sulwhasoo essential balancing emulsion

this is the description from their website: a lightweight peony lotion formulated with mountain peony extract smooths uneven skin texture for a deeply hydrated and supple complexion. mountain peony extracts shines as the hero ingredient in this moisture-rich, fast-absorbing korean skincare emulsion that delivers intense hydration while smoothing. beta glucan from split gill mushroom (schizophyllum commune) ingredient in this emulsion helps clarify the complexion by visibly softening and refining skin texture. inside this bottle, you'll find a treasure trove of luxurious ingredients. it's infused with powerhouse hydrator like mango seed butter and licorice root extract to give skin an instantly soft and hydrated feel and mountain peony extract to help improve skin texture. the lightweight fluid adds a daily dose of moisture for oily to combination skin, and when paired with essential firming cream infuses extra nourishment for normal to dry skin. 

ingredients: water, butylene glycol, hydrogenated poly (C6-14 olefin), octyldodecyl myristate, glycerin, polyglyceryl-3 methylglucose distearate, cetyl ethylhexanoate, limnanthes alba (meadowfoam) seed oil, hydrogenated vegetable oil, cetearyl alcohol, stearic acid, glyceryl stearate, mangifera indica (mango) seed butter, phenoxyethanol, dimethicone, glyceryl stearate citrate, propanediol, hydroxyethyl acrylate/sodium acryloyldimethyl taurate copolymer, fragrance, honey, carbomer, lilium candidum bulb extract, paeonia albiflora root extract, rehmannia glutinosa root extract, polygonatum officinale rhizome/root extract, nelumbo nucifera flower extract, tromethamine, ethylhexylglycerin, disodium EDTA, alcohol, limonene, camellia sinensis leaf extract, portulaca oleracea extract, glycyrrhiza uralensis (licorice) root extract, sodium hyaluronate, polysorbate 60, sorbitan isostearate, linalool, beta glucan, natto gum, citronellol, citral, geraniol, TBHQ, tocopherol. 

the packaging: this emulsion comes in the basic kit that i got as freebies from the bloomstay line. it comes in a white/yellow box which is the signature color scheme for this line. there's a list of the products inside at the back of the box. all the products are placed on a plastic tray so all of them are safe and secure. the emulsion cames in a transparent plastic bottle that looks exactly like the toner bottle. it has the same chubby yellow screw cap just like the toner. both the toner and emulsion comes in 15 ml in this set and 30 ml in the FCAS set. the bottle looks white from the outside because the product inside is white. the bottle opening is the same size as the toner opening, but since the emulsion is quite thick, it's a bit hard to get it out without tapping the bottle on my palm several times. 

the scent: this smells just like the toner. mild hanbang scent. the scent is not as strong as the eye cream one. at first i was afraid that it would smell too ginseng but i was wrong. i can handle the scent. but if you don't like added fragrance in your skincare, then you should skip it.

the product: the emulsion is a white lotion like. it looks and feels similar to my previous probiotic emulsion. i only use a tiny bit for the reason that i might explain later. it takes awhile for it to sink in and it leaves a bit of glow on my skin. if you take a look at the ingredients list, it contains lots of moisturizing agents such as butylene glycol, glycerin, beta glucan, tocopherol and hydrating agents such as sodium hyaluronate. however, this one contains lots of extract too. it also contains alcohol but it's near the end of the list. so if you're avoiding alcohol in your skincare, you should try it with caution.

the result: this one is quite moisturizing. it feels more emollient than my probiotic one. though the consistency is similar, somehow i feel this is more moisturizing. that's why i only need a tiny bit for my face and neck. i think normal to dry skin can like this more than oily skin. for me personally, i was afraid that it might be too rich for my skin. but somehow my skin absorbs it well. after using it regularly in combination with the toner and FCAS (let me remind you that i seldom use several items from the same line so this is the first time i do that), i can see my skin is getting better. i no longer got breakouts anymore. plus my skin is softer, smoother and more supple. what kind of magic is this?

okay.. i guess you can see that i do like the emulsion as well. even in hot days like these days, my skin still can absorb it well. quite a magic i would say. but i don't think i'll purchase the full size mainly because i think it's too expensive. if it comes in a set, i would gladly use it. well.. i guess i'm lucky enough that sulwhasoo product works for me so far as they are quite expensive. but if you want to splurge, sulwhasoo is a decent, well established brand, so you won't be disappointed in their products.