SIGNIA ILLUMINATING SERUM 30ml
HERA SIGNIA ILLUMINATING SERUM is a 30ml serum with Niacinamide, used after toner and before moisturizer, morning and evening.
No reviews yet30 ml
$1,016.67 per 100 ml
- Korean-market formula
- Ships from California or direct from Korea
- Korean barcode and batch code intact
- Suited to
- Congested skinUneven textureDehydrated skinDull, uneven tone
- Helps with
- Shoppers looking for Niacinamide in a serumRoutines that want Niacinamide and Adenosine in one stepFilling the serum step with a Korean-market formula
In stock. Arrives in 3 to 7 business days
We accept
You’re $100.00 away from free US shipping.
- 30-day returns
- Free US shipping on orders of $100 or more
- Tracked delivery to your door
How it works
The SIGNIA ILLUMINATING SERUM is a 30ml serum, used after toner and before moisturizer, morning and evening. The active it is built around is Niacinamide, named sixth on its own ingredient list. The same list carries Adenosine, Protease and Ascorbyl Tetraisopalmitate, so the active is not the only thing on it worth naming. How much of the Niacinamide stays on the skin, and for how long, is decided by the serum format rather than by the list alone. HERA sells this Niacinamide serum in Korea, and this is that version.
Key benefits
- Niacinamide, the active this serum is built around
- Adenosine and Protease on the same list, actives
- Ascorbyl Tetraisopalmitate and Tocopherol on the same list, antioxidants
- Pectin and Isononyl Isononanoate further down the same list
- Squalane and Hydrogenated Poly(C6-14 Olefin) further down the same list
- Niacinamide named sixth on the manufacturer list printed on this page
Key actives
6Niacinamideactive
Niacinamide is vitamin B3, and it is the most studied active in Korean formulation. On this serum's own ingredient list it is named sixth.
18Adenosineactive
Adenosine is a nucleoside that Korea's own cosmetic authority recognises as a wrinkle-care functional ingredient, which is why it appears on so many Korean lists at a low level. It is used for the look of fine lines and is stable and well tolerated. It is named eighteenth on this serum's list, alongside Niacinamide.
24Ascorbyl Tetraisopalmitateantioxidant
Ascorbyl Tetraisopalmitate is an oil-soluble vitamin C ester, also sold as tetrahexyldecyl ascorbate. Being oil soluble it sits in the oil phase and is far more stable than pure vitamin C. It is named twenty-fourth on this serum's list, alongside Niacinamide.
27Tocopherolantioxidant
Tocopherol is vitamin E. It is an oil-soluble antioxidant that protects the oils in a formula from going rancid and works on skin as an emollient, and it is regularly paired with vitamin C because each keeps the other going for longer. The panel names it twenty-seventh on this serum's list, beside Niacinamide.
30Proteaseactive
Protease is an enzyme that breaks down protein. In a cleanser or peel it loosens the protein bonds holding dead surface cells together, which is a gentler route to smoothness than an acid or a scrub. The panel names it thirtieth on this serum's list, beside Niacinamide.
Where does this serum go in my routine?
After toner and before moisturizer, morning and evening. Anything thinner than a serum goes on before it, and anything richer goes on after. If you are adding it to a routine you already like, give it a week on its own first, so what you see is the Niacinamide and not three changes at once.
Does this serum contain fragrance?
Yes. The ingredient list names Benzyl Salicylate, Citronellol and Fragrance. They sit on the panel printed on this page, so you can read the position for yourself before you buy. If fragrance components are something you avoid, this serum is not the one.
What else is on the list besides Niacinamide?
Adenosine, Protease and Ascorbyl Tetraisopalmitate. The order they are printed in on this serum's panel is the order on the box, so you can see where Niacinamide sits relative to them. Further down the same panel: Tocopherol, Pectin and Isononyl Isononanoate.
Not on the ingredient list below: denatured or SD alcohol, essential oils, silicones, parabens, sulfate surfactants, mineral oil or petrolatum and added color.
Full INCI (36): Water, Propanediol, Methyl Gluceth-20, Methylpropanediol, Isononyl Isononanoate, Niacinamide, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, 1,2-Hexanediol, Squalane, Butylene Glycol, Betaine, Tromethamine, Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer, Hydrogenated Poly(c6-20 Olefin), Carbomer, Fragrance, Ethylhexylglycerin, Adenosine, HDI/Trimethylol Hexyllactone Crosspolymer, Narcissus Tazetta Bulb Extract, Sodium Metaphosphate, Dextrin, Camellia Japonica Seed Extract, Ascorbyl Tetraisopalmitate, Benzyl Salicylate, Hydroxycitronellal, Tocopherol, Cyclodextrin, Citronellol, Protease, Tartrazine, Sunset Yellow Fcf, Pullulan, Zein, Pectin, Citric Acid
Ingredient list read from hera.com on 30 August 2026.
