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Beauty of Joseon Ginseng Essence Water for oily skin

High

  • HighOily Skin Fit
  • HighEffectiveness
  • ExcellentSafety

A great choice for oily skin; a few toners fit it even better.

This fit is calculated for the concerns frequently associated with oily skin: shine, enlarged pores, blackheads, and blemishes. 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

  • Excellent for your oily skin as niacinamide and Panax Ginseng Root Extract help control sebum production and provide antioxidant effects, addressing your oily shine concerns.
  • The formula offers excellent hydration due to high concentrations of Panax Ginseng Water Root and Glycerin, which will keep your skin smooth and moisturized.
  • The safety profile is excellent, with no risks of irritation due to the absence of harsh ingredients and the presence of soothing components like Allantoin.

How to apply

  • Use your hydrating toner in your AM and PM routine every day to keep skin fresh.
  • Apply this product after cleansing and before your moisturizer or SPF.
  • Gently press 2-3 drops of the hydrating toner into your skin and let it absorb.
  • Apply the hydrating toner on slightly damp skin to help it absorb better.
  • Avoid the eye area and do a patch test before your very first use.

People Say

★4.6Overall rating based on 8.6k+ reviews

Based on a very large amount of data, this essence is widely praised by users with oily, combination, and sensitive skin for its lightweight, non-sticky hydration that absorbs instantly and leaves a subtle glow. Many find it soothing and effective for balancing oil production. A minority of users with dry skin found it insufficiently moisturizing, and some experienced breakouts or disliked the natural herbal scent.

Highlights

  • Lightweight & fast-absorbing Mostly Mentioned
    • “sinks in instantly”
    • “watery texture”
    • “no sticky residue”
    • “great for layering”
    • “feels like nothing”
  • Hydrating & plumping Often Mentioned
    • “skin feels plump”
    • “instant hydration”
    • “glass skin glow”
    • “healthy radiance”
    • “good moisture base”
  • Soothing & calming Often Mentioned
    • “calms redness”
    • “soothes irritation”
    • “reduced inflammation”
    • “gentle on sensitive skin”
    • “refreshing feel”
  • Oil control Sometimes Noted
    • “balances sebum”
    • “less oily T-zone”
    • “great for oily skin”
    • “doesn't clog pores”
    • “lightweight for summer”
  • Herbal scent Sometimes Noted
    • “smells like dirt”
    • “strong medicinal smell”
    • “earthy ginseng scent”
    • “scent is overpowering”
    • “unpleasant herbal odor”
  • Not hydrating enough Sometimes Noted
    • “just like water”
    • “did nothing for dry skin”
    • “need more moisture”
    • “too light for winter”
    • “dried me out”
  • Caused breakouts Rarely Noted
    • “gave me CCs”
    • “caused cystic acne”
    • “tiny bumps appeared”
    • “broke me out”
    • “clogged my pores”
  • Ineffective Rarely Noted
    • “saw no difference”
    • “waste of money”
    • “just expensive water”
    • “no anti-aging results”
    • “underwhelming”

Sources: lovi.care, iherb.com, stylekorean.com, skinsort.com, yesstyle.com, amazon.com, and more

Questions and answers

What makes Beauty of Joseon Ginseng Essence Water a great fit for oily skin?

Beauty of Joseon Ginseng Essence Water is a great fit for oily skin because niacinamide and ginseng extract help control shiny oil while providing antioxidant effects. The formula also provides great hydration to keep your skin smooth, and it is very safe and unlikely to cause irritation thanks to soothing components like allantoin.

Clinical, Cosmetic and Investigational Dermatology, 2017Medicina Oral, Patologia Oral Y Cirugia Bucal, 2020

Which ingredients make this toner a good fit for oily skin?

Niacinamide and Panax Ginseng Root Extract help control oily shine and manage sebum production. Additionally, the formula includes glycerin to keep your skin smooth and moisturized, alongside soothing allantoin.

Clinical, Cosmetic and Investigational Dermatology, 2017

What does Panax Ginseng Extract do for oily skin?

Panax Ginseng Extract helps oily skin by reducing oxidized sebum and calming skin redness. It is unlikely to cause irritation and may improve early-stage acne symptoms with regular use.

Phytotherapy Research, 2019

What does Niacinamide do for oily skin?

Niacinamide helps balance oily skin by significantly reducing excess oil production and shine. It is well tolerated and may improve skin texture without clogging pores.

Journal of Cosmetic and Laser Therapy, 2006Antioxidants, 2021

Where does this toner go in a skincare routine for oily skin?

This hydrating toner is a great fit for your oily skin and goes right after cleansing in both your morning and evening routines. It helps control oil shine and keeps your skin smooth and moisturized.

