Why choose a cream over a serum?

Because the cream base is doing the sealing work at the same time, which is why fewer people find it drying in the early weeks. A serum gives more control over the dose. If a retinoid serum left your face flaking, this is the format worth trying next.

Where does it go in my routine?

Last, at night, after your toner and serum. There is nothing to layer over it, which also stops you stacking a second strong product on the same evening. Never use it in the morning, since light breaks this family of ingredients down.

How do I build it up?

Gradually, adding nights only while there is no flaking or stinging, with a plain moisturizer on the nights in between. Most people who abandon this category went nightly from the start and stopped within a week without learning whether it suited them.

Do I need sunscreen with it?

Yes, every single morning. This kind of routine assumes that last layer is going on, and freshly turned over surface skin is more sensitive to light. If daily sunscreen is not something you will commit to, a gentler night cream is the better choice than starting here.

Is this the Korean-market formula?

Yes. This is the Original Korean Formula size, the same one sold on Korean shelves.

K-Secret

SEOUL 1988 Cream : Retinal Liposome 1% + Fermented Rice 50ml

Name: K-Secret SEOUL 1988 Cream : Retinal Liposome 1% + Fermented Rice 50ml
Brand: K-Secret
SKU: 11092326549
Price: 60.0 USD
Availability: InStock

A 50ml night cream carrying a retinal step inside a cream base, for anyone who finds a separate retinoid serum too drying.

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$60.00

50 ml

$120.00 per 100 ml

Korean-market formula
Ships from California or direct from Korea
Korean barcode and batch code intact

Suited to: Dry skinNormal skinCombination skin

Helps with: The look of fine linesRough looking textureAn evening only routine

One-time purchase

$60.00

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Key benefits

What it is: a 50ml cream from K-Secret, for the moisturizing step.
On the ingredient list: Glycerin, Butylene Glycol, Niacinamide, confirmed on this product's own manufacturer list rather than assumed from the category.
Fits into the routine: finishes the routine and seals in everything applied underneath it.
Original Korean Formula: the version sold on Korean shelves, not a US reformulation.

Key actives

6Niacinamide

High on this list, and a sensible partner here since it works on tone while the main ingredient works on texture.

All products with Niacinamide

14Panax Ginseng

The ginseng extract on this list, one of the most established Korean botanicals and an unusual companion to a modern night active.

24Allantoin

A soothing ingredient on this list, included so the early weeks of this kind of routine are less uncomfortable than they otherwise are.

All products with Allantoin

26Adenosine

A well established Korean formulary ingredient in creams aimed at a firmer look, adding to the texture side of the formula.

All products with Adenosine

34Retinal

The reason this is a night cream rather than a general moisturizer, carried in a liposome and inside a sealing base at the same time.

All products with Retinal

Inside the formula

Ingredients declared

No fragrance

on the list

6Niacinamide14Panax Ginseng24Allantoin34Retinal

6Niacinamide
14Panax Ginseng
24Allantoin
34Retinal

Where each key active sits on the declared ingredient list, by entry number. Position is proportion: the further forward, the larger its share.

1 of 6

49 of 49 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.
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.
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.
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.
Niacinamide active: Niacinamide is vitamin B3, and it is the most studied active in Korean formulation. It is used at roughly 2 to 5 percent for the look of uneven tone and visible pores, and it is water soluble, stable and comfortable beside almost every other active, which is why it turns up in so many lists.
Propanediol humectant: Propanediol is a plant-derived glycol used in place of propylene glycol. It hydrates, carries actives into solution, and gives a lighter, less sticky slip than glycerin at the same strength.
Ammonium Acryloyldimethyltaurate/VP Copolymer thickener: This is a synthetic thickener that gels quickly and holds an emulsion stable across a wide pH range. It gives a light, non-tacky body.
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.
Tromethamine pH adjuster: Tromethamine neutralises acidic thickeners such as carbomer so they gel, and holds a formula near skin-friendly pH. It is used at a fraction of a percent.
Sodium Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer thickener: This is a pre-neutralised polymer thickener that gels on contact with water and stabilises an emulsion without heat.
Polyisobutene film former: Polyisobutene is a synthetic polymer that forms a flexible, water-resistant film. It gives gloss and holds a formula in place, which is why it appears in lip products and long-wear textures.

