Review: Beauty of Joseon Ginseng Essence Water

It's no surprise that the longer I've been alive, the more I seem to add to my skincare routine - I'm just a glutton when it comes to trying out new skincare products, I'm afraid! And really, skincare is something that you have to tailor to your own needs, and I know that both of my sisters have pared down their routines - one out of necessity due to the lack of time with two young kids, and one because she didn't like the hassle for waiting around while she applied it all. For me, applying my skincare is very much a mindful exercise, and as such, I don't mind the extra time that I need to layer it all on.

 

The newest part of the routine to stick is that little step between the toner and serum, and that, of course, is the essence. My recent influx of K beauty products included the Beauty of Joseon Ginseng Essence Water, and that bottle of goodness is what I've been trotting out twice daily to keep my skin looking dewy and soft. With this being my first experience with Beauty of Joseon, I wanted to learn more about the brand. A skincare brand named after the Korean dynasty, Joseon, which lasted for about 5 hundred years, their products are said to be infused with ingredients found in traditional Korean herbal medicine. 

 

Knowing this, it makes sense that the root ingredient of the essence water would be the ginseng root. In Korean (and Chinese) history, ginseng is a well loved herb that is best known for it's benefits to our overall health, and that includes the skin, of course. The Ginseng Essence Water is made with 80% ginseng water, made up of ginseng root extract, ginseng berry extract and ginseng root ferment filtrate, to help moisturise the skin, and maintain it's hydration level in the skin.

 

This also contains 2% niacinamide, which can help to balance the moisture level of the skin,  protecting it from environmental aggressors. It's also meant to improve the skin barrier. There is 0.04% adenosine to help keep sebum production balanced. Additionally, this essence is supposed to improve the skin texture, so that you're left with nourished, hydrated, smooth and bright skin. This comes packaged in a clear tall bottle with a screw cap, and the essence is an amber liquid that pours into the palm of my hand easily.

 

It has a distinctive ginseng scent that you catch when initially opening the bottle, but this doesn't linger. While the essence is understandably quite watery, you can tell that there's a bit of viscosity to it. It goes over the skin nicely, and gets absorbed quickly. I love that this is an additional step that can help level up my skin texture and tone, and it works well on me. I do feel like this has helped in keeping my skin moisturised and smooth. This is available on Beauty Amora and you can use the affiliate code, BEAUCAT, to get a discount! What's latest essence in your skincare rotation?

*This product was provided for editorial consideration