Brand Belief

TIMELESS WISDOM AGELESS BEAUTY TIMELESS WISDOM AGELESS BEAUTY

TO THE AGELESS BEAUTY BEYOND TIME

To the ageless beauty that transcends time
Beauty does not deteriorate over time. Instead, it evolves.
Over the years, this has driven Sulwhasoo to search for natural,
genuine beauty that delivers skin that glows with a healthy radiance.
Now, with Sulwhasoo, you can enjoy natural and genuine beauty at every milestone in life.

SCIENCE

The House of Infinite Wisdom
At the heart of Sulwhasoo’s wisdom is the Sulwhasoo Heritage & Science Center.
The Center spearheads Sulwhasoo's drive to innovate by constantly infusing “Asian Wisdom” with modern science.

Sulwhasoo has been researching and studying Ginseng since the 1960s. Its commitment towards creating the best cosmetic products with natural ingredients helped Sulwhasoo keep up its relentless pursuit of Korean herbal medicine-based ingredients for more than five decades. Today, the Heritage & Science Center has grown into a major research institute employing more than 500 experts.

The Center carries out “beauty convergence” research, something that no other research institute in the world can claim to do. Specifically, it executes in-depth research on Korean Ginseng, the scientific efficacy of herbal ingredients, the latest anti-aging research, and the modernization of traditional medical theories. Each researcher specializes and works together across the Center’s four research areas to keep the research process organized and systematic.

Research at the Heritage & Science Center comes down to one word - “convergence.” It finds examples from old Korean texts to establish modern theories. It develops high-end functional cosmetic products by extracting ingredients from plants found in Korea, and integrates past and present traditions with science, herbal ingredients and cosmetics. Sulwhasoo’s “wisdom” comes from the Center’s affinity for convergence. And this is what its emblem symbolizes - “Infinite Wisdom.”

In-depth study of Korean Ginseng

Korean Ginseng is an extraordinary plant that has long been recognized for its otherworldly nutritional content, and it is far superior to other Ginseng varieties grown around the world. Today, researchers at the Heritage & Science Center focus their research on Korean Ginseng using specialized “test beds.” The Center uses its test beds to carry out botanical research on Ginseng, and experiments with the latest technologies such as hydroponic cultivation and bio-conversion in harvesting Ginseng.

Research on the efficacy of herbal ingredients

Ancient Asian sources feature a wide variety of botanical ingredients, other than Ginseng. The Heritage & Science Center explores these ingredients used in tens of thousands of different traditional oriental prescriptions to find the optimal ingredients. Over the years, it has tested 3,912 plant combinations to develop the right ingredient mix, the right efficacies, and the right extraction method. Thanks to this relentless commitment towards research, Sulwhasoo developed its core ingredient, “Active Beauty Ginsenoside,” which can only be found in Korean Ginseng.

Scientific verification of skin-related efficacies and the latest anti-aging research

Over the years, the Heritage & Science Center has accumulated a vast database of scientifically proven data on anti-aging. Based on this data, the Center conducts various anti-aging studies to present solutions that meet modern skin concerns. And, of course, the Center verifies its solutions for their efficacies on the skin through a myriad of clinical trials.

Study on modernizing oriental medical theories

Wisdom inspired by tradition can be infused with today’s latest technologies. This is why the Heritage & Science Center has converted its knowledge in tens of thousands of ingredients and prescriptions into digital data. Digital data is analyzed and verified against results from modern research. Now, secret prescriptions from ancient sources are ready to be turned into skin solutions optimized for today’s consumers.

Ginsenomics™ Ginsenomics™

Ginsenomics™

Ginsenomics™ is the essence of Sulwhasoo’s research on Ginseng. Korean Ginseng contains more than 30 different types of Ginseng Saponins. Among these Saponins, only a particular type of Saponin, which is available in very small amounts, delivers excellent anti-aging efficacies. When Sulwhasoo made this discovery, it went a step further than simply extracting this rare Saponin. It developed what is known as “Active Beauty Ginsenoside” featuring Ginseng extracts condensed 6,000 times, then gave it a new name - Ginsenomics™. Ginsenomics™ represents the pinnacle of Suwhasoo’s exclusive technology that allows its products to deliver the energy of Ginseng to the skin.

