Sulwhasoo Concentrated Ginseng Renewing Cream for acne-prone skin
Panax Ginseng Root Extract
Squalane
Retinol
Beta-GlucanAverage
- AverageCombination Skin Fit
- AverageEffectiveness
- HighSafety
Works for acne-prone skin; other moisturizers fit it better.
This fit is calculated for the concerns frequently associated with acne-prone skin: breakouts, blackheads, and post-acne marks. For scores and recommendations based on your full skin profile, including your 12D face scan results and any goals or preferences you have, please use the Lovi app.
Page built Nov 8, 2026How the Fit score works
Lovi Assistant explains
- This product offers moderate hydration for your combination skin, with glycerin and polyquaternium-51 providing essential moisture, but it lacks sufficient oil-controlling ingredients to manage your oily T-zone effectively.
- While ingredients like Panax Ginseng Root Extract and honey offer general soothing and elasticity benefits, they do not directly target your primary concerns of acne, blemishes, and breakouts.
- The product is safe for your acne-prone skin, as it contains no harsh or prohibited ingredients and includes soothing components like beta-glucan.
How to apply
- Use your moisturizer twice a day in your AM and PM routines. Apply it daily to help keep breakouts under control.
- Apply after your cleanser and toner, and make sure to use your SPF right after in the morning.
- Gently spread a small amount of moisturizer over your face using soft motions. Let it absorb into the skin for a minute before getting dressed or applying makeup.
- Apply on slightly damp skin to help lock in extra moisture. This keeps your combination skin balanced without feeling heavy.
- Avoid the eye area and do a patch test before your first use. Stop using if you feel any irritation.
People Say
★4.6Overall rating based on 1.0k+ reviewsBased on a very large amount of data, this cream is highly recommended for dry and mature skin, offering deep hydration and a radiant glow with a luxurious texture. Many users report significant anti-aging benefits like increased firmness and reduced fine lines. The herbal ginseng scent is polarizing, and the high price point is a frequent concern, though some users find the texture too heavy or experience breakouts.
Highlights
Deep hydration Mostly Mentioned
- “skin drinks it up”
- “melted into my skin”
- “moisturized all night”
- “soft as a baby's bottom”
High price Mostly Mentioned
- “outrageously priced”
- “expensive”
- “splurge”
- “investment”
Luxurious texture Often Mentioned
- “buttery”
- “velvety”
- “silky”
- “absorbs quickly”
Radiant glow Often Mentioned
- “instant glow”
- “dewy”
- “glass skin”
- “healthy radiance”
Anti-aging results Sometimes Noted
- “firmer”
- “plumper”
- “fine lines diminished”
- “lifting effect”
Spa-like scent Sometimes Noted
- “grounding”
- “herbal”
- “therapeutic”
- “ginseng smell”
Strong scent Sometimes Noted
- “overpowering”
- “medicinal”
- “like dirt/grass”
- “too herbal”
Breakouts Rarely Noted
- “caused acne”
- “small bumps”
- “whiteheads”
- “reaction”
Too heavy Rarely Noted
- “greasy residue”
- “too rich”
- “sat on skin”
- “clogged pores”
Sources: lovi.care, sephora.com, influenster.com, reddit.com, mywomenstuff.com, kbeautyhobbit.com, and more
Questions and answers
How well does Sulwhasoo Concentrated Ginseng Renewing Cream work for acne-prone skin?
Sulwhasoo Concentrated Ginseng Renewing Cream is an average fit for acne-prone skin, as it provides moderate hydration with glycerin and soothing benefits from beta-glucan, but lacks sufficient oil-controlling ingredients and blemish-targeted actives. To work better for this skin type, a moisturizing treatment needs effective ingredients that clear blemishes and manage excess oil while maintaining hydration without irritation.
Clinical, Cosmetic and Investigational Dermatology, 2017Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, 2021
Which ingredients make this cream a good fit for acne-prone skin?
This cream works for acne-prone skin thanks to soothing ingredients like beta-glucan and Panax Ginseng Root Extract. However, a product of this type needs effective ingredients that target acne and blemishes, provide excellent benefits for breakouts, and pose no risk of irritation while balancing the skin.
What does Ginseng Root Extract do for acne-prone skin?
Ginseng Root Extract helps acne-prone skin by reducing oxidized sebum, calming redness, and fighting blemish-causing bacteria. This ingredient may improve early to middle-stage acne symptoms while supporting skin barrier repair and reducing inflammation.
Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, 2025Phytotherapy Research, 2019
What do Ginseng Saponins do for acne-prone skin?
Ginseng saponins help calm redness, lower the amount of oil that clogs pores, and ease acne symptoms while keeping the skin barrier healthy. They also help fight the bacteria that lead to breakouts and soothe the skin without causing irritation.
Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, 2025Phytotherapy Research, 2019
Where does this cream go in a skincare routine for acne-prone skin?
