Sodium Hyaluronate and multiple amino acids database
- Common Exceptionally well-tolerated across skin types for the galactomyces component — no photosensitivity, no purging, no irritation risk from the ferment itself 7
significantly and cumulatively reversed the 11-year facial skin aging in wrinkles, spots, and roughness, with improvements linked to increased skin hydration and reduced water loss Study
What to know
- Common Contains phototoxic and sensitizing essential oils — bergamot fruit oil (furanocoumarins), lavender oil (potentially cytotoxic, increased sensitization), orange peel oil (limonene), and limonene listed separately — ingredients SK-II Pitera deliberately excludes 1
Orange Peel Oil, Lavender Oil, Bergamot Fruit Oil, and Limonene flagged as 'icky' — sensitizer potential and phototoxic furanocoumarins noted database
- Common Almost all galactomyces clinical research — including the 12-month longitudinal study — was conducted using SK-II's proprietary Pitera strain, not a generic galactomyces filtrate; Mizon's fermentation process and strain are unspecified 75
daily application of galactomyces ferment filtrate-containing SK-II skin products over 12 months significantly reversed facial skin aging parameters Study
- Common Compositional opacity: 94.5% is a label claim, not an efficacy dose — galactomyces is an undefined complex mixture with no established dose-response curve, so 94.5% vs 90% vs 99% conveys nothing about potency 23
Rich in vitamins, amino acids, minerals and organic acids — a nutrient-dense yeast byproduct used as a moisturizing agent with antioxidant properties database
- Rare No independent retailer review pool verified at time of review — cannot confirm aggregate user satisfaction or complaint frequency from buyer data 1
page does not display community ratings or user reviews at product level database
What you'd only know from the reviews
-
The essential oil loadout (bergamot, lavender, orange peel, limonene) is the main reason to choose SK-II FTE over this product despite the price gap — not the galactomyces percentage. SK-II Pitera contains no known sensitizers. For fragrance-reactive or sensitized skin, the Mizon formula's 'icky' co-ingredients can counteract or inflame any barrier benefit the galactomyces is delivering. Check your skin's history with citrus and lavender before committing. 1
-
The origin story — sake brewery workers with youthful hands — is SK-II manufacturer narrative, not independently documented history. It circulates in beauty media as fact but sources to P&G marketing. The mechanistic research (AhR, filaggrin, NRF2) came later and is also largely P&G/Furue-lab-affiliated. Mizon marketing appropriates the same origin narrative for a different fermentation product; the transitive claim is unsupported. 24
-
A 2024 study (PMID:39013659) confirmed galactomyces also strengthens tight junction proteins (claudin-1, claudin-4, occludin) — a second barrier reinforcement mechanism independent of the AhR/filaggrin pathway, and notably involving a Kabashima-group author outside the usual P&G authorship cluster. This is the strongest signal yet that the galactomyces mechanism is real, not entirely sponsor-manufactured — though it still does not confirm Mizon's specific strain. 8
-
Lot-to-lot variability is an acknowledged technical concern for all galactomyces ferments — the Nakajima 2022 transcriptomics study used three independent lots specifically to test for this. A budget manufacturer with less process control than SK-II may have higher batch-to-batch variation, which could explain inconsistent user results without any ingredient being 'wrong' on paper. 5
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05 / Questions
Frequently asked
- What's in MIZON Skin Power Original First Essence?
- MIZON Skin Power Original First Essence lists 44 ingredients. Key active: 94.5% Ferment Filtrates. MIZON discloses 94.5% Galactomyces Ferment Filtrate on product packaging and marketing; INCI from INCIDecoder (incidecoder.com/products/mizon-skin-power-original-first-essence). The full ingredient list, matched to EU CosIng, is on this page.
- Does MIZON Skin Power Original First Essence work?
- Directionally yes, with the same caveats as SK-II Pitera: the galactomyces AhR/filaggrin mechanism is scientifically credible (PMID:25786502; PMID:36012891), and a 12-month longitudinal study (PMID:36769815) showed measurable improvement in wrinkles, spots, and roughness. As a budget alternative to SK-II FTE (~$165), Mizon at ~$15-20 delivers the same listed 94.5% galactomyces concentration — but 'same percentage' is not the same as 'same Pitera,' which is a proprietary fermentation with a specific microbial strain and process. The formula also includes phototoxic and sensitizing essential oils (bergamot, lavender, orange peel, limonene) that SK-II avoids entirely — a real formulation weakness SK-II does not share.
- How much Ferment Filtrates is in MIZON Skin Power Original First Essence?
- 94.5% Ferment Filtrates. MIZON discloses 94.5% Galactomyces Ferment Filtrate on product packaging and marketing; INCI from INCIDecoder (incidecoder.com/products/mizon-skin-power-original-first-essence).
- Where can I buy MIZON Skin Power Original First Essence?
- $23.30 on Amazon (price recorded as of the date shown). MIZON discloses 94.5% Galactomyces Ferment Filtrate on product packaging and marketing; INCI from INCIDecoder (incidecoder.com/products/mizon-skin-power-original-first-essence).