Skincare

The History of Ginseng in Korean Skin & Beauty Products

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SkinTalks - August 10, 2022

Hey there, SkinTalks readers! 

 

In this history series, I would like to introduce the beauty origins of popular natural ingredients and explain why they are so beneficial to our skin. Using natural ingredients for hair, skin, and beauty maintenance is a common practice in Korean culture, dating back thousands of years. This practice originates from the use of Hanbang medical treatments. Hanbang is a traditional approach to wellness.

 

Instead of using quick fixes, doctors would treat their patients by looking at their daily habits to find the root of the problem. This way of taking care of oneself has manifested into all branches of wellness. Just like changing your eating habits to improving your health for the long haul, utilizing natural ingredients can have a similar effect. Instead of being fixated on solving the problem quickly, these ingredients solve the problem by tackling the core issue.

 

Within our Korean Skincare store, we have many products which contain natural ingredients. Some of the most common natural ingredients are ginseng, rice, and green tea. However, there are also many others as well!

 

Today, we will be focusing on ginseng!

Background

Ginseng is the fleshy root of the panax plant. The word "panax" is derived from the Greek word "panacea", which means "universal remedy".

 

Asian Ginseng is a type of ginseng that is most commonly used for a variety of medicinal, health, and beauty related purposes. In ancient times, ginseng was used as an aphrodisiac, anti-aging, and energy-boosting tonic that could be consumed orally. It was also very popular to produce and consume ginseng tea as well. Furthermore, people would also boil slices of ginseng and use the water on their skin to feel refreshed and boost skin health - think of it like an ancient toner.

 

According to Barbara Close, an esthetician who specializes in therapeutic herbalism, ginseng tea improves stamina as well as stimulates and relaxes the nervous system.

Ginseng at Korean Skincare

At our Korean Skincare shop, we have a brand which also promotes the benefits of natural ingredients, particularly including ginseng. This brand is called Beauty of Joseon.

 

Beauty of Joseon is based off of the Joseon Dynasty. Hwang Jini, known as the most beautiful woman of the Joseon era, and other court ladies used to put boiled ginseng roots and leaves in their bathing water to maintain healthy skin.

 

Beauty of Joseon's Dynasty Cream consists of revitalizing ginseng and softening orchid. Plus, it has a more budget-friendly price tag of €19.45. The Dynasty Cream helps to firm, smooth, and moisturize skin.

 

Other than their Dynasty Cream, Beauty of Joseon also has a reviving Ginseng Serum and a Ginseng Essence Water in their collection.

 

The Revive Serum: Ginseng + Snail Mucin is a lightweight yet nourishing serum. It consists of 63% ginseng root water. It helps to protect the skin from external stimuli by retaining moisture deep in the skin for a long time.

 

The Ginseng Essence Water contains 80% ginseng root water, ginseng callus culture extract, ginseng root extract, as well as ginseng root ferment filtrate. This complex of ingredients helps promote anti-aging and hydrated skin that will help other skincare products work more effectively.

 

These are just two featured products from Beauty of Joseon that contain ginseng. However, there are many more, including a ginseng based Cleansing Oil and Eye Serum.

 

All of these products have budget-friendly price tags of under €20!

 

At Korean Skincare, we often see how much the Beauty of Joseon products are loved, and we completely understand. We can't get enough of them either!

Shop the recommendations:

In conclusion

Ginseng is a great natural ingredient with a long history of usages. The ingredient works like a charm in keeping the skin moisturized, energized, and smooth.

 

Although natural ingredients have a great way of getting to the root of skin care problems, you should always choose what suits you and your routine best. We are all different after all and what might work for some might not work for others. 

 

Stay tuned for more blogs on natural ingredients in our historical series.

 

Have another ingredient you'd like me to write about? Let me know by sending a message or leaving on comment on our KS Instagram page!

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