This moisturizing treatment goes near the end of your evening routine, right after your treatment step and before you sleep. For daytime, it fits after your toner and before your sunscreen. Because this product offers an average fit for acne-prone skin, a moisturizer of this type needs lightweight hydrators and oil-controlling ingredients like niacinamide or salicylic acid to help manage blemishes effectively.
Can I use this cream with vitamin C, and in what order?
You can use this cream with vitamin C by applying your vitamin C serum first, waiting for it to absorb, and then following with this moisturizer. This routine helps keep your skin soft while protecting it, though an acne-prone skin type needs a product with oil-controlling ingredients and blemish-targeting components to manage breakouts effectively.
How often should I use this cream?
You can use this moisturizing treatment twice daily as part of your routine. Regular application helps keep skin soft and supports the moisture barrier, though acne-prone skin also needs oil-controlling ingredients and targeted blemish treatments.
Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, 2020Health Science Reports, 2021
Can this cream clog pores, cause breakouts or purging for acne-prone skin?
This cream is unlikely to cause severe breakouts or purging on acne-prone skin, as it contains no harsh or prohibited ingredients and includes soothing components like beta-glucan. However, because it works well enough but lacks targeted oil-controlling ingredients, acne-prone skin needs a product of this type that features oil-balancing components and blemish-fighting ingredients to keep pores clear.
Can I use this cream around the eyes or on my body?
You can use this moisturizing treatment around your eyes and on your body, as it has a safe profile with gentle ingredients like beta-glucan and squalane. To properly care for delicate areas like the thin skin around your eyes and the skin on your body, a product of this type needs lightweight hydration, soothing plant extracts, and gentle nourishing oils that protect without feeling heavy.
Is this cream fragrance-free and alcohol-free?
It contains fragrance (parfum, limonene, linalool, hexyl cinnamal, and eugenol) and drying alcohol (alcohol).
What the research says
A single application of a moisturizing fluid containing hyaluronic acid 1%, glycerin 5%, and Centella asiatica stem cells extract significantly increased skin hydration by 29% and reduced transepidermal water loss at 24 hours compared to baseline and an untreated control site in twenty healthy women.
Clinical, Cosmetic and Investigational Dermatology, 2017A mixture of Panax ginseng and Crataegus pinnatifida prevented skin aging by improving procollagen type I expression, diminishing matrix metalloproteinase-1 secretion, reducing skin roughness and photodamage scores, and decreasing loss of skin moisture in human dermal fibroblasts and healthy human skin.
Journal of Ginseng Research, 2017Skin care regimens containing beta-glucan improved hemoglobin index, skin hydration, and transepidermal water loss compared to vehicle control in 20 patients undergoing fractional laser therapy.
Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, 2021Enzyme-modified ginseng extract cream significantly reduced the global photo-damage score and various roughness measures including total roughness, smoothness depth, and arithmetic roughness average compared to placebo in 23 human subjects.
Rejuvenation Research, 2015A red ginseng hydrogel formulation with 1,2-hexanediol promoted selective growth of Staphylococcus epidermidis and decreased Cutibacterium acnes in 20 female subjects.
Journal of Ginseng Research, 2022A 1% fermented black ginseng cream significantly reduced eye wrinkles and brightened skin color in twenty-three human subjects compared to control cream and baseline.
Journal of Toxicology and Environmental Health. Part A, 2020Squalane at 0.005-0.015% counteracts UVA-induced oxidative stress, inflammation, and collagen metabolism inhibition while stimulating fibroblast migration in human dermal fibroblasts.
Molecules, 2025Plant-derived squalane protected human dermal fibroblasts against UVA-induced damage by counteracting ROS formation, suppressing apoptosis-related proteins p53, caspase-3, caspase-9, and PARP, and restoring the pro-survival p-Akt/mTOR pathway.
Antioxidants, 2025Topical 0.4% retinol significantly increased epidermal thickness, dermal vascularity, and extracellular matrix production by stimulating keratinocyte proliferation, endothelial cell proliferation, and fibroblast activation in naturally aged human skin compared to vehicle.
International Journal of Cosmetic Science, 2017Topical bakuchiol 0.5% applied twice daily compared with retinol 0.5% applied daily significantly decreased wrinkle surface area and hyperpigmentation with no statistical difference between the compounds in 44 patients over 12 weeks, while retinol users reported more facial skin scaling and stinging.
The British Journal of Dermatology, 2019Silicone particles encapsulating retinol increased its half-life by 9-fold and yielded 12-23% lower skin irritation in human subjects compared to Microsponge particles while maintaining biological activity.
Journal of Controlled Release, 2018Treatment with topical formulations containing beta-glucan combined with nanofractional radiofrequency plus magnetic nanofractional radiofrequency showed the best efficacy and was tolerable and effective in Chinese women with abdominal stretch marks compared to control groups.
Dermatology and Therapy, 2023Topical beta-glucan mildly improved striae gravidarum, 1565-nm non-ablative fractional laser showed better results than topical beta-glucan, and the combined strategy further improved striae gravidarum atrophy compared to single treatment.
