Sulwhasoo
Concentrated Ginseng Brightening Ampoule 20g
Sulwhasoo Concentrated Ginseng Brightening Ampoule 20g carries five separate ginseng forms on its own ingredient panel, including Panax ginseng berry extract, Panax ginseng root extract, Hydrolyzed ginseng saponins, Panax ginseng leaf/stem extract.
No reviews yet20 g
$105.00 per 10 g
- Korean-market formula
- Ships from California or direct from Korea
- Korean barcode and batch code intact
- Suited to
- NormalCombinationDry
- Helps with
- A concentrated, short-course treatment stepLayering under a regular moisturizer
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 panel on this ampoule names five forms of ginseng rather than one: Panax ginseng berry extract, Panax ginseng root extract, Hydrolyzed ginseng saponins, Panax ginseng leaf/stem extract, Panax ginseng flower extract. Extract of the ginseng fruit rather than the root. The berry carries a different balance of ginsenosides and is harvested for only a short window each year. On this panel it sits alongside Theobroma cacao (cocoa) extract, Cyanocobalamin and Dipotassium glycyrrhizate. Cocoa Extract carries polyphenols and a little caffeine. It is used as an antioxidant plant extract and gives a faint warm tint.
Key benefits
- Five forms of ginseng on one panel, not a single token inclusion
- Theobroma cacao (cocoa) extract on the same panel, the formula's plant extract
- Cyanocobalamin on the same panel, the formula's vitamin
- 20 g to a unit
- Korean-market formula, with its Korean barcode and batch code intact on the box
Key actives
4Panax ginseng berry extract
Extract of the ginseng fruit rather than the root. The berry carries a different balance of ginsenosides and is harvested for only a short window each year.
6Theobroma cacao (cocoa) extract
Cocoa Extract carries polyphenols and a little caffeine. It is used as an antioxidant plant extract and gives a faint warm tint.
8Cyanocobalamin
Cyanocobalamin is vitamin B12, and it is a deep pink-red, which is why a formula carrying it often has a colour nobody added on purpose. It is used as a conditioning vitamin.
22Dipotassium glycyrrhizate
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.
34Panax ginseng root extract
Ginseng Root Extract is the signature ingredient of Korean traditional skincare, carrying ginsenosides. It is used for the look of tired, dull skin, and brands often ferment it to break the ginsenosides into smaller forms.
36Hydrolyzed ginseng saponins
The ginsenoside fraction of ginseng root broken into smaller pieces, usually with an enzyme acting on red ginseng. Smaller ginsenosides dissolve and spread more easily than the whole extract.
39Panax ginseng leaf/stem extract
Ginseng leaf and stem extract, the parts above ground. They carry a different ginsenoside profile from the root, and the extract is used as a conditioning ingredient.
How do I use this ampoule?
Apply a few drops to clean skin after toner, morning or night as directed on the pack, and follow with moisturizer to seal it in. Ampoules are typically used as a concentrated course rather than an everyday staple.
Is an ampoule the same as a serum?
It sits in the same step but at a higher concentration, so many people use it as a shorter, more intensive course rather than every single day.
Not on the ingredient list below: denatured or SD alcohol, essential oils, parabens, sulfate surfactants, mineral oil or petrolatum and added color.
Full INCI (57): Water, Butylene glycol, 1,2-hexanediol, Panax ginseng berry extract, Dextrin, Theobroma cacao (cocoa) extract, Ethylhexylglycerin, Cyanocobalamin, Water, Butylene glycol, Glycerin, Peg/ppg-17/6 copolymer, Dipropylene glycol, Polysorbate 80, 1,2-hexanediol, Diethoxyethyl succinate, Bis-peg-18 methyl ether dimethyl silane, Peg-150 distearate, Polysorbate 20, Olive oil peg-8 esters, Fragrance, Dipotassium glycyrrhizate, Mannitol, Pentylene glycol, Adenosine, Ethylhexylglycerin, Methoxy peg-114/polyepsilon caprolactone, Linalool, Sodium metaphosphate, Madecassoside, Taurine, Xanthan gum, Sodium chloride, Panax ginseng root extract, Benzyl benzoate, Hydrolyzed ginseng saponins, Achillea millefolium extract, Rehmannia chinensis root extract, Panax ginseng leaf/stem extract, Phenoxyethanol, Alpha-isomethyl ionone, Paeonia lactiflora root extract, Panax ginseng flower extract, Polygonatum odoratum rhizome extract, Limonene, Citronellol, Nelumbo nucifera extract, Lilium tigrinum bulb extract, Tocopherol, Glycyrrhiza glabra (licorice) root extract, Acetyl tetrapeptide-11, Caprylyl glycol, Acetyl heptapeptide-4, Hexapeptide-9, Acetyl hexapeptide-8, Sodium hydroxide, Acetyl octapeptide-3
Ingredient list read from sulwhasoo.com on 30 August 2026.
