Sulwhasoo Bloomstay Vitalizing Serum Versus Sulwhasoo First Care Activating Serum
Updated on July 23, 2024
Overview
What they are
These products are both reef safe serums. They have a total of 22 ingredients in common
Suited For
They're both likely to be good for anti aging, dry skin, brightening skin, sensitive skin, reducing pores, scar healing and dark spots
Free From
They both do not contain any parabens or sulfates
What's Inside
They both contain harsh alcohols, fragrances, oils and silicones
We independently verify ingredients, and our claims are backed by peer-reviewed research. Spot a product that needs an update? Let us know.
Ingredient Info
Sulwhasoo Bloomstay Vitalizing Serum 49 ingredients
Sulwhasoo First Care Activating Serum 48 ingredients
About this product
About this product
At a glance
Click on any of the items below to learn more
Sulwhasoo Bloomstay Vitalizing Serum 49 ingredients
Sulwhasoo First Care Activating Serum 48 ingredients
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Key Ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningButylene Glycol
Humectant
Glycerin
Humectant
Glycereth-26
HumectantAlcohol
Antimicrobial
Cyclopentasiloxane
Emollient
Cyclohexasiloxane
Emollient
Niacinamide
Smoothing
1,2-Hexanediol
Skin ConditioningHydroxyethyl Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer
Emulsion StabilisingBis-PEG-18 Methyl Ether Dimethyl Silane
EmollientAvena Sativa Kernel Extract
Abrasive
PEG-60 Hydrogenated Castor Oil
Emulsifying
Xanthan Gum
EmulsifyingPvp
Emulsion StabilisingPropanediol
SolventDimethiconol
Emollient
Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer
Emulsion StabilisingTromethamine
BufferingSodium Polyacrylate
AbsorbentParfum
Masking
Methoxy PEG-114/Polyepsilon Caprolactone
BufferingDisodium EDTA
Adenosine
Skin Conditioning
Phenoxyethanol
Preservative
Sorbitan Isostearate
Emulsifying
Polysorbate 60
Emulsifying
Citrus Junos Fruit Extract
Skin ConditioningHoney
Humectant
Lilium Candidum Bulb Extract
Skin ConditioningPaeonia Albiflora Root Extract
Skin ConditioningNelumbo Nucifera Flower Extract
Skin ConditioningPolygonatum Officinale Rhizome/Root Extract
Skin ConditioningRehmannia Glutinosa Root Extract
Skin ConditioningEthylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningGlycyrrhiza Uralensis Root Extract
Skin Conditioning
Pinus Koraiensis Seed Extract
Perfuming
Sesamum Indicum Seed Extract
Skin ConditioningPrunus Mume Fruit Extract
HumectantRosa Multiflora Fruit Extract
MaskingChaenomeles Sinensis Fruit Extract
Antioxidant
Theobroma Cacao Extract
Skin ConditioningDextrin
AbsorbentBeta-Glucan
Skin Conditioning
Poncirus Trifoliata Fruit Extract
Skin ConditioningPrunus Mume Flower Extract
Skin ConditioningPotassium Hydroxide
BufferingAcetic Acid
BufferingBHT
Antioxidant
Water, Butylene Glycol, Glycerin, Glycereth-26, Alcohol, Cyclopentasiloxane, Cyclohexasiloxane, Niacinamide, 1,2-Hexanediol, Hydroxyethyl Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer, Bis-PEG-18 Methyl Ether Dimethyl Silane, Avena Sativa Kernel Extract, PEG-60 Hydrogenated Castor Oil, Xanthan Gum, Pvp, Propanediol, Dimethiconol, Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer, Tromethamine, Sodium Polyacrylate, Parfum, Methoxy PEG-114/Polyepsilon Caprolactone, Disodium EDTA, Adenosine, Phenoxyethanol, Sorbitan Isostearate, Polysorbate 60, Citrus Junos Fruit Extract, Honey, Lilium Candidum Bulb Extract, Paeonia Albiflora Root Extract, Nelumbo Nucifera Flower Extract, Polygonatum Officinale Rhizome/Root Extract, Rehmannia Glutinosa Root Extract, Ethylhexylglycerin, Glycyrrhiza Uralensis Root Extract, Pinus Koraiensis Seed Extract, Sesamum Indicum Seed Extract, Prunus Mume Fruit Extract, Rosa Multiflora Fruit Extract, Chaenomeles Sinensis Fruit Extract, Theobroma Cacao Extract, Dextrin, Beta-Glucan, Poncirus Trifoliata Fruit Extract, Prunus Mume Flower Extract, Potassium Hydroxide, Acetic Acid, BHT