The Journal of Dermatology, 2022Topical application of oat beta-glucan ameliorates epidermal hyperplasia and accelerates epidermal barrier recovery by promoting keratinocyte differentiation through dectin-1-mediated ERK and p38 signaling pathways that upregulate CaSR expression.
International Journal of Biological Macromolecules, 2021
Why other moisturizers fit acne-prone skin better
Co-delivery of paeonol and madecassoside via nanoemulsions improved transdermal delivery, promoted barrier repair proteins, inhibited inflammatory cytokine secretion in cellular and 3D models, and reduced transepidermal water loss and acne in human facial skin compared to free components.
Molecules, 2023A panthenol-enriched mask improved skin hydration, regulated sebum, and reduced redness and TEWL across dry sensitive, oily sensitive, and oily acne skin subgroups with excellent tolerance and no adverse reactions.
Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, 2024A facial serum containing snail secretion filtrate, Calendula officinalis, and Glycyrrhiza glabra root extract significantly reduced inflammatory acne lesions compared to placebo in 66 participants with mild-to-moderate maskne over 12 weeks.
Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, 2022
Ingredients
Water, Glycerin, Squalane, Butylene Glycol, Cyclopentasiloxane, Trehalose, Limnanthes Alba Seed Oil, Glyceryl Stearate, Phytosteryl Isostearyl Dimer Dilinoleate, Octyldodecyl Myristate, Cyclohexasiloxane, Peg-40 Stearate, Phytosteryl Behenyl Octyldodecyl Lauroyl Glutamate, Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil Sunflower Seed Oil, Jojoba Esters, Stearic Acid, Propanediol, Peg-100 Stearate, Palmitic Acid, Methoxy Peg-114 Polyepsilon Caprolactone, Mangifera Indica Seed Butter, Polyacrylate-13, Glycine Soja Oil Soybean Oil, Peg-30 Dipolyhydroxystearate, Cetyl Peg Ppg-10 1 Dimethicone, Phenoxyethanol, Glyceryl Linoleate, Cetearyl Alcohol, Dimethicone, Hydrogenated Oil, Glycine Soja Soybean Sterols, Propylene Glycol, Polyisobutene, Acetyl Glucosamine, Polyquaternium-51, Hexyl Laurate, Panax Ginseng Root Extract, Tocopherol, Hydrolyzed Ginseng Saponins Enzyme-Treated Red Ginseng Saponins, Carnauba Wax, Tocopheryl Linoleate, 1,2-Hexanediol, Pantethine, Salicylic Acid, Dimethiconol, Glyceryl Linolenate, Alcohol, Persea Gratissima Oil Avocado Oil, Parfum, Ethylhexylglycerin, Glyceryl Arachidonate, Gardenia Florida Fruit Extract, Lauryl Peg Ppg-18 18 Methicone, Vitis Vinifera Leaf Extract Grape Leaf Extract, Polysorbate 20, Sorbitan Isostearate, Beta-Glucan, Disodium Edta, Retinol, Perilla Ocymoides Seed Extract, Dextrin, Phytosphingosine, Sodium Hyaluronate, Isostearyl Alcohol, Dodecene, Sodium Chloride, Ascorbyl Palmitate, Hydrogenated Palm Glycerides Citrate, Honey Mel Miel, Myristic Acid, Arachidic Acid, Alpha-Isomethyl Ionone, Limonene, Linalool, Bht, Hexyl Cinnamal, Benzyl Benzoate, Eugenol, Nelumbo Nucifera Flower Extract, Sodium Polyaspartate, Tbhq, Caprylyl Glycol, Sodium Methyl Stearoyl Taurate, Acetyl Heptapeptide-4, Pentaerythrityl Tetra-Di-T-Butyl Hydroxyhydrocinnamate, Acetyl Hexapeptide-8, Sodium Hydroxide, Acetyl Octapeptide-3
Behind this fit score
Lovi calculates every fit score from the full ingredient list with brand-independent rules our dermatologists and cosmetic chemists build and review, and personalizes every pick with AI trained on the real results of millions of users. Lovi trains its fit score models on a proprietary dataset built from more than 10,000 expert-labeled products and more than 100,000 simulated examples, following an internally consistent methodology presented at Cosmoprof, AMWC, and Skin of Color Update.
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Co-founder, Medical Director
Cosmetic chemist, cosmetologist, aesthetic products developer
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Co-founder, CEO and CTO
PhD in computer science, 3x US patent holder, ex-Google, ex-Yandex
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Dr. Sofía Perea Pérez, MD, MSc
Medical Board
Aesthetic medicine practitioner, MSc in Longevity and Anti-Aging Medicine
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Medical Board
Specialist dermatologist, MBBS, MD, IFAAD
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Medical Board
Cosmetic chemist, SCS, IFSCC member
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Medical Board, Medical Advisor
Dermatology MD
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Elina Nazarenko, MD
Medical Board
Dermatology and diagnostic consultant
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Victoria Derkova, MS
Medical Board
Cosmetic chemist, cosmetic development technologist
How does it fit your skin?
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