Review: I’m From Ginseng Mask

As I write this review, it’s late August 2021 and I haven’t had a real vacation since… well, I refuse to count!

We’re also in the middle of the boiling Dubai summer (there are still 2 months of heat left before we get back to acceptable temperatures) and my skin is suffering from being exposed to air conditioning 24-7. It’s dull, tired and you can tell I haven’t been outside in a while…

(By the way, if you find that my current pictures are very autumnal on BTY ALY, you’ re not imagining things. Don’t mind me, it’s part of my ritual spells to summon Fall faster. It’s just that usually by this time of the year I can’t stand summer anymore, I’m so over it 😂😂😂)

But for now, vacations are still not on the agenda, so I can forget about going for a walk in the fresh crisp air to give myself a bit of a boost.

So, in order to get some glow back, I have to use skincare and luckily, Koreans are very good at using powerful plants in their products that can bring back to life the saddest and dullest of complexions!

In this review, I’ll tell you more about ginseng, why I love it and I also talk about how the “I’m From” Ginseng Mask helped me to find some glow in this rough climate…

I’m From Ginseng Mask, product presentation:

The “I’m From” Ginseng Mask is a wash off face mask that has several benefits! It’s revitalizing, but it also helps to gently purify the skin, rebalance it, smooth its texture and it also boosts the complexion’s radiance.

In short, if you have a dull and tired skin like I have at the moment, you might be interested in it 😉

As the name suggests, the star ingredient of this mask is ginseng. But not just any ginseng…

As I’ve mentioned in other reviews, Korean skincare brand I’m From’s products are always inspired by natural ingredients sourced exclusively from South Korea.

The brand makes it a point to formulate with the highest quality, purest ingredients possible in their formulas. These are often ingredients that have long been recognized and used in traditional Asian medicine, but not only!

Each range highlights a particular ingredient and its geographical origin. This is the very concept behind the brand’s name: “I’m From” 😉

Note that for the production of its ingredients, the brand favors environmentally friendly farms, because they want to preserve the natural resources of their beautiful Korean regions!

For this I’m From Ginseng Mask, the brand used 6-year-old cultivated red ginseng from the Geumsan region in South Korea, known for its high quality ginseng.

Ginseng is a root known to be very rich in antioxidants. Red ginseng is also scientifically recognized as being anti-ageing (it helps boost collagen production and smooth the skin texture).

In Korea, ginseng is extremely popular and is almost considered as a divine plant that can heal almost all everyday little troubles. It’s widely used in particular for its relaxing and stimulating properties. It’s known to be a formidable antioxidant, which preserves the youth and vitality of the body, and is also very effective against stress.

There are several types of ginseng, which are used for different benefits. There are older and younger ginsengs. The oldest ones (6 years and more) are the richest in antioxidants, therefore the most sought after. There is also a distinction between cultivated and wild ginseng. The wild ones are also more naturally rich in antioxidant ingredients, therefore more interesting. But they can also be cultivated in a certain way to increase their content of antioxidant ingredients.

If you’re interested in this topic, I strongly suggest you go check out Odile Monod’s awesome blog, The Monodist, which talks about it regularly and also her YouTube channel (especially this video dedicated to ginseng). It’s very interesting!

Ginseng is definitely an art, and the way to harvest the product and to combine it in a formula also plays a role in the efficiency of the finished product!

In this mask, ginseng is combined with several other natural ingredients from traditional Asian medicine, such as Phellodendron Amurense bark, Angelica root, medicinal rhubarb (Rheum Palmatum), Boswellia Serrata… These are included in the formula for their anti-inflammatory, soothing and repairing properties.

There is also an extract of licorice used here for its soothing action and its brightening effect. And some hydrating glycerin and hyaluronic acid.

In short, it’s a very complete formula that seems perfect when you have a very stressed and exhausted skin like moi 😉

I’m From Ginseng Mask, my experience:

I started using this mask at the very beginning of August, because I felt that I needed to give my skin a little boost, as it was not in the best shape.

I love adding masks to my routine occasionally, to give my skin a little pick-me-up and optimize my regular routine!

I usually use them once or twice a week, when I have time (so often on weekends), and I try not to skip this little “self-care ritual”.

At the moment, I use this mask on Saturday morning, but really it’s up to you and when you feel like it (morning or evening, it doesn’t matter).

Regarding the texture, it’s a bit special. It looks a lot like liquid honey, which doesn’t necessarily make it very easy to manipulate, but using a spatula helps a lot 😉

I really like its aromatic/spicy/caramel scent but I’ll warn you, it won’t be everybody’s cup of tea (it’s not unpleasant at all). Anyway, it’s quite light and it doesn’t really linger after rinsing 😉

How do I use it?

I scoop out the equivalent of one teaspoon of product with a spatula. I then apply it in a medium layer on my clean wet face and neck (I find it easier to apply than on a dry skin), avoiding the eye and lip area. I use the spatula or simply use my fingers for application.

I massage it with my fingertips (which I wet beforehand to make the product melt more easily) and the mask starts to warm up slightly, it’s very pleasant! It doesn’t dry, you can leave it on for 10-15 minutes.

You can continue to massage it during the whole time but in general, I massage it only 2-3 minutes at the beginning.

At the end of the application time, I simply rinse it off with warm water. Usually, I rinse it in the shower, it’s easier. I pat my skin dry and continue with the rest of my routine.

The result: my skin feels refreshed (yes, I know, it’s strange as the mask heats up a bit upon application, but I assure you that’s how I feel!), clear and it has a lot more radiance!

I find that this mask also helps with my breakouts (I have a few right now, as I always do at the beginning of the school year :/ )(even I haven’t been to school for a loooong time!) and it has a soothing and repairing effect that I really appreciate!

In conclusion:

This I’m From Ginseng Mask is just what my skin needs right now!

It provides the glow and boost it needed to get some life back into it! I wouldn’t go so far as to say that a jar of this mask can replace the effect of a proper vacation on my skin, but it’s not that far off 😂 (and anyway, right now it’ll have to do, so I’m taking all the help I can get with skincare!).

I have a feeling this mask is going to be with me all fall and I’m not mad about it 🙂

The I’m From Ginseng Mask retails between $28 and $38 depending on the retailers, for 120g.