sulwhasoo First Care Activating Serum Ex

Ingredients overview

Label order. Colour is our internal rating: green routine, yellow restricted or worth a look, red prohibited or high-risk, grey not yet decoded.

Ingredients are listed in label order; the order reflects the label only, not exact concentrations.

1. Water/Aqua/Eau
2. Butylene Glycol
3. Alcohol
4. Glycerin
5. Betaine
6. PEG/PPG-17/6 Copolymer
7. Glyceryl Polymethacrylate
8. Ophiopogon Japonicus Root Extract
9. Phenoxyethanol
10. Bis-PEG-18 Methyl Ether Dimethyl Silane
11. PEG-60 Hydrogenated Castor Oil
12. Carbomer
13. Tromethamine
14. Glycyrrhiza Uralensis Root Extract
15. Fragrance/Parfum
16. Honey / Mel / Miel
17. Juglans Regia Seed Extract
18. Theobroma Cacao Extract
19. Dextrin
20. Lilium Candidum Bulb Extract
21. Paeonia Albiflora Root Extract
22. Rehmannia Glutinosa Root Extract
23. Polygonatum Officinale Rhizome/Root Extract
24. Nelumbo Nucifera Flower Extract
25. Xanthan Gum
26. Ethylhexylglycerin
27. Portulaca Oleracea Extract
28. Limonene
29. Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract
30. Disodium EDTA
31. Phenyl Trimethicone
32. Chondrus Crispus
33. Linalool
34. Biosaccharide Gum-1
35. Zizyphus Jujuba Fruit Extract
36. Natto Gum
37. Citronellol
38. Citral
39. Propylene Glycol
40. Geraniol
41. Chlorphenesin
42. Hydrogenated Lecithin
43. BHT
44. Sodium Dehydroacetate
45. Potassium Sorbate
46. Citric Acid
47. Sorbic Acid
48. Tocopherol

Highlights

Free of parabensFree of sulfatesFree of mineral oilFree of formaldehyde releasersContains alcoholContains PEGContains essential oilsContains siliconesContains EU-26 allergensContains fragranceContains animal-derived

Formulation view Aqueous formula with alcohol for solubility, paired with glycerin and betaine for hydration, plus various herbal extracts. Uses carbomer for thickness and silicone modifiers for feel. Relies on phenoxyethanol for preservation. Ideal for combination skin as a first-care step. Factory view: High alcohol aids penetration but requires monitoring for dry skin tolerance; rich botanical blend complexity.

Key ingredients

溶剂

Water/Aqua/Eau

HUMECTANT

Butylene Glycol

ANTIFOAMING

Alcohol

DENATURANT

Glycerin

HAIR CONDITIONING

Betaine

SOLVENT

PEG/PPG-17/6 Copolymer

VISCOSITY CONTROLLING

Glyceryl Polymethacrylate

SKIN CONDITIONING

Ophiopogon Japonicus Root Extract

Other ingredients

PhenoxyethanolBis-PEG-18 Methyl Ether Dimethyl SilanePEG-60 Hydrogenated Castor OilCarbomerTromethamineGlycyrrhiza Uralensis Root ExtractFragrance/ParfumHoney / Mel / MielJuglans Regia Seed ExtractTheobroma Cacao ExtractDextrinLilium Candidum Bulb ExtractPaeonia Albiflora Root ExtractRehmannia Glutinosa Root ExtractPolygonatum Officinale Rhizome/Root ExtractNelumbo Nucifera Flower ExtractXanthan GumEthylhexylglycerinPortulaca Oleracea ExtractLimoneneCamellia Sinensis Leaf ExtractDisodium EDTAPhenyl TrimethiconeChondrus CrispusLinaloolBiosaccharide Gum-1Zizyphus Jujuba Fruit ExtractNatto GumCitronellolCitralPropylene GlycolGeraniolChlorphenesinHydrogenated LecithinBHTSodium DehydroacetatePotassium SorbateCitric AcidSorbic AcidTocopherol

Skim through

Ingredients explained

Water/Aqua/Eau

Primary aqueous solvent and carrier; no specific incompatibilities, focus on microbial stability.

Butylene Glycol

Polyol humectant and solvent at 1–5%; aids solubilization, light feel

Alcohol

Ethanol for solubility/drying at 5-15%; high conc. is drying/irritating, avoid lip/eye, low residue, balance with humectants.

Glycerin

Workhorse humectant at 3–10%; tacky at high levels, pair with occlusives

Betaine

Betaine for mild moisturizing/surfactant; low concentration 1-2% common, high may irritate.

PEG/PPG-17/6 Copolymer

Non-ionic copolymer used as a solvent and emulsifier aid; PEG component may increase penetration

Glyceryl Polymethacrylate

Acrylate polymer for high viscosity, film formation, and conditioning feel. Synthetic polymer, low irritancy.

