Sulwhasoo
First Care Activating Eye Serum 20ml
Sulwhasoo First Care Activating Eye Serum 20ml carries five separate ginseng forms on its own ingredient panel, including Hydrolyzed Ginseng Saponins, Panax Ginseng Seed Oil, Panax Ginseng Root Extract, Panax Ginseng Leaf/stem Extract.
No reviews yet20 ml
$78.75 per 10 ml
- Korean-market formula
- Ships from California or direct from Korea
- Korean barcode and batch code intact
- Suited to
- NormalCombinationDryOily
- Helps with
- A targeted treatment stepLayering under a daily moisturizer
In stock. Arrives in 3 to 7 business days
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How it works
The panel on this serum names five forms of ginseng rather than one: Hydrolyzed Ginseng Saponins, Panax Ginseng Seed Oil, Panax Ginseng Root Extract, Panax Ginseng Leaf/stem Extract, Panax Ginseng Flower 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. On this panel it sits alongside Niacinamide, Cacao (cocoa) Extract and Rehmannia Glutinosa Root Extract. 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.
Key benefits
- Five forms of ginseng on one panel, not a single token inclusion
- Niacinamide on the same panel, the formula's active
- Cacao (cocoa) Extract on the same panel, the formula's plant extract
- 20 ml to a unit
- Korean-market formula, with its Korean barcode and batch code intact on the box
Key actives
10Niacinamide
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.
17Hydrolyzed 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.
24Cacao (cocoa) Extract
Cocoa Extract carries polyphenols and a little caffeine. It is used as an antioxidant plant extract and gives a faint warm tint.
30Panax Ginseng Seed Oil
Ginseng seed oil, pressed from the seed rather than extracted from the root. It is a light oil high in oleic acid and carries a little of the plant's own sterols.
32Panax 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.
34Panax 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.
36Rehmannia Glutinosa Root Extract
Chinese foxglove root, one of the standing herbal roots of Korean medicine. Its extract carries iridoid glycosides and sugars and is used as a conditioning extract.
How do I use this serum?
Apply a few drops to clean skin after toner or essence and before moisturizer, morning and/or night, pressing it in rather than rubbing.
Can I use this with other serums?
Yes, layering thinnest to thickest texture is the usual rule; introduce one new serum at a time so you can tell what your skin is responding to.
Not on the ingredient list below: denatured or SD alcohol, essential oils, parabens, sulfate surfactants, mineral oil or petrolatum and added color.
Full INCI (61): Water / Aqua / Eau, Butylene Glycol, Glycerin, Methyl Gluceth-20, Cetyl Ethylhexanoate, Behenyl Alcohol, Betaine, 1,2-hexanediol, Methoxy Peg-114/polyepsilon Caprolactone, Niacinamide, Carbomer, Tromethamine, Phenyl Trimethicone, Caprylyl Methicone, Jojoba Esters, Fragrance / Parfum, Hydrolyzed Ginseng Saponins, Glyceryl Caprylate, Phenoxyethanol, Arachidyl Alcohol, Ethylhexylglycerin, Dextrin, Theobroma, Cacao (cocoa) Extract, Sodium Metaphosphate, Linalool, Arachidyl Glucoside, Panthenol, Mannitol, Panax Ginseng Seed Oil, Glycine Soja (soybean) Oil, Panax Ginseng Root Extract, Sodium Chloride, Panax Ginseng Leaf/stem Extract, Limonene, Rehmannia Glutinosa Root Extract, Paeonia Lactiflora Root Extract, Panax Ginseng Flower Extract, Polygonatum Odoratum Rhizome Extract, Nelumbo Nucifera Flower Extract, Retinol, Propanediol, Lilium Tigrinum Bulb Extract, Hydrogenated Lecithin, Sodium Hyaluronate, Tocopherol, Caprylyl Glycol, Pentaerythrityl Tetra-di-t-butyl Hydroxyhydrocinnamate, Phytosphingosine, Sodium Polyaspartate, Hydrolyzed Hyaluronic Acid, Acetyl Heptapeptide-4, Sodium Hyaluronate Crosspolymer, Acetyl Tetrapeptide-11, Sodium Methyl Stearoyl Taurate, Hyaluronic Acid, Acetyl Hexapeptide-8, Sodium Hydroxide, Hexapeptide-9, Sodium Acetylated Hyaluronate, Acetyl Octapeptide-3
Ingredient list read from us.sulwhasoo.com on 30 August 2026.
60 of 61 explained
- Water / Aqua / Eau 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.
- 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.
- Methyl Gluceth-20 humectant
- Methyl Gluceth-20 is a sugar-derived humectant. It holds water in the outer layer of skin and gives a smooth, cushioned slip that plain glycerin does not.
- 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.
- 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.
- 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.
- 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.
- 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.
- 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.
- 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.
48 more explained
- Phenyl Trimethicone silicone
- Phenyl Trimethicone is a silicone with a higher refractive index than most, so it adds visible gloss as well as slip. It is common in glow and lip textures.
