ESSENCE OF BEAUTY

Korean skincare brand su:m37* uses natural fermentation technology to deliver beautiful skin from the inside.

Portrait of Tammy Strobel

Korean skincare brand su:m37* uses natural fermentation technology to deliver beautiful skin from the inside. 

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Millennials are often accused of needing instant gratification – they want it all, and they want it now. And if they don’t get it, they’ll move on. Nature, though, doesn’t work like that: Everything has to occur in its own time – and this is the philosophy behind su:m37*. 

Worth the wait 

The Korean skincare brand believes that nature offers the best solutions for skin, which is why it uses a natural fermentation process to extract key ingredients that promise to enhance the healing power of skin, without adding preservatives, artificial colours and fragrance. 

These ingredients are derived from extracts of more than 80 types of local Korean plant varieties, which are fermented and aged in cedar barrels under stringent conditions for at least 365 days. The entire process takes place in su:m37*’s own Natural Fermentation Research Institute. 

According to the brand, this strategy of allowing nature to take its course yields ingredients that are better absorbed by skin and are naturally hypoallergenic. They are also said to be to seven times more nourishing than non-fermented ones. 

Beauty secrets unveiled 

These fermented ingredients are found in the brand’s star product Secret Essence ($108 for 80ml, $175 for 150ml). They include the patented Cytosis® as well as ferulic acid, which are designed to protect skin from external stressors and pollution so that it looks healthy, hydrated and revitalised. The antioxidant-rich formula is further enhanced by the Advanced Sync Program™, which works on five factors – hydration, firmness, texture, brilliance and tone – to give you beautiful skin. Results are said to be visible in just two weeks. The range also includes Secret Programming Mask ($121 for eight sheets) and Secret Programming Eye Cream ($128 for 25ml).