Ophiopogon Japonicus Root Extract

Botanical humectant; soothing; requires preservative; high-concentration allergen risk.

Phenoxyethanol

Broad-spectrum preservative at ≤1%; may irritate sensitive eye areas, often paired with ethylhexylglycerin

Bis-PEG-18 Methyl Ether Dimethyl Silane

Silicone modifier for smoothness; contains PEG, used for foam and cleansing, manage PEG residuals

PEG-60 Hydrogenated Castor Oil

Non-ionic emulsifier and solubilizer at 1–5%; contains PEG, check acid compatibility and sensitive skin irritation

Carbomer

Gelling thickener requiring neutralization; watch out for ion compatibility

Tromethamine

pH adjuster, alkaline; precise dosing required

Glycyrrhiza Uralensis Root Extract

Licorice root; anti-inflammatory/whitening, contains glycyrrhizin, caution for pollen-allergic individuals.

Fragrance/Parfum

Fragrance mixture for odor; complex composition with potential allergens, use with caution in sensitive or children's products.

Honey / Mel / Miel

Humectant/conditioner, viscous at high levels, hygroscopic and freezes at low temp, bee allergen risk

Juglans Regia Seed Extract

Not decoded yet

Theobroma Cacao Extract

Cacao extract providing antioxidants and conditioning, aids skin elasticity.

Dextrin

Polymer thickener and binder from starch fermentation; biodegradable, hygroscopic, may affect powder flow

Lilium Candidum Bulb Extract

Lilium candidum bulb extract; polysaccharide-rich skin conditioner; generally mild, check plant protein allergens

Paeonia Albiflora Root Extract

Peony root extract for moisture and conditioning; plant-derived, low allergenicity

Rehmannia Glutinosa Root Extract

Traditional medicinal root extract for skin conditioning; verify compatibility, patch test for sensitive skin.

Polygonatum Officinale Rhizome/Root Extract

Botanical extract used as a skin conditioning agent

Nelumbo Nucifera Flower Extract

Lotus flower extract for skin conditioning; no specific irritancy or comedogenic data, generally safe at standard use.

Xanthan Gum

Natural thickener at 0.1–1%; provides gel texture, pH-stable, requires full hydration

Ethylhexylglycerin

Mild conditioner and preservative booster at 0.5–1%; reduces preservative load, smooth feel

Portulaca Oleracea Extract

Achyronica extract with anti-inflammatory properties; monitor for heavy metals and pesticides, low-risk at typical doses

Limonene

Natural fragrance solvent, EU allergen; poor photostability

Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract

Green tea extract for antioxidant/astringent; contains caffeine, possible irritation in sensitive skin.

Disodium EDTA

Chelating agent at 0.05–0.5%; sequesters metal ions for stability, boosts preservative efficacy

Phenyl Trimethicone

Aromatic modified silicone for high gloss and occlusion; inert, non-volatile, may leave surface residue

Chondrus Crispus

Crisp chondrus seaweed extract; often used as thickener or skin conditioner; labeled as fragrance or conditioner, check formulation context.

Linalool

Natural fragrance component at ≤0.05%; one of EU 26 allergens, caution for sensitive skin

Biosaccharide Gum-1

Biosaccharide Gum-1, fermented colloid for hydration and soothing, low comedogenic.

Zizyphus Jujuba Fruit Extract

Jujube extract for hydration and antioxidant, natural source

Natto Gum

Natto gum, film-forming; 0.1–0.5% typical, low irritation, low sensitization

Citronellol

Citronellol for fragrance; EU 26 allergen, labeling required above 0.001%.

Citral

Citral; citrus fragrance component, listed EU allergen, high phototoxicity risk, strict concentration limits apply.

Propylene Glycol

Polyol humectant at 3-10%; hygroscopic, slight tackiness, mild irritation at high conc., verify preservative efficacy, no allergen.

Geraniol

Geraniol for fragrance; EU 26 allergen, labeling required above 0.001%.

Chlorphenesin

Phenolic antimicrobial; strict EU limits apply, potential allergen, careful dosing required for leave-on products.

Hydrogenated Lecithin

Emulsifier from lecithin; stable, used in powder emulsions

BHT

Lipophilic antioxidant at 0.01-0.05%; ineffective with acidic systems, label-sensitive, check regulatory limits as preservative alternative.

Sodium Dehydroacetate

Sodium dehydroacetate, preservative <0.5%; restricted for eye, children, and lip use.

Potassium Sorbate

Preservative effective below pH 6; combinable with sodium benzoate

Citric Acid

Buffer and chelator at 0.1–2%; adjusts pH, may irritate sensitive skin at low pH

Sorbic Acid

Preservative effective at low pH, often combined with sorbate salts; check regulatory limits

Tocopherol

Natural antioxidant (vitamin E) at 0.1–1%; prone to oxidation, store protected from light

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