Review: Sulwhasoo Essential Balancing Water

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Sulwhasoo is one of my favorite brands, and the title is well deserved. Not only because using it makes me feel like a classy lady, but it has also made a HUGE difference for my skin. Sulwhasoo Essential Balancing Water is especially up there in my favorites list, and here is why...

SULWHASOO
Essential Balancing Water Review

Sulwhasoo Essential Balancing Water Review

INFO SHEET

Brand: Sulwhasoo
Product: Essential Balancing Water
PH: 5.5
Scent: Herbal (Hanbang!)
Price: $58.00
Where to Buy: Amazon, Beautytap, Bloomingdales, Nordstrom

This review has been a long time coming as I have been using Sulwhasoo Essential Balancing Water for years now. Sulwhasoo is a Korean brand under the Amore Pacific umbrella known for it's "Time-tested holistic skin wellness regimen drawn from Korean Herbal Medicine."

I am usually very skeptical regarding brand claims - so let's see what the ingredients can tell us.

INGREDIENTS

Water/Aqua/Eau, Alcohol, Betaine, Butylene Glycol, Glyce-Ryl Polymethacrylate, Glycerin, Peg/Ppg-17/6 Copolymer, Glycereth-26, Phenoxyethanol, Peg-60 Hydrogenated Castor Oil, Bis-Peg-18 Methyl Etherdimethyl Silane, Honey / Mel / Miel, Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Cross-Polymer, Nelumbo Nucifera Flower Extract, Polygonatum Officinale Rhi-Zome/Root Extract, Rehmannia Glutinosa Root Extract, Paeonia Albiflora Root Extract, Lilium Candidum Bulb Extract, Ethylhexylglycerin, Diphenyl-Siloxy Phenyl Trimethicone, Fragrance / Parfum, Portulaca Oleracea Extract, Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract, Potassium Hydroxide, Disodium Edta, Limonene, Biosaccharide Gum-1, Glycyrrhiza Uralensis (Licorice) Root Extract, Natto Gum, Sodium Hyaluronate, Linalool, Propanediol, Bht, Acetic Acid, Tocopherol, Beta-Glucan.
Ingredients are subject to change at the manufacturer's discretion.

Notable Ingredients:

Nelumbo Nucifera Seed Extract - Whitening and anti-wrinkle cosmetic agent.
Polygonatum Officinale Rhizome/Root Extract - AKA Solomon's Seal Extract. Moisturizer and anti-inflammatory.
Rehmannia Glutinosa Root Extract - Herbal anti-inflammatory agent.
Portulaca Oleracea Extract - A plant extract that acts as a powerful antioxidant, containing Vitamins A, C, and E.
Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract - AKA Green Tea Extract. Antioxidant and anti-irritant.
Glycyrrhiza Uralensis (Licorice) Root Extract - Anti-inflammatory that is said to aid in evening out skintone.
Natto Gum - Fermented soy which is said to also be a potent antioxidant.
Sodium Hyaluronate - aka Hyaluronic Acid. A very effective humectant that boosts the skin's moisture content, prevents dehydration, and preserves skin moisture.

So you can see that Sulwhasoo Essential Balancing Water is loaded with antioxidants and anti-inflammatory agents. In addition to these, there are also many other beneficial extracts in the ingredients; many of which are skin conditioners. It also has a very pleasant herbal scent.

COSDNA ALERTS

Out of the ingredients listed, only two were marked as a potential acne trigger / irritant according to COSDNA.

Butylene Glycol - 1 of 5 (Acne)
Tocopherol - 2 of 5 (Acne), 2 of 5 (Irritant)

Fragrance was not flagged for Acne in COSDNA's analysis, but keep in mind that it is still listed in the ingredients. As for the triggers, some people are sensitive to Butylene Glycol because they find it to be drying or irritating. Remember to patch test first!

Sulwhasoo Essential Balancing Water consistency

Sulwhasoo Essential Balancing Water has a watery gel like consistency. As a hydrating toner, it absorbs into the skin very effectively and can provide an extra layer of hydration to those with dry skin. As for me with combination / oily skin, Sulwhasoo Essential Balancing Water does not add any greasiness whatsoever.

I'm not sure as to what originally turned me onto this product (probably the AsianBeauty subreddit), but I was searching for something gentle to just soothe my skin - and boy did it provide a lot of relief thanks it's anti-inflammatory properties. The photos below show my skin's healing progression...

The height of my misery.

One month after using Sulwhasoo Essential Balancing Water.

(Sorry for quality, I did not expect to publish these photos.)

More progress shots of my healing moisture barrier.

It's been a long time since I took the photos above, but I recall the progress took about eight months. During, this period I didn't really introduce new items to my routine other than Sulwhasoo Essential Balancing Emulsion (which is also excellent). Keep in mind though, I still had some persistent pimples that wouldn't go away. However, Sulwhasoo Essential Balancing Water laid the groundwork for healing my skin. I went from a face full of dry, itchy acne, down to only about four pimples.

FINAL THOUGHTS

Sulwhasoo Essential Balancing Water is very near and dear to my heart. I've repurchased it again and again, and it really is the cornerstone of my skin care routine. This product saved my moisture barrier and continues to provide my skin with valuable nourishment to this day.

Remember that my moisture barrier was heavily damaged due to over exfoliation and created an environment for painful, itchy acne that would not go away. I wrote about my experience here. Sulwhasoo Essential Balancing Water restored balance back to my skin by soothing it, moisturizing it, and bringing it back from the brink. I am not saying that it is a cure for acne, but it played a big role in healing my moisture barrier which resulted in a reduction of external irritants to my skin (bacteria, debris, etc.)

As far as the cost, one bottle lasts me over 12 months (used daily). At $58.00 per bottle, this breaks down to about $4.83 per month. I would say that Sulwhasoo Essential Balancing Water is well worth the price. In addition to having fantastic ingredients, the packaging is also lovely.

STORE	PRICE	OFFERS
Amazon	$40.99	Free Shipping
Beautytap	$54.35	Free Shipping
Bloomingdales	$58.00	15% Off First Purchase; Free Shipping
Nordstrom	$58.00	Free Shipping
Sulwhasoo	$58.00	10% Off First Purchase; Free Shipping & Samples on all orders

I honestly have no complaints about Sulwhasoo Essential Balancing Water. It has been very good to me and even after all of these years, I still look forward to using it every day. Five stars!!!

Rating

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None of these reviews are sponsored, nor were any of the products provided for free (or even at a discount) by any affiliate.
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About the Author

Misakino

This blog was started to help other fellow NC37s on their quest to finding the perfect BB cushion. Being a big fan of K-Beauty, it is very difficult to find cushions darker than shade 23. It can be quite the gamble ordering makeup from overseas without an inkling of what that may look like, or even if it is beneficial for certain skin types. I am willing to buy these products, swatch, and test them in order to help others make an informed decision.