Sulwhasoo First Care Activating Serum for dry skin
Butylene Glycol
Glycerin
Low
- HighDry Skin Fit
- AverageEffectiveness
- RiskySafety
A weak match for dry skin; the moisturizers alongside fit it better.
This fit is calculated for the concerns frequently associated with dry skin: flakiness, tightness, dehydration, fine lines, and wrinkles. 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 moisturizing for your dry skin due to glycerin and honey, which hydrate and enhance barrier resilience, though it lacks specialized ingredients like hyaluronic acid or ceramides for significant moisturization.
- Rehmannia glutinosa root extract and licorice root extract provide anti-inflammatory action, which is beneficial for dry skin.
How to apply
- Could be used as part of your AM or PM routine. Start using it 3 times a week and work your way up to daily use.
- Apply your moisturizer after your toner and before your sunscreen in the morning. At night, use it as the final step after your serum.
- Gently press a small amount of the moisturizer into your skin. Avoid rubbing to keep your dry skin happy.
- Apply the moisturizer on slightly damp skin to help lock in extra hydration. This is great for soothing dry and flaky areas .
- Avoid the sensitive eye area and do a patch test before your first use .
People Say
★4.7Overall rating based on 2.5k+ reviewsBased on a very large amount of data, this serum is highly regarded for its ability to prepare the skin for subsequent products, delivering immediate hydration and a radiant glow. It is frequently praised for revitalizing dull and dry skin. However, a significant number of users find the high price point to be a drawback, and some are put off by the strong herbal scent or find the results to be too subtle.
Highlights
Instant absorption Mostly Mentioned
- “drinks it up instantly”
- “disappears into skin”
- “zero residue left behind”
- “perfect layering prep”
Deep hydration Often Mentioned
- “fixes tight feeling”
- “skin feels plump”
- “balances moisture barrier”
- “soothes dry patches”
Radiant glow Often Mentioned
- “gives me glass skin”
- “woke up glowing”
- “removes gray/dull tones”
- “healthy vitality”
High price Often Mentioned
- “wallet hurts”
- “too expensive for a booster”
- “luxury splurge only”
- “hard to repurchase”
Luxurious scent Sometimes Noted
- “smells like a spa”
- “relaxing herbal scent”
- “calming ginger notes”
- “therapeutic aromatherapy”
Polarizing scent Sometimes Noted
- “smells like medicine”
- “strong herbal odor”
- “overpowering ginger”
- “smells like old lady perfume”
Potential breakouts Rarely Noted
- “caused small bumps”
- “broke me out”
- “irritated my sensitive skin”
Subtle results Rarely Noted
- “didn't notice a difference”
- “glorified water”
- “nice but not essential”
- “results are minimal”
Sources: lovi.care, sephora.com, influenster.com, nordstrom.com, amazon.com, byrdie.com, and more
Questions and answers
Why is Sulwhasoo First Care Activating Serum a weak match for dry skin?
This serum provides only moderate hydration for dry skin because it relies on basic ingredients like glycerin and honey without including heavy-duty moisture binders like hyaluronic acid or ceramides. A treatment for dry skin needs richer hydrating agents and skin-repairing ingredients to properly soothe dryness and lock in moisture.
Which ingredients make this serum a poor fit for dry skin?
This serum provides moderate hydration through glycerin and honey, but it is a weak match because it lacks heavy-duty moisturizers like hyaluronic acid or ceramides for significant dryness. To properly care for dry skin, a product of this type needs rich moisturizing agents and beneficial extracts that enhance moisture retention and improve skin texture.
What does Water do for dry skin?
Drinking more water helps increase skin hydration and may reduce clinical signs of dryness and roughness, particularly for individuals with lower prior water consumption.
What does Butylene Glycol do for dry skin?
Butylene glycol helps dry skin by drawing in moisture and making it easier for hydration to sink in deeper. Clinical testing shows that combining it with other hydrating ingredients can increase skin moisture and reduce water loss.
Journal of Controlled Release, 2022International Journal of Cosmetic Science, 2024
Where does this serum go in a skincare routine for dry skin?
This treatment goes in the evening routine after cleansing, because treatments with active ingredients are placed at night for simplicity and extra safety around sun exposure. A product of this type needs specialized ingredients like hyaluronic acid or ceramides for significant moisturization on dry skin.
Can I use this serum with retinol, and in what order?
You can use this serum in your evening routine before your moisturizer and after cleansing, which helps prep your skin. A product of this type for dry skin needs extra ingredients like hyaluronic acid or ceramides to properly lock in moisture and protect your skin.
How often should I use this serum?
This treatment is used in the evening for your dry skin. A product of this type needs strong hydrators like hyaluronic acid or ceramides to properly care for dry skin.
Can this serum clog pores, cause breakouts or purging for dry skin?
This serum is unlikely to cause breakouts for dry skin as potential breakouts are a negligible concern. A product of this type needs richer hydrators like hyaluronic acid or ceramides and heavier ingredients to properly care for dry skin.
Can I use this serum around the eyes or on my body?
You can use this serum on the thin skin around your eyes and on your body, but it is a weak match for dry skin. Dry skin of this type needs rich moisturizers with ingredients like hyaluronic acid or ceramides for significant hydration.
Is this serum fragrance-free and alcohol-free?
It has no fragrance and contains 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, 2017The 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, 2012
Why other moisturizers fit dry skin better
Topical dexpanthenol formulated in lipophilic vehicles improved stratum corneum hydration and reduced transepidermal water loss compared to vehicle control in humans.
Arzneimittel-Forschung, 2000Topical dexpanthenol acts as a moisturizer, improves stratum corneum hydration, accelerates wound healing and epidermal regeneration, reduces erythema, and improves symptoms of skin irritation compared to vehicle or no pretreatment.
American Journal of Clinical Dermatology, 2002Formulations containing 1.0% and 5.0% panthenol decreased transepidermal water loss after 30-day applications on healthy subjects compared to control and vehicle.
Journal of Cosmetic Science, 2011
Ingredients
Water, Butylene Glycol, Glycerin, Betaine, 1,2-Hexanediol, Alcohol, Polyglyceryl-10 Myristate, Polyglyceryl-10 Laurate, Honey, Rehmannia Glutinosa Root Extract, Paeonia Albiflora Root Extract, Lilium Candidum Bulb Extract, Polygonatum Officinale Root Extract Rhizome, Nelumbo Nucifera Flower Extract, Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract, Glycyrrhiza Glabra Root Extract Licorice Root Extract, Pueraria Lobata Root Extract, Zingiber Officinale Root Extract, Citrus Unshiu Peel Extract, Ethylhexylglycerin, Disodium Edta
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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Dr. Sofía Perea Pérez, MD, MSc
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Specialist dermatologist, MBBS, MD, IFAAD
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Dermatology MD
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Elina Nazarenko, MD
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Dermatology and diagnostic consultant
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Victoria Derkova, MS
Medical Board
Cosmetic chemist, cosmetic development technologist
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