Erborian Korean Skin Care’s new and unique, syrup-like Pâte Au Ginseng Black Concentrated Mask helps skin appear smoother and feel more elastic. The distinctive “tensor” effect gives skin the sensation of being plumped and firmed while its unique complex, containing six-year-old red panax ginseng, works to fight visible signs of aging.
“Skin appears more luminous and plumped, and feels firmer for a youthful-looking complexion.” This column will review the ingredient listing for functionality and claims substantiation.
The primary vehicle/diluent is water with humectants dipropylene glycol, glycerin, glycereth-26, betaine and butylene glycol. Hydrogenated starch hydrolysate is one of the film formers that helps create the “tensor” effect.
Hydroxyethylcellulose, sodium acrylate/sodium acryloyldimethyl taurate copolymer, pvp, sodium polyacrylate and xanthan gum are thickeners, stabilizers and film formers, which add “bulk” to the formula and create the firming effect. PEG-40 hydrogenated castor oil, polysorbate 80 and ppg-26-buteth-26 are surfactants that help with spreading the product onto the skin.
The “bio-active” or cosmeceutical ingredients include the extracts of nutrient-rich panax ginseng root, theobroma cacao (cocoa), ophiopogon japonicus (Japanese monkey grass) root, scrophulariaondosa (figwort), and polygonatum officinale (jade bamboo) rhizome/root. Panthenol or pro-vitamin b5 is moisture balancing.
The preservative system consists of phenoxyethanol and caprylyl glycol. Parfum/ fragrance is listed as well as fragrance components hexylcinnamal, alpha-isomethyl ionone, linalool, citronellol, geraniol, eugenol and limonene.
The company has conducted a 32-person independent test to support their claims. In my opinion, the ingredient listing supports the claims made for this product.
