Has the “Hanbang” trend been missing from the collection of skincare novelties crowding your bathroom sink? If you have felt the need for a concoction of Korean medicinal herbs, Beauty Of Joseon has designed an entire product line with this in mind. Since my dry skin can only “take” cleansing oils, I was delighted to try the Beauty of Joseon Ginseng Cleansing Oil.
At a glance:
- What are cleansing oils?
- Price and availability
- Brand
- Claims
- Ingredients
- Packaging
- Scent
- Texture
- My experience
- Pros
- Cons
- Verdict
- Shop
What are cleansing oils?
Cleansing oils are face cleansers that wash away everyday dirt, sebum, and makeup while moisturizing the skin.
While cleansing oils are relatively new to the North American market, they have been used for many years in traditional Asian beauty rituals.
It may sound counterintuitive to cleanse your skin with the exact thing you’re trying to remove, but the science behind it makes perfect sense. One of the most fundamental concepts I learned in organic chemistry was the idea that “like dissolves like,” meaning oil-based solvents will dissolve oils and water-based solvents will dissolve water-based (or “aqueous”) solutions.
Skin sebum, makeup, and sunscreens are typically oil-based, so a cleansing oil will help break the molecules down more effectively. They work wonders on waterproof mascara and long-wear lip color, too!
The cleansing oil is applied to dry skin and massaged to let it work its magic. Afterward, water is added to emulsify the product and rinse it away.
These cleansing oils are designed to rinse off without leaving any residue on the skin. So even though you’re using oil all over, there’s no greasy residue or film left behind (and also why they are so great for those with oily skin)!
Where to buy the Beauty Of Joseon Ginseng Cleansing Oil?
The price for 7.1 fl. oz / 210ml is $20 on the Beauty Of Joseon official website. The average cost for 100ml is $9.52/100mL.
You can find Beauty Of Joseon Ginseng Cleansing Oil on Amazon* and BeautyWithin, or all your favorite Korean websites: YesStyle*, StyleKorean*, Stylevana, Olive Young, and Jolse. (*affiliate links)
The Beauty Of Joseon brand
Beauty Of Joseon is a universally loved brand, and I was excited to see how this goes.
Product claims
Team BOJ has been testing numerous products on the market for a long time to find the right oil as a base ingredient for our cleansing oil. They chose Glycine Soja oil as a base because it’s the lightest yet most effective in removing skin dirt, sebum, and makeup residue. This cleansing oil also contains ginseng seed oil that offers a subtle grassy scent to present a more calm and peaceful cleansing time.
Who is Beauty Of Joseon Ginseng Cleansing Oil for?
For those with normal to dry skin. Those with acne-prone skin should think twice before buying this product because it might break you out.
Not sure what your skin type is? Please read our guide on Skin types & skin conditions.
Beauty Of Joseon Ginseng Cleansing Oil Ingredients
Glycine soja (soybean) oil, Cetyl Ethylhexanoate (emollient), Sorbeth-30 Tetraoleate (emulsifying), Olea Europaea (olive) fruit oil, Sorbitan Sesquioleate, Helianthus Annuus (sunflower) seed oil, Tocopherol, Panax Ginseng Seed Oil, Ethylhexylglycerin, Eclipta Prostrata extract, Panax ginseng root extract, Melia Azadirachta leaf extract, Melia Azadirachta flower extract, Coccinia Indica fruit extract, Amber powder, Moringa Oleifera seed oil, Solanummelongena (eggplant) fruit extract, Curcuma longa (turmeric) root extract, Ocimum sanctum leaf extract, Corallina Officinalis extract, Bixa Orellana seed oil, Panax ginseng berry extract, Panax ginseng root extract, butylene glycol, water, 1,2-hexanediol.
See explained ingredients on INCIDecoder.
Key Ingredients
Soybean oil
Soybean oil accounts for 50% of Beauty Of Joseon Ginseng Cleansing Oil. It is a skin-friendly oil extracted from Glycine Soja consisting of oleic acid, linoleic acid, linolenic acid, flavonoids, vitamin E, and phytoestrogens genistein and coenzyme Q. Soy proteins are fermented and transformed into plant collagen. The Vitamin K in soybean oil soothes skin redness, seals the walls of blood vessels, and supports skin regeneration. Genistein, a phytoestrogen in soy, protects keratinocytes against the harmful effects of free radicals (responsible for the organism’s aging at the cellular level). Also, soybean oil has anti-Inflammatory and skin barrier repair effects in skincare.
