A richly formulated cleansing oil that takes ginseng seriously — five forms of panax ginseng in a luxurious plant oil base that dissolves everything and leaves skin feeling genuinely nourished. The essential oils disqualify it for sensitive skin, but for everyone else, this is the double-cleanse first step that makes a nightly routine feel like a spa ritual.
Ginseng Cleansing Oil
A richly formulated cleansing oil that takes ginseng seriously — five forms of panax ginseng in a luxurious plant oil base that dissolves everything and leaves skin feeling genuinely nourished. The essential oils disqualify it for sensitive skin, but for everyone else, this is the double-cleanse first step that makes a nightly routine feel like a spa ritual.
Score Breakdown
Where this product gains points and where it loses them — broken down across the four scoring pillars.
An ingredient-rich cleansing oil with an impressive five-form ginseng complex and luxurious plant oil base, but the inclusion of multiple essential oils (sage, mugwort, basil) limits its suitability for sensitive skin and brings down the irritation risk score. Outstanding value at $20 for 210ml.
Pros & Cons
- ✓Five forms of panax ginseng create the most comprehensive ginseng skincare experience available
- ✓Soybean oil base dissolves makeup, sunscreen, and sebum thoroughly without stripping
- ✓Generous 210ml size lasts 3-4 months — exceptional value at $20
- ✓Emulsifies cleanly with water and rinses without leaving heavy residue
- ✓Camellia japonica seed oil adds a luxurious conditioning quality during massage
- ✓Herbal spa-like scent creates an enjoyable ritual from the cleansing step
- ✗Three essential oils (sage, mugwort, basil) can irritate sensitive and reactive skin
- ✗Strong herbal scent won't appeal to those who prefer fragrance-free skincare
- ✗Contains olive oil and coconut derivatives that are potentially comedogenic
- ✗Not suitable for fungal acne due to multiple oils and esters
- ✗Brief skin contact time limits the skincare benefits of the ginseng extracts
Full Review
Ginseng has been the crown jewel of Korean herbal medicine for centuries. In the Joseon dynasty, it was worth its weight in gold — literally traded as currency and reserved for royalty. Beauty of Joseon named itself after this era, and if any single product embodies the brand's devotion to this root, it's the Ginseng Cleansing Oil.
Five forms of panax ginseng appear in the formula: seed oil, berry extract, root extract, whole plant extract, and leaf/stem extract. This is not the typical K-beauty approach of listing ginseng once for label appeal. Each form provides a different extraction of ginsenosides — the saponin compounds responsible for ginseng's documented anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, and circulation-promoting effects. The seed oil delivers fatty acids, the root extract concentrates the traditional ginsenosides, the berry extract provides a unique compound profile (ginseng berries contain compounds not found in the root), and the leaf/stem extract rounds out the phytochemical spectrum.
The skeptic's question is obvious: does any of this matter in a product you wash off after ninety seconds? The honest answer is that the ginseng provides marginal benefits during the brief contact time, but the cleansing oil isn't really about transformative skincare — it's about the experience of cleansing. And on that front, the multi-ginseng formulation contributes to a luxurious, aromatic, distinctly Korean beauty experience that makes nightly double-cleansing feel purposeful rather than perfunctory.
The base is approximately 50% soybean oil, which is an excellent choice for a cleansing oil. Soybean oil's linoleic acid-rich profile closely matches the composition of human sebum, which means it dissolves sebum plugs and oil-based impurities efficiently without disrupting the skin's lipid barrier. Olive fruit oil and camellia japonica seed oil add richness and conditioning — the camellia oil in particular is a traditional East Asian beauty staple valued for its high oleic acid content and clean absorption.
The emulsification system uses sorbeth-30 tetraoleate, which transforms the oil into a milky emulsion when water is added, allowing it to rinse clean. This is a well-chosen emulsifier — effective enough to remove the oil without the harsh surfactant feel that some PEG-based emulsifiers create. When used correctly (massage on dry skin first, add water to emulsify, then rinse), the oil leaves minimal residue that a follow-up water-based cleanser easily handles.