51 of 57 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.
- 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.
- Panax ginseng berry extract plant extract
- Extract of the ginseng fruit rather than the root. The berry carries a different balance of ginsenosides and is harvested for only a short window each year.
- Dextrin thickener
- Dextrin is a starch fragment used to thicken and to give a formula a light, powdery finish. It is also a common carrier for powdered extracts.
- Theobroma cacao (cocoa) extract plant extract
- Cocoa Extract carries polyphenols and a little caffeine. It is used as an antioxidant plant extract and gives a faint warm tint.
- 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.
- Cyanocobalamin vitamin
- Cyanocobalamin is vitamin B12, and it is a deep pink-red, which is why a formula carrying it often has a colour nobody added on purpose. It is used as a conditioning vitamin.
- 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.
- Peg/ppg-17/6 copolymer solvent
- PEG/PPG-17/6 Copolymer is a water-soluble polymer used as a humectant and solubiliser. It keeps a formula fluid and helps oils stay dispersed.
- Dipropylene glycol humectant
- Dipropylene Glycol is a glycol used as a solvent and a light humectant. Its main job is keeping the rest of the formula dissolved and the texture fluid rather than adding hydration of its own.
- Polysorbate 80 emulsifier
- Polysorbate 80 is an emulsifier and solubiliser used to keep oils, fragrance and oil-soluble actives dissolved in water.
39 more explained
- Diethoxyethyl succinate solvent
- Diethoxyethyl Succinate is a solvent that helps water-resistant actives spread and sink in evenly. It also leaves a light, silky feel.
- Bis-peg-18 methyl ether dimethyl silane silicone
- A water-soluble silicone used for a light, silky slip without an oily film. It also helps other ingredients spread evenly.
- Polysorbate 20 emulsifier
- Polysorbate 20 is a solubiliser: it dissolves small amounts of oil or fragrance into a watery formula so nothing separates or floats.
- Fragrance fragrance
- Fragrance, or Parfum, is a single declaration standing for a whole scent blend, which can be dozens of materials. Regulators allow it as a trade secret, so a list showing only this word does not say what the scent is made of. It is the most common trigger named by people with reactive skin.
- 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.
- Mannitol humectant
- Mannitol is a sugar alcohol used as a humectant and antioxidant. It hydrates and helps stabilise the rest of the formula against oxidation.
- Pentylene glycol humectant
- Pentylene Glycol hydrates and, like the other longer-chain glycols, makes a formula less hospitable to microbes so the preservative system can be lighter. It also improves how evenly a product spreads.
- 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.
- Methoxy peg-114/polyepsilon caprolactone emulsifier
- A block polymer with a water-loving end and an oil-loving end. It stabilises an emulsion without a soap-type emulsifier.
- Linalool fragrance component
- Linalool is a floral aromatic found in lavender, bergamot and coriander. It is one of the 26 fragrance components EU labelling requires to be declared by name.
- Sodium metaphosphate chelator
- A phosphate salt that ties up metal ions in water. It also stops the calcium and magnesium in hard water from flattening a cleanser foam.
- Madecassoside active
- Madecassoside is the centella triterpene most associated with the look of redness, and the one brands lead with in cica products. It is water soluble and stable, so it appears in essences as readily as in creams.
- Taurine amino acid
- Taurine is an amino acid that occurs in high concentration inside the body cells, where it helps regulate water balance. In a formula it is a humectant and conditioning agent.
- 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.
- Sodium chloride thickener
- Sodium Chloride is salt. In a cleanser it thickens the liquid; in a mask or essence it balances the mineral content of the water phase. It has no active role.
- Panax ginseng root extract plant extract
- Ginseng Root Extract is the signature ingredient of Korean traditional skincare, carrying ginsenosides. It is used for the look of tired, dull skin, and brands often ferment it to break the ginsenosides into smaller forms.
- Benzyl benzoate fragrance component
- Benzyl Benzoate is a faintly balsamic aromatic that also acts as a fixative, holding a fragrance on skin longer. It is one of the 26 declarable fragrance components.
- Hydrolyzed ginseng saponins plant extract
- The ginsenoside fraction of ginseng root broken into smaller pieces, usually with an enzyme acting on red ginseng. Smaller ginsenosides dissolve and spread more easily than the whole extract.
- Achillea millefolium extract plant extract
- Yarrow extract. The plant carries flavonoids, tannins and azulene compounds, so the extract has an astringent character and is used as a conditioning botanical.