Water
Skin ConditioningButylene Glycol
Humectant
Alcohol
Antimicrobial
Glycerin
Humectant
Betaine
Humectant
PEG/PPG-17/6 Copolymer
SolventGlyceryl Polymethacrylate
Ophiopogon Japonicus Root Extract
Skin ConditioningPhenoxyethanol
Preservative
Bis-PEG-18 Methyl Ether Dimethyl Silane
EmollientPEG-60 Hydrogenated Castor Oil
Emulsifying
Carbomer
Emulsion StabilisingTromethamine
BufferingGlycyrrhiza Uralensis Root Extract
Skin Conditioning
Parfum
Masking
Honey
Humectant
Juglans Regia Seed Extract
Skin ConditioningTheobroma Cacao Extract
Skin ConditioningDextrin
AbsorbentLilium Candidum Bulb Extract
Skin ConditioningPaeonia Albiflora Root Extract
Skin ConditioningRehmannia Glutinosa Root Extract
Skin ConditioningPolygonatum Officinale Rhizome/Root Extract
Skin ConditioningNelumbo Nucifera Flower Extract
Skin ConditioningXanthan Gum
EmulsifyingEthylhexylglycerin
Skin ConditioningPortulaca Oleracea Extract
Skin ConditioningLimonene
Perfuming
Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract
Antimicrobial
Disodium EDTA
Phenyl Trimethicone
Skin Conditioning
Chondrus Crispus
MaskingLinalool
Perfuming
Biosaccharide Gum-1
Skin ConditioningZiziphus Jujuba Fruit Extract
Skin ConditioningNatto Gum
Citronellol
Perfuming
Citral
Perfuming
Propylene Glycol
Humectant
Geraniol
Perfuming
Chlorphenesin
Antimicrobial
Hydrogenated Lecithin
EmulsifyingBHT
Antioxidant
Sodium Dehydroacetate
Preservative
Potassium Sorbate
Preservative
Citric Acid
Buffering
Sorbic Acid
Preservative
Tocopherol
Antioxidant
Water, Butylene Glycol, Alcohol, Glycerin, Betaine, PEG/PPG-17/6 Copolymer, Glyceryl Polymethacrylate, Ophiopogon Japonicus Root Extract, Phenoxyethanol, Bis-PEG-18 Methyl Ether Dimethyl Silane, PEG-60 Hydrogenated Castor Oil, Carbomer, Tromethamine, Glycyrrhiza Uralensis Root Extract, Parfum, Honey, Juglans Regia Seed Extract, Theobroma Cacao Extract, Dextrin, Lilium Candidum Bulb Extract, Paeonia Albiflora Root Extract, Rehmannia Glutinosa Root Extract, Polygonatum Officinale Rhizome/Root Extract, Nelumbo Nucifera Flower Extract, Xanthan Gum, Ethylhexylglycerin, Portulaca Oleracea Extract, Limonene, Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract, Disodium EDTA, Phenyl Trimethicone, Chondrus Crispus, Linalool, Biosaccharide Gum-1, Ziziphus Jujuba Fruit Extract, Natto Gum, Citronellol, Citral, Propylene Glycol, Geraniol, Chlorphenesin, Hydrogenated Lecithin, BHT, Sodium Dehydroacetate, Potassium Sorbate, Citric Acid, Sorbic Acid, Tocopherol
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
Water. It's the most common cosmetic ingredient of all. You'll usually see it at the top of ingredient lists, meaning that it makes up the largest part of the product.
So why is it so popular? Water most often acts as a solvent - this means that it helps dissolve other ingredients into the formulation.
You'll also recognize water as that liquid we all need to stay alive. If you see this, drink a glass of water. Stay hydrated!
Learn more about WaterButylene Glycol (or BG) is used within cosmetic products for a few different reasons:
- It is a solvent, meaning that it helps to dissolve other ingredients. This also enhances the absorption of the product into one's skin.
- It is a humectant, which means that it helps attract moisture into the skin.
- It helps improve product application.
- It has mild preservative properties.
Overall, Butylene Glycol is a safe and well-rounded ingredient that works well with other ingredients.
Glycerin is already naturally found in your skin. It helps moisturize and protect your skin.
A study from 2016 found glycerin to be more effective as a humectant than AHAs and hyaluronic acid.
