Sulwhasoo First Care Activating Serum for sensitive skin
Butylene Glycol
Glycerin
Average
- HighNormal Skin Fit
- AverageEffectiveness
- HighSafety
Works for sensitive skin; other moisturizers fit it better.
This fit is calculated for the concerns frequently associated with sensitive skin: redness, stinging, and reactions to new products. 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
- Suitable for normal skin, this serum offers moderate moisturizing due to glycerin and honey, which hydrate and enhance barrier resilience for your skin.
- Camellia sinensis leaf extract and licorice root extract provide general skincare benefits that support your redness and irritation.
- The formula is safe for your sensitive skin, as it lacks harsh ingredients and includes soothing components like honey and licorice root extract.
How to apply
- Use this soothing AM and PM routine every day to keep your normal skin calm. Always remember to apply SPF in the morning after your moisturizer.
- Apply your moisturizer after your toner in the morning, and after your serum in the evening. This step locks in hydration and protects your skin.
- Gently press a small amount of the moisturizer evenly across your face. Avoid rubbing to keep your sensitive skin happy and calm.
- You can apply this gentle formula on dry or slightly damp skin for the best comfort. It works wonderfully on clean skin to soothe redness and irritation.
- Do a patch test before your very first use to check your skin's reaction. Avoid getting the product directly into your eyes .
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
How well does Sulwhasoo First Care Activating Serum work for sensitive skin?
This serum works reasonably well for sensitive skin, offering moderate moisture and comfort with safe ingredients like glycerin and honey, though other products fit your skin better. To care for sensitive skin best, a product of this type needs highly effective soothing and hydrating ingredients that address redness and irritation with no associated risks while maintaining skin barrier function.
Which ingredients make this serum a good fit for sensitive skin?
Glycerin and honey help hydrate and calm sensitive skin, while licorice root extract and camellia sinensis leaf extract support redness and irritation. To fit this skin type best, a moisturizing treatment needs higher concentrations of soothing herbal extracts and hydrating agents that completely align with sensitive skin needs without potential irritants.
What does Water do for sensitive skin?
Using cool water for facial cleansing preserves skin barrier integrity and lowers skin surface pH in healthy adults. This helps keep skin calm and hydrated without causing the irritation associated with warmer water.
What does Butylene Glycol do for sensitive skin?
Butylene glycol helps keep dry skin hydrated and smooth, but it may cause allergic reactions or irritation in sensitive skin. A product for sensitive skin needs soothing extracts and a very gentle, tested safety profile to avoid redness and discomfort.
Journal of Controlled Release, 2022The Journal of Dermatology, 2014
Where does this serum go in a skincare routine for sensitive skin?
This treatment goes in the evening routine after your cleansing and soothing toner steps, followed by your moisturizer. Putting treatments in the evening helps keep your routine simple and adds extra safety around sun exposure.
Can I use this serum with retinol, and in what order?
You can use this serum with retinol by applying the serum first to hydrate your skin and then following with your retinol treatment. This approach helps maintain your skin barrier while incorporating active ingredients, though sensitive skin requires careful monitoring for any signs of irritation.
How often should I use this serum?
This serum works well when used in the evening as part of your routine. Daily application helps keep sensitive skin moisturized and calm, though you can use it less often if your skin feels easily overloaded.
Can this serum clog pores, cause breakouts or purging for sensitive skin?
This serum is unlikely to cause breakouts or clog pores for sensitive skin since potential breakouts are a negligible concern with this formula. However, because this is only an average fit for your skin, sensitive skin needs a product with soothing ingredients like licorice root and honey to calm irritation while keeping your skin clear and smooth.
Can I use this serum around the eyes or on my body?
This moisturizing treatment is safe for your sensitive skin around the eyes and on the body because it lacks harsh ingredients and includes soothing components like honey and licorice root extract. However, a product of this type needs specific hydrating ingredients and barrier-supporting components to fully meet the needs of delicate areas like the eyelids.
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
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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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
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Aesthetic medicine practitioner, MSc in Longevity and Anti-Aging Medicine
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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
How does it fit your skin?
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