Do you need a First Care Serum, something between a toner and the rest of your skincare? Is the $18 Missha Misa Geum Sul First Essence Booster the dupe for $84 Sulwhasoo First Care Activating Serum?
For the longest time, I was skeptical of Sulwhasoo’s First Care Serum. I bought it on a whim at a Duty-Free special offer sale. A friend said I should get it, and she would love to share the cost. (It was a two for one offer). That was 1.5 years ago, and I am still using the product every day.
Now, why am I looking for dupes? Basically comes down to two things: product availability, and yeah you’ve guessed it: price.
The internet search touted Missha Misa Geum Sul First Essence Booster as a dupe with a price less than a quarter of Sulwhasoo. Plus, it’s not difficult to get in Germany. Easy enough decision, so I tried it out.
Price & Availability
Sulwhasoo First Care Activating Serum
The price varies around $84 per bottle (90 ml). It is a luxury product, and everything about it also says that. My biggest issue is that Sulwhasoo is not officially available in Germany, which means it isn’t easy to replace.
Missha Misa Geum Sul First Essence Booster
Again the price varies around $18-$25. The brand is officially available in Germany, although the exact product sometimes not. Nevertheless, with this price point, buying online is more palatable.
The Promise & How To Use
Sulwhasoo First Care Activating Serum Ex
Formulated with JAUM Balancing Complex™, a potent cocktail of five Korean herbs, this unique prepping serum designed to be the first step post-cleanse that hydrates, nourishes and visibly firms, while boosting absorption of subsequent products that are applied on top.
https://us.sulwhasoo.com/products/first-care-activating-serum
It’s something to use after your toner, before other skincare products. Yes, I wonder too if this does anything, and whether you need such a product. (Dorit wrote about essences in general here.) I am still unsure about that, except that I like how my skin looks after using it. So at least in my experience, it works.
Missha Misa Geum Seul First Essence Booster
This powerful herbal essence booster is infused with fermented ginseng water to penetrate deep into the skin and promote a youthful glow as well as “Cheonjijeongwoldan,” an ancient herbal medicine with cherry blossom and primrose seed to strengthen the skin from within. Use this as the first step of your skincare routine to awaken the skin’s inner strength and enhance the power of the following products you use.
https://www.misshaus.com/default/misa-geum-sul-first-essence-booster.html
So, it looks like both should be used after cleansing and before other skincare, and both will enhance other products applied on top. Promising enough for a possible dupe.
Usage
Both products are used as the first step in skincare (after toner, if you’re using one and after cleansing). Take 2-3 pumps, warm it in your hands and pat it lightly on the face.
With Sulwhasoo, it’s also recommended to take in the scent as a last step of relaxation. Nothing stops you from doing the same with Missha, although I have to admit that Sulwhasoo does have that nice spa-herbal-relaxing feel to it.
Ingredients
From the ingredients, it looks like that Missha Geum Seul First Essence Booster is not a Sulwhasoo First Care Activating Serum dupe.
Sulwhasoo First Care Activating Serum Ex
Key Ingredients
JAUM Balancing Complex™: Replenishes essential moisture and nutrients for smooth, hydrated and well-balanced skin.
Full Ingredients
Missha Misa Geum Sul First Essence Booster
Key Ingredients:
Fermented Ginseng Water: Strengthens skin’s barrier, “Chenjijeongwoldan” Extract: Vitalizes, “Cheonjong” Wild Ginseng Extract: Firms, Reishi Mushroom fermented with Gold Extract: Nourishes, Pure Gold 5,000ug: Purifies, “Yuyak Boham” Liquid: Smooths, “Cheongemcho” Extract: Vitalizes, Spiceberry Extract: Protects.
Full Ingredients:
Consistency & Product Feel
Sulwhasoo First Care Activating Serum Ex
- Texture is light and easy to absorb. It gives the feeling that your skin is ready to absorb more products.
- Smells nice. I know that this is a double-edged sword. But I find the scent soothing and relaxing, yet it’s a personal preference and perfumes increased the risk of irritation.
- Skin feels soft and supple, no sticky feeling, you can put other products on top of this in 10 seconds (perfect for mornings).
Missha Misa Geum Seul Essence Booster
- Missha’s texture is stickier than Sulwhasoo’s. It leaves a rather tacky feeling on the skin, although it will go away after a while.
- It also feels more moisturizing than prepping the skin for products afterward.
- The gold flecks look pretty and supposedly also have useful properties for the skin? (Lacks evidence but looks great on pictures.)
What I Like
I switched products to test, and both products seemed to make my skin looks better. If you’re worried about price points, Missha’s is great for that. If money is not an issue for you, Sulwhasoo’s wins hands down. It is worthy of the price points because of its texture, easy absorption, and above all, the overall feel of the product.
What I Don’t Like
Nothing really. I’m unsure what these product do beyond some antioxidants, yet it really works for my skin.
Is Missha Misa Geum Seul Essence Booster a Sulwhasoo First Care Activating Serum Ex Dupe?
It’s not a dupe, because the ingredients are very different. It’s just a product with the same purpose: That is to say, somewhat skin prep between cleanser/toner and the rest of your skincare). I know that my skin feels great after using these products, so I’ve decided to keep both in my routine. They are on my Vichy Liftactive Vitamin C post here.
I use Sulwhasoo’s for morning routine, because it’s easy to absorb and I find the scent refreshing. Missha’s I use for a night routine, because it’s more moisturizing. Will I keep using them and repurchase? Yes. With a preference to Sulwhasoo.
Please note that this post is not sponsored in any way. We buy products ourselves, with our own money, and don’t accept exchanging goods or money for reviews. We are completely independent, and our reviews reflect that.
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