Sulwhasoo Essential Firming Cream for combination skin
Jisun Firming Complex
Glycerin
Honey
Paeonia Albiflora Root Extract
Licorice Root Extract
Average
- AverageCombination Skin Fit
- AverageEffectiveness
- HighSafety
Works for combination skin; other moisturizers fit it better.
This fit is calculated for the concerns frequently associated with combination skin: an oily T-zone, enlarged pores, and dry cheeks. 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
- Offers moderate suitability for your combination skin, as glycerin provides essential hydration while honey helps to smooth texture, though it lacks specialized ingredients for direct oil control on your oily shine.
- The formula provides general hydration and soothing benefits, making it a decent option for your skin type.
- The safety profile is excellent, with no risks of irritation due to the absence of prohibited or harsh ingredients.
How to apply
- Use this moisturizer in your AM and PM routine every day to control shine. Always pair with SPF in the morning.
- Apply this moisturizer after your cleanser and toner, right before your morning SPF.
- Gently press a small amount of the moisturizer into your skin and avoid harsh rubbing. Let it ⏳absorb for a minute.
- Apply the moisturizer on slightly damp skin to help it lock in moisture better. This keeps your combination skin balanced.
- Avoid the eye area when applying the moisturizer. Do a patch test before your first use.
People Say
★4.7Overall rating based on 400+ reviewsThis rich, whipped cream is widely praised by users with dry and dehydrated skin for its ability to deeply moisturize and create a "bouncy," plump complexion. While many report visible improvements in skin elasticity and texture, the strong herbal ginseng scent and heavy finish make it a polarizing choice for those with oily or sensitive skin.
Highlights
Deep hydration Mostly Mentioned
- “skin drinks it up”
- “wake up with plump skin”
- “keeps skin hydrated until noon”
Luxurious texture Mostly Mentioned
- “texture is thick and luxurious”
- “whipped cream texture”
- “melts beautifully without feeling heavy”
Firming effect Often Mentioned
- “noticeable lifting effects”
- “skin felt soft and bouncy”
- “visibly improves skin firmness”
High price Often Mentioned
- “price is steep”
- “very pricey for a moisturizer”
- “wallet was furious”
Herbal scent Sometimes Noted
- “scent feels special”
- “calming herbal ginseng scent”
- “smells like a spa”
Heavy finish Sometimes Noted
- “feels sticky and greasy”
- “too oily for summer”
- “takes time to rub in”
Strong scent Sometimes Noted
- “fragrance is a bit strong”
- “smells like ginger or menthol”
- “scent slightly overpowering”
Potential breakouts Rarely Noted
- “caused blemishes”
- “notice some blemishes start to appear”
- “too heavy for acne-prone skin”
Sources: lovi.care, sephora.com, nordstrom.com, macys.com, influenster.com, yesstyle.com, and more
Questions and answers
How well does Sulwhasoo Essential Firming Cream work for combination skin?
Sulwhasoo Essential Firming Cream works moderately well for combination skin because glycerin provides essential hydration while honey helps to smooth texture, though it lacks specialized ingredients for direct oil control on your oily shine. To work best for this skin, a moisturizing treatment needs effective brightening and moisturizing ingredients that reduce oily shine without causing irritation.
Which ingredients make this cream a good fit for combination skin?
Glycerin provides essential hydration and honey helps to smooth texture for your combination skin. However, this cream needs targeted oil-control ingredients and brightening agents to manage shine as effectively as top-rated options for this skin type.
What does Jisun Firming Complex do for combination skin?
Jisun Firming Complex is a poor fit for combination skin because it lacks the balancing hydration and lightweight feel needed to manage oily zones without drying out dry areas.
What does Glycerin do for combination skin?
Glycerin helps keep combination skin soft and smooth by pulling moisture in and keeping it there. It improves hydration and supports your skin barrier, which is unlikely to cause irritation.
The British Journal of Dermatology, 2008Clinical, Cosmetic and Investigational Dermatology, 2017
Where does this cream go in a skincare routine for combination skin?
This cream goes in the treatment step during your evening routine, or as a moisturizer in either your morning or evening routine. Combination skin works best with products that balance hydration with oil-controlling ingredients.
Can I use this cream with retinol, and in what order?
You can use this cream with retinol by applying it after your retinol treatment to help soothe and keep your skin soft. This type of skin needs a moisturizer with ingredients like glycerin and ceramides to lock in moisture and support the skin barrier while using strong actives.
How often should I use this cream?
You can use this moisturizing treatment twice a day as part of your morning and evening routine to keep your skin hydrated. Regular daily application helps improve moisture levels and texture while keeping your skin feeling soft.
Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, 2020Health Science Reports, 2021
Can this cream clog pores, cause breakouts or purging for combination skin?
