The use of medicinal herbs in Korea dates back several centuries B.C. Their ginseng is so well known worldwide for its many benefits and is a key ingredient in many product ranging from food and beverage to cosmetics and skincare. Sulwhasoo is Korea’s No. 1 holistic skincare brand and their products contain many precious herbs including premium Korean ginseng.
Sulwhasoo has come a long way since it was founded more than 50 years ago (although it wasn’t known as Sulwhasoo from the very beginning) by the late Mr. Suh Sung-hwan who was inspired by the handmade concoctions of his mother, Madam Dok Jung Yoon. Madam Dok Jung Yoon created her camellia oil for hair produced only with carefully selected natural ingredients, a spirit that reflects Sulwhasoo’s philosophy of Song-Seng or the principle of achieving ultimate balance and harmony, between nature and people, science and tradition.
It’s very fascinating to discover skincare which contains traditional medicinal herbs especially Ginseng. I remember being made to drink Ginseng when I was a child, I didn’t like it then as it had such a strong scent but I got used to it and when I evolved into an adult, I started to really like the scent.
When I was in Bangkok, I did come across a Sulwhasoo counter or two and they seemed to have a lot more products there than here and that’s true because the complete range is not available here yet, e.g. they haven’t brought in the whitening range. The bestselling and popular ranges such as Essential Line and Time Treasure are available here.
Sulwhasoo opened their 3rd counter at Parkson 1 Utama two weeks ago. With this latest counter, Sulwhasoo hopes to reach out to a wider target market in the Klang Valley and increase the viability of the brand for greater brand awareness. This new counter will be the first Sulwhasoo counter in Malaysia to offer facial spa services in the first quarter of next year. The Sulwhasoo facial is quite different from other facials as they utilize massage instruments such as amber and jade rings. These complement the ginseng ingredient which provides warmth or heat while the instruments provide a cold sensation, thus embodying the Song-Seng principle that is Sulwhasoo’s core belief.
At every Sulwhasoo counter worldwide, you will notice what looks like a lattice screen. The design and symbols of the screen have a profound meaning as it looks like a snowflake or snowflower and Sulwhasoo is the Korean translation of “snowflower”. The snowflower is known to bloom even in the most severe weather. The screen also has a tortoise shell pattern and as we Asians know, the tortoise is a mystical creature symbolic of longevity. It’s long been a symbol of Chinese divination and so it’s regarded as a very wise creature.
