How to Choose Beta-Glucan: What to Check on Cosmetic Ingredient Lists

When looking at cosmetic ingredient lists, you'll often come across the name 'beta-glucan.' It's widely used in moisturizing creams, soothing ampoules, and even post-procedure recovery products, so many people simply pass over it as 'an ingredient that's good to have.' However, it's much more helpful to know how it actually works and what criteria to use when choosing products containing it.

How does beta-glucan work?

Beta-glucan is a polysaccharide ingredient extracted from grains, mushrooms, and similar sources. It forms a thin film on the skin's surface that helps prevent moisture loss and protects the skin from external irritants. Known for helping maintain hydration and support soothing care, it's frequently included in products for skin that has become sensitive after irritation.

However, beta-glucan alone doesn't dramatically change your skin condition. Since the skin barrier is stably maintained through the combined action of lipid components like ceramides, cholesterol, and fatty acids, along with moisture-binding ingredients, it's more accurate to understand beta-glucan as one of the 'supporting ingredients.'

Times when the effect feels different depending on skin condition

The way you feel after applying a product containing beta-glucan can vary depending on your skin condition. If your skin tends to feel dry, you may notice a lasting feeling of moisture from the early stages of use, and during periods when your skin becomes sensitive due to seasonal changes or external irritants, many people report feeling that the irritation subsides.

On the other hand, if the skin already has a thickened stratum corneum or a significantly weakened barrier, beta-glucan alone may not be sufficient. In such cases, it's advisable to consistently use a product that also contains barrier-care ingredients for several days while monitoring changes in skin condition.

How to choose a beta-glucan product

First, check the position of beta-glucan on the ingredient list. Since ingredients are listed in order of concentration, if it appears early on the list right after water, it can be considered to be included at a relatively high concentration.

Second, look at the other ingredients formulated alongside it. If soothing and moisturizing ingredients like panthenol and allantoin, along with barrier-care ingredients like ceramides, are included together, they are likely to work in a complementary manner.

Third, determine your purpose of use first. If you simply want moisturization, a lighter formula may be suitable, while if your skin has just experienced irritation, a formula richly formulated with barrier ingredients may be more appropriate.

During sensitive periods, such as after a procedure

After lifting procedures or skin booster treatments, the skin may temporarily become sensitive and the barrier weakened. During such times, rather than using a beta-glucan-only product, using products designed step-by-step with a complex of 5 types of ceramides and soothing ingredients like panthenol may help manage skin condition. In other words, post-procedure care can be said to be determined more by 'the right combination for the stage' than by 'a single ingredient.'

Post-procedure recovery is determined by home care

ZXQMAGAZINETERMAviju CreamZXQ reflects this combination principle and is composed of a 2-STEP system tailored to the post-procedure recovery flow. For the first 1 to 3 days right after a procedure, the Ultra Cera-Rich Cream, containing a complex of 5 types of ceramides and panthenol, focuses on caring for redness and irritation, while from day 4 onward during the recovery period, the Hydro Re-Boosting Cream, containing beta-glucan, continues deep moisturization and skin texture care. This design prioritizes the right combination for each stage over any single ingredient.