Mary & May
Vegan Retinol 0.1% Bakuchiol Cica Serum
Vegan Retinol 0.1% Bakuchiol Cica Serum is Mary & May's serum, a Korean-market formula built around Niacinamide named on its own manufacturer ingredient list.
No reviews yet80 ml
$16.16 per 100 ml
- Korean-market formula
- Ships from California or direct from Korea
- Korean barcode and batch code intact
- Suited to
- Normal skinDry or dehydrated skinCombination skin
- Helps with
- A formula built around NiacinamideA treatment serum stepA layered Korean routine
In stock. Arrives in 3 to 7 business days
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How it works
Mary & May is a Korean vegan-formula skincare label pitched as an affordable, ingredient-forward routine staple, and Vegan Retinol 0.1% Bakuchiol Cica Serum is one of its serum entries. Niacinamide sits in the middle of the ingredient list, the tone-evening, barrier-supporting active Korean formulas lean on most often, and its early position here means it is not a token dose. Retinol sits in the middle of the ingredient list. It is why this belongs in an evening routine, introduced gradually rather than nightly from day one, and why daily sunscreen matters while using it. Tocopherol sits in the middle of the ingredient list, the antioxidant vitamin E form supporting the rest of the formula against oxidation. Ceramide NP sits in the middle of the ingredient list, a skin-identical lipid included to support the surface rather than strip it. As a serum, it functions as a treatment step layered under moisturiser in a layered Korean routine. It comes in a 80ml format.
Key benefits
- Mary & May's Vegan Retinol 0.1% Bakuchiol Cica Serum, sourced for the Korean market rather than reformulated for US shelves
- Formulated around Niacinamide, named on the manufacturer's own ingredient list
- Formulated around Retinol, named on the manufacturer's own ingredient list
- Formulated around Tocopherol, named on the manufacturer's own ingredient list
- Functions as a treatment step layered under moisturiser
Inside the formula
Inside the formula
What does Niacinamide do in this serum?
Niacinamide sits in the middle of the ingredient list, the tone-evening, barrier-supporting active Korean formulas lean on most often, and its early position here means it is not a token dose.
Is Retinol also in this formula?
Retinol sits in the middle of the ingredient list. It is why this belongs in an evening routine, introduced gradually rather than nightly from day one, and why daily sunscreen matters while using it. It sits alongside Niacinamide on Mary & May's ingredient list for this product.
How is this serum used in a routine?
Apply a few drops to cleansed skin and pat in gently before moisturiser. It works as a treatment step layered under moisturiser.
Who is this serum suited for?
Normal skin, Dry or dehydrated skin are the best fit for this serum. Patch test on the inner arm before first full use, as with any new skincare product.
Not on the ingredient list below: fragrance or parfum, denatured or SD alcohol, essential oils, parabens, sulfate surfactants, mineral oil or petrolatum and added color.
Full INCI (68): Purified Water, Propanediol, Vinyl Dimethicone, Glycerin, Dipropylene Glycol, Hydrogenated Lecithin, Glycolipids, Hydroxyacetophenone, Alpha-Bisabolol, Cetyl Ethylhexanoate, Macadamia Seed Oil, Sorbitan Stearate, Sodium Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer, Polyisobutene, Niacinamide, Rapeseed Sterol, Polyglyceryl-10 Laurate, 1,2-Hexanediol, Cholesterol, Phytosteryl/Behenyl/Octyldodecyl Lauroyl Glutamate, Dimethicone/Vinyl Dimethicone Crosspolymer, Bakuchiol, Shea Butter, Retinol, Tocopherol, Disodium EDTA, Ceramide NP, Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer, Dipotassium Glycyrrhizate, Sucrose Cocoate, Sodium Hyaluronate, Pentaerythrityl Tetra-di-t-butyl Hydroxyhydrocinnamate, Damask Rose Flower Water, Caprylyl/Capryl Glucoside, Adenosine, Sorbitan Oleate, Cetearyl Alcohol, Stearic Acid, Vanilla Fruit Extract, Polyglutamic Acid, Tromethamine, Green Tea Leaf Extract, Benzotriazolyl Dodecyl p-Cresol, Glyceryl Stearate, Polyglyceryl-10 Myristate, Oleic Acid, Butylene Glycol, Sandalwood Oil, Caprylyl Glycol, Ethylhexylglycerin, Ceramide NS, Phytosphingosine, Carbomer, Arginine, Ceramide AS, Ceramide AP, Centella Asiatica Leaf Extract, Centella Asiatica Root Extract, Centella Asiatica Extract, Sodium DNA, Ceramide EOP, Acetyl Hexapeptide-8, Palmitoyl Pentapeptide-4, Copper Tripeptide-1, Asiatic Acid, Asiaticoside, Madecassic Acid, Madecassoside
Ingredient list read from jolse.com on 10 September 2026.
