While it’s hard to find a naturally growing substance less visually appealing than the gnarly-looking ginseng, you’d also be hard-pressed to find anything with as many health giving benefits – little wonder, then, that it’s been an essential of herbal medicine across East Asia for millennia.

Ginseng’s incredible balancing and rejuvenating qualities make it as important in skin care as it is in health and wellness, something that is no news to the women of Asia. Korean women, in particular, have long been fans – with ginseng bathhouses a mainstay of their beauty rituals for hundreds of years. Going back even further in Korean history, young ladies in noble families would bathe in ginseng water before their wedding to ensure their skin was refined and pure for their big day.

1. Collagen booster, and then some
When you look at the properties ginseng holds it’s no surprise that it’s been a popular beauty treatment for so long. High on the list would be ginseng’s anti-ageing benefits. It’s packed to the gills with phytonutrients, known to stimulate the skin’s metabolism and rid it of the free radicals that build up after regular exposure to sunlight and environmental pollution and toxins. Even more impressively, several studies have found that ginseng is effective in increasing the production of collagen in the skin’s dermis, firming, toning and plumping skin and diminishing wrinkles and fine lines. The herb also acts as a skin whitener, aiding in the fight against photoaging and pigmentation and making the complexion look brighter, lighter and more youthful. Studies have found it can also inhibit the production of melanin, protecting the skin from the type of pigmentation caused by UV radiation, or sun damage.

2. Complex complexion helper
Ginseng is also a brilliant overall complexion booster. Its roots and leaves are rich in vitamins, minerals and antioxidants, allowing them to metabolise skin cells and help get rid of dead skin cells to produce healthy new skin. Ginseng tea is particularly great for refining and rehydrating your skin, regenerates skin cells by increasing oxygenation, improving blood circulation and detoxifying the blood, all of which contribute to healthy, glowing skin.

3. The skincare all-rounder
Ginseng’s mastery at the art of skin regenerationas also make it helpful in treating everything from wounds to burns and other skin irritations such as razor rash.

Ginseng’s anti-inflammatory properties and ability to naturally balance oil production within the skin mean it’s also effective in reducing acne outbreaks, as well as assisting in conditions such as rosacea and psoriasis.

4. Dark circles? Try some ginger
Another area where ginseng shines is in treatment for under-eye dark circles and puffiness. Those same properties that fight against pigmentation make it highly effective in lightening dark under-eye circles, so look out for products with ginseng in the ingredients.

5. Fight hair fall
Lank locks can also turn lustrous with the helping hand of ginseng, with the root known to improve the proliferation of dermal papilla cells – basically that means it encourages hair growth by stimulating blood flow to the scalp and improving the health of hair follicles and cells, minimising hair fall.

Here are the Top Ginseng products:

I’M FROM GINSENG MASK 120G

I’M FROM GINSENG SERUM 30ML

I’M FROM GINSENG EYE CREAM 30G

BEAUTY OF JOSEON – GINSENG ESSENCE WATER 150ML

BEAUTY OF JOSEON – REPAIR SERUM 30ML