isoi
Bulgarian Rose Intensive Lifting Serum 35ml
Arbutin is seventh on this 35 ml serum's own list, with rose damascena flower oil, adenosine, licorice root and palmitoyl tripeptide-5 behind it: the Korean-market formula for dark marks on skin that also wants firming.
No reviews yet35 ml
$192.86 per 100 ml
- Korean-market formula
- Ships from California or direct from Korea
- Korean barcode and batch code intact
- Suited to
- Dehydrated skinSensitive skinSkin that has lost bounce
- Helps with
- Shoppers looking for Arbutin in a serumRoutines that want Arbutin and Allantoin in one stepFilling the serum step with a Korean-market formulaAnyone who wants the Arbutin serum sold on Korean shelves
In stock. Arrives in 3 to 7 business days
We accept
You’re $100.00 away from free US shipping.
- 30-day returns
- Free US shipping on orders of $100 or more
- Tracked delivery to your door
How it works
The Bulgarian Rose Intensive Lifting Serum is a 35ml serum, used after toner and before moisturizer, morning and evening. The active it is built around is Arbutin, named seventh on its own ingredient list. The same list carries Allantoin, Adenosine and Palmitoyl Tripeptide-5, so the active is not the only thing on it worth naming. How much of the Arbutin stays on the skin, and for how long, is decided by the serum format rather than by the list alone. This is the Original Korean Formula, the serum isoi sells in Korea, Arbutin and all.
Key benefits
- Arbutin, the active this serum is built around
- Allantoin and Adenosine on the same list, actives
- Palmitoyl Tripeptide-5 on the same list, a peptide
- Scutellaria Baicalensis Root Extract on the same list, a plant extract
- Paeonia Suffruticosa Root Extract and Glycyrrhiza Glabra (Licorice) Root Extract further down the same list
- Calendula Officinalis Flower Extract and Coptis Japonica Root Extract further down the same list
How to use
- Apply morning and night after toner or essence and before moisturizer, pressing a small amount into the skin and letting it absorb fully before the next step.
Where does this serum go in my routine?
After toner and before moisturizer, morning and evening. Anything thinner than a serum goes on before it, and anything richer goes on after. If you are adding it to a routine you already like, give it a week on its own first, so what you see is the Arbutin and not three changes at once.
Is this the Korean-market serum or a US version?
The Korean-market one, Arbutin and all. We match this serum to its Korean barcode before it reaches the shelf, which is the check that tells you which market release you are holding.
Does this serum contain fragrance?
Yes. The ingredient list names Citronellol, Eugenol, Farnesol and Geraniol. They sit on the panel printed on this page, so you can read the position for yourself before you buy. If fragrance components are something you avoid, this serum is not the one.
What else is on the list besides Arbutin?
Allantoin, Adenosine and Palmitoyl Tripeptide-5. The order they are printed in on this serum's panel is the order on the box, so you can see where Arbutin sits relative to them. Further down the same panel: Scutellaria Baicalensis Root Extract, Paeonia Suffruticosa Root Extract and Glycyrrhiza Glabra (Licorice) Root Extract.
Not on the ingredient list below: fragrance or parfum, silicones, parabens, sulfate surfactants, mineral oil or petrolatum and added color.
Full INCI (39): Water, Glycerin, Ethanol, Cetyl Ethylhexanoate, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Betaine, Arbutin, Trehalose, Arachidyl Alcohol, Behenyl Alcohol, Arachidyl Glucoside, Rosa Damascena Flower Oil, Limnanthes Alba (Meadowfoam) Seed Oil, Allantoin, Panthenol, Arginine, Carbomer, Xanthan Gum, Adenosine, Scutellaria Baicalensis Root Extract, Paeonia Suffruticosa Root Extract, Glycyrrhiza Glabra (Licorice) Root Extract, Calendula Officinalis (Pot Marigold) Flower Extract, Coptis Japonica Root Extract, Palmitoyl Tripeptide-5, Castanea Crenata Shell Extract, Malpighia Glabra (Acerola) Fruit Extract, Corchorus Olitorius Leaf Extract, Brassica Oleracea Italica (Broccoli) Extract, Rosmarinus Officinalis (Rosemary) Leaf Extract, Butylene Glycol, 1,2-Hexanediol, Melaleuca Quinquenervia Leaf Oil, Chamomilla Recutita (Matricaria) Flower/Leaf Extract, Centella Asiatica Extract, Citronellol, Geraniol, Farnesol, Eugenol
Ingredient list read from isoi.co.kr on 30 August 2026.
37 of 39 explained
- Water solvent
- Water is the base almost every serum, toner and cream is built on. It dissolves the water-loving ingredients and sets how light the finished texture feels. On an INCI list it is usually first, which only means it is the largest single ingredient by weight.
- Glycerin humectant
- Glycerin is the most used humectant in skincare. It draws water into the outer layer of skin and holds it there, and it is one of the very few ingredients whose hydrating effect is settled science rather than marketing. Higher amounts feel tacky, which is why it is usually blended.