International Journal of Cosmetic Science, 2020Clinical, Cosmetic and Investigational Dermatology, 2017

Can I use this toner with retinol, and in what order?

You can use this toner with retinol by applying it right after cleansing and before your retinol product to keep your skin smooth and calm. This gentle combination is unlikely to cause irritation because the formula avoids harsh ingredients and includes soothing components like Allantoin.

How often should I use this toner?

This hydrating toner is a great fit for your oily skin and can be used daily as part of your morning and weekly routines. It helps control excess shine and keeps your skin smooth and moisturized without causing irritation.

International Journal of Cosmetic Science, 2020Clinical, Cosmetic and Investigational Dermatology, 2017

Can this toner clog pores, cause breakouts or purging for oily skin?

Beauty of Joseon Ginseng Essence Water is unlikely to clog pores or cause breakouts for oily skin, as niacinamide and Panax Ginseng Root Extract help control oily shine while soothing ingredients keep irritation low.

Is this toner fragrance-free and alcohol-free?

Yes, it has no fragrance and no drying 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, 2017
  • A topical gel containing chitosan, chlorhexidine, allantoin, and dexpanthenol significantly reduced postoperative pain, trismus, swelling, and analgesic consumption, while improving wound healing after third molar surgery compared to a placebo.

    Medicina Oral, Patologia Oral Y Cirugia Bucal, 2020
  • Topical gel containing chitosan, 0.2% chlorhexidine, allantoin and dexpanthenol did not improve postoperative comfort regarding swelling and pain, but improved the wound's aesthetic appearance following impacted lower third molar extraction compared to no gel.

    Medicina Oral, Patologia Oral Y Cirugia Bucal, 2016
  • Enzyme-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, 2015
  • A 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, 2022
  • A 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, 2020
  • Topical post-laser application of human adipocyte-derived mesenchymal stem cell media combined with niacinamide significantly improved wrinkle index, melanin index, patient satisfaction, and investigator esthetic improvement scores compared to vehicle cream in patients with aging skin.

    Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, 2021
  • Topical nicotinamide prevented solar-simulated UV-induced immunosuppression in healthy volunteers, and men experienced immunosuppression at solar-simulated UV doses three times lower than those required for women.

    The Journal of Investigative Dermatology, 2008
  • Topical 5% niacinamide applied twice daily for 12 weeks reduced fine lines and wrinkles, hyperpigmented spots, red blotchiness, and skin sallowness, and improved skin elasticity compared to vehicle control in 50 female white subjects with facial photoaging.

    Dermatologic Surgery, 2005
  • Topical application of 0.1% hyaluronic acid formulations of different molecular weights led to significant improvements in skin hydration and elasticity, with low-molecular-weight formulations also significantly reducing wrinkle depth in seventy-six female subjects compared to a vehicle control.

    Journal of Drugs in Dermatology, 2011
  • Topical application of hyaluronic acid in conjunction with free gingival graft significantly reduced donor site postoperative pain until day 7 compared to normal saline, with no significant differences in graft dimensions or patient satisfaction.

    Clinical Oral Investigations, 2022
  • Treatment with a hyaluronic acid-containing mouth rinse or topical gel led to significant lesion reduction, pain relief, and normalization of lesion color in adult patients with minor recurrent aphthous stomatitis, with the gel formulation showing an earlier healing onset at 3 days.

    BMC Oral Health, 2019
  • The 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, 2020
  • Ten 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, 2001
  • Niacinamide/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
  • An overnight patch containing Allium cepa extract and allantoin safely promotes scar healing after dermatologic surgery, resulting in significantly greater reductions in observer- and patient-assessed POSAS scores compared to no treatment.

    Aesthetic Plastic Surgery, 2018
  • Prophylactic application of a topical scar gel containing Allium cepae extract, allantoin, and heparin significantly improves patient-assessed scar color, stiffness, and irregularity compared to no treatment in women following a cesarean section.

    Journal of Drugs in Dermatology, 2014
  • Prophylactic use of a topical gel containing Allium cepa extract, allantoin and heparin significantly reduced vascularity, pigmentation and height of scars compared to an untreated control group and in intra-individual analysis in 120 patients after caesarean section.

    Journal of Wound Care, 2020

Ingredients

Panax Ginseng Water Root, Butylene Glycol, Glycerin, Propanediol, Niacinamide, 1,2-Hexanediol, Water, Hydroxyacetophenone, Glyceryl Glucoside, Xanthan Gum, Panthenol, Dipotassium Glycyrrhizate, Allantoin, Adenosine, Panax Ginseng Callus Culture Extract, Theobroma Cacao Extract, Dextrin, Glucose, Panax Ginseng Root Extract, Panax Ginseng Extract Berry, Lactobacillus Panax Ginseng Root Ferment Filtrate, Sodium Hyaluronate, 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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