31 of 36 explained
- Water solvent
- Water is the base almost every serum, toner and cream is built on. It dissolves the water-loving ingredients and sets how light the finished texture feels. On an INCI list it is usually first, which only means it is the largest single ingredient by weight.
- Propanediol humectant
- Propanediol is a plant-derived glycol used in place of propylene glycol. It hydrates, carries actives into solution, and gives a lighter, less sticky slip than glycerin at the same strength.
- Methyl Gluceth-20 humectant
- Methyl Gluceth-20 is a sugar-derived humectant. It holds water in the outer layer of skin and gives a smooth, cushioned slip that plain glycerin does not.
- Methylpropanediol humectant
- Methylpropanediol is a small glycol used to hydrate and to help water-soluble actives penetrate the outer layer of skin more evenly. It leaves almost no tack, which suits watery textures.
- Isononyl Isononanoate emollient
- Isononyl Isononanoate is a branched ester used as a dry emollient. It spreads far for its weight and leaves almost no residue, which is why it appears in formulas that have to feel weightless.
- Niacinamide active
- Niacinamide is vitamin B3, and it is the most studied active in Korean formulation. It is used at roughly 2 to 5 percent for the look of uneven tone and visible pores, and it is water soluble, stable and comfortable beside almost every other active, which is why it turns up in so many lists.
- Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride emollient
- Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride is the light fraction of coconut oil, with the heavy parts removed. It is the workhorse emollient of modern formulas: it softens skin, dissolves oil-soluble actives and absorbs without the greasy weight of a whole plant oil.
- 1,2-Hexanediol humectant
- 1,2-Hexanediol is a glycol used for two reasons: it holds water like glycerin, and it makes a formula harder for microbes to live in, so less traditional preservative is needed. Korean formulas use it heavily for that second reason.
- Squalane emollient
- Squalane is the stable, saturated version of squalene, a lipid human skin already makes. It is a light emollient that absorbs quickly, does not oxidise, and is one of the few oils widely considered safe for blemish-prone skin. Most cosmetic squalane is now from sugarcane or olive rather than shark.
- Butylene Glycol humectant
- Butylene Glycol is a small glycol that does two jobs at once: it holds water in the top layer of skin and it dissolves plant extracts and actives that plain water cannot. It also thins a formula, which is why watery Korean essences lean on it.
- Betaine humectant
- Betaine is a sugar-beet-derived humectant that cells use to hold water. In a formula it hydrates and takes the edge off cleansers and acids, which is why it often appears alongside them.
- Tromethamine pH adjuster
- Tromethamine neutralises acidic thickeners such as carbomer so they gel, and holds a formula near skin-friendly pH. It is used at a fraction of a percent.
19 more explained
- Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer thickener
- This is a carbomer relative with fatty side chains, so it thickens and stabilises an emulsion at the same time. It gives a light gel-cream body rather than a heavy one.
- Hydrogenated Poly(c6-20 Olefin) emollient
- Hydrogenated Poly(C6-14 Olefin) is a synthetic hydrocarbon emollient. It gives a smooth, silicone-like glide and is completely stable, so it does not go rancid.
- Carbomer thickener
- Carbomer is a synthetic polymer that only gels once a base neutralises it, which is why arginine or tromethamine sits nearby on the list. It gives the clear, non-stringy gel texture a xanthan formula cannot reach.
- Fragrance fragrance
- Fragrance, or Parfum, is a single declaration standing for a whole scent blend, which can be dozens of materials. Regulators allow it as a trade secret, so a list showing only this word does not say what the scent is made of. It is the most common trigger named by people with reactive skin.
- Ethylhexylglycerin preservative booster
- Ethylhexylglycerin softens skin and boosts a preservative system, which is why it is nearly always sitting beside phenoxyethanol or 1,2-hexanediol. It also cuts down the odour bacteria produce, so it turns up in deodorising products.
- Adenosine active
- Adenosine is a nucleoside that Korea's own cosmetic authority recognises as a wrinkle-care functional ingredient, which is why it appears on so many Korean lists at a low level. It is used for the look of fine lines and is stable and well tolerated.
- HDI/Trimethylol Hexyllactone Crosspolymer absorbent
- A spherical polymer powder. The spheres roll under the fingers, absorb a little oil and scatter light, which softens the look of pores and fine lines.
- Sodium Metaphosphate chelator
- A phosphate salt that ties up metal ions in water. It also stops the calcium and magnesium in hard water from flattening a cleanser foam.
- Dextrin thickener
- Dextrin is a starch fragment used to thicken and to give a formula a light, powdery finish. It is also a common carrier for powdered extracts.
- Ascorbyl Tetraisopalmitate antioxidant
- Ascorbyl Tetraisopalmitate is an oil-soluble vitamin C ester, also sold as tetrahexyldecyl ascorbate. Being oil soluble it sits in the oil phase and is far more stable than pure vitamin C.