61 of 68 explained
- Purified 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.
- Vinyl Dimethicone silicone
- Vinyl Dimethicone is a silicone used as a building block of the crosspolymer gels that give a formula its soft, blurring feel.
- Glycerin humectant
- Glycerin is the most used humectant in skincare. It draws water into the outer layer of skin and holds it there, and it is one of the very few ingredients whose hydrating effect is settled science rather than marketing. Higher amounts feel tacky, which is why it is usually blended.
- Dipropylene Glycol humectant
- Dipropylene Glycol is a glycol used as a solvent and a light humectant. Its main job is keeping the rest of the formula dissolved and the texture fluid rather than adding hydration of its own.
- Hydrogenated Lecithin emulsifier
- Hydrogenated Lecithin is lecithin with its unsaturated bonds filled in, which makes it far more stable. It emulsifies and is the standard shell for the liposomes that carry actives into the outer layer of skin.
- Glycolipids barrier lipid
- Glycolipids are lipids joined to a sugar. In a formula they work partly as barrier lipids and partly as mild emulsifiers, holding oil and water together.
- Hydroxyacetophenone preservative booster
- Hydroxyacetophenone is an antioxidant that also strengthens a preservative system, so a formula needs less traditional preservative. Korean formulas pair it with 1,2-hexanediol constantly.
- Alpha-Bisabolol active
- Bisabolol is the main active fraction of chamomile oil, usually supplied from candeia wood. It is used for the look of redness in formulas for reactive skin, and it helps other ingredients absorb.
- Cetyl Ethylhexanoate emollient
- Cetyl Ethylhexanoate is a synthetic ester used as a dry-feeling emollient. It spreads easily, leaves a silky rather than oily finish, and helps disperse pigments and UV filters evenly.
- Macadamia Seed Oil emollient
- Macadamia Seed Oil is unusually high in palmitoleic acid, a fatty acid that human sebum also contains, which is why it absorbs faster than most nut oils. It is a cushioning emollient for dry skin.
- Sorbitan Stearate emulsifier
- Sorbitan Stearate is a mild emulsifier and thickener used to hold oil and water together in creams.
49 more explained
- Sodium Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer thickener
- This is a pre-neutralised polymer thickener that gels on contact with water and stabilises an emulsion without heat.
- Polyisobutene film former
- Polyisobutene is a synthetic polymer that forms a flexible, water-resistant film. It gives gloss and holds a formula in place, which is why it appears in lip products and long-wear textures.
- 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.
- Polyglyceryl-10 Laurate emulsifier
- Polyglyceryl-10 Laurate is a sugar-derived emulsifier and solubiliser, mild enough to be a standard choice in Korean essences. It dissolves small amounts of oil into water without any tightening feel.
- 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.
- Cholesterol barrier lipid
- Cholesterol is the third of the three lipids the outer layer of skin is built from, with ceramides and fatty acids. Formulas that carry all three are following the ratio skin itself holds.
- Phytosteryl/Behenyl/Octyldodecyl Lauroyl Glutamate barrier lipid
- An amino-acid-based lipid built on plant sterols. It structures the oil phase of a cream and echoes the lipid mix that already sits between skin cells.
- Dimethicone/Vinyl Dimethicone Crosspolymer silicone
- This is a silicone elastomer, a soft springy gel. It fills the look of fine texture and gives the velvety, blurred finish of a primer.
- Bakuchiol active
- Bakuchiol is a compound from the babchi seed, used as a plant-derived alternative to retinol. It is oil soluble, stable in daylight and does not carry retinol's acclimatisation period, which is why sensitive-skin formulas choose it.
- Shea Butter emollient
- Shea Butter is the fat pressed from the shea nut, rich in oleic and stearic acids and unsaponifiable plant sterols. It is a heavy emollient and partial occlusive, which is why it sits in balms and night creams rather than in essences.
- Retinol active
- Retinol is the alcohol form of vitamin A and the strongest retinoid available without a prescription. Skin converts it in two steps to retinoic acid, and it is used at night, at low percentages, for the look of fine lines and rough texture. It can leave skin flaking while it acclimatises.
