SULWHASOO

Sulwhasoo is a South Korean skincare brand owned by the Amorepacific group. The Sulwhasoo name dates from 1997, but the story starts earlier: the brand traces it back to ABC Ginseng Cream, a ginseng cream released in 1966, which it presents as the starting point of its research into the root. In 2026, Sulwhasoo is celebrating what it calls sixty years of ginseng research with its "Beauty Crafted in Time" campaign, built around the Concentrated Ginseng cream. In Seoul, the brand also welcomes visitors to its flagship house in the Bukchon neighborhood, which opened in 2021.

On its Korean site, Sulwhasoo organizes its skincare by line and by skin need. Here are the lines you'll find on Ma Petite Coree:

• First Care: the first-step serum, its eye serum, mist and mask, filed by the brand under radiance.
• Concentrated Ginseng: the ginseng firming line, with creams, water, emulsion, ampoule, eye cream, masks and cleansing foam.
• The Ultimate S: the lifting and fine-lines line, with cream, serum, eye cream and an ampoule treatment.
• Essential: hydration and nourishment, with water, emulsion and firming cream.
• Lumiwise: radiance and dark spots, with corrector, essence water, emulsion and ampoule serum.
• Men: a short men's routine with serum, emulsion and sun protection.

Two ingredients run through the whole brand. Ginseng, at the heart of the Concentrated Ginseng line and its Ginsenomics™ technology. And JAUM Activator®, the signature complex in First Care Activating Serum, which blends five plants: peony, lotus, Solomon's seal, white lily and rehmannia.

New to the brand? Start with First Care Activating Serum VI: one bottle, applied right after cleansing. If your skin is dry and craves comfort, the Concentrated Ginseng Rejuvenating Cream Rich is the richer take on the Concentrated Ginseng cream. For mature skin that wants firmness and help smoothing fine lines, look at Concentrated Ginseng and The Ultimate S. For dull skin or dark spots, Lumiwise is the most targeted line, starting with the Lumiwise Discoloration Corrector. If your skin is sensitive, keep things short, for example with the Essential Comfort Daily Routine (Revitalizing Water & Emulsion), and patch-test every new product. In the morning, always finish with sunscreen such as the UV Daily Essential Sunscreen.

To compare with other brands, browse our creams, serums, essences, masks or the mature skin edit. Want the full brand story? Read our article Sulwhasoo, the Korean ginseng brand. And if you love Korean botanical skincare, take a look at The Whoo and Sooryehan too.

Sulwhasoo calls itself a "holistic beauty" brand: it looks at skin as a whole rather than a sum of small problems, and pairs traditional wisdom with modern technology. Two things really set it apart. First, ginseng, studied for decades in Amorepacific's labs, not just the root but also the stem, leaf and fruit. The brand groups that work under the name Ginsenomics™. Second, First Care Activating Serum, launched the same year as the brand, in 1997. It's the serum you apply first, straight after cleansing, before the rest of your routine. It's now in its sixth generation, and that's the version you'll find on Ma Petite Coree.

On Ma Petite Coree, Sulwhasoo's creams and First Care Activating Serum lead the way. The Concentrated Ginseng Rejuvenating Cream Rich and the Concentrated Ginseng Rejuvenating Cream carry on the line started by ABC Ginseng Cream; the Concentrated Ginseng cream itself launched in 2000. For a more advanced routine focused on fine lines, the The Ultimate S Cream and The Ultimate S Serum make up The Ultimate S duo. First Care Activating Serum VI is still the easiest way in, while First Care Activating Eye Serum looks after the eye area, as does the Concentrated Ginseng Rejuvenating Eye Cream. For cleansing, the Gentle Cleansing Oil and Gentle Cleansing Foam give you a complete double cleanse.