If you know me, you know that I have a true "if it ain't broke, don't fix it" approach to my beauty routine—especially when it comes to skincare. As someone who spent most of my 20s battling breakouts, I ultimately (with many facialists' help) adopted a bare-bones product regimen that did wonders for my skin. I've maintained clear skin for about five years now, and in that time period, my morning and evening product prescription has remained almost 100% unchanged but… There is a but!
Last fall, I was lucky enough to travel to Seoul, South Korea, with the country's number one skincare brand, Sulwhasoo. I'd always heard great things about the brand, but I'd never spent much time with the products themselves. After spending an intimate week with the brand and testing the new Concentrated Ginseng Collection each morning and night, I realized these formulas were exactly what my 30+ skin was craving. I'm not going to act like my skin is showing any serious signs of aging, but I have started to notice the subtle formation of fine lines and a duller, drier complexion.
I've now been using a handful of Sulwhasoo's best-selling products for over six months, and they've had such an incredibly positive impact on my skin I felt obligated to share. Plus, unlike other new products I've tentatively drizzled into my routine over the years, the Sulwhasoo formulas have not triggered any breakouts or irritation. Below, I'm sharing the four main reasons Sulwhasoo has become such a staple brand in my day-to-day routine. Keep scrolling!
#1: Incredible Ingredients & Research Processes
When it comes to cutting-edge skincare discoveries and buzzy, ultra-efficacious ingredients, K-beauty brands are at the forefront of the industry. I already knew this prior to my visit to Seoul, but once I had a chance to visit Sulwhasoo's HQ and tour its laboratories, I realized just how groundbreaking the brand is when it comes to its heritage and product research. Sulwhasoo spotlights a variety of key ingredients within its skincare collections, but Korean ginseng—a superstar ingredient throughout the K-beauty arena—is, without a doubt, the brand's most studied hero ingredient.
"Ginseng is a plant that contains saponin, which is a clearly effective ingredient when it comes to anti-aging," explains Michelle Shieh, Sulwhasoo scientific communications senior manager. "We identified the skin benefits of this saponin ingredient through research, and as a result, the product we developed is Ginsenomics."
While Ginsenomics possesses remarkable bioactivity, Shieh tells me that it exists in very small amounts that can only be utilized by the body after being converted by digestive enzymes. Therefore, it's not naturally usable by the skin and inspired Sulwhasoo to develop a patented bioconversion technology that mimics the enzymatic process, concentrating this ingredient and allowing its efficacy to be effectively utilized in skincare.
"Through ingredient research and studies, we discovered its ability to repair and strengthen damaged collagen in the skin," says Shieh. "When utilized in a formulation, we saw that it helps visibly restore skin elasticity and lifting, resulting in hydrated and radiant skin." Ahem—this is why I can't get enough of the Concentrated Ginseng Collection.
#2: Double-Cleansing
I'll be the first to admit that I can be lazy when it comes to my beauty routines. Sure, I'm infuriatingly picky with what I'm using, but I've always wanted to do the bare minimum and devote the least amount of time possible to my different regimens. Thus, the popular K-beauty practice of double-cleansing was never super appealing. That was until I went to Seoul and used the brand's luxurious Gentle Cleansing Oil ($40) and Gentle Cleansing Foam ($38) each night before bed. Not only did I realize how much I enjoyed the ritual of a double-cleanse, but it was also hard to ignore how much healthier my skin looked and felt.
"Double-cleansing is one of the most essential steps in Korean skincare," Shieh tells me. "It involves first using a cleansing oil to remove oil-based impurities like makeup, sunscreen, and excess sebum, followed by a cleansing foam to eliminate any remaining impurities."
Whether double-cleansing is already a part of your routine or you're just now dipping your toe into the ritual (like me), I can't recommend the below combination of products enough. (They're also great solo if you're not in the mood to double up or are short on time!)
#3: Dreamy Serums & Treatments
I had what I thought was my perfect skincare routine down pat prior to visiting Seoul, but after getting one of the best facials of my life at Sulwhasoo's Spa and Flagship Store and trying a handful of new-to-me serums and treatments, I knew I needed to make some adjustments. "Following up a double-cleanse with products that provide anti-aging and hydrating ingredients is key to promoting visibly plump, youthful-looking skin," Shieh confirms. I've been using the below Sulwhasoo staples for almost nine months now, and my skin has never looked so hydrated, bouncy, and dewy.
#4: Consistency
As much as I loved Sulwhasoo's Concentrated Ginseng Collection when I first tried it last fall, you really need months and maybe even a year of regular use to know if your products are doing what they say they will. As I said earlier, I've been incorporating Sulwhasoo's products into my routine for nearly nine months now, and I'm genuinely shocked at the difference in my skin. At 32, I'm still very young, and any signs of visible aging (like fine lines and wrinkles, dullness, etc.) are subtle, but I've noticed a night-and-day difference in how my skin looks and feels. It's brighter, more even, and significantly softer and smoother. Of course, consistency is key if you want these results, and the fact that Sulwhasoo's products offer such an enjoyable and relaxing user experience is a huge part of that.
"Consistency really is so important," Shieh agrees. "Our skin follows a natural turnover cycle, where old skin cells are shed and replaced with new ones. This cycle typically takes about four weeks, but it can slow down as we age. Because of this, consistency in skincare is essential for achieving and maintaining visible results."