Ginsenomics™ is also the result of anti-aging research geared towards improving the skin’s vitality. Sulwhasoo’s unique ingredients help strengthen the skin. With improved vitality, the skin naturally becomes healthy and resilient against aging. The distinct anti-aging technology used in the production of Ginsenomics™ is the secret to strengthening and maintaining healthy and beautiful skin even when the external environment changes.

The Story of Korea Ginseng

In 1711, Father Père Jartoux, a French missionary, wrote a letter home, stating, “This ingredient is too expensive for the common folk. It is used for products offered to the Emperor.” The ingredient Father Jartoux is referring to is Korean Ginseng. Europeans have touted the efficacies of Korean Ginseng for centuries. Richard Cox of the British East India Company also wrote, “(Ginseng) is so precious that the common people never get the chance to use it. It is widely considered the most precious plant in the world.” Records describing the value and efficacies of Ginseng can be found in history books from all over the world.

In East Asia, the existence and efficacies of Ginseng were known much earlier compared to the Western world. Scientists have discovered Ginseng prescriptions dating as far back as the 3rd century C.E. (The “Shanghan Lun” written in China). This shows how long Ginseng has been regarded as a treasure in East Asian cultures. “Korean Ginseng” also has a long history. Records show that people started trading Ginseng in 6th century C.E. The earliest record specifically mentioning Korean Ginseng can be traced back to 14th century C.E. The “Seungjeongwon Ilgi,” written in 1687, also discussed cultivation methods for Korean Ginseng, and stated that Ginseng was cultivated in as much as 34% of the entire arable land during the Joseon Dynasty. Simply put, Korean Ginseng has historically been known as a precious ingredient. Meanwhile, some have suggested King Yeongjo of the Joseon Dynasty owes his longevity to the efficacies of Ginseng. Sulwhasoo’s products are extraordinary, and at the foundation is Korean Ginseng.

Korean Ginseng is Korea's best-known high-end botanical ingredient, and a historically valuable resource. Records on the efficacies of Korean Ginseng have been found in multiple countries. However, the efficacies of Korean Ginseng go far beyond what has been found in history books. In fact, its excellence has been proven by modern science, including botany, biology, and chemistry. This is why Sulwhasoo remains committed in discovering new efficacies of Korean Ginseng with continued research.
The Science of Korea Ginseng

A scientific approach to Korean Ginseng is part of Sulwhasoo's proud heritage. Behind Sulwhasoo's reputation is its quality. Behind its quality is its technology. And behind its technology are decades of dedicated research.

HERITAGE

초창기 연구원들의 모습 초창기 연구원들의 모습

Heritage Since 1966

Sulwhasoo was built on a foundation of more than 50 years of enterprising spirit and innovation. Its heritage can be traced back to the 1960s. In 1966, Amorepacific launched the “ABC Ginseng Cream,” the first-ever Ginseng-based cosmetic product, which became a prototype for Sulwhasoo. In 1997, research on Korean herbal ingredients evolved into “Sulwhasoo” as the company gained more insight from its research on Ginseng prescriptions. In many ways, Sulwhasoo’s history is synonymous with the history of Korean cosmetics.

Amorepacific established its cosmetics laboratory in 1954 at a time the concept of “cosmetic research” did not even exist in Korea. What started out as a passion project for Ginseng, a plant known as Korea’s signature botanical ingredient, led to the “ABC Ginseng Cream” in 1966, which later became Sulwhasoo. In 1973, Amorepacific launched the “Korean Ginseng Sammi” featuring Ginseng Saponin extracts, and in 1987, it launched the first “Sulwha” product. Then, in 1997, Amorepacific created the “Sulwhasoo” brand. At the core of Sulwhasoo's unique philosophy is its dreams and innovations distilled over more than 50 years of history.