The Fine Art Of This Ginseng Powered Skincare Line

Sulwhasoo has poured its science and heritage into a new cream and eye cream
Sulwhasoo debuts The Ultimate S, a luxurious skincare line that maximises the plant power of ginseng. Photo credit: Sulwhasoo

In partnership with Sulwhasoo

Luxury Korean beauty brand Sulwhasoo has been in the business of combining heritage and science since 1932. It introduced ginseng-infused skincare in 1966, now the brand’s calling card, and continues to be a pioneer in ginseng research. The latest to come from the brand is The Ultimate S line of anti-ageing skincare, which the brand has described as the pinnacle of Korean beauty.

The first ginseng skincare product introduced by the brand was the ABC Ginseng Cream in 1966. It came out of a question that Suh Sung-hwan, founder of the AmorePacific group which Sulwhasoo belongs to, had: if ginseng was chock full of health benefits for the body, wouldn’t it have a similarly great effect on the skin?

That line of thinking led to the creation of generations of skincare lines that use the ginseng plant. Some of Sulwhasoo’s top-of-the-line offerings use a mix of the ginseng’s roots and flowers in the ingredients which does a myriad of miracles like preventing oxidative damage, imbuing the skin with radiance, and smoothening fine lines but the latest and most exciting key ingredient–the star of the show in The Ultimate S products–is derived from the rare ginseng berry instead.

Putting in 100,000 hours of research into the ingredient, Sulwhasoo created Ginseng Berry SR™, a proprietary complex of ingredients that harnesses the powerful anti-ageing properties of the berry.

Rosé stars once again in a campaign ad for Sulwhasoo but this time, radiating a more gorgeous glow. Photo Credit: Sulwhasoo

The roots of the ginseng are rare and fancy enough, but the berries of the herb are no slim pickings. They take over a thousand days to mature and ripen, and 600 kilograms of the berry’s extracts yield just a single gram of the key ingredient that goes into the Ginseng Berry SR™ essence. That means you’re getting a concentrated formula that really highlights the restorative and revitalising powers of the ingredient.

Sulwhasoo’s The Ultimate S collection debuts with two products: a Cream ($600 for 60ml and $540 for the refill) and Eye Cream ($380). Both of these share the line’s promise of swiftly lifting and revitalising skin, and brightening one’s overall appearance——one use is all it takes to revitalise your skin and trust us, you’re going to love using it a lot to visibly turn back time.

The cream does so by reshaping the facial contours and infusing skin with vitality to create a more youthful overall appearance, while the eye cream works on recapturing firmness and skin elasticity around the eye area to reduce the appearance of wrinkles. And like all Sulwhasoo products, their elegant texture isn’t just for show. Both the Cream and Eye Cream deliciously spread on the area of application and just a few taps ensure complete absorption.

To elevate your skincare routine, each purchase of The Ultimate S products at the pop-up comes with Moon Jade applicators that enhance absorption and promote lymphatic drainage. Photo credit: Sulwhasoo

Both of The Ultimate S products are housed in beautiful white tubs inspired by the designs of traditional Korean moon jars. It’s partly an homage to the timeless artistry of Korean arts and crafts which the brand has been injecting into its packaging designs and also, part of Sulwhasoo’s focus on art and heritage, which has landed it collaborations with institutions like the Metropolitan Museum of Art and accolades like the Red Dot Design Award for packaging.

Who said sustainability couldn’t be graceful? Opt to refill the cream with a pod that pops into the tub with a satisfying ASMR click. Photo credit: Sulwhasoo

Elegant beauty, discerning art, and classic heritage—wouldn’t you say that’s a bright idea for your new skincare holy grails?

To introduce the new Ultimate S collection, the brand is hosting a pop-up event from 19 to 30 September at the level one atrium of Ion Orchard. There, you can expect to enjoy a range of introductory benefits. There will be a 10% storewide discount at the pop-up; bundled sets with The Ultimate S Cream and Eye Cream with up to 24% savings; and top spenders stand a chance to win two return flight tickets to Seoul for an exclusive Sulwhasoo Heritage Tour.

At GRAZIA Singapore, we review beauty products with the greatest possible care to ensure that the stories we publish are correct and up-to-date on facts. However, results may vary and our reviews should also not constitute medical advice or be intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease. For health-related issues, please consult with your doctor before modifying your regular medical regime.