Sulwhasoo Essential Comfort Balancing Emulsion for combination skin

Sodium Hyaluronate
Honey
Mangifera Indica Seed Butter
Licorice Root Extract
Limnanthes Alba Seed Oil
Average
- HighCombination Skin Fit
- HighEffectiveness
- 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 moisturizing benefits for your combination skin, as Glycerin and Limnanthes Alba Seed Oil hydrate and smooth texture without overwhelming oily areas. Beta-Glucan and Sodium Hyaluronate further support balanced hydration, making it generally suitable for your skin type.
- While the emulsion provides good hydration and soothing effects, it lacks specialized ingredients to directly target and control oily shine, which is your main goal.
- The product is safe for your combination skin, 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
★4.6Overall rating based on 100+ reviewsBased on limited data, users highly praise this emulsion for delivering deep hydration and a plump, dewy finish, often described as 'glass skin'. It is particularly effective for dry and combination skin, offering soothing benefits that reduce redness and strengthen the skin barrier. While many enjoy the luxurious herbal scent, a significant portion of users find it polarizing. The high price point is a frequent concern, and some users with oily skin find it too rich, especially in warmer weather.
Highlights
Deep hydration Mostly Mentioned
- “leaves my skin feeling plump and hydrated”
- “relieves skin discomfort caused by dryness”
- “skin drinks it up”
Improves skin texture Often Mentioned
- “makes skin baby soft”
- “gives a glass-skin effect”
- “smooths uneven texture”
Lightweight texture Often Mentioned
- “absorbs quickly”
- “light and breathable cream”
- “non-greasy finish”
High price Often Mentioned
- “not worth the sticker price”
- “definitely a pretty penny”
- “expensive for a lotion”
Herbal scent Sometimes Noted
- “smells luxurious and relaxing”
- “love the herbal scent”
- “feels like zen”
Soothing & calming Sometimes Noted
- “calms visible signs of irritation”
- “helped my sensitive skin”
- “very relaxing and soothing”
Strong fragrance Sometimes Noted
- “smells like old lady perfume”
- “herbal scent is too strong”
- “smells medicinal”
Packaging issues Rarely Noted
- “heavy glass bottle”
- “hard to get the last bit out”
Too rich for oily Rarely Noted
- “too rich for summer”
- “made my T-zone shiny”
- “felt a bit sticky”
Sources: lovi.care, sephora.my, macys.com, influenster.com, hwahae.co.kr, reddit.com, and more
Questions and answers
How well does Sulwhasoo Essential Comfort Balancing Emulsion work for combination skin?
This emulsion works moderately well for combination skin because glycerin and meadowfoam seed oil hydrate and smooth texture without overwhelming oily areas. However, it lacks specialized ingredients to directly target and control oily shine. Combination skin needs products with effective brightening and moisturizing ingredients that reduce oily shine while providing balanced hydration without irritation.
Which ingredients make this emulsion a good fit for combination skin?
Glycerin and Limnanthes Alba Seed Oil help hydrate and smooth your skin without overwhelming oily areas. Beta-Glucan and Sodium Hyaluronate further support balanced hydration, making this emulsion a generally suitable choice. Combination skin of this type needs products with ingredients that target and control oily shine while keeping the skin balanced.
Clinical, Cosmetic and Investigational Dermatology, 2017Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, 2021
What does Hyaluronic Acid do for combination skin?
Hyaluronic acid is a great fit for combination skin because it quenches dry areas with a boost of hydration while keeping oily zones balanced. Regular use helps smooth out fine lines and makes your skin feel soft and plump without causing irritation.
Dermatology and Therapy, 2021Journal of Drugs in Dermatology, 2011
What does Honey do for combination skin?
Honey helps keep combination skin soft and smooth by holding in moisture and calming dry patches without making oily areas greasy. It also helps protect the skin and keeps it clear, making it a gentle addition to your daily routine.
Where does it go in a skincare routine for combination skin?
This moisturizing treatment goes after your toner in both your morning and evening routines. It helps hydrate dry areas and smooth texture, though a product for combination skin also needs ingredients to control oily shine.
Can I use this emulsion with retinol, and in what order?
You can use this emulsion with retinol by applying the emulsion first to hydrate and help keep your skin calm while it adjusts to the retinoid. Combination skin of this type needs lightweight hydrators and oil-controlling ingredients like niacinamide or salicylic acid to balance moisture while managing shine.
How often should I use it?
You can use this moisturizing treatment twice daily to keep your combination skin hydrated and soft. Regular daily application helps improve moisture levels and supports the skin barrier.
Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, 2020Health Science Reports, 2021
Can this emulsion clog pores, cause breakouts or purging for combination skin?
This emulsion is unlikely to clog pores or cause breakouts for combination skin, as it has a safe profile with no harsh ingredients. However, because it lacks specialized ingredients to control oily shine, combination skin needs added oil-balancing agents and lightweight hydration to keep pores clear.
Can I use it around the eyes or on my body?
You can use this moisturizing treatment around the eyes and on your body, as its safe formula and hydrating ingredients are gentle on delicate areas. However, because the skin on the eyelids is very thin, a product of this type needs lightweight hydrators and soothing plant extracts to nourish without feeling heavy.
Is this emulsion fragrance-free and alcohol-free?
It contains fragrance (parfum, limonene, linalool, citronellol, citral, and geraniol) 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, 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, 2021Topical 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, 2011Topical 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, 2022Treatment 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, 2019Honey-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, 2004Combining 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, 2015Licochalcone 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, 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, 2025
Ingredients
Water, Butylene Glycol, Hydrogenated Poly C6-14 Olefin, Octyldodecyl Myristate, Glycerin, Polyglyceryl-3 Methylglucose Distearate, Cetyl Ethylhexanoate, Limnanthes Alba Seed Oil, Hydrogenated Oil, Cetearyl Alcohol, 2-Hexanediol, Glyceryl Stearate, Mangifera Indica Seed Butter, Dimethicone, Glyceryl Stearate Citrate, Stearic Acid, Palmitic Acid, Ziziphus Jujuba Fruit Extract, Propanediol, Honey, Miel, Hydroxyethyl Acrylate Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer, Carbomer, Butyrospermum Parkii Butter Shea Butter, Glyceryl Caprylate, Tromethamine, Ethylhexylglycerin, Parfum, Disodium Edta, Alcohol, Limonene, Portulaca Oleracea Extract, Dioscorea Japonica Root Extract, Crataegus Pinnatifida Fruit Extract, Narcissus Tazetta Bulb Extract, Sodium Hyaluronate, Sorbitan Isostearate, Polysorbate 60, Linalool, Beta-Glucan, Natto Gum, Pueraria Thunbergiana Stem Extract Flower Leaf, Morus Alba Leaf Extract, Rehmannia Glutinosa Root Extract, Glycyrrhiza Glabra Root Extract Licorice Root Extract, Citronellol, Paeonia Albiflora Root Extract, Lilium Candidum Bulb Extract, Myristic Acid, Arachidic Acid, Polygonatum Odoratum Extract Rhizome, Citral, Geraniol, Nelumbo Nucifera Flower Extract, Tbhq, 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
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