- Caprylyl Methicone silicone
- Caprylyl Methicone is a silicone with a fatty tail, so it mixes with plant oils as well as with silicones. It gives a dry slip and helps disperse powders.
- Jojoba Esters emollient
- Jojoba Esters are jojoba wax rebuilt into a softer, meltable form. They condition skin and give body to balms without the heaviness of a butter.
- Fragrance / Parfum 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.
- 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.
- Glyceryl Caprylate emulsifier
- Glyceryl Caprylate is a mild emulsifier that also makes a formula less hospitable to microbes, so it is often part of a preservative-free system.
- 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.
- Arachidyl Alcohol fatty alcohol
- Arachidyl Alcohol is a long-chain fatty alcohol used as a thickener and emollient, usually alongside behenyl alcohol.
- 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.
- 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.
- 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.
- 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.
- 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.
- Arachidyl Glucoside emulsifier
- Arachidyl Glucoside is a sugar-derived co-emulsifier, usually supplied with arachidyl and behenyl alcohols as a plant-based cream base.
- 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.
- 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.
- Panax Ginseng Seed Oil emollient
- Ginseng seed oil, pressed from the seed rather than extracted from the root. It is a light oil high in oleic acid and carries a little of the plant's own sterols.
- Glycine Soja (soybean) Oil emollient
- Soybean Oil is a linoleic-rich plant oil used as an emollient. It also carries soy phytosterols and vitamin E.
- 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.
- 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 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.
- 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.
- Rehmannia Glutinosa Root Extract plant extract
- Chinese foxglove root, one of the standing herbal roots of Korean medicine. Its extract carries iridoid glycosides and sugars and is used as a conditioning extract.
- 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.
- Nelumbo Nucifera Flower Extract plant extract
- Lotus flower extract, from the same sacred lotus as the leaf. It carries flavonoids and sugars and is used as a conditioning, hydrating extract.
- Retinol active
- Retinol is the alcohol form of vitamin A and the strongest retinoid available without a prescription. Skin converts it in two steps to retinoic acid, and it is used at night, at low percentages, for the look of fine lines and rough texture. It can leave skin flaking while it acclimatises.
- 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.
- 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.
- 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.
- Sodium Hyaluronate humectant
- Sodium Hyaluronate is the salt of hyaluronic acid, and it is what most products labelled hyaluronic actually contain. The salt dissolves more readily and the molecule is smaller, so it sits in the outer layer of skin rather than only on top of it.
- 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.
- 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.
- 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.
- Phytosphingosine barrier lipid
- Phytosphingosine is the backbone every ceramide is built on, and skin uses it in its own lipid layer. In a formula it works with ceramides and cholesterol and also keeps the product stable against microbes.
- Sodium Polyaspartate chelator
- A biodegradable polymer of aspartic acid used in place of EDTA. It binds the metal ions in water that would otherwise break a formula down.
- Hydrolyzed Hyaluronic Acid humectant
- Hydrolyzed Hyaluronic Acid is hyaluronic acid cut into much shorter fragments. The smaller the fragment, the further into the outer layer it can settle, which is why serums stack several sizes together instead of using one.
- 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.
- Sodium Hyaluronate Crosspolymer humectant
- Sodium Hyaluronate Crosspolymer is hyaluronic acid linked into a mesh. It holds water in a soft gel on the surface rather than sinking in, and it releases that water slowly through the day.
- 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.
- Sodium Methyl Stearoyl Taurate surfactant
- A taurine-based surfactant. Taurates foam well while staying mild, and they keep working in hard water where a soap does not.
- Hyaluronic Acid humectant
- Hyaluronic Acid is a sugar chain the body already makes, and one gram of it can hold several litres of water. In a formula it is a humectant that pulls water to the surface of skin and holds it in a film, which is what makes skin look plumper while it is there.
- 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.
- 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.
- Sodium Acetylated Hyaluronate humectant
- Sodium Acetylated Hyaluronate is hyaluronic acid modified to be part oil-loving, so it clings to skin instead of rinsing away. Formulators call it the one that stays put.
- 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 ml
- Category
- Eye Care
- 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
- 10Niacinamide
- 17Hydrolyzed Ginseng
- 24Cacao Extract
- 30Panax Ginseng
- 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 or essence and before moisturizer, morning and/or night, pressing it in rather than rubbing.
Worth knowing
- Introduce a new serum on its own for a week before adding other treatment steps.
Complete the routine
- This itemSulwhasoo First Care Activating Eye Serum 20ml$157.50
- 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$292.50
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Sulwhasoo First Care Activating Eye Serum 20ml
How it felt, how your skin took it, what you layer it with. Straight answers help the next person choose.
Sulwhasoo, Korean-market original
First Care Activating Eye Serum 20ml from Sulwhasoo: an eye cream in the Original Korean Formula, not the US-shelf version.
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 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
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