As a humectant, it helps the skin stay hydrated by pulling moisture to your skin. The low molecular weight of glycerin allows it to pull moisture into the deeper layers of your skin.
Hydrated skin improves your skin barrier; Your skin barrier helps protect against irritants and bacteria.
Glycerin has also been found to have antimicrobial and antiviral properties. Due to these properties, glycerin is often used in wound and burn treatments.
In cosmetics, glycerin is usually derived from plants such as soybean or palm. However, it can also be sourced from animals, such as tallow or animal fat.
This ingredient is organic, colorless, odorless, and non-toxic.
Glycerin is the name for this ingredient in American English. British English uses Glycerol/Glycerine.
Learn more about GlycerinAlcohol comes in many different forms. Different types of alcohol will have different effects on skin. This ingredient is usually an astringent alcohol.
These alcohols are drying on the skin. They may strip away your skin's natural oils and even damage your skin barrier. Astringent alcohols may also irritate skin.
Other types of astringent alcohols include:
According to the National Rosacea Society based in the US, you should be mindful of products with these alcohols in the top half of ingredients.
Any type of sanitizing product will have high amounts of alcohol to help kill bacteria and viruses.
Fatty alcohols come from plant oils such as coconut oil. These can help hydrate the skin and are non-irritating. Some fatty alcohols include cetyl and stearyl alcohol.
Learn more about AlcoholBis-Peg-18 Methyl Ether Dimethyl Silane belongs to the siloxanes and silicones classes. It is synthetically created and has a waxy composition.
This ingredient is a humectant and emollient, meaning it helps hydrate the skin. Humectants draw moisture to your skin, while emollients prevent moisture from escaping.
Peg-60 Hydrogenated Castor Oil comes from hydrogenated castor oil. It is a solubilizer and emulsifier.
As a solubilizer, it helps dissolve ingredients into a water-based version. It is also an emulsifer. Emulsifier help prevent oils and water from separating. Both these properties help create evenly-spread and uniform products.
Basically, Peg-60 Hydrogenated Castor Oil helps hold ingredients together.
Learn more about PEG-60 Hydrogenated Castor OilXanthan gum is used as a stabilizer and thickener within cosmetic products. It helps give products a sticky, thick feeling - preventing them from being too runny.
On the technical side of things, xanthan gum is a polysaccharide - a combination consisting of multiple sugar molecules bonded together.
Xanthan gum is a pretty common and great ingredient. It is a natural, non-toxic, non-irritating ingredient that is also commonly used in food products.
Learn more about Xanthan GumTromethamine helps balance the pH and improve the texture of a product. It is synthetically created.
As an emulsifier, Tromethamine prevents oil and water ingredients from separating. This helps stabilize the product and elongate a product's shelf life. Tromethamine also makes a product thicker.
Tromethamine helps balance the pH level of a product. Normal pH level of skin is slightly acidic (~4.75-5.5). The acidity of our skin is maintained by our glands and skin biome. Being slightly acidic allows our skin to create an "acid mantle". This acid mantle is a thin barrier that protects our skin from bacteria and contaminants.
Oral Tromethanmine is an anti-inflammatory drug but plays the role of masking, adding fragrance, and/or balancing pH in skincare.
1,3-Propanediol, 2-amino-2-(hydroxymethyl)-
Learn more about TromethamineParfum is a catch-all term for an ingredient or more that is used to give a scent to products.
Also called "fragrance", this ingredient can be a blend of hundreds of chemicals or plant oils. This means every product with "fragrance" or "parfum" in the ingredients list is a different mixture.
For instance, Habanolide is a proprietary trade name for a specific aroma chemical. When used as a fragrance ingredient in cosmetics, most aroma chemicals fall under the broad labeling category of “FRAGRANCE” or “PARFUM” according to EU and US regulations.
The term 'parfum' or 'fragrance' is not regulated in many countries. In many cases, it is up to the brand to define this term.
For instance, many brands choose to label themselves as "fragrance-free" because they are not using synthetic fragrances. However, their products may still contain ingredients such as essential oils that are considered a fragrance by INCI standards.
One example is Calendula flower extract. Calendula is an essential oil that still imparts a scent or 'fragrance'.
Depending on the blend, the ingredients in the mixture can cause allergies and sensitivities on the skin. Some ingredients that are known EU allergens include linalool and citronellol.
Parfum can also be used to mask or cover an unpleasant scent.
The bottom line is: not all fragrances/parfum/ingredients are created equally. If you are worried about fragrances, we recommend taking a closer look at an ingredient. And of course, we always recommend speaking with a professional.
