5 posts tagged "Sulwhasoo"
An Herbal Refreshment (For Your Skin)
CHINESE FIGWORT / (chy-neez fig-wort) / n. / 1. Commonly known as Bei Xuan-Shen in its native country, Scrophularia buergeriana is a perennial plant that grows on the lower mountain slopes and wet grasslands of northern China and boasts dark green leaves; / n. / 2. A dried root used in traditional Chinese medicine as an anti-inflammatory to treat high blood pressure, fever, and laryngitis; / n./ 3. A toxin-flushing herbal tincture; / n. / 4. A common topical treatment that helps soothe itching or irritation while clearing-up skin, e.g., “Cleanse your body and soothe your skin with Chinese figwort.”
Try It: Sulwhasoo Hydro-Aid Moisturizing Lifting Serum with Bei Xuan-Shen Extracts, $110, available June 2012 at www.us.sulwhasoo.com.
Brighten Up With Rhubarb Extract
RHUBARB/ (roo-barb) / n. / 1. A perennial plant native to China, also known as Rheum rhaponticum, that is characterized by large fleshy rhizomes and poisonous leaves, with long pinkish edible stalks; / n. / 2. An ingredient used for centuries in traditional Chinese medicine to treat any number of digestive issues as well as skin inflammations due to the accumulation of toxins; / n. / 3. Commonly mistaken to be a fruit, a vegetable that is a close relative of garden sorrel, loaded with vitamin C and dietary fiber, and often used in pies and jams; / n. / 4. A skin-brightening agent rich in gallic acid, which inhibits melanin production to minimize pigmentation; e.g., “Have your pie and treat your skin discoloration, too, with rhubarb.”
Try it: Sulwhasoo Snowise Whitening Fluid with Rhubarb Extract, $65, available at Bergdorf Goodman beginning April 1.
A Healer Walks Among Us
As an acupuncturist and Chinese herbalist, Jill Blakeway relies on ancient wisdom to solve modern beauty maladies like dull skin, dark circles, blotchy complexions, and stubborn acne. The 35,000-year-old art of zang-fu sees such external flare-ups and many others as an indication of internal imbalances of yin and yang. Blakeway treats said imbalances at the YinOva Center in Manhattan with a combination of healing massage, herbs, reiki, and carefully guided pricks of the acupuncture needle. Skincare habits also factor into creating harmony in the body. That’s a topic she’ll discuss this evening during a special appearance at Bergdorf Goodman from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. sponsored by Sulwhasoo, the Korean skincare brand known for its herb-based remedies. Here, Blakeway gives Style.com an exclusive preview of her talking points.
How did you first become interested in alternative medicine?
I first became interested in Chinese medicine many years ago when I suffered from a chronic pain issue and was cured by an acupuncturist. This set me on a journey, which culminated in me studying for a master’s of science in traditional Chinese medicine and becoming a licensed acupuncturist and board-certified herbalist.
What are the most common beauty concerns you hear this time of year?
Dry skin and redness and inflammation of the complexion. In Chinese medicine, yin describes those functions of the body that are moistening, cooling, and nourishing. As we age and seasons change, our yin diminishes, so our skin becomes drier, less elastic, and inflamed.
Eastern Skincare Promises
My wedding is less than two weeks away, so things are really getting down to the wire. Some details are still up in the air, but my skincare routine is fully mapped out. I’ve been doing a series of rather intense medical-grade glycolic peels to exfoliate my skin, followed by a good slathering of Sulwhasoo First Care Serum to prevent post-facial flakes in between sessions. A nourishing formula packed with traditional Korean herbs and extracts, the lightweight elixir is meant to bring harmony and balance to the skin—and will perhaps score me some points with my future Korean mother-in-law (who has a flawless complexion). Sulwhasoo blends modern science with ancient techniques, such as its unique Poje Method, a 500-year-old refining process that involves soaking herbs in honey and roasting them to assure maximum efficiency. The brand’s time-honored approach can even be seen in its gold packaging, which is decorated with a subtle floral pattern that’s inspired by the HanBok, the traditional Korean wedding dress (which I will be wearing for part of my nuptials, FYI). My ritual is to apply two pumps of the serum twice a day under my usual moisturizer, and then gently wrap my hands around my face, as per the directions, to help the serum absorb better. A few days in and already my skin feels soft and smooth, without a flake in sight. Now if only I could get my hands on Sulwhasoo cosmetics, a collection of skin-enhancing foundations, powders, and compacts, which look fantastic online, but are only sold in Asia. (A future mother-in-law/daughter-in-law girls’ trip may be in order).
Herbal Medicine Cosmetics Head West
The herbal remedy movement has been going strong in the United States since the nineties, when tried and true ingredients from Asian medicine like ginkgo biloba and ginseng became part of the public discourse, marketed in supplement and tea form to an increasingly un-crunchy demographic. In Korea, these same ingredients have been incorporated into comprehensive cosmetic formulations for decades. Take Amore Pacific’s Sulwhasoo, for example, the best-selling skincare range that has been a staple of Seoul’s discerning beauty fiends for over 40 years. The brand takes a holistic approach to dealing with Sang-Seng, the Korean idea that the body’s energy flow changes in intervals of seven years and can often be out of whack, which can exacerbate the physical signs of aging. To restore a clear, glowing complexion, the entire line boasts Jaeumdan—an exclusive complex of medicinal herbs like peony, Solomon’s Seal, East Indian lotus, and white lily steeped in pure honey to enhance efficacy. The idea is “inner harmony for outer radiance.”
Sulwhasoo’s 12-piece range officially bowed stateside at Bergdorf Goodman last month, and its store-within-a-store concept shop will be completed in June. With its arrival comes the novel concept of herbal medicine cosmetics, which already seems to be a hit with Bergdorf shoppers; the brand’s Concentrated Ginseng Cream has become a fast favorite. Formulated with the water of rare six-year-old Korean ginseng, the emollient skin salve is an extremely luxe antiaging treatment that features a unique earthy smell sure to please longtime devotees of naturophilia and recent converts alike.