Korean beauty infuses herbal remedies that are thousands of years old, incorporating pure plant-based solutions to irritated, dry or damaged skin. From ginseng to centella, they have found lasting impact in using natural extracts to improve skin healing and leading to vastly improved skin appearance. Mugwort (or Artemisia vulgaris) is one of these, that is highly popular for calming irritated, red or acne-prone skin. Naturally rich in antioxidants and agents that refresh and soothe the immune system, mugwort extract has been used for skin conditions in East Asia since the Middle Ages. 

Its most common modern application has been for the treatment of acne and sensitive skin – as mugwort extract is not only anti-bacterial (reducing acne-causing bacteria on the skin), but also anti-fungal and anti-inflammatory to reduce redness, swelling, itching and red spots from acne break-outs. This makes it a great addition to a skincare routine, especially when you need calming hydration. 

Mugwort comes in a variety of skincare products – and can be used safely day and night as desired. You can use it in a toner to soothe and hydrate skin, in a serum to calm and in a moisturizer at the end of the day to seal your skin barrier and maintain a good moisture. It is often found in face masks too, as a cooling treatment to reduce general redness and irritation. 

If you are struggling with acne, it’s best to pick up a toner with mugwort to help exfoliate and calm skin, following with a good acne-friendly ampoule. If you have dry, irritated skin and are looking to boost moisture, pick up a good serum or moisturizer with mugwort to reduce redness. 

It is important to note, however, if you are pregnant or planning a pregnancy to avoid mugwort in your skincare - as it hasn't been studied enough to considered safe and oral mugwort can lead to uterine contractions and put your pregnancy at risk.

If you’re looking at mugwort to help clear up acne, it's best to use it with ingredients that are complimentary to calming acne. Avoid heavy creams or using coconut oil, shea butter, cocoa butter or silicon-rich products. Avoid anything occlusive, like long-term sheet masks, drying products (such as alcohol-based toners, menthol and citrus-based ingredients) and fragrant-heavy products that can irritate skin. 

Mugwort is best paired with other acne-reducing products (think heartleaf, tea-tree oil, seaweed extracts). There is mixed advice about mugwort and ‘actives’ (retinoids, AHA/BHA etc). People with sensitive skin have had adverse reactions mixing actives and mugwort – with increased irritation and sensitivity.

Whereas others find mugwort a deeply soothing addition to actives. So, if you’re considering layering mugwort with AHA/BHA, Vitamin C or retinoids – take care and watch for a reaction (and if you notice increased redness or dryness, be sure to use the mugwort on alternate days or in morning routines). 

Looking to add mugwort to your routine to help cool red spots, irritation and provide some needed hydration? We’ve got your back! Here are our top picks for friendly mugwort treatments that you can add to your routine to refresh your skin. 

5. Axis-Y Daily Purifying Treatment Toner 
Looking for a morning pick-up that will reduce oiliness, clear away dead skin cells and reduce acne outbreaks? This gentle toner has your back – with exfoliating BHA, blended with tea tree extract, centella asciatica, heartleaf and, of course, mugwort extract. All these herbs blend to reduce acne, calm redness and with aloe vera extract and sodium hyaluronate – this toner provides a deep hydration boost for every morning. Best used with a cotton toner pad to gently brush away dead skin cells to give your pores relief! 

4. Anua Niacinamide 10% + TXA 4% Dark Spot Correcting Serum 
A favourite in K-beauty due to its brightening and soothing properties, this serum is great to lift dark spots and even your skin tone. And it contains mugwort! The variety of plant-based extracts in this serum helps cool and refresh skin, whilst also helping lighten acne scars and plump and refresh skin for a glowy finish. It’s a favourite for a reason, and although mugwort plays a small part, blended with macadamia, green tea, centella and a bunch of refreshing vitamins, its role helps bring this serum to one of the top in Korea. 

3. Beauty of Joseon Centella Asciatica Calming Mask Pack 

Looking for a deep hydration, that also calms and boosts your natural skin barrier to balanced perfection? These face masks provide a quiet moment of peace, with a cooling effect you can feel on your face (absolutely perfectly mixed if you put one of these in the fridge in the summer!). With the starring role of centella, this mask gives a boost of gentle hydration – supported by our beloved mugwort, along with green tea, ginseng and refreshing chamomile. Beauty of Joseon also has mugwort in their soothing sun stick (a Matte Sun Stick that is so soothing for red and oily skin), which is a daytime favourite.

2. Isntree Mugwort Calming Clay Mask 
This is possibly the most famous mugwort product in the wider market. Isntree is famous for producing simple, nature-based products that are effective and gentle. And this mask is no different –ideal for oily and rough skin types, to deeply refresh and balance skin. It contains a gentle exfoliant with red bean powder and shredded mugwort leaf to mechanically refresh pores and is perfect for a weekly treatment to balance skin (or before an event!) to give you a smooth, clear face. It’s a great treatment, although it can be a little tight as it dries and can be a little too drying (especially if you have combination or dry skin). 

1. Axis-Y Mugwort Pore Clarifying Wash Off Pack 
This pack is the ultimate pore-refreshing treatment – with the power of 61% pure mugwort extract, blended carefully with kaolin clay to draw impurities from skin and leave you feeling deeply refreshed and smooth. Say goodbye to redness and dry skin, with this gently hydrating and nourishing mask set. Although it comes with a strong herb-y scent, it's safe for all skin types and is most perfect for acne-prone or oily skin types. I 100% recommend it in a bubble bath and just slowly rinsing it after the 15-minute timer. 

It hits our number one spot as the best hit of mugwort your skin can ask for, in a non-drying, soothing and skin relieving clay mask.  

In summary, mugwort is a perfect addition to your skincare routine – especially if you’re feeling a little ‘irritated.’ For some, mugwort becomes their one and only – and one of the only ingredients they trust their skin with. It’s ideal for irritated and sensitive skin and using it continues a long-lasting human tradition of looking to native herbs to soothe and repair skin. 

Is mugwort safe for skin? 
Yes, mugwort is generally considered a safe addition to your general skincare routine. It is not considered safe during pregnancy (as oral mugwort gives a risk to premature contractions) - but outside of the pregnancy, mugwort is a very safe addition to a skincare routine (especially for acne-prone and sensitive skin). It should never cause redness, irritation, itching or a rash – so if you have any adverse effects, you might be allergic and should stop using it immediately. 

What does mugwort do to skin? 
Pure mugwort is an anti-inflammatory agent, meaning it calms the immune system and stops inflammatory agents from dominating your skin barrier. This means, it manually reduces swelling, redness, itching, heat and helps clear and refresh skin appearance. It also is rich in antioxidants to help promote natural skin healing, which is perfect for irritated or acne-prone skin, to rebuild skin cells. It also rescues proteins in your skin barrier to maintain lasting hydration to reduce dry skin. 

What should mugwort be used with? 
Mugwort is a great addition in combination with calming, acne-treating ingredients – such as centella, heartleaf, green tea etc. Using it with exfoliating agents (such as AHA, BHA, LHA and PHA) have had mixed responses, with some people saying it elevated their skincare routine (with the mugwort soothing the exfoliation) and others saying the mugwort increased the acid activity and leads to irritation. It’s about testing what works with your face and taking care. If you are more cautious, it's best to use mugwort on the other side of your actives (such as retinol, vitamin C or AHA) - so use mugwort in the morning and retinol in the evening or Vitamin C in the morning and mugwort in the evening.