Now, the elephant in the room: this product contains three essential oils — sage, mugwort (artemisia vulgaris), and basil. For Beauty of Joseon, these connect to the hanbang tradition of using aromatic herbs in skincare preparation. For sensitive or reactive skin, they represent three potential irritants in a single product. The herbal scent is noticeable and persistent during use — earthy, green, vaguely medicinal, distinctly different from the floral or citrus scents typical of Western cleansing oils. If you enjoy herbal aromas, it adds to the spa-like quality of the experience. If you're fragrance-averse or skin-sensitive, this is a dealbreaker.
The texture is a free-flowing golden oil — lighter than the brand's Cleansing Balm but richer than watery cleansing oils from brands like DHC or Kose. Two to three pumps covers the entire face. The massage experience is genuinely pleasant: there's enough slip to avoid tugging the skin, and you can feel the oil working as it dissolves makeup. Waterproof mascara, cushion foundation, heavy sunscreen — all dissolve within the first minute of gentle massage.
The 210ml bottle is remarkably generous. Most K-beauty cleansing oils come in 150ml bottles at similar or higher prices. At $20 for 210ml, this lasts three to four months with nightly use, making the per-use cost roughly 17 cents. That's outstanding value for a cleansing oil with this ingredient complexity.
The 2024 reformulation refined the formula without fundamentally changing its character. The multi-ginseng approach remains intact, and the essential oil trio is unchanged. Users of the original will notice subtle texture improvements but the same overall experience.
The product's limitations are inherent to its design philosophy. It prioritizes sensory experience and hanbang tradition over clinical minimalism. The essential oils mean it's not suitable for everyone. The olive oil and coconut oil derivatives make it unsuitable for fungal acne. And as a rinse-off product, the ginseng extracts get less skin contact time than they'd get in a leave-on serum or cream. But for the person who views their evening cleanse as the first act of a skincare ritual rather than a chore to rush through, this product delivers an experience that basic cleansing oils simply can't match.
Formula
Key Ingredients
The hero actives that drive this product's performance.
| Ingredient | Function | Evidence |
|---|---|---|
| Panax Ginseng Complex (5 Forms) | Five different ginseng extractions — seed oil, berry extract, root extract, whole plant extract, and leaf/stem extract — each providing different ginsenoside profiles. In this cleansing oil, the multi-form approach delivers a broader spectrum of ginseng's antioxidant and anti-inflammatory compounds than any single extraction could. The seed oil contributes fatty acids, while the water-soluble extracts provide the ginsenosides that traditional Korean medicine values for skin vitality. | promising |
| Glycine Soja (Soybean) Oil (50%) | The primary cleansing base at approximately 50% of the formula. Soybean oil is rich in linoleic acid and isoflavones, giving it both effective makeup-dissolving properties and mild antioxidant benefits. Its fatty acid profile closely matches the skin's natural sebum, which helps it dissolve sebum plugs and oil-based impurities without disrupting the skin's lipid balance. | well-established |
| Camellia Japonica Seed Oil | A luxurious East Asian oil prized in traditional Japanese and Korean beauty for its high oleic acid content and emollient properties. In this cleansing oil, it adds richness and slip while providing conditioning that keeps the skin from feeling stripped after rinsing. Camellia oil absorbs cleanly without the heavy residue that some plant oils leave behind. | promising |
| Tocopherol (Vitamin E) | A natural-form vitamin E that serves as both an antioxidant for the skin and a stabilizer for the plant oil blend in the formula. It prevents the soybean, olive, and camellia oils from oxidizing, extending shelf life while providing skin-conditioning benefits during the cleansing massage. | well-established |