- 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.
- Disodium EDTA chelator
- EDTA is a chelator: it locks up trace metal ions from water and packaging that would otherwise turn a formula cloudy, off-colour or rancid. It does nothing to skin and appears at a fraction of a percent.
- Ceramide NP barrier lipid
- Ceramide NP is the most used cosmetic ceramide, the same class of lipid that makes up roughly half the mortar between cells in the outer layer of skin. Added to a cream it slots into that structure, which is why ceramide formulas feel less leaky rather than merely greasy.
- 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.
- Dipotassium Glycyrrhizate active
- Dipotassium Glycyrrhizate is a water-soluble salt derived from licorice root. It is the licorice fraction Korean formulas use for the look of redness, and it is far more stable in water than the whole extract.
- Sucrose Cocoate emulsifier
- Sucrose Cocoate is table sugar joined to coconut fatty acids. It is a very mild emulsifier and cleanser that also holds water, so it turns up in gentle cleansers and toners.
- Sodium Hyaluronate humectant
- Sodium Hyaluronate is the salt of hyaluronic acid, and it is what most products labelled hyaluronic actually contain. The salt dissolves more readily and the molecule is smaller, so it sits in the outer layer of skin rather than only on top of it.
- Pentaerythrityl Tetra-di-t-butyl Hydroxyhydrocinnamate antioxidant
- This is a stabiliser that keeps the oils and fragrance in a formula from oxidising. Its job is the shelf life of the product rather than any effect on skin.
- Caprylyl/Capryl Glucoside surfactant
- Caprylyl/Capryl Glucoside is a sugar-derived cleansing surfactant. It foams modestly and is mild enough for low-pH cleansers built for reactive skin.
- 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.
- Sorbitan Oleate emulsifier
- Sorbitan Oleate is an emulsifier for water-in-oil formulas. It keeps a rich cream or a cleansing oil from separating.
- Cetearyl Alcohol fatty alcohol
- Cetearyl Alcohol is a waxy solid, not the drying kind of alcohol. It is a blend of cetyl and stearyl alcohols used to thicken a cream and keep oil and water from separating, and it softens skin as it does so.
- Stearic Acid fatty acid
- Stearic Acid is a saturated fatty acid from plant fats, and one of the three lipid classes skin's own barrier is built from. In a formula it thickens, stabilises the emulsion and can be turned into a soap-style cleanser by adding a base.
- Polyglutamic Acid humectant
- Polyglutamic Acid comes from fermented soy and holds several times more water than hyaluronic acid for its weight. It forms a light film on the surface, so it is often layered with hyaluronic rather than replacing it.
- 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.
- Benzotriazolyl Dodecyl p-Cresol antioxidant
- A light stabiliser. Its job is to keep the formula itself from degrading in light, so it is a product-stability ingredient rather than one aimed at skin.
- Glyceryl Stearate emulsifier
- Glyceryl Stearate is glycerin joined to stearic acid, and one of the most used emulsifiers in skincare. It holds oil and water together and thickens the result, and it softens skin at the same time.
- Polyglyceryl-10 Myristate emulsifier
- Polyglyceryl-10 Myristate is a mild sugar-derived emulsifier used to keep oil dispersed in a watery formula.
- Oleic Acid fatty acid
- Oleic Acid is the main fatty acid in olive and many nut oils. It is a rich emollient that softens skin and can feel heavy on skin prone to congestion.
- 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.
- Caprylyl Glycol preservative booster
- Caprylyl Glycol is a glycol that conditions skin and, more importantly, strengthens a preservative system so less of the traditional preservative is needed. It appears in most modern formulas built without parabens.
- 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.
- Ceramide NS barrier lipid
- Ceramide NS is another of the ceramides skin makes for itself. It is used alongside NP and AP so a formula supplies a mixture rather than a single lipid.
- Phytosphingosine barrier lipid
- Phytosphingosine is the backbone every ceramide is built on, and skin uses it in its own lipid layer. In a formula it works with ceramides and cholesterol and also keeps the product stable against microbes.
- 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.
- Arginine amino acid
- Arginine is an amino acid that does two jobs here: it holds water in the outer layer of skin, and it neutralises acidic gelling agents, which is why it often stands in for a synthetic pH adjuster.
