Sulwhasoo is one of those Korean hanbang brands, inspired by traditional beauty practices and ingredients. Ginseng is very much at the heart of most Sulwhasoo products (though it seems to have been excluded from the formulation of this serum), and my earlier experience with the Sulwhasoo Overnight Vitalizing Mask meant that I was really excited to try this one out.
The First Care Activating Serum Ex comes in a few sizes -namely 60ml and 90ml. Sulwhasoo promises a hydrating experience, and describes the product as a "first-step" balancing serum. The end goal? Hydration, anti-aging benefits and radiance in a pump-top bottle, according to the Amore Pacific group brand.
Product is simply packaged: just a minimalist paper box, with a paper insert included inside that contains instructions on usage and the ingredients list.
I'm a month into testing the serum, and will probably add to the review once I'm into my second or third month, but these are my thoughts for now:
Pros:
- The serum is very, very light. It's a honeyed, golden brown, but this serum is thin -much thinner consistency compared to the Estee Lauder Advanced Night Repair serum, as well as the Missha Time Revolution Night Repair Science Activator Borabit Ampoule. It may be this thinner consistency that helps it sink in quickly -patting/pushing the serum into my skin didn't take forever (as with some products, which feel like you're just distributing everything everywhere else instead).
- The serum played nice under heavier creams and sunscreens -no changes in how the other products wore layered on top of it. It also plays nice in hot, humid weather -sinks in quick, and doesn't leave a sticky layer on skin.
- There are some really nice ingredients in the mix: peony, foxglove, lotus, lily being among them. Honey is also included in the formulation -surprisingly I had no reaction from the inclusion of this, although my experience with other honey or propolis-based skin care products have not been as happy.
- The 90ml bottle lasts quite a while, despite heavy use - I use four pumps each time to get enough to cover my face, and sometimes five or six if I'm feeling generous towards my neck/decolletage.
Cons:
- Sulwhasoo products are priced at a premium, which means that it can be difficult to justify investing in.
- It may not be the most hydrating option for some -those in drier climates, or that have parched skin may need to layer something more hydrating over this, or opt for a richer, thicker serum in its place instead.
- There seems to be a scent -it's light and faintly herbaceous/floral to me (which I'm fine with). A quick look at the ingredients list suggests that the additional fragrance and alcohol added to the formulation may be a red flag for some.
Overall: I don't think this is a must-have product, based on my first month of use -it's a nice product that plays well with others, and is a light serum that's ideal for those that don't need deep, intensive hydration, but I haven't seen visible effects from this serum on its own. It's not the heavy-hitter that the Overnight Mask from Sulwhasoo is, so don't expect anything immediate or game-changing in early days of product use.
If you've tried anything else from Sulwhasoo that has been amazing and deserves a shout, do let me know -I'm keen on some bad (good?) beauty influence!
The First Care Activating Serum Ex comes in a few sizes -namely 60ml and 90ml. Sulwhasoo promises a hydrating experience, and describes the product as a "first-step" balancing serum. The end goal? Hydration, anti-aging benefits and radiance in a pump-top bottle, according to the Amore Pacific group brand.
Product is simply packaged: just a minimalist paper box, with a paper insert included inside that contains instructions on usage and the ingredients list.
I'm a month into testing the serum, and will probably add to the review once I'm into my second or third month, but these are my thoughts for now:
Pros:
- The serum is very, very light. It's a honeyed, golden brown, but this serum is thin -much thinner consistency compared to the Estee Lauder Advanced Night Repair serum, as well as the Missha Time Revolution Night Repair Science Activator Borabit Ampoule. It may be this thinner consistency that helps it sink in quickly -patting/pushing the serum into my skin didn't take forever (as with some products, which feel like you're just distributing everything everywhere else instead).
- The serum played nice under heavier creams and sunscreens -no changes in how the other products wore layered on top of it. It also plays nice in hot, humid weather -sinks in quick, and doesn't leave a sticky layer on skin.
- There are some really nice ingredients in the mix: peony, foxglove, lotus, lily being among them. Honey is also included in the formulation -surprisingly I had no reaction from the inclusion of this, although my experience with other honey or propolis-based skin care products have not been as happy.
- The 90ml bottle lasts quite a while, despite heavy use - I use four pumps each time to get enough to cover my face, and sometimes five or six if I'm feeling generous towards my neck/decolletage.
Cons:
- Sulwhasoo products are priced at a premium, which means that it can be difficult to justify investing in.
- It may not be the most hydrating option for some -those in drier climates, or that have parched skin may need to layer something more hydrating over this, or opt for a richer, thicker serum in its place instead.
- There seems to be a scent -it's light and faintly herbaceous/floral to me (which I'm fine with). A quick look at the ingredients list suggests that the additional fragrance and alcohol added to the formulation may be a red flag for some.
Overall: I don't think this is a must-have product, based on my first month of use -it's a nice product that plays well with others, and is a light serum that's ideal for those that don't need deep, intensive hydration, but I haven't seen visible effects from this serum on its own. It's not the heavy-hitter that the Overnight Mask from Sulwhasoo is, so don't expect anything immediate or game-changing in early days of product use.
If you've tried anything else from Sulwhasoo that has been amazing and deserves a shout, do let me know -I'm keen on some bad (good?) beauty influence!
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