Ultra Whitening First Essence Origin 120ml

Not on the ingredient list below: fragrance or parfum, denatured or SD alcohol, silicones, parabens, sulfate surfactants, mineral oil or petrolatum and added color.

Full INCI (44): Water, Glycerin, 1,2-Hexanediol, Niacinamide, Betaine, Butylene Glycol, Panthenol, Glycereth-25 Pca Isostearate, Xanthan Gum, Dipotassium Glycyrrhizate, Malt Extract, Citrus Paradisi (Grapefruit) Peel Oil, Sodium Hyaluronate, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Hydrolyzed Hyaluronic Acid, Beta-Glucan, Phellinus Linteus Extract, Caprylyl Glycol, Citrus Aurantium Dulcis (Orange) Peel Oil, Sodium Acetylated Hyaluronate, Juniperus Mexicana Oil, Coriandrum Sativum (Coriander) Fruit Oil, Mentha Viridis (Spearmint) Leaf Oil, Lactobacillus/Rice Ferment, Mentha Piperita (Peppermint) Leaf Extract, Morinda Citrifolia Fruit Extract, Prunus Mume Fruit Extract, Adenium Obesum Leaf Cell Extract, Cucumis Sativus (Cucumber) Fruit Extract, Centella Asiatica Extract, Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract, Actinidia Chinensis (Kiwi) Fruit Extract, Aloe Arborescens Leaf Extract, Carum Petroselinum (Parsley) Extract, Brassica Oleracea Acephala Leaf Extract, Adansonia Digitata Seed Extract, Melaleuca Alternifolia (Tea Tree) Extract, Cynara Scolymus (Artichoke) Leaf Extract, Phyllostachys Nigra Leaf Extract, Brassica Oleracea Gemmifera (Brussels Sprouts) Extract, Cucumis Melo (Melon) Fruit Extract, Citrus Aurantifolia (Lime) Fruit Extract, Yeast Beta-Glucan, Laminaria Japonica Extract

Ingredient list read from inkeedecoder.com on 12 September 2026.

39 of 44 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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

Glycereth-25 Pca Isostearate emollient

Glycereth-25 PCA Isostearate is a water-dispersible emollient that softens skin and helps oils and water stay mixed. It reads as light rather than rich on the skin.

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.

Dipotassium Glycyrrhizate active

Dipotassium Glycyrrhizate is a water-soluble salt derived from licorice root. It is the licorice fraction Korean formulas use for the look of redness, and it is far more stable in water than the whole extract.

Malt Extract plant extract

Malt Extract comes from sprouted barley and carries sugars, amino acids and B vitamins. It is used as a conditioning, hydrating extract.

Citrus Paradisi (Grapefruit) Peel Oil fragrance component

Grapefruit peel oil, an essential oil pressed from the rind. It scents a formula, and citrus peel oils can make skin more sensitive to sun.

Market

Korean market, the version sold in Korea

Made in

Republic of Korea

Volume

120 ml

Category

Essence

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.

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.

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.