Disclaimer: This post contains affiliate links and the product featured was provided for review.
Over the holiday break, I received a beautiful gift set from Sulwhasoo highlighting some of the Korean brand's most iconic products. Among the selection is the Concentrated Ginseng Renewing Cream (C$317 for 60 ml), a luxurious anti-aging face cream containing "an innovative complex of Korean red ginseng and retinol" that promises to enhance hydration and reduce multiple signs of aging. So does the cream's performance match its price tag? Read my review to find out......
Housed in a beautiful orange and gold glass jar, the Concentrated Ginseng Renewing Cream has one of the longest list of ingredients I've ever seen! For what it's worth though, the main ingredients making up the cream (i.e. the first five ingredients) are water, glycerin, squalane, butylene glycol (texture enhancer), and cyclopentasiloxane (silicone). The key ingredient Sulwhasoo highlights is "Compound K", an antioxidant compound derived from Korean red ginseng (panax ginseng root and flower extract, ginseng saponins) that promises to boost hydration, minimize the appearance of fine lines, improve uneven skin tone, and protect the skin from environmental aggressors. Aside from the ginseng extract, the Concentrated Ginseng Renewing Cream contains a plethora of other botanical extracts ranging from extracts of grape leaf, gardenia, lily, lotus, peony, and licorice. Additionally, the cream contains meadowfoam seed oil, jojoba oil, mango butter, soybean oil, vitamin E, salicylic acid, honey, hyaluronic acid, and retinol.
As is expected with a product that draws heavy inspiration from traditional Korean herbal medicine, the Sulwhasoo Concentrated Ginseng Renewing Cream has a distinct herbal fragrance that some may find a little odd. The cream is surprisingly lightweight and quick-absorbing. The finish isn't greasy but it does leave behind a slightly dewy finish. The nourishing formulation makes my skin hydrated and glowy and because it's lightweight, it can be used both night and day. Despite the silicone-heavy formulation, the cream layers well with other skincare and makeup and I've not experienced any pilling. All in all, this is a very good moisturizer! However, the C$300 price tag is hard to justify, especially given that the active ingredients are all quite low on the list and that the formulation contains silicones and drying alcohols (although the alcohol is not super high on the list). Above all though, I just don't think I saw results significantly superior to that of a moisturizer under $100. So this is not a recommendation from me. If you are curious about Sulwhasoo's luxury skincare range, the product I would recommend is the First Care Activating Serum (reviewed here), an amazing serum that's well worth the investment!
Ingredients: Water/Aqua/Eau, Glycerin, Squalane, Butylene Glycol, Cyclopentasiloxane, Trehalose, Limnanthes Alba (Meadowfoam) Seed Oil, Glyceryl Stearate, Phytosteryl Isostearyl Dimer Dilinoleate, Octyldodecyl Myristate, Cyclohexasiloxane, Peg-40 Stearate, Stearic Acid, Phytosteryl/ Behenyl/ Octyldodecyl Lauroyl Glutamate, Helianthus Annuus (Sunflower) Seed Oil, Jojoba Esters, Peg-100 Stearate, Propanediol, Mangifera Indica (Mango) Seed Butter, Polyacrylate-13, Peg-30 Dipolyhydroxystearate, Cetyl Peg/Ppg-10/1 Dimethicone, Phenoxyethanol, Glyceryl Linoleate, Cetearyl Alcohol, Pantethine, Hydrogenated Vegetable Oil, Dimethicone, Glycine Soja (Soybean) Sterols, Glycine Soja (Soybean) Oil, Propylene Glycol, Tocopherol, Acetyl Glucosamine, Cyclodextrin, Polyisobutene, Salicylic Acid, Panax Ginseng Root Extract, Polyquaternium-51, Hexyl Laurate, Caffeic Acid, Copernicia Cerifera (Carnauba) Wax / Copernicia Cerifera Cera / Cire De Carnauba, Tocopheryl Linoleate, Alcohol, Dimethiconol, Glyceryl Linolenate, Persea Gratissima (Avocado) Oil, Polysorbate 20, Gardenia Florida Fruit Extract, Ethylhexylglycerin, Fragrance/Parfum, Glyceryl Arachidonate, Lauryl Peg/Ppg-18/18 Methicone, Vitisvinifera (Grape) Leaf Extract, Sorbitan Isostearate, Honey/Mel/Miel, Beta-Glucan, Dextrin, Disodium Edta, Perillaocymoides Seed Extract, Retinol, Lilium Candidum (Lily) Bulb Extract, Sodium Hyaluronate, Nelumbo Nucifera (Lotus) Flower Extract, Polygonatum Officinale (Solomon's-Seal) Rhizome/Root Extract, Rehmannia Glutinosa Root Extract, Paeonia Albiflora (Peony) Root Extract, Glycyrrhiza Uralensis (Licorice) Root Extract, Phytosphingosine, Methoxy Peg-114/Polyepsiloncaprolactone, 1, 2-Hexanediol, Isostearyl Alcohol, Dodecene, Ascorbyl Palmitate, Hydrogenated Palm Glyceridescitrate, Hydrogenated Lecithin, Hydrolyzed Ginseng Saponins (Enzyme-Treated Red Ginseng Saponins), Panax Ginseng Flower Extract, Alpha-Isomethyl Ionone, Limonene, Linalool, BHT, Butylphenyl Methylpropional, Bha, Sodiumpolyaspartate, TBHQ, Sodium Methyl Stearoyl Taurate, Pentaerythrityl.
