Review: History of Whoo Gongjinhyang Foam Cleanser

I've been trying a lot of cleansers lately and I've started to realize that my usual Morning Routine cleanser, Skinfood Egg White Pore Foam, may not be as great as I had originally imagined. I mean, it works well and prevents me from getting pimples but I find that I have to wash it off multiple times to prevent any residue on my face. I've read that History of Whoo cleansers are known for giving your face a very refreshed and clean feeling without stripping all the moisture from your face. My first History of Whoo cleanser was from the History of Whoo Seol Whitening line, which did make my face feel refreshed but didn't stop my pores from enlarging when I was trying other products from the same line. Let's hope this one gives me better results!

Description (from beclo.com):

• Gongjinhyang - A secret royal court formula that presents heavenly skincare to empresses
• Containing "Gonjinbidan" and "Wild ginseng cordyceps sinensis," Gongjinhyang helps create a more attractive skin tone
• Through the principle of yin-yang harmony to keep skin balanced and the principle of increasing water and diminishing fire to enhance moisture within the skin while soothing it effectively, it gives skin a new radiance and smoothness
• Moisten face and squeeze cleanser into hand. Massage gently in circular motion over face. Rinse thoroughly

My impression:

This cleanser had the same foam texture like the foam cleanser from the History of Whoo Seol Whitening line. The only thing is this cleanser has a very strong scent. I wish they didn't have it as it can potentially be an irritant to some but Korean cosmetics seem big on scent. This cleanser shares the same theme of History of Whoo cleansers in that after I wash my face, my face feels very refreshed and clean. But at the same time, this cleanser feels gentle in that my face still feels moisturised.

One thing I found better than the History of Whoo Seol Whitening line cleanser was that my pores did not enlarge over time. So I take it as that it cleanses well enough so there is nothing stuck inside my pores after cleansing.

As this is a cleanser, ultimately I just want it to cleanse well. And in that aspect I think it does because I haven't had any breakouts or one pimple from this yet. But overall, I've also noticed some extra effects that are accurate to what they claim this cleanser does. There is a slight improvement in my skin tone and the smoothness of my face. The smoothness is most apparent when I'm using Etude House Wonder Pore Freshner and spreading the cotton pad on my face. I used to have some mini bumps every now and then but recently with this cleanser, the cotton pad has just been literally sliding along my face.

Now these effects are not dramatic, and I do not expect it to be as this is just a cleanser. But I think that little something extra, with the fact that it does its primary job of cleansing very well, is a big plus. It's not that expensive too relative to other products from History of Whoo. Also, a little bit of the cleanser lathers up like crazy so only a dime-sized amount if needed every time.

I have a Sulwhasoo cleanser to try after this but I might be making the switch to this cleaner (unless the Sulwhasoo cleanser blows me away).

Summary:

Effective cleanser, no acne, no breakouts, no enlarged pores
Gave my face a refreshed and clean feeling while feeling moisturised
Made my skin smoother and improved my skin tone
$40 for 180ml on eBay

Grade: 5/5 because I really can't find any faults with this cleanser yet..except maybe the scent?

Value: 4/5 because as a cleanser from Korea it's a bit expensive but a little goes a long way and it's quite cheap for something from History of Whoo

Repurchase? Highly likely..we'll see after I try out the Sulwhasoo Gentle Cleansing Foam