What it is
Coix Lacryma-jobi Ma-yuen Root Extract is prepared from the root of the Job's tears grass, the same plant whose seed (hatomugi) is widely used in East Asian skincare. It contains polysaccharides and other water-soluble constituents and is added to cosmetics as a skin-conditioning and moisture-supporting botanical. It contributes no UV-filtering function in sunscreen formulas.
Safety & warnings
This root extract is generally well tolerated at cosmetic use levels and is not associated with notable allergen or comedogenicity concerns. People with sensitive skin can patch test products containing it as a general precaution.
Origin & sourcing
Natural; extracted from the root of Coix lacryma-jobi var. ma-yuen (Job's tears).
Questions everyone asks
Is this the same as hatomugi extract?
It comes from the same Job's tears plant, but this is a root extract rather than the more familiar seed (hatomugi) extract.
What does it do in a sunscreen?
It acts as a conditioning, moisture-supporting botanical, not as a sunscreen filter.