Full INCI List
Glycine Soja (Soybean) Oil, Cetyl Ethylhexanoate, Sorbeth-30 Tetraoleate, Isododecane, Olea Europaea (Olive) Fruit Oil, Camellia Japonica Seed Oil, Hydrogenated Coconut Oil, Octyldodecanol, Polybutene, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Water, Tocopherol, Salvia Officinalis (Sage) Oil, Panax Ginseng Seed Oil, Artemisia Vulgaris Oil, Ocimum Basilicum (Basil) Oil, Corylus Avellana (Hazelnut) Seed Oil, Nigella Sativa Seed Oil, Butylene Glycol, Panax Ginseng Berry Extract, Glycerin, 1,2-Hexanediol, Methylpropanediol, Panax Ginseng Root Extract, Ethyl Hexanediol, Panax Ginseng Extract, Panax Ginseng Leaf/Stem Extract, Ethylhexylglycerin
Product Flags
✗ Fragrance Free✓ Alcohol Free✗ Oil Free✓ Silicone Free✓ Paraben Free✓ Sulfate Free✓ Cruelty Free✓ Vegan✗ Fungal Acne Safe
Comedogenic Ingredients
Olea Europaea (Olive) Fruit OilHydrogenated Coconut Oil
Potential Irritants
Salvia Officinalis (Sage) OilArtemisia Vulgaris OilOcimum Basilicum (Basil) Oil
Common Allergens
Soy (Glycine Soja Oil)Sage OilBasil Oil
Compatibility
Skin Match
Best For
Works For
Not Ideal For
Addresses These Conditions
Use With Caution
sensitivity eczema rosacea fungal acne
Routine Step
cleanser
Time of Day
PM
Pregnancy Safe
Yes ✓
Layering Tips
Use as the first step of a double-cleansing routine on dry skin. Massage for 60-90 seconds to dissolve makeup, sunscreen, and sebum. Add water to emulsify, then rinse. Follow with a water-based second cleanser. The rich oil base makes this particularly beneficial for dry skin types who find cleansing balms insufficient.
Results Timeline
Immediate effective removal of makeup, sunscreen, and excess sebum on first use. Skin feels nourished and clean without tightness. With consistent use over 2-4 weeks, the ginseng and plant oil blend may contribute to improved skin radiance and suppleness.
Pairs Well With
gentle foam or gel cleanserhydrating tonermoisturizer
Sample AM Routine
- Water rinse or gentle cleanser
- Toner
- Serum
- Moisturizer
- Sunscreen
Sample PM Routine
- THIS PRODUCT (first cleanse)
- Gel or foam cleanser (second cleanse)
- Toner
- Serum
- Moisturizer
Evidence
Science & Expert Perspective
The Science
Panax ginseng's dermatological benefits are primarily attributed to ginsenosides — a class of saponin compounds with documented anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties. A 2020 review published in the Journal of Ginseng Research compiled evidence from multiple studies showing that ginsenosides Rb1, Rg1, and Rg3 stimulate collagen synthesis, inhibit matrix metalloproteinases (enzymes that break down collagen), and reduce UV-induced oxidative damage. Different parts of the ginseng plant produce different ginsenoside profiles — the root is richest in Rb1 and Rg1, while ginseng berries contain uniquely high levels of Re, which has distinct anti-inflammatory properties.
This multi-form approach (seed oil, berry extract, root extract, whole plant extract, leaf/stem extract) is designed to capture a broader ginsenoside spectrum than any single extraction provides. While the contact time in a cleansing oil is brief — typically 60-90 seconds — some absorption of these compounds occurs through the lipid-rich vehicle (the plant oils) that facilitates penetration into the stratum corneum.
Soybean oil's high linoleic acid content (approximately 50-55% of its fatty acid profile) makes it particularly well-suited as a cleansing oil base. Linoleic acid is a major component of the skin's natural ceramide 1 linoleate, and a 1998 study published in the Journal of Investigative Dermatology by Elias and colleagues demonstrated that topical linoleic acid can help restore barrier function in linoleic acid-deficient skin. The oil's ability to dissolve sebum is partly due to this structural similarity to sebum's own lipid composition.
Camellia japonica seed oil, with its 80%+ oleic acid content, provides excellent emolliency and has been shown in vitro studies to have mild antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties, though clinical data in rinse-off products is limited.