Learn more about ParfumDisodium EDTA plays a role in making products more stable by aiding other preservatives.
It is a chelating agent, meaning it neutralizes metal ions that may be found in a product.
Disodium EDTA is a salt of edetic acid and is found to be safe in cosmetic ingredients.
Learn more about Disodium EDTAPhenoxyethanol is a preservative that has germicide, antimicrobial, and aromatic properties. Studies show that phenoxyethanol can prevent microbial growth. By itself, it has a scent that is similar to that of a rose.
It's often used in formulations along with Caprylyl Glycol to preserve the shelf life of products.
Honey comes from bees. It is mainly made up of the sugars fructose and glucose.
Besides sugar, honey also contains amino acids, peptides, Vitamins A, C, and E. Vitamins A, C, and E.
As a humectant, honey is great at hydrating the skin. Humectants draw moisture from the air and hold it to your skin.
Honey also has antioxidant and antioxidant properties. Fun fact: darker honey has more antioxidants than light honey.
The antibacterial property of honey may make it effective at helping to treat acne. We recommend speaking with a professional if you have concerns.
Many people wonder if honey is vegan. It is technically a byproduct from bees. This is because honey is created from the digestive enzymes in a bee's stomach.
Remember to be kind to bees :) They are important for many ecosystems and are endangered.
Learn more about HoneyWe don't have a description for Lilium Candidum Bulb Extract yet.
We don't have a description for Paeonia Albiflora Root Extract yet.
Nelumbium Speciosum Flower Extract comes from the Lotus Flower. It is rich in antioxidants.
The antioxidant properties in lotus flower come from compounds such as flavonoids.
In traditional Asian medicine, Lotus flower seeds were used to help treat inflammation.
Learn more about Nelumbo Nucifera Flower ExtractWe don't have a description for Polygonatum Officinale Rhizome/Root Extract yet.
We don't have a description for Rehmannia Glutinosa Root Extract yet.
Ethylhexylglycerin (we can't pronounce this either) is commonly used as a preservative and skin softener. It is derived from glyceryl.
You might see Ethylhexylglycerin often paired with other preservatives such as phenoxyethanol. Ethylhexylglycerin has been found to increase the effectiveness of these other preservatives.
Glycyrrhiza Uralensis Root Extract comes from Chinese licorice. This plant is native to Asia and used in Chinese traditional medicine. Chinese licorice root contains antioxidants and polysaccharides.
Antioxidants may help with anti-aging by neutralizing free-radical molecules. Polysaccharides help moisturize the skin due to their ability to mimic our natural skin barrier.
This ingredient is extracted from the seeds of the cocoa tree.
Cacao seeds contain antioxidants known as polyphenols. These include flavonoids, procyanidins, and epicatechins.
Studies show these polyphenols help improve skin health.
The more famous ingredient from cocoa tree is cocoa butter.
Learn more about Theobroma Cacao ExtractDextrin is used to thicken a product and helps bind ingredients together. It is created from starch and glycogen.
As an emulsifier, dextrin prevents ingredients from separating. This helps elongate a product's shelf life.
Studies show coating UV filters with dextrin prevents these ingredients from being absorbed. This helps UV ingredients last longer on the skin.
Learn more about DextrinBHT is a synthetic antioxidant and preservative.
As an antioxidant, it helps your body fight off free-radicals. Free-radicals are molecules that may damage your skin cells.
As a preservative, it is used to stabilize products and prevent them from degrading. Specifically, BHT prevents degradation from oxidation.
The concerns related to BHT come from oral studies; this ingredient is currently allowed for use by both the FDA and EU.
However, it was recently restricted for use in the UK as of April 2024.
Learn more about BHTIngredient Ratings
Here's what our community thinks of the ingredients in these products.
When to use
Sulwhasoo Bloomstay Vitalizing Serum 49 ingredients
Sulwhasoo First Care Activating Serum 48 ingredients
Reviews
Here's what our community thinks
Sulwhasoo Bloomstay Vitalizing Serum 49 ingredients
Sulwhasoo First Care Activating Serum 48 ingredients
I have sensitive skin and should have known better with the alcohol and fragrance in this product. It caused an immediate rosacea flare. This is a hard no for me and I would say any sensitive skin folks though I know it works well for many people.
I love using this serum right after cleansing my skin. It feels amazing on my skin, and it makes it feel so calm and ready for the next step of my routine. It’s a bit on the pricey side.