- Benzyl Salicylate fragrance component
- Benzyl Salicylate is a faint floral aromatic that also holds a fragrance on skin longer. It is one of the 26 fragrance components EU labelling requires to be named.
- Hydroxycitronellal fragrance component
- Hydroxycitronellal is a soft lily-of-the-valley aromatic. It is one of the 26 declarable fragrance components.
- Tocopherol antioxidant
- Tocopherol is vitamin E. It is an oil-soluble antioxidant that protects the oils in a formula from going rancid and works on skin as an emollient, and it is regularly paired with vitamin C because each keeps the other going for longer.
- Cyclodextrin solvent
- A ring-shaped sugar with a hollow centre. Formulas use it to hold an oil, a fragrance or an unstable active inside the ring, which keeps it stable and slows its release.
- Citronellol fragrance component
- Citronellol is a rose-geranium aromatic and one of the 26 fragrance components EU labelling names individually.
- Protease active
- Protease is an enzyme that breaks down protein. In a cleanser or peel it loosens the protein bonds holding dead surface cells together, which is a gentler route to smoothness than an acid or a scrub.
- Pullulan film former
- Pullulan is a fermentation-derived polysaccharide that dries to a tight film, which is why it produces a temporary, visible tightening feel on the skin.
- Pectin polysaccharide
- Pectin is the gelling sugar in fruit peel, and in a hydrocolloid patch it is the half that takes up fluid. It swells as it absorbs, which is what turns a patch white.
- Citric Acid pH adjuster
- Citric Acid is used in tiny amounts to bring a formula to the pH its actives need, not as an exfoliant at that level. It is an AHA, so at much higher concentrations it can also exfoliate.
- Market
- Korean market, the version sold in Korea
- Made in
- Republic of Korea
- Volume
- 30 ml
- Category
- Serum & Ampoule
- Ships from
- California or Korea
Orders ship from California or direct from Korea with tracked delivery to your door, and both routes carry the same Korean-market release. Shipping is free on orders of $100 or more. Returns are accepted for 30 days, by mail.
We split shipments free, so one out-of-stock item never holds up the rest of your order.
Where this unit came from
- 1Seoul
Bought as Korean-market stock - 2Barcode
Listed against the Korean barcode on its box - 3California or Korea
Ships to you from either, as the same Korean-market release
We stock the version of a formula that is sold in Korea, not the release a brand prepares for another market under the same name.
Every unit keeps its original barcode and batch code intact, so the unit in your hands can be checked against the brand’s own records.
Every order ships from California or direct from Korea, and returns run for 30 days.
Every claim on this page traces to the unit in the box, the barcode, the batch code and the price you can read for yourself.
Inside the formula
Inside the formula
- 6Niacinamide
- 18Adenosine
- 24Ascorbyl Tetraisopalmitate
- 27Tocopherol
- 30Protease
Where each key active sits on the declared ingredient list, by entry number. Position is proportion: the further forward, the larger its share.
How to use
- Apply a few drops to clean, toned skin morning and night, then follow with cream to seal it in.
Worth knowing
- Patch test this serum on a small area and wait a day before using it more widely, especially with Niacinamide on the list.
- This list names Benzyl Salicylate, Citronellol and Fragrance, so skip it if fragrance components are something you avoid.
Complete the routine
- This itemHERA SIGNIA ILLUMINATING SERUM 30ml$305.00
- The last step of the morning, over everything elseHERA UV Protector Tone-Up SPF50+ PA++++ 50ml #Peach$57.50
- From the same Korean-market lineHERA Homme Black Active Special Set$157.50
Total for 3 items$520.00
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HERA SIGNIA ILLUMINATING SERUM 30ml
How it felt, how your skin took it, what you layer it with. Straight answers help the next person choose.
HERA, Korean-market original
The Original Korean Formula serum from HERA, 30ml formulated with Niacinamide and Adenosine, shipped from California or direct from Korea.
Verify your unit when it arrives
Verify your unit when it arrives
Korean-market stock with the original barcode and batch code intact, exactly as it left Korea.
On the unit itself
- The Korean-market barcode, unaltered from the retail package.
- The manufacturer’s batch code, exactly as the maker printed it.
정품Genuine article, Korean-market stock
What professionals say
What professionals say
What skin-care professionals say about the key actives in this formula, quoted from the medical sources linked beside each.
Using topical vitamin C can result in less cell damage and better-looking skin.
Melissa Piliang, MDDermatologist, Cleveland Clinic People with dry, flaky skin are more likely to see a benefit from using vitamin E because it enhances moisturization.
Amy Kassouf, MDDermatologist, Cleveland Clinic
1 more professional perspective
Niacinamide helps reduce the appearance of pores in a few ways. By strengthening the skin barrier and improving elasticity, pores appear less noticeable and more even.
Ashlyn YankeAesthetician, Cleveland Clinic
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