Dermatologist Perspective
Dermatologists who recommend double cleansing typically note that oil-based first cleansers are the most effective method for removing oil-soluble impurities including sunscreen, sebum, and makeup. Board-certified dermatologists would acknowledge the ginseng extracts as potentially beneficial anti-inflammatory and antioxidant ingredients, though they would note that contact time in a rinse-off product limits their therapeutic impact. Dermatologists would express concern about the three essential oils (sage, mugwort, basil) for patients with sensitive or eczema-prone skin, and would recommend the brand's fragrance-free Cleansing Balm as an alternative for those patients. The olive oil and coconut oil derivatives would also be flagged for acne-prone patients.
Guidance
Usage Guide
How to Use
Pump 2-3 pumps of oil onto dry palms and apply to a dry face — water prevents the oil from properly dissolving makeup. Massage gently in circular motions for 60-90 seconds, focusing on areas with heavy makeup, sunscreen, or congestion. Add a small amount of warm water and continue massaging to emulsify — the oil will turn milky white. Rinse thoroughly with lukewarm water. Follow immediately with a water-based gel, foam, or cream cleanser as your second cleanse.
Value Assessment
At $20 for 210ml, this cleansing oil offers one of the best per-unit values in the K-beauty cleansing category. Comparable ginseng-infused cleansing products — Sulwhasoo Gentle Cleansing Oil ($36/200ml) and Missha Ginseng Cleansing Oil ($25/150ml) — cost significantly more for equal or less product. With nightly use lasting 3-4 months, the cost works out to approximately 17 cents per cleanse — less than a single makeup wipe. The 2024 reformulation maintained the price point while refining the formula, demonstrating strong value retention.
Who Should Buy
Those who appreciate a sensory, ritualistic cleansing experience and have an affinity for hanbang (Korean herbal medicine) ingredients. Normal, dry, and combination skin types who wear daily makeup or sunscreen and want a first cleanser that feels nourishing rather than perfunctory. K-beauty enthusiasts looking for the most ginseng-forward product in the Beauty of Joseon lineup.
Who Should Skip
Sensitive skin types who react to essential oils — the sage, mugwort, and basil oils are potential irritants. Anyone with fungal acne, as the multiple plant oils can feed Malassezia. Those who prefer fragrance-free skincare or are bothered by strong herbal scents. And acne-prone skin that reacts to olive oil or coconut derivatives.
Ready to try Beauty of Joseon Ginseng Cleansing Oil?
Details
Details
Texture
Rich, golden-tinted oil that flows freely from the pump. Thinner than the brand's Cleansing Balm but thicker than water-like cleansing oils. Transforms to a milky emulsion when water is added.
Scent
Noticeable herbal scent from the sage, mugwort, and basil essential oils — earthy, green, and vaguely medicinal. Stronger than the brand's other products.
Packaging
Tall, clear plastic pump bottle that showcases the golden oil color. The pump dispenses approximately 1-2 ml per press. Simple, elegant design consistent with the Beauty of Joseon aesthetic.
Finish
non-greasylightweight
What to Expect on First Use
On first use, pump 2-3 pumps onto dry palms and massage across dry face in circular motions. The oil spreads easily with good slip, and you can feel makeup dissolving within seconds — particularly satisfying with heavy foundation and waterproof mascara. The herbal scent is immediately apparent and intensifies during massage. Add water to emulsify, creating a milky suspension that rinses cleanly. After rinsing, skin feels soft and lightly conditioned, not stripped or tight.
How Long It Lasts
3-4 months with nightly use
Period After Opening
12 months
Best Season
All Year
Background
The Why
Ginseng is the ingredient most central to Beauty of Joseon's identity — the brand's bestselling Dynasty Cream is built around it. This cleansing oil extends the ginseng story to the cleansing step, drawing from the hanbang tradition where ginseng was used in preparation rituals before skincare application. The 2024 reformulation refined the formula while maintaining the five-form ginseng approach that has become the product's signature.