37 more explained

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.
Lactobacillus/Panax Ginseng Root Ferment Filtrate ferment: Ginseng root fermented with lactobacillus and strained. Fermentation cuts the large ginsenosides into smaller forms, which is why Korean brands ferment ginseng so often.
Lactobacillus/Rice Ferment(1,000 ppm) ferment: Rice fermented with lactobacillus, the same bacteria behind kimchi and makgeolli. Fermentation breaks the rice starch into smaller sugars and amino acids that hold water.
Lactobacillus/ Soybean Ferment Extract ferment: This is soybean fermented by lactobacillus. The fermentation breaks soy proteins into smaller pieces, which is what makes the extract easier for a formula to carry.
Macadamia Ternifolia Seed Oil emollient: Macadamia Seed Oil is unusually high in palmitoleic acid, a fatty acid that human sebum also contains, which is why it absorbs faster than most nut oils. It is a cushioning emollient for dry skin.
Saccharomyces/Coix Lacryma-Jobi Ma-yuen Seed Ferment Filtrate ferment: Job's tears, the yulmu of Korean grain tea, fermented with yeast and strained. It supplies sugars and amino acids and is used as a conditioning ferment.
Saccharomyces/Potato Extract Ferment Filtrate ferment: Potato extract fermented with yeast and strained. It supplies sugars and amino acids and is used as a conditioning ferment.
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.
Hydrogenated Lecithin emulsifier: Hydrogenated Lecithin is lecithin with its unsaturated bonds filled in, which makes it far more stable. It emulsifies and is the standard shell for the liposomes that carry actives into the outer layer of skin.
Disodium EDTA chelator: EDTA is a chelator: it locks up trace metal ions from water and packaging that would otherwise turn a formula cloudy, off-colour or rancid. It does nothing to skin and appears at a fraction of a percent.
Ethylhexylglycerin preservative booster: Ethylhexylglycerin softens skin and boosts a preservative system, which is why it is nearly always sitting beside phenoxyethanol or 1,2-hexanediol. It also cuts down the odour bacteria produce, so it turns up in deodorising products.
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.
Caprylyl Glycol preservative booster: Caprylyl Glycol is a glycol that conditions skin and, more importantly, strengthens a preservative system so less of the traditional preservative is needed. It appears in most modern formulas built without parabens.
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.
Glyceryl Acrylate/Acrylic Acid Copolymer film former: This is a polymer that forms a moisture-holding film on the surface, usually supplied with glycerin and propylene glycol as a hydrating complex.
Caprylyl/Capryl Glucoside surfactant: Caprylyl/Capryl Glucoside is a sugar-derived cleansing surfactant. It foams modestly and is mild enough for low-pH cleansers built for reactive skin.
Cholesterol barrier lipid: Cholesterol is the third of the three lipids the outer layer of skin is built from, with ceramides and fatty acids. Formulas that carry all three are following the ratio skin itself holds.
Polyglyceryl-10 Oleate emulsifier: Polyglyceryl-10 Oleate is a mild sugar-derived emulsifier and solubiliser used where a formula must stay clear.
Sorbitan Oleate emulsifier: Sorbitan Oleate is an emulsifier for water-in-oil formulas. It keeps a rich cream or a cleansing oil from separating.
Brassica Campestris (Rapeseed) Sterols emollient: Phytosterols are plant sterols, structurally close to the cholesterol in skin's own lipid layer. They soften skin and help the oil phase of a formula hold together.
Phytosteryl/Behenyl/Octyldodecyl Lauroyl Glutamate barrier lipid: An amino-acid-based lipid built on plant sterols. It structures the oil phase of a cream and echoes the lipid mix that already sits between skin cells.
Retinal(100 ppm) active: Retinal is retinaldehyde, a vitamin A derivative one chemical step closer to retinoic acid than retinol is. It is yellow-orange and unstable in light, so products carrying it are usually opaque.
Silica absorbent: Silica is finely milled mineral, essentially very pure sand. It absorbs oil, stops powders clumping and soft-focuses the look of pores and fine lines.
Aluminum/Magnesium Hydroxide Stearate dispersant: A mineral soap used to suspend powders and thicken an oil phase, which is what stops pigment settling to the bottom of a bottle.
Tocopherol antioxidant: Tocopherol is vitamin E. It is an oil-soluble antioxidant that protects the oils in a formula from going rancid and works on skin as an emollient, and it is regularly paired with vitamin C because each keeps the other going for longer.
Potassium Cetyl Phosphate emulsifier: Potassium Cetyl Phosphate is an emulsifier prized for keeping powdered ingredients evenly suspended, which is why tinted and mineral-powder textures use it.
Pentaerythrityl Tetra-di-t-butyl Hydroxyhydrocinnamate antioxidant: This is a stabiliser that keeps the oils and fragrance in a formula from oxidising. Its job is the shelf life of the product rather than any effect on skin.
Arctium Lappa Root Extract plant extract: Burdock root extract, the ueong eaten in Korea. It carries inulin and polyphenols and is used as a conditioning extract.
Cnidium Officinale Root Extract plant extract: Cheongung, a traditional Korean medicinal root from the carrot family. Its extract is used as a conditioning plant extract.
Dioscorea Japonica Root Extract plant extract: Dioscorea Japonica is Japanese wild yam, whose root is naturally slippery with mucilage. Its extract hydrates and leaves a cushioned feel.
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.
Rehmannia Chinensis Root Extract plant extract: Rehmannia root extract, one of the most used roots in East Asian herbal practice. It carries catalpol and sugars, so it also brings a little water holding character.
3-0-Ethyl Ascorbic Acid antioxidant: 3-O-Ethyl Ascorbic Acid is a stable vitamin C derivative that skin converts to ascorbic acid. It survives in a formula far better than pure vitamin C and works at a gentler pH, so it suits skin that finds the pure acid uncomfortable.
Bakuchiol active: Bakuchiol is a compound from the babchi seed, used as a plant-derived alternative to retinol. It is oil soluble, stable in daylight and does not carry retinol's acclimatisation period, which is why sensitive-skin formulas choose it.
sh-Oligopeptide-1 peptide: sh-Oligopeptide-1 is a peptide made by yeast fermentation rather than synthesis, which is what the sh prefix records. It is used for the look of firmness and skin recovery after irritation.
sh-Oligopeptide-2 peptide: sh-Oligopeptide-2 is a second fermentation-produced peptide, used alongside sh-oligopeptide-1 for the look of firmness.
sh-Polypeptide-1 peptide: sh-Polypeptide-1 is a longer fermentation-produced peptide. It is used in formulas built around the look of resilience and recovery.