- Ethanol solvent
- Alcohol here means ethanol. It dissolves ingredients water cannot, evaporates fast so a formula sets quickly and does not feel heavy, and thins texture. In quantity it can leave dry or reactive skin feeling tight, which is why many Korean formulas avoid it and some deliberately use it for a fast, weightless finish.
- Cetyl Ethylhexanoate emollient
- Cetyl Ethylhexanoate is a synthetic ester used as a dry-feeling emollient. It spreads easily, leaves a silky rather than oily finish, and helps disperse pigments and UV filters evenly.
- Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride emollient
- Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride is the light fraction of coconut oil, with the heavy parts removed. It is the workhorse emollient of modern formulas: it softens skin, dissolves oil-soluble actives and absorbs without the greasy weight of a whole plant oil.
- Betaine humectant
- Betaine is a sugar-beet-derived humectant that cells use to hold water. In a formula it hydrates and takes the edge off cleansers and acids, which is why it often appears alongside them.
- Arbutin active
- Arbutin is the naturally occurring form of the same compound, from bearberry and related plants, used for the look of uneven tone. The alpha isomer is the more stable of the two.
- Trehalose humectant
- Trehalose is a sugar that some desert plants use to survive drying out. In skincare it is a humectant that holds water in the outer layer and helps a formula feel comfortable rather than tight.
- Arachidyl Alcohol fatty alcohol
- Arachidyl Alcohol is a long-chain fatty alcohol used as a thickener and emollient, usually alongside behenyl alcohol.
- Behenyl Alcohol fatty alcohol
- Behenyl Alcohol is a long-chain fatty alcohol used to thicken and stabilise a cream. It gives a richer, more velvety body than cetyl alcohol.
- Arachidyl Glucoside emulsifier
- Arachidyl Glucoside is a sugar-derived co-emulsifier, usually supplied with arachidyl and behenyl alcohols as a plant-based cream base.
- Rosa Damascena Flower Oil fragrance component
- Rosa Damascena Flower Oil is rose essential oil, one of the most expensive materials in perfumery. It scents a formula, and like every essential oil it is a class reactive skin often does not tolerate.
25 more explained
- Limnanthes Alba (Meadowfoam) Seed Oil emollient
- Meadowfoam Seed Oil is over 95 percent long-chain fatty acids, which makes it exceptionally stable against going rancid. It is an emollient that leaves a soft, sealed feel.
- Allantoin active
- Allantoin is a comfrey-derived compound used to condition skin and soften the outer layer so it feels smoother. It is one of the standard additions to a formula built for easily irritated skin.
- Panthenol humectant
- Panthenol is pro-vitamin B5: skin converts it to pantothenic acid. It is a humectant that holds water and leaves skin feeling soft and less tight, and it is one of the ingredients formulators reach for when a formula also contains something harsh.
- Arginine amino acid
- Arginine is an amino acid that does two jobs here: it holds water in the outer layer of skin, and it neutralises acidic gelling agents, which is why it often stands in for a synthetic pH adjuster.
- Carbomer thickener
- Carbomer is a synthetic polymer that only gels once a base neutralises it, which is why arginine or tromethamine sits nearby on the list. It gives the clear, non-stringy gel texture a xanthan formula cannot reach.
- Xanthan Gum thickener
- Xanthan Gum is a polysaccharide made by fermenting sugar. It thickens a watery formula into a gel and holds the whole thing in suspension so nothing separates. Too much of it and a serum turns stringy, which is why it appears in fractions of a percent.
- Adenosine active
- Adenosine is a nucleoside that Korea's own cosmetic authority recognises as a wrinkle-care functional ingredient, which is why it appears on so many Korean lists at a low level. It is used for the look of fine lines and is stable and well tolerated.
- Scutellaria Baicalensis Root Extract plant extract
- Scutellaria Baicalensis is Chinese skullcap. Its root extract carries baicalin, a well studied plant antioxidant, and it is used for the look of redness.
- Paeonia Suffruticosa Root Extract plant extract
- Paeonia Suffruticosa is tree peony, a long-standing East Asian medicinal plant. Its root extract carries paeoniflorin and is used for the look of reddened skin.
- Glycyrrhiza Glabra (Licorice) Root Extract plant extract
- Licorice Root Extract carries glabridin and liquiritin. It is one of the classic plant ingredients used for the look of uneven tone and redness, and it appears in almost every brightening formula that avoids synthetic actives.
- Calendula Officinalis (Pot Marigold) Flower Extract plant extract
- Marigold flower extract, one of the oldest plant ingredients used for the look of reddened, easily bothered skin. It carries carotenoids and flavonoids.
- Coptis Japonica Root Extract plant extract
- Coptis Japonica is a traditional East Asian medicinal root, bright yellow from its berberine content. In skincare its extract is used for the look of congested, oily skin.
- Palmitoyl Tripeptide-5 peptide
- Palmitoyl Tripeptide-5 is a fatted three-amino-acid peptide used for the look of firmness and fine lines. The palmitoyl tail is what lets it cross an oily surface.
- Castanea Crenata Shell Extract plant extract
- Chestnut Shell Extract carries tannins and is used as an antioxidant plant extract, most often in formulas aimed at visible pores.