About Beauty of Joseon Established Brand (5–20 years)
Beauty of Joseon was founded in 2016 in South Korea by Sumin Lee, drawing inspiration from Joseon dynasty beauty traditions and hanbang ingredients. Ginseng is a cornerstone of the brand's identity, and this cleansing oil showcases five different forms of panax ginseng — aligning with the traditional Korean herbal medicine approach.
Brand founded: 2016 · Product launched: 2021
Myth vs. Reality
Myths & Misconceptions
Myth
Oil cleansers cause breakouts because they add oil to the skin
Reality
Properly formulated cleansing oils like this one contain emulsifiers (sorbeth-30 tetraoleate) that allow the oil to mix with water and rinse completely away. The oil dissolves sebum and oil-based impurities during massage, then emulsifies and rinses off — leaving no more oil on the skin than a foam cleanser would. When followed by a second cleanser, residue is negligible.
Myth
Ginseng in skincare is just traditional medicine marketing with no real science
Reality
Panax ginseng ginsenosides have been extensively studied in dermatological research. Multiple studies demonstrate anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, and collagen-stimulating properties. While the contact time in a cleansing oil is brief, the multiple ginseng forms in this formula maximize exposure to different ginsenoside compounds during the massage step.
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
Is the Beauty of Joseon Ginseng Cleansing Oil good for sensitive skin?
Use with caution on sensitive skin. While the soybean and camellia oil base is gentle, the formula contains three essential oils — sage, mugwort, and basil — that can irritate reactive skin. If you have sensitive skin and want a Beauty of Joseon first cleanser, the Radiance Cleansing Balm (fragrance-free, essential oil-free) is a safer choice.
What's the difference between the Ginseng Cleansing Oil and the Radiance Cleansing Balm?
The Cleansing Oil is a liquid oil with a richer, more nourishing feel and a strong herbal scent from essential oils — best for dry skin and those who enjoy a sensory experience. The Radiance Cleansing Balm is a sherbet-textured solid that's fragrance-free and essential oil-free — better for sensitive skin and those who prefer a lighter feel. Both emulsify and rinse clean when water is added.
Does this cleansing oil contain real ginseng?
Yes — five different forms of panax ginseng: seed oil (pressed from ginseng seeds), berry extract (from ginseng berries), root extract (traditional ginseng root), whole plant extract, and leaf/stem extract. Each form provides a different profile of ginsenosides and beneficial compounds. This multi-form approach is rooted in hanbang (Korean herbal medicine) principles.
Can I use this as my only cleanser?
While the emulsifying system allows it to rinse relatively clean, dermatologists and K-beauty experts recommend following with a water-based second cleanser to ensure all residue — from the oil itself, dissolved makeup, and sunscreen — is completely removed. Using it as a standalone cleanser may leave a residue that can contribute to clogged pores over time.
Is this product safe for fungal acne?
No. The formula contains multiple oils and esters (soybean oil, olive oil, coconut oil, cetyl ethylhexanoate) that can feed Malassezia yeast. If you have fungal acne, choose a cleansing oil formulated without these ingredients, or use a micellar water as your first cleansing step instead.
Community
Community Voices
Common Praise
"Dissolves even waterproof makeup and stubborn sunscreen effortlessly"
"Generous 210ml bottle lasts months — outstanding value"
"Skin feels nourished and soft, not stripped, after rinsing"
"Herbal ginseng scent is pleasant and spa-like"
"Emulsifies well and rinses clean without excessive residue"
Common Complaints
"Essential oils (sage, mugwort, basil) can irritate sensitive or reactive skin"
"Herbal scent is too strong for those who prefer fragrance-free cleansers"
"Contains olive oil and coconut oil which may be comedogenic for acne-prone skin"
"Pump mechanism can be finicky and dispenses inconsistent amounts"
"Not suitable for fungal acne due to multiple oils and esters"
Appears In
best k beauty cleansing oil best cleansing oil for dry skin best ginseng skincare product best affordable cleansing oil
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