Soybean oil has emollient properties and benefits dry, rough, and mature skin. It gives the skin elasticity and inhibits the aging process. Massaging gently dissolves dirt, makeup residue, sebum, and skin waste without clogging the skin pores and, at the same time, acts as a conditioning agent to smooth the skin.
Cosdna has reported it is comedogenic (3), so acne-prone people should pay attention. Soybean oil, as do vegetable oils, has a higher proportion of saturated fatty acids than unsaturated fatty acids. It has a heavy consistency and is absorbed much slower from the skin’s surface than drying oils (often creating a non-absorbable coating). For this reason, it is not recommended for acne-prone skin due to obstruction of the sebaceous glands. On the other hand, soybean oil plays the role of emollient due to its moisturizing, softening, smoothing, and protective properties.
Soybean oil is not allergenic to soybean-sensitive individuals.
Ginseng
The product’s namesake is present in the formulation as Panax Ginseng Seed Oil, Panax ginseng root extract, Panax ginseng berry extract, and Panax ginseng root extract.
In Korea, ginseng is one of the most popular herbal roots in cooking and skincare. The “hangbang” of all traditional herbs from the Far East is renowned in the modern era for:
- Its potential to heal the skin and possibly as an anti-carcinogen;
- whitens the skin
- It is a potent antioxidant that helps boost the skin’s appearance making one appear more youthful;
- It has anti-aging benefits, helps protect the skin from external stimuli;
- It has anti-inflammatory effects, and aids in wound healing.
For further reading on ginseng, look at this Ginseng Megapost on Fifty Shades of Snail.
Micellar cleansing technology
Micellar is a particle composed of water and oil. When it comes into contact with the skin, the oil molecules attract and absorb waste and makeup residues like a magnet while supplying moisture deep inside the skin.
Ingredients not included in Beauty of Joseon Ginseng Cleansing Oil:
This BOJ cleansing oil does not have niacinamide, hyaluronic acid, fragrance, or essential oils.
Vegan & cruelty-free
The Beauty Of Joseon Ginseng Cleansing Oil is vegan and cruelty-free.
Packaging
Beauty Of Joseon Ginseng Cleansing Oil comes in a transparent plastic pump bottle. The pump bottle comes in a sealed carton box.
I like that the pump is precise.
BOJ Cleansing Oil Smell
The Beauty of Joseon Ginseng Cleansing Oil* smells like cooking oil – probably because it is 50% soy oil. It doesn’t bother me, it is pretty earthy, and I enjoy that it has no fragrance at all. I could not smell the ginseng in it.
Texture
It is thicker than most cleansing oils but is runny and has a nice slip. It has similar viscosity as oil and glides on super smoothly. When emulsified, it’s super creamy. It’s a pleasure to apply.
My experience with Beauty of Joseon Ginseng Cleansing Oil
I was not paid for this review or received it as a gift.
How to use Beauty of Joseon Ginseng Cleansing Oil?
- Pump the BOJ cleansing oil 1-2 times;
- Massage the oil onto a dry face and work it into the skin;
- Add a bit of lukewarm water and massage it again;
- Rinse;
- Follow with your second cleanser of choice;
- Follow your routine: toner, essence, serum, moisturizer, SPF.
Please watch how Beauty Of Joseon Ginseng Cleansing Oil removes the Romand Juicy Lasting Tint swatches.
I have a normal – dry skin type, and I live in a temperate-continental climate with cold & dry winters and hot &dry summers.
Beauty Of Joseon Ginseng Cleansing Oil removes all of my makeup without tugging, and a little bit goes a long way. It’s excellent for getting off mascara. Light massage takes a few seconds to completely remove the dirt without rubbing it too hard.
It does not sting my sensitive eyes, which is rare.
