A BRILLIANT IDEA Sulwhasoo goes deep into every cause and effect that will yield that coveted complexion with a new concentrated formula. By Li Ying Lim.

Here is the tricky thing about ageing skin: There are the fine lines and obvious wrinkles; there’s dull, shadowy complexion; unevenness in the skin tone that seems so inexplicable; and then, there’s this whole thing about dehydrated skin.

So many pointers and concerns to address, so little time. And for women who own an entire boudoir of skin creams and serums (all a part of a skincare regime that only gets more tedious and multilayered through time and age), Sulwhasoo has good news. With a brand-new formula, Snowise, the upgraded brightening skincare range, boosts collagen, brightens the skin, and infuses the skin cells with hydration.

When it comes to holistic Asian beauty, Sulwhasoo is wellrevered for its years of expertise in fusing science and nature. A South Korean luxury beauty brand that prizes its homegrown herbs as well as its Eastern medicinal heritage, Sulwhasoo’s core ingredients are largely based on the research and science of these herbs, especially the Korean ginseng, resulting in a philosophy that exhorts the importance of total body harmony and balance for ultimate beauty, also known as Sangseng. The newly upgraded Sulwhasoo Snowise Brightening Serum, RM650

“Because we often only focus on targeting melanin production, we neglect the skin-shadowing effect, which is mainly caused by reduced skin resilience,” says Kate Wan, Sulwhasoo brand science manager. After conducting clinical tests on women averaging at 35 years of age – during which they experienced the most radical changes with regards to ageing and skin brightness – Sulwhasoo discovered a skin-firming and antimelanin solution in the Korean white ginseng.

Wan continues about Snowise’s core ingredient: “While conducting our research, we found that the white ginseng has exceptional brightening effects, and in it, saponin and polysaccharides. The white ginseng saponin is also proven to firm up the skin and suppress excessive melanin production.”

“Processed with our patented bio-conversion technology, it is the world’s first ginseng-based whitening ingredient that is formulated for best absorption and activation of the balancing brightening factor within our skin cells,” elaborates Wan.

What makes the newly upgraded Snowise range so exceptional this time around is the brightening formula in its most concentrated form, the Snowise Brightening Serum – a new discovery of the white ginseng’s ability to infuse the skin with collagen. As the various parts of the core ingredient work to hydrate the skin and reduce discolouration, sagging skin is also brought back to life.

“The upgraded Snowise Brightening Serum contains white ginseng polysaccharides 2.5 times more concentrated than before,” divulges Wan. And yet, the texture is significantly lighter than its predecessor. During its first ever unveiling of the serum in Koh Samui to Asia-based journalists, Wan says, “This is very exciting for us. We have not even shown it to the Korean press.” She also announces that this unprecedented achievement has allowed Sulwhasoo to coin the term “volume brightening”. “Working on skin resilience and melanin suppression will address the root causes of dullness and discolouration,” affirms Wan. “This is a deep cure from within.”