How it works

Putting this family of ingredients into a cream rather than a serum changes the experience rather than the intent: the cream base is doing the sealing work at the same time, which is why fewer people find it drying in the first weeks. It is still a night only step, since these ingredients are broken down by light and the routine assumes sunscreen the next morning. Because the cream is the last step, there is nothing to layer over it, which also removes the temptation to stack a second strong product on the same evening. That is the difference from a retinoid serum plus a separate cream, which gives more control over the dose but takes more managing. What you can judge is whether fine texture reads softer after two or three months.

How to use

Apply it last at night, after your toner and serum, pressing a small amount over the face.
Keep it off the eyelids and the corners of the mouth, where skin is thinnest and reacts first.
Do not use it in the morning or alongside an exfoliating product, since light breaks this family down and stacking causes flushing.

Worth knowing

Wear sunscreen every morning while using it, since this kind of routine assumes that last layer is going on.
Build up slowly rather than starting nightly, which is where most people give up.
Stop for a week if the skin starts flaking or stinging, then restart at a lower frequency.

Complete the routine

This itemK-Secret SEOUL 1988 Cream : Retinal Liposome 1% + Fermented Rice 50ml$60.00
Seal the routine in as the last stepK-SECRET SEOUL 1988 Cream : Snail Mucin 93% + Rice 100ml$50.00
From the same Korean-market lineK-Secret Advanced Regenerating Eye Gel Patches$19.99

Total for 3 items$129.99

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K-SECRET SEOUL 1988 Cream : Retinal Liposome 1% + Fermented Rice 50ml

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K-Secret, Korean-market original

A 50ml night cream with a retinal step built in, stocked in the Original Korean Formula.

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 skin-care professionals say about the key actives in this formula, quoted from the medical sources linked beside each.

Vitamin A has a molecular structure that's tiny enough to get into the lower layers of your skin, where it finds and boosts collagen and elastin, which is a protein that strengthens your skin's flexibility.
Wilma Bergfeld, MDDermatologist, Cleveland Clinic
Rich in antioxidants, topical ginseng can help to reduce the appearance of various signs of premature aging and repair and protect the skin.
Yunyoung Claire Chang, MDDermatologist, Yahoo Lifestyle

1 more professional perspective

Niacinamide helps reduce the appearance of pores in a few ways. By strengthening the skin barrier and improving elasticity, pores appear less noticeable and more even.
Ashlyn YankeAesthetician, Cleveland Clinic