After washing off, my skin was soft. It does not leave a film-like feeling on the skin. My face does not feel stripped at all after washing. This doesn’t irritate my skin or dry me out. Because my skin is dry and aging, I do not follow up with a foam cleanser. If I wear eye makeup, briefly wipe my leftover mascara with micellar water.
Immediately after cleansing, I hydrate it with a ceramides mist.
Pros
- nourishing and repairing ingredients;
- not stripping;
- doesn’t sting the eyes;
- no chemical smell;
Cons
- pricey;
Final thoughts on the BOJ cleansing oil
I am glad I tried the BOJ cleansing oil. My skin is very demanding, and until now, I have yet to find any cleansers that don’t feel stripping. My skin feels nice, so I’m surely going to repurchase.
Rating 5/5
Beauty Of Joseon Ginseng Cleansing Oil vs Radiance Cleansing Balm
Firstly, the BOJ cleansing oil* is roughly half the price of the Radiance Cleansing Balm* for the same quantity.
Moreover, having tried both, I greatly prefer the oil. The balm worked well but blurred my eyes, and I always had to triple-rinse them. The balm’s texture is unique and buttery, but the texture of the cleansing oil is also quite pleasurable.
Another plus for the oil is that it is more hygienic because it comes in a pump.
They both remove sunscreen very well.
The only thing that might draw you more to the Radiance Cleansing Balm is its lighter, more pleasant scent. I’ve read a few reviewers who were not pleased with the oil smell of the Beauty Of Joseon Ginseng Cleansing Oil*.
Beauty Of Joseon Ginseng Cleansing Oil vs Kose Softymo Speedy Cleansing Oil
Compared to Kose Softymo Speedy Cleansing Oil*, the Beauty Of Joseon Ginseng Cleansing Oil feels a bit thicker and not as slick, and I find it takes a moment or two to begin to break down over the face.
Shop for Beauty Of Joseon Ginseng Cleansing Oil
You can find Beauty of Joseon Ginseng Cleansing Oil on Amazon* and BeautyWithin.
Shop on all your favorite Korean websites: Beauty of Joseon, YesStyle*, StyleKorean*, Stylevana, Olive Young, and Jolse.
(*affiliate links)
As always, you do you, be kind to your skin and yourself!
Remember that every person’s skin and skin type is different, so what might work for me might not work for you, and vice versa.
So before adding a new product to your skincare routine, it pays to do a little research first. Pay special attention to ingredients that you might react to.
Doing a patch test is always a good idea. Unsure? Best to consult your dermatologist.
Happy skin experimenting, and remember the sunscreen!
Show me proof
- Lin TK, Zhong L, Santiago JL. Anti-Inflammatory and Skin Barrier Repair Effects of Topical Application of Some Plant Oils. Int J Mol Sci. 2017 Dec 27;19(1):70. doi: 10.3390/ijms19010070. PMID: 29280987; PMCID: PMC5796020.
- Bush RK, Taylor SL, Nordlee JA, Busse WW. Soybean oil is not allergenic to soybean-sensitive individuals. J Allergy Clin Immunol. 1985 Aug;76(2 Pt 1):242-5. doi: 10.1016/0091-6749(85)90709-2. PMID: 3894482.
- Pazyar N, Yaghoobi R, Rafiee E, Mehrabian A, Feily A. Skin wound healing and phytomedicine: a review. Skin Pharmacol Physiol. 2014;27(6):303-10. doi: 10.1159/000357477. Epub 2014 Jun 27. PMID: 24993834.
- You L, Cho JY. The regulatory role of Korean ginseng in skin cells. J Ginseng Res. 2021 May;45(3):363-370. doi: 10.1016/j.jgr.2020.08.004. Epub 2020 Sep 1. PMID: 34025129; PMCID: PMC8134839.
- Schafer N, Sobczyk M, Burczyk D, et al. Possibilities of using vegetable oils in acne skin care. Aesth Cosmetol Med. 2022;11(2):49-54. https://doi.org./10.52336/acm.2022.007
- Kim K. Effect of ginseng and ginsenosides on melanogenesis and their mechanism of action. J Ginseng Res. 2015 Jan;39(1):1-6. doi: 10.1016/j.jgr.2014.10.006. Epub 2014 Nov 24. PMID: 25535470; PMCID: PMC4268563.
