At first glance, the plant itself was quite unremarkable and turned out to be all tall stems and medium-sized oblong leaves. The fruit at the top had not yet ripened to a deep fiery red, and the unripe clusters disappeared into a sea of green. But when a farmer grabbed one of the stems and pulled the root out of the ground for our group to inspect, its amazing twists and turns fascinated us.
I was at a ginseng farm in Yeoju, South Korea. The scorching heat of the late June sun was too much for me to bear. It was certainly too much for the delicate ginseng, which grows in a mountainous area covered in a rich forest canopy. So when growing outdoors like where I was standing, the plants are usually covered with a tarpaulin-like tent. This tuber has been used by Koreans for centuries as a panacea to treat everything from sluggishness to digestive problems to dull, aging skin. The crop is so revered in the region that it is regulated under strict quality standards by the Korean version of the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, the Ministry of Food and Drug Safety.
My hosts for the day were KT&G and its subsidiaries. Korean Ginseng Corporationmanufactures and sells Korean red ginseng, which many people think of as its champagne cousin, under the brand name in popular skin care products and nutritional supplements. Cheongwangjang and Jung Kwang Jang. Almost every visit, I was offered a flavor of the supplement (a bitter brown liquid in a long bag), but as a beauty editor, I was particularly interested in ginseng as a skin care ingredient. As I strolled through Myeong-dong, Seoul’s frenetic shopping district, I came across countless K-beauty stores. I discovered that many of the creams, masks, and essences I saw included ginseng in the ingredient list.
And as it turns out, there’s some real science supporting the use of ginseng in topical skin care. “Topical ginseng, rich in antioxidants, can help reduce various signs of premature aging and repair and protect the skin,” explains the Korean-American dermatologist Yunyoung Claire ChanDoctor of Medicine, clinical lecturer in dermatology. mount sinai Co-author in New York review article About the effectiveness of Korean natural skin care ingredients. “It has also been shown to have anti-inflammatory and skin-whitening properties.”
Of course, there are plenty of hot ingredients like vitamin A and vitamin C that experts claim have similar benefits. A unique feature of ginseng may be the fact that it is generally well tolerated. Certain ingredients (for example, retinol) are known to be associated with skin sensitivity, which is part of the “no pain, no gain” philosophy in skin care. However, ginseng has no such drawbacks (still, Dr. Chan advises always patch testing new skin care products before using them). Ginseng piqued my interest because it has a lot to offer. And I wondered why ginseng didn’t garner the adoration of the BeautyTok crowd like other Korean skin care ingredients like snail mucus.
Koreans call it “manroot” because its characteristic shape resembles a small human. I wanted to know more.
power plant
The farm I visited in mid-June was in the middle of preparations. After being in the ground for about six years, ginseng reaches its full nutritional potential in the fall and is harvested in September and October. Once cultivation is complete, the field must lie dormant for two years before sowing new seeds. And only the roots are deemed suitable for human consumption, following strict procedures from the Ministry of Food and Drug Safety. KT&G works directly with independent farmers to manage this entire eight-year process, said Taikhoon Yang, senior manager of research and development at the Korea Ginseng Corporation. And it is this level of hard work, and the peninsula’s natural bounty, that many believe is what sets ginseng apart from varieties grown elsewhere, such as China.
The key ingredient behind Manroot’s power is ginsenoside, a bioactive compound recognized by the South Korean government as a powerful natural remedy that provides six main benefits, Yang says. These include supporting the immune system, promoting circulation, fighting fatigue, and regulating blood sugar levels. “We found that our ginseng extract contains more than 40 types of ginsenosides,” Yang added. For this reason, Korean red ginseng, also known as Panax ginseng, is probably considered the finest of the plant species.
And ginsenosides are also largely responsible for ginseng’s skin benefits, says Dr. Chan. “Ginsenosides are antioxidants and have been shown to help repair skin from oxidative damage,” she says. What’s also interesting about ginsenoside compounds is their ability to maintain the structural proteins that keep your skin firm and taut. They accomplish this by inhibiting the action of matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs for short), compounds that break down collagen. The whitening effect of ginseng is also noteworthy. a study We have discovered that this extract inhibits melanin production, offering a new solution to hyperpigmentation, especially for consumers with sensitive skin (more on that soon).
From farm to toilet
Also, note that the ingredients are compatible with other ingredients. I returned from a trip to Seoul with a bag full of skin care products, including quite a few that contained ginseng extract, but I didn’t incorporate a ton of skin care products into my routine. However, no skin abnormalities occurred. This comes as no surprise to experts who claim that ginseng is an ingredient that is well tolerated by most skin types and will not interact negatively with the vitamin C serums and alpha hydroxy acid pads that I currently use. .
Quite the opposite is true, says Phoenix-based dermatologist Dr. Karan Lal. Ginseng’s anti-inflammatory properties make it an attractive ingredient that can be easily incorporated into your skin care routine. “It’s very calming and calming, and I think it’s an additive that can help enhance the benefits of the tried-and-true ingredients you’re already using,” says Dr. Lal. Masu. It also acts as a less irritating alternative to other active substances.
I tend to apply a generous amount of my chosen ginseng product. ginseng essence water From Korean beauty found at a Korean beauty department store olive young—In the morning, before applying vitamin C serum and sunscreen. You can use ginseng at night—why not?However, their rich antioxidant content makes them an ideal shield from the daily onslaught of environmental invaders like the sun and air pollution. Our experts especially recommend scanning the label for Panax ginseng. Due to its powerful blend of ginsengsides, this type of plant may have additional skin-improving properties, but Dr. Chan points out that this claim has not yet been studied.
Our Favorite Ginseng Products
Korean Beauty Revive Serum Ginseng + Snail Mutin
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Naturopatika Beech Ginseng Daily Moisturizer
Origins Ginging Refreshing Eye Cream
Have you noticed any significant changes in your skin since incorporating ginseng into your daily routine? No, but I’ll keep using it. A solid skin care routine is the sum of its parts, rather than any one ingredient alone. I consider ginseng to be just another great weapon in my skin’s arsenal. It’s a tool with many potential benefits and few drawbacks.
Manroot revealed its charm to me. The ultimate souvenir during your stay in Seoul.
Brian Underwood is the Beauty Director at Women’s Health. He is an award-winning journalist with over 15 years of experience covering beauty and lifestyle for multiple national media outlets and previously served as Director of Beauty and Wellness at Oprah Daily. His work has appeared in Woman’s Day, Life & Style Weekly, Good Housekeeping, and more. He also serves on the Skin Cancer Foundation’s Celebration Committee and lives in New York City with his daughter.
