For 50 years, ginseng has been at the heart of Sulwhasoo’s anti-ageing research and products. Now, the South Korean brand marks this milestone with an upgrade of its signature cream. CHARMAINE LEE reports from Seoul.
For 50 years, ginseng has been at the heart of Sulwhasoo’s anti-ageing research and products. Now, the South Korean brand marks this milestone with an upgrade of its signature cream. CHARMAINE LEE reports from Seoul.
We’re all familiar enough with the precious herb ginseng. Widely used in traditional Chinese medicine, it is said to boost the body’s immune system. Of all ginseng variants, Korean red ginseng allegedly contains the highest levels of ginseng saponin – an active ingredient with anti-ageing properties.
It was this fascination with ginseng and its benefits that led Sulwhasoo’s late founder and chairman Suh Sung-Whan to create the ABC Ginseng Cream in 1966 – the precursor to the brand’s recently upgraded Concentrated Ginseng Renewing Cream EX. Now into its fourth generation (the previous version was launched seven years ago), it is Sulwhasoo’s signature anti-ageing product and the result of 50 years of extensive ginseng research (termed Ginsenomics by the brand).
The cream is meant for those aged 35 and above, as Sulwhasoo believes that is when ageing accelerates and the skin is thrown out of balance. According to Korean herbal medicine, the key to achieving healthy and beautiful skin is to restore its balance – much like how yin and yang must coexist.
Paul Kang, senior vice-president and head of research at the Skincare Research Institute at Amorepacific R&D Centre, reveals: “When the body’s immune system weakens with age and is unable to defend itself [from] external aggressors, this causes chronic inflammation and skin ageing – a condition [termed] inflammaging.” The skin’s barrier function and balance become affected, causing skin to lose its suppleness and elasticity.
How is Sulwhasoo Concentrated Ginseng Renewing Cream EX a step up from its predecessors? Like past versions of the cream, the key active ingredient is Compound K (saponin derived from ginseng root), which reportedly enhances the skin’s natural rejuvenation abilities, stimulating collagen and hyaluronic acid production, thus helping skin regain its strength and firmness. What’s been improved, however, is its delivery system. Called Advanced Capsule Technology, it apparently helps Compound K penetrate deeper into the skin, so it is absorbed four times better, thereby increasing the effectiveness of the product by four and a half fold.
Sulwhasoo’s researchers also found that ginseng flowers contain more ginsenoside Re (a type of ginseng saponin) than ginseng berries, which were used in the previous formulation. Ginsenoside Re is said to strengthen the skin barrier’s defence capabilities against external aggressors and irritants. Using a high-pressure extraction technology, Sulwhasoo was able to gently draw out the actives from the ginseng flowers. This technique also makes the cream six times more concentrated in ginsenoside Re, compared to previous ones.
So what does it mean for the end user?
“All of us have ‘ageing indicators’ – wrinkleprone areas such as those around and between the eyes, the mouth area and the nasolabial folds – a result of repeated facial expressions and decreased skin resilience. After two months of continual use, you can expect a more even skin tone, less obvious fine lines and wrinkles, as well as softer, [and youngerand] healthier-looking skin overall,” explains Paul.
I got to experience the product’s effectiveness at Sulwhasoo’s flagship store, where I was treated to a luxurious facial using products from the brand’s ginseng line, including Concentrated Ginseng Renewing Cream EX. I dozed off to the deft hands of my therapist massaging the cream into my face with a cool jade facial tool.
Post-facial, I awoke to skin that no longer looked tired and dull (no thanks to stale airplane air and a lack of sleep). There was even a pink tint to my cheeks. Not only did I look like I had slept for a full eight hours, I even had that K-beauty glow and defined facial contours, with zero puffiness in sight.
To cater to a wider audience, Sulwhasoo developed a lighter version: Concentrated Ginseng Renewing Cream EX Light. Both have the same efficacy, but different textures. The light variant, which has a refreshing floral scent, has a gel-cream texture that absorbs almost instantly into skin. Great for our humid climate, or for those who aren’t big fans of the ginseng scent – a key feature of the original cream.
INFLAMMATION AFFECTS THE SKIN’S BARRIER FUNCTION, CAUSING SKIN TO LOSE ITS SUPPLENESS.
