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How we build Mystro Active Balance Serum

The original, what makes it special, the shelf parts we use and how to get closer. Add or swap parts and the score updates.

Mystro Active Balance Serum

The original · SkinBetter Science

Mystro Active Balance Serum

$225 · 1 fl oz (30 ml)

A non-retinoid serum built on plant-derived adaptogens (P.A.T.H.

Official product page (opens in new tab)

Prices and listings checked Oct 28, 2026. Amazon prices change; the link shows today's price.

Step 2 · The build

Our build 4 parts

Niacinamide + hydrating base

  • Illustration of Good Molecules Niacinamide Serum 10%

    Good Molecules

    Niacinamide Serum 10%

    Niacinamide 10% serum (AM/PM)

    ANiacinamide · 30
    ~$5Buy on Amazon (opens in new tab)
  • Illustration of The Ordinary Lactic Acid 10% + HA

    The Ordinary

    Lactic Acid 10% + HA

    Gentle lactic acid for dullness (PM, 1x/week)

    EHyaluronic acid and glycerin · 3 of 10
    $9.20Buy on Amazon (opens in new tab)
  • Illustration of The Ordinary Multi-Antioxidant Radiance Serum

    The Ordinary

    The Ordinary Multi-Antioxidant Radiance Serum

    Adds: Alpha-lipoic acid, astaxanthin and ergothioneine antioxidant blend; Botanical adaptogen blend (turmeric, hops, echinacea, panax notoginseng, magnolia)

    BAlpha-lipoic acid, astaxanthin and ergothioneine antioxidant blend · 12 of 30CBotanical adaptogen blend (turmeric, hops, echinacea, panax notoginseng, magnolia) · 5 of 20EHyaluronic acid and glycerin · 3 of 10
    ~$14Buy on Amazon (opens in new tab)
  • Illustration of Byoma Brightening Serum

    Byoma

    BYOMA Brightening Serum

    Adds: Squalane and light emollients; Hyaluronic acid and glycerin

    ANiacinamide · 23 of 30DSqualane and light emollients · 5 of 10EHyaluronic acid and glycerin · 8 of 10
    Check price on AmazonBuy on Amazon (opens in new tab)

Partial credit means the part only partly matches that standout.

The 100 points

What stands out 100 pts

We split Mystro Active Balance Serum into 5 standout parts. Each bar shows what the build earns.

  • ANiacinamide30 of 30 pts

    Evens tone, supports the barrier and helps with pores.

    Bissett 2005 · Dermatol Surg
  • BAlpha-lipoic acid, astaxanthin and ergothioneine antioxidant blend12 of 30 pts

    The Mystro antioxidant core that defines the formula beyond niacinamide.

    No close retail equivalent: we credit at most 40% of these points.

    Beitner 2003 · Br J Dermatol
  • CBotanical adaptogen blend (turmeric, hops, echinacea, panax notoginseng, magnolia)5 of 20 pts

    Plant extracts aimed at calming stress-related redness and dullness.

    No close retail equivalent: we credit at most 40% of these points.

  • DSqualane and light emollients5 of 10 pts

    A skin-like oil that softens and makes the serum feel cushiony.

  • EHyaluronic acid and glycerin8 of 10 pts

    Water-binding base.

Optional

Get closer score under 80

60 / 100. 2 add-ons lift this build to 67/100.

Illustration of The Ordinary 100% Plant-Derived SqualaneIllustration

Add The Ordinary 100% Plant-Derived Squalane

The Ordinary

+5 pts → 65/100 · Check price

DSqualane and light emollients · +5

Plain squalane oil for the emollient part; check the current product page for size and price.

View product (opens in new tab)Not an affiliate link.
Illustration of The Ordinary Hyaluronic Acid 2% + B5 (with Ceramides)Illustration

Add The Ordinary Hyaluronic Acid 2% + B5 (with Ceramides)

The Ordinary

+2 pts → 67/100 · +$9.90

EHyaluronic acid and glycerin · +2

Cheap hyaluronic acid serum for the humectant part of the formula.

$9.90Buy on Amazon (opens in new tab)

70 is our ceiling. No retail serum pairs alpha-lipoic acid, astaxanthin and ergothioneine; other antioxidant serums give partial credit. This botanical set has no retail match; nothing at retail covers it.

Step 3 · Buy

Buy the build

One link per part. Each opens the retailer in a new tab.