This cream is unlikely to cause breakouts for combination skin, as it has a very low risk of clogged pores according to shopper feedback and contains no harsh ingredients. However, because it has a heavy finish, a product for this skin needs lighter hydrators and ingredients that directly control excess oil and shine.
Can I use this cream around the eyes or on my body?
You can use this moisturizing treatment around the eyes and on the body, though the skin there is much thinner than on the face. It is unlikely to irritate because it lacks harsh ingredients, but combination skin needs lightweight hydration and direct oil control in these areas.
Is this cream fragrance-free and alcohol-free?
It has no drying alcohol and contains fragrance (parfum, limonene, linalool, citronellol, citral, and geraniol). Cetearyl alcohol is a fatty alcohol, which soften the skin.
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, 2017Licochalcone A activated Nrf2 signaling, elevated cytoprotective enzymes, increased the reduced-to-oxidized glutathione ratio, and decreased reactive oxygen species in human fibroblasts and neutrophils, while a LicA-rich licorice extract lowered UVA-induced oxidative processes in vivo.
Experimental Dermatology, 2015The emollient V0034CR significantly reduced TEWL compared to vehicle and vehicle plus glycerol, and significantly increased corneometry scores compared to vehicle and vehicle plus petrolatum in healthy volunteers with dry skin, demonstrating combined barrier function improvement from petrolatum and hydration improvement from glycerol.
Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, 2020Ten days of treatment with a cream containing 20% glycerin significantly increased skin hydration measured by corneometer values in 17 healthy volunteers compared to a placebo cream, but showed no influence on transepidermal water loss or skin sensitivity to an irritating surfactant.
International Journal of Cosmetic Science, 2001Niacinamide/glycerin body moisturizers provided better rapid and prolonged improvement of cosmetic xerosis through functional improvement of stratum corneum barrier function compared to no treatment and conventional moisturizers in female subjects.
Journal of Drugs in Dermatology, 2012Honey-based dressings reduced mean healing duration, length of hospital stay, and VAS pain scores compared with povidone iodine-based dressings in 1236 participants.
Journal of Wound Care, 2021Topical honey application improved the mean duration of attacks and pain, occurrence of crusting, and healing time compared to acyclovir cream in 16 adult patients with recurrent labial and genital herpes lesions.
Medical Science Monitor, 2004Partially purified paeoniflorin protected human keratinocytes and mouse skin from UV-induced DNA damage and reduced facial wrinkles in human volunteers.
Journal of Cosmetic Science, 2006Paeonia suffruticosa callus extract downregulated inflammatory factors, alleviated DNA damage, and increased total collagen content in in vitro and in vivo evaluations.
International Journal of Cosmetic Science, 2025Topical application of Paeonia lactiflora root extract and paeoniflorin significantly decreases melanin content by 23% to 30% in reconstructed pigmented human epidermis compared to vehicle control.
International Journal of Cosmetic Science, 2016Combining 755 nm alexandrite laser with topical licorice gel significantly reduces terminal hair counts compared to alexandrite laser with placebo in women with idiopathic hirsutism.
Evidence-based Complementary and Alternative Medicine, 2015Bioactive glycyrrhizic acid and oxymatrine ionic liquid self-assembled nanomicelles significantly promoted the transdermal permeation, subcutaneous retention, and anti-photoaging efficacy of palmitoyl pentapeptide-4 in cellular and animal models compared to unformulated peptide.
Advanced Science, 2025Topical application of Glycyrrhiza glabra and Sophora japonica flavonoid-rich fractions individually and in combination significantly increased the wound healing rate and reduced oxidative stress compared to wound and Nolaver-treated groups.
Molecules, 2023
Ingredients
Water, Butylene Glycol, Glycerin, Caprylic Capric Triglyceride, Cetyl Ethylhexanoate, Butylene Glycol Dicaprylate Dicaprate, Cyclopentasiloxane, Polyglyceryl-3 Methylglucose Distearate, Glyceryl Stearate, Cyclohexasiloxane, Cetearyl Alcohol, Peg-100 Stearate, Hydroxyethyl Acrylate Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer, Phenoxyethanol, Polyacrylate-13, Parfum, Polyisobutene, Honey Mel Miel, Limonene, Lilium Candidum Bulb Extract, Paeonia Albiflora Root Extract, Rehmannia Glutinosa Root Extract, Polygonatum Officinale Root Extract Rhizome, Nelumbo Nucifera Flower Extract, Ethylhexylglycerin, Disodium Edta, Sorbitan Isostearate, Lycium Chinense Fruit Extract, Polysorbate 20, Polysorbate 60, Kaolin, Linalool, Pueraria Lobata Root Extract, Glycyrrhiza Glabra Root Extract Licorice Root Extract, Citronellol, Citral, Geraniol, Benzyl Benzoate, Hydrolyzed Soybean Extract, Tocopherol
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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