- 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.
- Panax ginseng leaf/stem extract plant extract
- Ginseng leaf and stem extract, the parts above ground. They carry a different ginsenoside profile from the root, and the extract is used as a conditioning ingredient.
- Phenoxyethanol preservative
- Phenoxyethanol is the most widely used cosmetic preservative outside the paraben family. It keeps a water-containing formula from growing bacteria and mould, and is capped at one percent in most markets, so it always sits low on a list.
- Alpha-isomethyl ionone fragrance component
- A soft violet and woody aromatic. It is one of the 26 fragrance components EU labelling requires to be named.
- Paeonia lactiflora root extract plant extract
- Chinese peony root, one of the oldest ingredients in East Asian herbal practice. Its extract carries paeoniflorin and is used for the look of reddened, uneven skin.
- Panax ginseng flower extract plant extract
- Ginseng flower extract. The flower carries a high concentration of ginsenosides for its weight and is harvested by hand.
- Polygonatum odoratum rhizome extract plant extract
- Solomon's seal rhizome extract, the dungulle brewed as tea in Korea. It carries mucilage and sugars, so it hydrates and leaves a soft feel.
- Limonene fragrance component
- Limonene is the citrus-peel aromatic. It appears here because EU labelling requires 26 fragrance components to be named individually rather than hidden inside "fragrance", and it is one of them.
- Citronellol fragrance component
- Citronellol is a rose-geranium aromatic and one of the 26 fragrance components EU labelling names individually.
- Nelumbo nucifera extract plant extract
- Lotus extract with the plant part unstated. Lotus carries flavonoids and alkaloids, and its extracts are used as conditioning antioxidant botanicals.
- Lilium tigrinum bulb extract plant extract
- Tiger lily bulb extract. The bulb is starchy and mucilaginous, so the extract hydrates and leaves a soft feel.
- 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.
- 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.
- Acetyl tetrapeptide-11 peptide
- Acetyl Tetrapeptide-11 is a four-amino-acid peptide used for the look of firmness, and it is the usual partner to acetyl tetrapeptide-9.
- 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.
- Acetyl heptapeptide-4 peptide
- A seven-amino-acid peptide with an acetyl group added for stability. It is used as a conditioning peptide for the look of firmness.
- Hexapeptide-9 peptide
- Hexapeptide-9 is a six-amino-acid peptide used for the look of firmness and elasticity. It is water soluble and appears in peptide blends rather than alone.
- Acetyl hexapeptide-8 peptide
- Acetyl Hexapeptide-8 is a six-amino-acid peptide used for the look of expression lines, particularly around the eyes. It is the peptide sold under the name Argireline and is water soluble and stable.
- Sodium hydroxide pH adjuster
- Sodium Hydroxide is a strong base used in traces to bring an acidic formula up to skin-friendly pH. None of it remains as itself once the formula is neutralised.
- Acetyl octapeptide-3 peptide
- Acetyl Octapeptide-3 is an eight-amino-acid peptide used for the look of expression lines. It is usually paired with acetyl hexapeptide-8 rather than used alone.
- Market
- Korean market, the version sold in Korea
- Made in
- Republic of Korea
- Volume
- 20 g
- Category
- Serum & Ampoule
- 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.
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
- 4Panax ginseng
- 8Cyanocobalamin
- 22Dipotassium glycyrrhizate
- 34Panax ginseng
Where each key active sits on the declared ingredient list, by entry number. Position is proportion: the further forward, the larger its share.
How to use
- Apply a few drops to clean skin after toner, morning or night as directed on the pack, and follow with moisturizer to seal it in. Ampoules are typically used as a concentrated course rather than an everyday staple.
Worth knowing
- Introduce gradually and patch test first, since ampoules are formulated at a higher concentration than a standard serum.
Complete the routine
- This itemSulwhasoo Concentrated Ginseng Brightening Ampoule 20g$210.00
- Cleanse first, so the next step meets bare skinSulwhasoo Signature Ginseng Facial Soap 120g X 2ea$82.50
- The last step of the morning, over everything elseSulwhasoo MEN UV Defense Protector 50ml SPF50+ PA++++$52.50
Total for 3 items$345.00
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Sulwhasoo Concentrated Ginseng Brightening Ampoule 20g
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Sulwhasoo, Korean-market original
Korean-market serum from Sulwhasoo: Concentrated Ginseng Brightening Ampoule 20g, the same formula sold on shelves in 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 the key actives in this formula, quoted from the medical sources linked beside each.
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 It contains liquiritin, an active compound that helps to disperse and remove existing melanin in the skin.
Jennifer Chwalek, MDDermatologist, Byrdie
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