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Description
MUJI 発酵導入美容液 Fermented Booster Essence 50 mL — Water-Free Rice-Bran Ferment
Overview
MUJI 発酵導入美容液 is a 導入美容液 — a booster essence, the step that goes between cleansing and lotion. MUJI formulates it without water: more than 65% of the product is コメヌカ発酵液, a rice-bran ferment MUJI developed from Yamagata-grown rice bran, which is why the texture is a thick, slow gel rather than a watery serum. MUJI's own claim for it is modest and specific — it smooths the skin so that the moisturising ingredients of the products that follow are easier to take up in the stratum corneum. 50 mL.
See also: Japanese serums and Japanese skincare.
Key Benefits
- Formulated without water — MUJI states over 65% of the product is rice-bran ferment, and コメヌカ発酵液 is the first entry on the ingredient list
- Rice bran from Yamagata Prefecture, which MUJI says carries seven vitamins and eight minerals; the yeast extract and the rice bran oil in the formula come from the same raw material
- Fragrance-free, colourant-free, mineral-oil-free, mildly acidic, paraben-free, alcohol-free and phenoxyethanol-free — all of these are MUJI's own declarations
- Allergy tested and stinging tested by MUJI, which notes that this does not mean no one will react
- Ceramide NP and five amino acids — alanine, arginine, sodium glutamate, serine and proline — are declared in the list
- MUJI positions it for two specific complaints: lotion that sits on the skin instead of sinking in, and skin that feels rough or thickened
Product Details
| Brand | MUJI (無印良品) |
|---|---|
| Company | Ryohin Keikaku Co., Ltd. (株式会社良品計画) |
| Product name (JP) | 発酵導入美容液 |
| Product type | 導入美容液 — booster essence, used before lotion |
| Volume | 50 mL pump bottle. MUJI also sells a 100 mL size. |
| JAN code | 4550583451295 |
| Country of origin | Japan |
| Composition | Formulated without water; over 65% rice-bran ferment per MUJI |
| Declared free of | Fragrance, colourant, mineral oil, parabens, alcohol, phenoxyethanol |
| pH | Mildly acidic |
| Testing | Allergy tested and stinging tested by MUJI |
| Regulatory class in Japan | Cosmetic (化粧品). Not a quasi-drug and not a medicine. |
Who Is This For?
- Your toner or lotion sits on the surface instead of sinking in — this is one of the two complaints MUJI names for this product
- Your skin feels rough or thickened and you want to smooth it before the rest of the routine, not add another active
- You want a fragrance-free, alcohol-free, paraben-free step and are willing to read the ingredient list to confirm it
- You are comfortable with a thick, slow-spreading gel — this is not a light watery essence
- You are not sensitive to yeast-derived ingredients; yeast extract and a rice-bran ferment are both present
How to Use
- Cleanse, and pat the face dry or leave it slightly damp.
- Dispense one to two pumps into the palm — MUJI's own stated amount.
- Press it over the whole face with the palms. The gel is thick; give it a moment rather than rubbing it in.
- Follow immediately with your lotion, then milk or cream. This step is not left bare and it is not rinsed off — the next layer closes it.
- Use morning and evening. MUJI's routine order is: cleanse, optional wipe-off lotion, this essence, lotion, milk, cream.
Frequency: Morning and evening, one to two pumps, before lotion.
Full Ingredients
Rice Bran Ferment Filtrate (コメヌカ発酵液), Glycerin, BG, Propanediol, Pentylene Glycol, PEG/PPG/Polybutylene Glycol-8/5/3 Glycerin, Ceramide NP, Alanine, Arginine, Sodium Glutamate, Serine, Proline, Hydrolyzed Hyaluronic Acid, Yeast Extract, Dipotassium Glycyrrhizate, Diglycerin, Ethylhexylglycerin, Rice Bran Oil, Oleyl Alcohol, PPG-7 Buteth-10, PPG-20 Methyl Glucose, Polysorbate 80, PEG-60 Hydrogenated Castor Oil, Xanthan Gum, Citric Acid, Sodium Citrate
Declared by MUJI. Note that water is not in this list — MUJI formulates this essence without it, and the rice-bran ferment stands first. MUJI describes the ingredients as naturally derived, with its own footnote that this includes ingredients obtained by chemically reacting natural substances.
Cautions
- MUJI states the product is allergy tested and stinging tested, and adds in the same breath that this does not mean no one will experience an allergy or skin irritation. Treat it as a reduced risk, not a guarantee.
- Contains yeast extract and a rice-bran ferment. Patch test on the inner forearm if you react to yeast or to fermented ingredients.
- Contains dipotassium glycyrrhizate, a liquorice derivative, and rice bran oil.
- Contains polysorbate 80, PEG-60 hydrogenated castor oil and oleyl alcohol. These are the emulsifying and solubilising agents; they occasionally matter to people with a history of reacting to surfactants in leave-on products.
- For external use on the face. Avoid the eye area and do not apply to broken or inflamed skin.
- Stop use and consult a dermatologist if redness, swelling, itching or irritation develops, and do not continue using it on skin that is already reacting.
- MUJI's claim for this product is confined to the stratum corneum, the outermost layer of the skin. It is a cosmetic and makes no medical claim.
- Keep out of the reach of children. Close the pump after use and store away from direct sunlight and high temperatures.
Package Contents
1 × MUJI 発酵導入美容液, 50 mL, in a pump bottle. Nothing else is included.
Shipping & Store Notes
- Ships directly from Japan
- Processing time: 2–6 business days
- Tracking number provided after dispatch
- Import duties and taxes may apply depending on destination country
- Opened cosmetics cannot be returned for hygiene and safety reasons
Authenticity Guarantee
Every product at Tsujimoto Market is sourced directly from Japan and verified for authenticity. We never sell fakes or grey-market goods. Each order is carefully packed in Kobe, Japan and dispatched with full tracking.
FAQ
Is there water in it?
No. MUJI formulates this essence without water and states that over 65% of it is rice-bran ferment. The ferment is the first entry on the ingredient list, which is ordered by quantity.
Where does it go in my routine?
After cleansing, before lotion. A 導入 essence is neither a leave-on nor a rinse-off in the Western sense: you do not wash it off and you do not leave it bare — the lotion goes straight on top and everything comes off together at the next cleanse.
Is it really fragrance-free and alcohol-free?
Yes, on MUJI's own declaration: fragrance-free, colourant-free, mineral-oil-free, paraben-free, alcohol-free and phenoxyethanol-free, mildly acidic. The full list is printed above so you can check rather than take our word for it.
Will it make my other products work better?
MUJI's claim is that it leaves the skin smooth so the moisturising ingredients that follow are easier to take up in the stratum corneum — the outermost layer. That is the whole claim, and we are not going to enlarge it.
It is thick. Is that normal?
Yes. Because there is no water in it and most of it is ferment, the texture is a slow, heavy gel. One to two pumps is MUJI's stated amount; press it in rather than rubbing.
