Origin

TIME AND PERSEVERANCE, FOR TRUE HOLISTIC BEAUTY

THE HOLISTIC BEAUTY JOURNEY

ORIGIN

Korean Herbal Medicine Drawn from Asian Wisdom

At the heart of Sulwhasoo is Korean herbal medicine, steeped in a long tradition of Eastern holistic philosophy that searches for deeper answers, with a desire to find harmony and balance, and treatments that view the body as a whole.

1966

ABC Ginseng Cream initiated the Sulwhasoo legacy

Sulwhasoo originator Suh Sung-whan spent his childhood in Kaesong, a city renowned for the meticulousness of its merchants and the exceptional quality of its ginseng. His mother produced camellia oil there and became his lifelong mentor. Under the watchful eye of his mother and her uncompromising devotion to product quality, Suh learned the value of nature and the importance of high quality ingredients. Determined to make cosmetics using his childhood learnings and the efficacies of ginseng, Korea’s signature plant, Suh introduced ABC Ginseng Cream in 1966. This was the beginning of the Sulwhasoo legacy.

1973

Ginseng SAMMI, world’s first cosmetic made using ginseng saponin

In 1972, nine years into his ginseng research endeavor, Suh succeeded in extracting ginseng’s most precious saponin from the plant’s leaves and flower. In the following year, Ginseng SAMMI was introduced to the world with ginseng saponin as the key ingredient. Ginseng SAMMI was the product that represented Suh’s dream to introduce a cosmetic embodying Korea’s culture and ingredients to the world, complete with a specialized container inspired by the exquisitely crafted Goryeo celadon.

1987

Sulwha brand, developed through research in extracting efficacies from various Korean herbal medicinal ingredients.

SAMMI’s international success brought much confidence that more efficacious components could be extracted from many other Korean herbal ingredients besides ginseng. This led to the creation of Sulwha in 1987, referring to a beautiful snow flower that blooms to herald the coming of spring, just as beauty blooms from a woman’s skin. Sulwha was a gentle cosmetic product that used natural Korean herbal ingredients to help protect the skin and give it strength.

1997

The birth of ‘Sulwhasoo’ through steadfast research on the root causes of skin aging

As Sulwha’s research on Korean herbal medicine deepened with further study into efficacies and processing methodologies, the brand evolved into the Sulwhasoo in 1997. Our in-depth research into the cause of skin aging led us to complete Sulwhasoo’s signature JAUM Balancing Complex™, which later was used as a major ingredient in our highly acclaimed First Care Activating Serum. In 2000, the release of Concentrated Ginseng Renewing Cream, which encapsulates the essence of our ginseng research, further cemented Sulwhasoo’s position as Korea’s most representative cosmetics brand.

2009

Sulwhasoo brand renewal with enhanced products and modern design

As Korea’s most recognized global beauty brand, Sulwhasoo naturally found its place as the national gift to many first ladies visiting Korea from around the world. Reflecting strong pride in Korean culture and philosophy, Sulwhasoo products were featured as special gifts at international events such as the 2009 Korea-ASEAN Summit, the 2010 Seoul G20 Summit Meeting, and the 2011 Seoul G20 National Assembly Chairmen Meeting.

PRESENT

Infusing the world with our heritage of treasured knowledge and Asian Wisdom

Sulwhasoo blossomed from a deep conviction in the power of ginseng and the passion for Korean herbal medicinal study. Today, it is beloved by customers worldwide as the holistic beauty brand embodying Asian wisdom.