Availability:
Sulwhasoo is available in stores and online at Sephora, Nordstrom, and Holt Renfrew.
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| Sulwhasoo | Concentrated Ginseng Renewing Cream |
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| Sulwhasoo | Concentrated Ginseng Renewing Cream |
Ingredients: Water/Aqua/Eau, Glycerin, Squalane, Butylene Glycol, Cyclopentasiloxane, Trehalose, Limnanthes Alba (Meadowfoam) Seed Oil, Glyceryl Stearate, Phytosteryl Isostearyl Dimer Dilinoleate, Octyldodecyl Myristate, Cyclohexasiloxane, Peg-40 Stearate, Stearic Acid, Phytosteryl/ Behenyl/ Octyldodecyl Lauroyl Glutamate, Helianthus Annuus (Sunflower) Seed Oil, Jojoba Esters, Peg-100 Stearate, Propanediol, Mangifera Indica (Mango) Seed Butter, Polyacrylate-13, Peg-30 Dipolyhydroxystearate, Cetyl Peg/Ppg-10/1 Dimethicone, Phenoxyethanol, Glyceryl Linoleate, Cetearyl Alcohol, Pantethine, Hydrogenated Vegetable Oil, Dimethicone, Glycine Soja (Soybean) Sterols, Glycine Soja (Soybean) Oil, Propylene Glycol, Tocopherol, Acetyl Glucosamine, Cyclodextrin, Polyisobutene, Salicylic Acid, Panax Ginseng Root Extract, Polyquaternium-51, Hexyl Laurate, Caffeic Acid, Copernicia Cerifera (Carnauba) Wax / Copernicia Cerifera Cera / Cire De Carnauba, Tocopheryl Linoleate, Alcohol, Dimethiconol, Glyceryl Linolenate, Persea Gratissima (Avocado) Oil, Polysorbate 20, Gardenia Florida Fruit Extract, Ethylhexylglycerin, Fragrance/Parfum, Glyceryl Arachidonate, Lauryl Peg/Ppg-18/18 Methicone, Vitisvinifera (Grape) Leaf Extract, Sorbitan Isostearate, Honey/Mel/Miel, Beta-Glucan, Dextrin, Disodium Edta, Perillaocymoides Seed Extract, Retinol, Lilium Candidum (Lily) Bulb Extract, Sodium Hyaluronate, Nelumbo Nucifera (Lotus) Flower Extract, Polygonatum Officinale (Solomon's-Seal) Rhizome/Root Extract, Rehmannia Glutinosa Root Extract, Paeonia Albiflora (Peony) Root Extract, Glycyrrhiza Uralensis (Licorice) Root Extract, Phytosphingosine, Methoxy Peg-114/Polyepsiloncaprolactone, 1, 2-Hexanediol, Isostearyl Alcohol, Dodecene, Ascorbyl Palmitate, Hydrogenated Palm Glyceridescitrate, Hydrogenated Lecithin, Hydrolyzed Ginseng Saponins (Enzyme-Treated Red Ginseng Saponins), Panax Ginseng Flower Extract, Alpha-Isomethyl Ionone, Limonene, Linalool, BHT, Butylphenyl Methylpropional, Bha, Sodiumpolyaspartate, TBHQ, Sodium Methyl Stearoyl Taurate, Pentaerythrityl.
Availability:
Sulwhasoo is available in stores and online at Sephora, Nordstrom, and Holt Renfrew.