Skincare SuppliesOct 28, 2026

Your build

  1. 01Good MoleculesNiacinamide Serum 10%~$5

    Running total ~$5

    Buy on Amazon (opens in new tab)
  2. 02The OrdinaryLactic Acid 10% + HA$9.20

    Running total ~$14.20

    Buy on Amazon (opens in new tab)
  3. 03The OrdinaryThe Ordinary Multi-Antioxidant Radiance Serum~$14

    Running total ~$28.20

    Buy on Amazon (opens in new tab)
  4. 04ByomaBYOMA Brightening SerumCheck price on Amazon

    Running total ~$28.20 + check price

    Buy on Amazon (opens in new tab)
Build total~$28.20 + check price
The splurge$225
Match60/100

The total leaves out the 1 part showing "Check price".

How to use

  1. AM niacinamide; PM lactic acid once weekly on clean skin. Patch test. SPF 30+ every AM.
  2. Add The Ordinary Multi-Antioxidant Radiance Serum: Ergothioneine high on the list plus ginseng and other antioxidants at $14; no niacinamide, astaxanthin or lipoic acid.
  3. Add BYOMA Brightening Serum: Niacinamide third on the list with ceramide NP, cholesterol, squalane and hyaluronate.

Other single-product swaps

One bottle instead of a build. Sorted by match score; scores use the same standouts as above.

budget Closest we found

BYOMA Brightening Serum

Byoma

Match score 36 out of 100

No close match yet — we show the nearest formulas.

Check price on Amazon · 30 ml / 1.01 fl oz
What it shares, what it misses

Shares

  • Niacinamide
  • Ceramide NP
  • Cholesterol
  • Squalane
  • Sodium hyaluronate
  • Glycerin

Misses

  • Adaptogen extracts
  • Astaxanthin / thioctic acid / ergothioneine

Why it is close. Niacinamide third on the list with ceramide NP, cholesterol, squalane and hyaluronate.

Ingredient list source

Buy on Amazon (opens in new tab)
mid

RESIST Ultra-Light Super Antioxidant Serum

Paula's Choice

Match score 32 out of 100
Check price on Amazon · 1 oz
What it shares, what it misses

Shares

  • Antioxidants (CoQ10, niacinamide, hyaluronic acid per Paula's description)

Misses

  • Alpha lipoic acid
  • Astaxanthin
  • Ergothioneine
  • Botanical adaptogens

Why it is close. Best antioxidant-plus-niacinamide mid-tier match; ingredient list and price not confirmed, so confidence is lower.

Ingredient list source

Buy on Amazon (opens in new tab)
budget

Resurfacing Retinol Serum

CeraVe

Match score 31 out of 100
$21.99 · 1 fl oz
What it shares, what it misses

Shares

  • Niacinamide
  • Hyaluronic acid
  • Ceramides

Misses

  • Antioxidants
  • Botanicals

Why it is close. Barrier and niacinamide support only; includes retinol, which Mystro does not have.

Ingredient list source

Buy on Amazon (opens in new tab)

Cheaper in store: Retinol Night Serum. In store at Trader Joe's, $9.99 (price as of Oct 28, 2026), no link, we don't earn from this. 1 fl oz. $9.99/fl oz vs $21.99/fl oz, about 55% less per fl oz. A different product, a close match, not identical. Concentration not stated. The ingredient list comes from a third party, so check the label in store: ingredient source (opens in new tab).

budget

Niacinamide Serum 10%

Good Molecules

Match score 30 out of 100
~$5 Price not confirmed · 30 ml
What it shares, what it misses

Shares

  • Niacinamide

Misses

  • Antioxidant blend
  • Botanicals

Why it is close. Another high-percentage niacinamide serum; same limited overlap. Price approximate.

Ingredient list source

Buy on Amazon (opens in new tab)
budget

Niacinamide 10% + Zinc 1%

The Ordinary

Match score 30 out of 100
~$6 Price not confirmed · 30 ml
What it shares, what it misses

Shares

  • Niacinamide

Misses

  • Alpha lipoic acid
  • Astaxanthin
  • Ergothioneine
  • Botanical adaptogens
  • Squalane

Why it is close. Niacinamide is the only shared active at a very low price; Mystro's antioxidant and adaptogen blend has no budget equivalent.

Ingredient list source

Buy on Amazon (opens in new tab)
budget

10% Niacinamide Serum

The INKEY List

Match score 30 out of 100
Check price on Amazon · 30 ml
What it shares, what it misses

Shares

  • Niacinamide

Misses

  • Antioxidant blend
  • Botanicals

Why it is close. Niacinamide serum. Price not found.