- Malpighia Glabra (Acerola) Fruit Extract plant extract
- Acerola cherry extract, from the species also written Malpighia emarginata. The fruit is unusually high in vitamin C, and the extract is used as an antioxidant botanical.
- Corchorus Olitorius Leaf Extract plant extract
- Jute mallow leaf extract. The leaf is notably mucilaginous, so the extract holds water and gives a slippery feel.
- Brassica Oleracea Italica (Broccoli) Extract plant extract
- Broccoli extract, carrying sulforaphane and vitamin C. It is used as a plant antioxidant.
- Rosmarinus Officinalis (Rosemary) Leaf Extract plant extract
- Rosemary Leaf Extract carries rosmarinic and carnosic acids, both effective antioxidants. It is often there to keep the oils in a formula from going rancid.
- Butylene Glycol humectant
- Butylene Glycol is a small glycol that does two jobs at once: it holds water in the top layer of skin and it dissolves plant extracts and actives that plain water cannot. It also thins a formula, which is why watery Korean essences lean on it.
- 1,2-Hexanediol humectant
- 1,2-Hexanediol is a glycol used for two reasons: it holds water like glycerin, and it makes a formula harder for microbes to live in, so less traditional preservative is needed. Korean formulas use it heavily for that second reason.
- Chamomilla Recutita (Matricaria) Flower/Leaf Extract plant extract
- German chamomile, taken from flower and leaf together. It carries bisabolol and the blue azulenes and is used for the look of reactive, reddened skin.
- Centella Asiatica Extract plant extract
- Centella Asiatica is the plant behind the whole cica category, sold as gotu kola or Madagascar centella. Its extract is the anchor of Korean formulas built for easily reddened skin, and its work is done by four triterpenes: asiaticoside, madecassoside, asiatic acid and madecassic acid.
- Citronellol fragrance component
- Citronellol is a rose-geranium aromatic and one of the 26 fragrance components EU labelling names individually.
- Geraniol fragrance component
- Geraniol is a rose-scented aromatic found in geranium and citronella oils. It is one of the 26 declarable fragrance components.
- Eugenol fragrance component
- Eugenol is the aromatic molecule clove oil is mostly made of, also present in basil and cinnamon. It is one of the fragrance components EU labelling requires to be named separately.
- Market
- Korean market, the version sold in Korea
- EAN (barcode)
- 8809264738016
- Made in
- Republic of Korea
- Volume
- 35 ml
- Category
- Serum & Ampoule
- Actives
- Adenosine, Allantoin, Arbutin, Centella Asiatica, Licorice Root, Panthenol, Peptides, Trehalose
- Ships from
- California or Korea
Orders ship from California or direct from Korea with tracked delivery to your door, and both routes carry the same Korean-market release. Shipping is free on orders of $100 or more. Returns are accepted for 30 days, by mail.
We split shipments free, so one out-of-stock item never holds up the rest of your order.
Where this unit came from
- 1Seoul
Bought as Korean-market stock - 2Barcode
Listed against the Korean barcode on its box - 3California or Korea
Ships to you from either, as the same Korean-market release
We stock the version of a formula that is sold in Korea, not the release a brand prepares for another market under the same name. The barcode in the specification above is the Korean-market one and it is printed on the box you receive.
Every unit keeps its original barcode and batch code intact, so the unit in your hands can be checked against the brand’s own records.
Every order ships from California or direct from Korea, and returns run for 30 days.
Every claim on this page traces to the unit in the box, the barcode, the batch code and the price you can read for yourself.
Inside the formula
Inside the formula
Worth knowing
- Patch test this serum on a small area and wait a day before using it more widely, especially with Arbutin on the list.
- This list names Citronellol, Eugenol and Farnesol, so skip it if fragrance components are something you avoid.
Complete the routine
- This itemisoi Bulgarian Rose Intensive Lifting Serum 35ml$67.50
- The treatment step of this routineisoi Bulgarian Rose Blemish Care Spot 25ml$45.00
- Seal the routine in as the last stepisoi Bulgarian Rose Intensive Treatment Lotion 90ml$95.00
Total for 3 items$207.50
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isoi Bulgarian Rose Intensive Lifting Serum 35ml
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isoi, Korean-market original
The Original Korean Formula serum from isoi, 35ml formulated with Arbutin and Allantoin, shipped from California or direct from Korea.
Verify your unit when it arrives
Verify your unit when it arrives
Korean-market stock with the original barcode and batch code intact, exactly as it left Korea.
On the unit itself
- The Korean-market barcode, unaltered from the retail package.
- The manufacturer’s batch code, exactly as the maker printed it.
정품Genuine article, Korean-market stock
What professionals say
What professionals say
What skin-care professionals say about skin care, quoted from the medical sources linked beside each.
Your skin barrier is basically your outer layer of the skin.
Melissa Piliang, MDDermatologist, Cleveland Clinic Pretty much every step of a Korean skin care routine is going to have some component of hydration.
Alok Vij, MDDermatologist, Cleveland Clinic
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