Sulwhasoo

First Care Activating Serum.

Serums

About this product

A Korean-beauty serum formulated as a first essence to prepare skin for enhanced absorption of other skincare products in the routine.

Type

SerumsLiquid

Formula notes

Contains fragranceContains drying alcohol

Full ingredients

Water/Aqua/Eau, Alcohol Denat, Butylene Glycol, Betaine, 1,2-Hexanediol, Bis-PEG-18 Methyl Ether Dimethyl Silane, Glyceryl Polymethacrylate, Carbomer, PEG-60 Hydrogenated Castor Oil, Tromethamine, Propanediol, Glyceryl Caprylate, Juglans Regia (Walnut) Seed Extract, Dextrin, Theobroma Cacao (Cocoa) Extract, Scutellaria Baicalensis Root Extract, Fragrance/Parfum, Ethylhexylglycerin, Adenosine, Limonene, Methyl Trimethicone, Disodium EDTA, Xanthan Gum, Cellulose Gum, Carrageenan, Honey / Mel / Miel, Madecassoside, Rehmannia Glutinosa Root Extract, Pentylene Glycol, Ophiopogon Japonicus Root Extract, Paeonia Lactiflora Root Extract, Lilium Candidum Bulb Extract, Linalool, Lycium Chinense Fruit Extract, Polygonatum Odoratum Rhizome Extract, Biosaccharide Gum-1, Propylene Glycol, Ziziphus Jujuba Fruit Extract, Nelumbo Nucifera Flower Extract, Pueraria Lobata Root Extract, Natto Gum, Glycyrrhiza Uralensis (Licorice) Root Extract

Guru Score

81%

Approved

3 experts · Moderate agreement

3Gurus

2Approved

1Mixed

0Skip

What the gurus are saying

This serum readies your skin to absorb the rest of your routine more efficiently. That absorption and barrier boost is what reviewers kept circling back to, and they found the new formulation notably better than the last. The herbal scent creates a split: some like it, others skip it. It costs a lot, but reviewers said the improved absorption makes everything work better, justifying the price.

Synthesized from 3 expert reviews · most recent take December 2025

Where to buy

Find it at Amazon → Compare prices on Google Shopping →

How it works Independent by design. Every take comes from a creator we have no relationship with. We do not ask anyone to review, and affiliate links never move a score.

Every take, in full

What the gurus are saying.

Every take we've logged from this product's reviews across YouTube. Click any row to watch the moment they said it.

All takes Approved takes Critical takes Mixed takes Hide sponsored

CYoung

93k subs

✓Mixed

"Sulwhasoo is a well known middle aged Korean women's favorite brand, the number one seller on Amore Mall, and it would make a great gift for anybody who knows K-beauty. Their number one seller is the first care serum. They call it a serum but it's really more like a first essence, so you can use it like a toner. It's pretty appealing to many people, but it does have a little herbal scent, some people are fine with it and some people really don't like it, so keep that in mind."

AliceintheRabbitHole

59k subs

✓Approved

"This is Sulwhasoo's bestselling product, it has recently been updated. What this product does is immediately after cleansing you apply this and it boosts your barrier for better absorption of everything you apply afterwards, and in addition to increasing absorption and boosting the skin's barrier, Sulwhasoo also claims that this helps to address ten different signs of aging. This one to me is very worth the hype, I think this is a fantastic place to start if you are curious about this brand, it's their bestseller for a reason, they are proud of this new formulation for a reason, and I actually think this is even better than the last version."

All 2 takes from AliceintheRabbitHole

My Updated Thoughts on SULWHASOO: Luxury Korean Skin Care

My FAVORITE Skincare Brands (& Products!)

"I'm holding up the First Care Activating Serum, this was recently reformulated. I know a lot of people haven't yet tried the reformulation, this was one of two gifted products in this whole video, I don't know if I would have tried it if I wasn't sent it because I get nervous about reformulations too, but I have to say I feel like I do like the reformulation more than the last version. I feel like this delivers on the claims, they claim it helps with the absorption of anything you apply on top, in addition to all the other benefits of ginseng. It's an interesting product because you use it first before anything else in your routine, but I feel like when I do that everything works better. And it's actually not too expensive, this is Sulwhasoo so it's still expensive, but it's not too bad. Ultimately I'm bumping this up to my favorite."

Lab Muffin Beauty Science

860k subs

✓Approved

"The first product in my like lasagna is the Sulwhasoo First Care Activating Serum. It has a whole bunch of plant extracts and antioxidants so this kind of first step product in Korean skincare helps other products penetrate better. But because I was being really paranoid about overly irritating my skin I did not want to use this on the harsher actives nights."

Common questions

Frequently asked.

What is Sulwhasoo First Care Activating Serum?

A Korean-beauty serum formulated as a first essence to prepare skin for enhanced absorption of other skincare products in the routine.

Is Sulwhasoo First Care Activating Serum worth it?

Mostly yes. 2 of the 3 gurus who reviewed it give it their stamp of approval, for a Guru Score of 81%.

What is Sulwhasoo First Care Activating Serum's Guru Score?

Sulwhasoo First Care Activating Serum holds a Guru Score of 81%. That is our read on how warmly the experts talk about it, based on the verdicts of 3 expert reviewers we have collected.

First Care Activating Serum.

81%

What the gurus are saying.

Frequently asked.

What is Sulwhasoo First Care Activating Serum?

Is Sulwhasoo First Care Activating Serum worth it?

What is Sulwhasoo First Care Activating Serum's Guru Score?

Same formula, worth a look.

Similar products worth a look.

This product, in the news.

This week's top beauty news, in your inbox.