Ingredient list source

Buy on Amazon (opens in new tab)
budget

Beauty of Joseon Revive Serum: Ginseng + Snail Mucin

Beauty of Joseon

Match score 28 out of 100
Check price on Amazon · 30 ml / 1 fl oz
What it shares, what it misses

Shares

  • Panax ginseng root water (63%) + extract
  • Niacinamide
  • Glycerin
  • Sodium hyaluronate

Misses

  • Ceramides
  • Squalane / seed oils
  • Antioxidant blend

Why it is close. The only budget pick built on ginseng (63% root water), the adaptogen the original leans on, with some niacinamide.

Ingredient list source

Buy on Amazon (opens in new tab)
budget

The Ordinary Multi-Antioxidant Radiance Serum

The Ordinary

Match score 20 out of 100
~$14 Price not confirmed · 30 ml / 1 fl oz
What it shares, what it misses

Shares

  • Ergothioneine
  • Panax ginseng root extract
  • Epigallocatechin gallatyl glucoside
  • Tocotrienols
  • Glycerin

Misses

  • Niacinamide
  • Astaxanthin
  • Thioctic (alpha-lipoic) acid
  • Turmeric/echinacea/magnolia/hops
  • Squalane
  • Hyaluronate

Why it is close. Ergothioneine high on the list plus ginseng and other antioxidants at $14; no niacinamide, astaxanthin or lipoic acid.

Ingredient list source

Buy on Amazon (opens in new tab)

What the science says

  • Topical niacinamide (5%, 12 weeks, split-face) improved fine lines, hyperpigmented spots, redness and sallowness in aging facial skin.

    Bissett 2005 · Dermatol Surg

  • A 5% alpha-lipoic acid cream was tested in a randomized, placebo-controlled, double-blind study on photoaged facial skin.

    Beitner 2003 · Br J Dermatol

Full ingredient list

Show the INCI list

Aqua/Water, Copaifera Officinalis (Balsam Copaiba) Resin, Glycerin, Butylene Glycol, Propanediol, Polyglyceryl-3 Distearate, Isosorbide Dicaprylate, Cetearyl Glucoside, Ethoxydiglycol, Diheptyl Succinate, Squalane, Niacinamide, Panax Notoginseng Root Extract, Theobroma Cacao (Cocoa) Leaf Cell Extract, Chamomilla Recutita (Matricaria) Flower Extract, Magnolia Officinalis Bark Extract, Echinacea Purpurea Extract, Sophora Japonica Bud Extract, Humulus Lupulus (Hops) Extract, Curcuma Longa (Turmeric) Root Extract, Hydrolyzed Sodium Hyaluronate, Haematococcus Pluvialis Extract, Astaxanthin, Ergothioneine, Thioctic Acid, Sorbitan Olivate, Tocopherol, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Capryloyl Glycerin/Sebacic Acid Copolymer, Sodium Stearoyl Glutamate, Pentaerythrityl Tetra-di-t-butyl Hydroxyhydrocinnamate, Glyceryl Stearate Citrate, Tribehenin, Cetearyl Alcohol, Acacia Senegal Gum, Hydroxyethylcellulose, Xanthan Gum, Ethylhexylglycerin, Phenethyl Alcohol, Phenoxyethanol, Citric Acid, Phytic Acid, Sodium Hydroxide

Source

Questions

What does the 60/100 score for our Mystro Active Balance Serum build mean?

We split Mystro Active Balance Serum into 5 standout parts worth 100 points in total. The build earns 60 of a possible 70. 70 is the most we claim, because some standouts have no close retail equivalent.

What is the best dupe for Mystro Active Balance Serum?

BYOMA Brightening Serum by Byoma is our closest single-product match at 36 out of 100 (30 ml / 1.01 fl oz). It shares Niacinamide, Ceramide NP, Cholesterol, Squalane, Sodium hyaluronate, Glycerin.

How much can I save on Mystro Active Balance Serum?

Mystro Active Balance Serum costs $225 for 1 fl oz (30 ml). The closest dupe has no price we could confirm (see the seller page). Prices change, so check the seller page.

Is BYOMA Brightening Serum exactly the same as Mystro Active Balance Serum?

No. Dupes share the key actives but can differ in concentration, vehicle and supporting ingredients. Missing from this one: Adaptogen extracts, Astaxanthin / thioctic acid / ergothioneine. See our methodology for how we score.

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