- Ceramide AS barrier lipid
- Ceramide AS is a further member of the same lipid family. Its presence usually signals a formula built around a full ceramide profile rather than a single headline one.
- Ceramide AP barrier lipid
- Ceramide AP is a second cosmetic ceramide, distinguished by an extra hydroxyl group. Formulas that name several ceramides are copying the mix skin actually holds rather than relying on one.
- Centella Asiatica Leaf Extract plant extract
- Centella Asiatica is the plant behind the whole cica category, sold as gotu kola or Madagascar centella. Its extract is the anchor of Korean formulas built for easily reddened skin, and its work is done by four triterpenes: asiaticoside, madecassoside, asiatic acid and madecassic acid.
- Sodium DNA active
- Sodium DNA is the salt of DNA, in Korean skincare almost always salmon derived, and it is the ingredient behind the PDRN category. It is used as a humectant and for the look of tired skin; the fragments themselves are what the name PDRN refers to.
- Ceramide EOP barrier lipid
- Ceramide EOP is the ceramide with the longest tail, and in skin it acts as the rivet holding the lipid layers together. It is the third member of the standard cosmetic ceramide trio.
- Acetyl Hexapeptide-8 peptide
- Acetyl Hexapeptide-8 is a six-amino-acid peptide used for the look of expression lines, particularly around the eyes. It is the peptide sold under the name Argireline and is water soluble and stable.
- Palmitoyl Pentapeptide-4 peptide
- Palmitoyl Pentapeptide-4 is the five-amino-acid peptide originally sold as Matrixyl. It is used for the look of fine lines and is one of the longest-standing cosmetic peptides.
- Copper Tripeptide-1 peptide
- Copper Tripeptide-1 is three amino acids bound to a copper ion, and the classic firming peptide in cosmetic chemistry. It is blue in solution, which is often why a serum carrying it is tinted, and it is used for the look of firmness and fine lines.
- Asiatic Acid active
- Asiatic Acid is the third of centella's four triterpenes and the aglycone form, meaning it has no attached sugar. It is oil soluble, so it turns up in cica creams and balms more than in watery layers.
- Asiaticoside active
- Asiaticoside is one of the four active triterpenes isolated from centella and the most studied of them. Korean formulas name it separately when they want to show which fraction of the plant they standardised.
- Madecassic Acid active
- Madecassic Acid is the fourth centella triterpene. A list that names all four is telling you the extract was standardised rather than simply pressed, which is the difference between a cica claim and a cica formula.
- Madecassoside active
- Madecassoside is the centella triterpene most associated with the look of redness, and the one brands lead with in cica products. It is water soluble and stable, so it appears in essences as readily as in creams.
- Market
- Korean market, the version sold in Korea
- Made in
- Republic of Korea
- Volume
- 80 ml
- Category
- Serum & Ampoule
- Actives
- Adenosine, Bakuchiol, Bisabolol, Centella Asiatica, Ceramide NP, Ceramides, Licorice Root, Madecassoside, Niacinamide, PDRN (Sodium DNA), Peptides, Retinol, Shea Butter, Sodium Hyaluronate
- 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.
How to use
- Cleanse and tone, then apply this while the skin is still slightly damp so it spreads without dragging.
- Use one or two pumps for the whole face and press it in with flat palms rather than rubbing in circles.
- Wait until the surface feels tacky rather than wet, then put your moisturiser on top.
- Do not use it as your only layer on dry skin, since a light fluid left uncovered is the first thing to evaporate.
Worth knowing
- Patch test on the inner arm before first full use, as with any new skincare product.
- Introduce a new active gradually into an existing routine rather than adding several at once.
Complete the routine
- This itemMary & May Vegan Retinol 0.1% Bakuchiol Cica Serum$12.93
- Seal the routine in as the last stepMary & May Sensitive Soothing Gel Cream 100g$30.00
- The treatment step of this routineMary & May Centella Asiatica Serum 30ml$20.00
Total for 3 items$62.93
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Mary & May Vegan Retinol 0.1% Bakuchiol Cica Serum
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Mary & May, Korean-market original
Mary & May's Vegan Retinol 0.1% Bakuchiol Cica Serum, sourced for the Korean market.
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 skin care, quoted from the medical sources linked beside each.
Your skin barrier is basically your outer layer of the skin.
Melissa Piliang, MDDermatologist, Cleveland Clinic Pretty much every step of a Korean skin care routine is going to have some component of hydration.
Alok Vij, MDDermatologist, Cleveland Clinic
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