My constant search for a Good Skin Day often takes me around the world. I’ve traveled to Paris to boost my radiance factor by 60 percent and hopped flights to Italy, Antigua, and Switzerland to discover soothing, hydrating, and nourishing skincare staples. But my most recent travels—and a commitment to staving off Botox for another five years—brought me halfway across the world to the beauty capital: Seoul, South Korea.
Recognized as global aesthetics hub with treatments years ahead of what you'll find in the United States, South Korea's beauty market is projected to reach nearly $16 billion in 2025. The country is home to an influx of plastic surgery innovation (you’ll find doctor’s offices on every corner), a booming makeup and fragrance scene (it’s dubbed K-Beauty’s second wave), and an evolving, constantly innovating luxury market led by Sulwhasoo, a Seoul-based heritage brand founded in 1932.
I was fairly well-acquainted with Korean beauty staples ahead of my trip. I’ve become an expert in Korean sunscreens and cleansing oils, often finding appeal in K-Beauty’s more affordable products. Still, I love a little luxury, and was more than pleased when Sulwhasoo flew me halfway across the globe to be fully immersed in their world of high-end innovation. 60 years of research, the brand told me, had been put into creating Sulwhasoo’s new (and improved) range of seven products, which promise to make fine lines and wrinkles disappear within a week.
Don’t get me wrong, skincare is not going to replace Botox. Deep-set wrinkles and sagging, loose skin will require heavier-duty treatments like skin lasers, injectables, and maybe even a face lift. But for my 28-year-old, starting-to-show-the-first-signs-of-aging forehead and neck, this new regimen, the brand’s scientists told me, would help me rewind the clock a few years. Now, for the big question: Can some simple skincare really do that? With the help of ginseng, a root vegetable that finds its most potent version in Korean soil, the answer is yes.
I’ll be honest: I wasn’t all too familiar with ginseng before my trip. But I quickly learned that the ingredient is present at every turn of Korean wellness culture. I consumed ginseng immunity shots and bought ginseng tea. I even taste-tested ginseng-infused soup at Seoul's Gwangjang Market. But ginseng is, more than anything, well-respected in Korean culture as the anti-aging gold standard, with the ability to reduce wrinkles, inflammation, and puffiness, while simultaneously boosting collagen production and skin brightness.
I personally put equal faith in herbal medicine (I live for the ginseng lore) and scientific evidence. Sulwhasoo has scientifically proven that the Ginseng Firming Serum alone will improve fine lines, wrinkles, firmness, and elasticity in one week, with full results in six weeks. Naturally, I cleared my schedule to try the new collection in-person. The common through-lines with every product, from masks and ampoules to rejuvenating water and a concentrated cream? Luxe packaging, a strong, zesty-meets-earthy ginseng scent, and powerful actives hell-bent on rejuvenating the skin.
My testing kicked off day one in Seoul, when my skin was in quite a parched state. (A 17-hour flight will do that to you.) But ginseng's scent perked my senses right up. Out of the entire robust lineup, the Concentrated Ginseng Rujevating Cream Rich made the biggest difference to my skin.
The texture is luxury in a bottle. It’s thick and creamy, slightly fragranced, and absorbs nearly instantly. I scooped a generous, dime-sized amount onto my face and watched and my skin perked up fairly instantly. Did my fine lines disappear entirely? No, it’s not actually magic. But they did appear plumped after a very dehydrating travel day.
Cut to day four and I could see the fast-acting benefits taking hold. I was waking up with more hydrated skin. My face felt smooth to the touch. And, call me crazy, but my pores even looked tighter. By the end of the week, my skin adopted the freshness and plumpness I typically only find post-facial. There was an even-toned glow that gave my skin an airbrushed effect.
Needless to say, the jar traveled back with me stateside. It saved my skin on the flight home and has become a staple in my nighttime routine.
I'm currently scraping the bottom of the container, but the good news is: I won't have to fly back to South Korea to score another Good Skin Day. Instead, I can shop the entire collection at Sephora right now.
