Move over, snail slime. Ginseng is the IT ingredient of Korean skincare.
Used for centuries in traditional medicine to treat all kinds of ailments, it’s made its way in skincare, where it promises to fight wrinkles, erase dark spots and make you look 10x younger.
Can it deliver? I’ve put I’m From Ginseng Serum to the test to find out. It has one of the highest concentrations of ginseng I’ve come across in a skincare product so far. If this fails, there’s no hope.
Here’s what happened:
Key Ingredients In I’m From Ginseng Serum
Red Ginseng Extract To Fight Premature Aging
Did you know the Koreans call ginseng “the herb of youth?” They believe it helps with anything, from boosting memory to enhancing stamina and keeping wrinkles away.
I’m From Ginseng Serum has a whopping 7.98% red ginseng extract, grown for 6 years in the Geumsan county of South Korea, the ginseng capital of the world. What makes it special?
Ginseng is loaded with antioxidants, including flavonoids and saponins, that tackle anti-aging on several fronts. Studies show it:
- Boosts skin hydration
- Softens skin’s texture
- Helps fade uneven skin tone
- Helps firm skin and fade away wrinkles
Ginseng’s the real deal. And, there’s enough here to do the job. Exciting, isn’t it?
Related: 4 Things I’ve Learned From Korean Skincare
Antioxidants To Prevent Wrinkles
Ginseng isn’t the only antioxidant in I’m From Ginseng Serum. This stuff is packed with them. Here are the highlights:
- Green Tea: An antioxidant with anti-inflammatory properties. It fights free radicals, soothes irritations and helps prevent sun damage.
- Licorice: An antioxidant with skin-brightening properties. It helps fade away dark spots, calm down irritations and destroys free radicals.
- Amur Cork Tree Bark Extract: A mild antioxidant with anti-inflammatory properties to fights wrinkles and irritations.
Related: 3 Reasons Why You Should Add Licorice Extract To Your Skincare Routine
Hyaluronic Acid To Hydrate Skin
Hyaluronic Acid is a humectant.
Hume… what?! Let’s start this again…
Humectant is a fancy way of calling ingredients that attract moisture from the air into the skin. Hyaluronic Acid is the most famous member of this family – for a reason.
It attracts and binds to the skin up to 1000 times its weight in water. That’s a lot of extra moisture for your skin. Enough to make it plumper, softer and brighter.
Related: The Complete Guide To Humectants In Skincare: What They Are, What They Do & How To Use Them
Let’s Put It To The Test: Personal Use & Opinion
Housed in a sleek glass bottle, I’m From Ginseng Serum is a dark golden amber hue that reminds me of honey – sans the stickiness. If you apply it right, that is.
I recommend using 1/3 of the dropper applicator. Anything more than that and the serum may feel a little tacky on your oilier areas. Less is definitely more here.
I wouldn’t call the texture rich or heavy, but it’s not thin either. It’s somewhere in between, goes on smoothly and sinks in quickly.
I use it at night, after retinol/exfoliation and before my moisturiser. When I wake up in the morning, my skin feels so soft and supple. It definitely boosted its hydration levels up a notch.
FYI, this isn’t a substitute for a Hyaluronic Acid serum. Sure, it has some HA to add extra moisture to your skin, but not enough to single-handedly fix dehydration. The serum’s designed to target premature aging, not dry skin issues.
So, how does it work in the anti-aging department? I’m From Ginseng Serum does a wonderful job at softening and smoothing out your skin’s texture. I get so many compliments since I’ve started using it.
But (there’s always a but, isn’t there?), antioxidants don’t work overnight. They prevent, rather than treat wrinkles, so you’ll see better results with regular use.
One more thing: you’d think I’m From Ginseng Serum smelled like ginseng, right? Nope. The scent’s a strong mix of sweet and earthy notes. Luckily, it fades away fast.
Available at: $28.80/£23.72 at Wishtrend and Yes Style
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SHOP THE POST
Have you tried I’m From Ginseng Serum? Share your thoughts in the comments below.
Ingredients: Water, Red Ginseng Extract, Butylene Glycol, Betaine, 1,2-Hexanediol, Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract, Glycerin, Panax Ginseng Seed Oil, Glycyrrhiza Uralensis (Licorice) Root Extract, Paeonia Albiflora Root Extract, Angelica Gigas Root Extract, Rheum Palmatum Root Extract, Angelica Pubescens Root Extract, Schizonepeta Tenuifolia Extract, Phellodendron Amurense Bark Extract, Hydroxyethylcellulose, Cyclopentasiloxane, Dimethiconol, Bis-PEG-18 Methyl Ether Dimethyl Silane, Ethoxydiglycol, Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer, Tromethamine, PEG-60 Hydrogenated Castor Oil, Ethylhexylglycerin, Hydrolyzed Glycosaminoglycans, Hyaluronic Acid, Glyceryl Polyacrylate, Adenosine, Disodium EDTA, FragranceÂ
not convinced. How is this maunfactured to keep the Anti Oxidant stable? Most are useless after coming from the factory. This does nothing other Anti Oxidants like vit C can do
Jeff, I agree ginseng is not as studied as vitamin C, although the initial research is very promising. I keep mine in the box so as to keep the antioxidants stable for longer.