The History of Whoo Ultimate Rejuvenating Balancer - First Impressions
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| History of Whoo Ultimate Rejuvenating Balancer mini |
I tried this Whoo product for a week as my first real test of a stripped back, but curated, premium routine - it's a tryout for my forever toner!
About my skin
I used to stick to more affordable products and have a lot of different products to address features like signs of aging, larger pores and CCs, redness and dull skin. I'm going to call these things I'm addressing "features" rather than "concerns", which is just a personal preference.
My skin doesn't need fixing, I just tailor my routine to address certain aspects of it. This may seem a pedantic choice of words but language matters!
I'm 40 with combination skin, prone to CCs but not acne (unless I've used a product that disagrees with me) and my skin is perpetually dehydrated because of the actives I use. My neck is dry, dry as a desert, and very sensitive, so I use an entirely different routine that would be too bland for my face - plus, my neck routine wouldn't address my face skin features.
Cost of The History of Whoo Ultimate Rejuvenating Balancer
Purchased from Stylevana, 5x 5ml minis, £5.79.
Full size, all currently at a discounted price: $76 KoreaDepart, $65 TesterKorea, $97 Jolse.
(I'm just listing sites I would order from)
Introduction
I threw this in my basket because reasons!
I thought: if I'm ordering Sooryehan, why not try some Whoo, which is most premium brand I know.
My former frugality is totally out of the window now. But then, as I've said before, how frugal is using lots of products versus a curated selection of better quality ones?
So far, I've only used this one Whoo product but, oh my..... this is dangerous!
I had to do some searching because I have no idea what a "balancer" is but turns out it's a kind of toner? Makes sense, the texture is very similar to the Sooryehan Hyobidam Fermented Toner.
Packaging
The gold plastic 5ml bottle is pretty cute, mostly because it's tiny! I'm sure the full size is appropriately premium, based on photos.
The mini bottles are a bit troublesome (especially if you have weak hands like I do): but the same goes for Sooryehan Hyobidam Fermented Emulsion.
I get it, LG, I'm not complaining: I appreciate that I can try pricey products easily without commiting to a full size.
The Sooryehan Hyobidam Fermented Toner runs out of the mini bottle relatively easily but the Whoo, whilst being a similar texture once dispensed, sometimes gets stuck in the bottle.
I went back to open a new bottle to test a dispensing theory (akin to getting tomato ketchup from a famous brand out of a glass bottle) and it ran out easily. However, the next time it wasn't so easy.
It would appears that I've opened all four and used a bit from all four! But in all honesty, I'm doing a series of tests so it probably won't matter too much if I run out. I'll be sad when I finish them, regardless of whether I run out abruptly or not....
Texture & Feel
I could repeat my rapturous descriptions of the Sooryehan Ginseng First Essence here - my experience is so similar in terms of texture!
It's much thicker and more luxurious than your average toner.
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| Texture of a drop of the Balancer on a metal spatula |
With something like SK-II, it feels like you're putting fancy water on your face. I am sure it's the best delivery system for the ingredient but I didn't realise how much more impressive the formulation of the Whoo would be: it's not only a premium product but it also feels like a premium product.
You might think a thicker product would have issues with absorption - not at all, it absorbs like a dream! I'm overusing exclamation marks but I can't help it!
It glides onto the skin easily and smoothly.
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| I held the spatula up for a minute to get it to run like this, luscious thickness! |
The one minor complaint, if I really had to find one, is that it can feel a little sticky as it dries. Once it's dried, no stickiness. In fact, the Whoo plus my routine mentioned below and a second SPF (Canmake Mermaid Cica Mint) that I use as a primer, gave me the best base for foundation that I've ever tried.
I have the Lisa Eldridge foundation which really does have have the second skin texture it claims: but doesn't play well with too many emollients. I tend to overwork my foundation, user error I know, and even the fact that the Lisa Eldridge is premium won't save it.
So you'd think the premium routine wouldn't work - the Sooryehan Bon Firming cream has oil in and the Whoo is really thick.
But no: the premium routine gave me easiest and smoothest application.
I've found that the Canmake doesn't always have an even coverage, either, if I use too many emollients. However, using the premium routine underneath the Canmake made it super grippy. I barely had any T-zone coverage breakdown throughout the day (combo skin so this usually happens)... An absolute revelation!
With the stickiness, I think that's down to using a new essence, Decorte Hydra Clarity Treatment Essence. I don't recall any issues with Missha Artemisia Calming essence and I'm pretty sure I used more of the Whoo then too.
It could also be that applying the Whoo very generously (two pound coin sizes if you know UK money) allows it to spread perfectly. And I definitely used a bit less towards the end of my trial week to economise and actually, no spreading issues then. Basically, it's use whatever you want 🤣
And: let's not forget - even if it was a little sticky, it didn't affect my revelatory experience with my foundation. So.....
Ingredients
This might be the longest ingredient list I've ever seen, which I'm interpreting as extra full of goodies.
Heres the thing: as all the extracts are designed to work in harmony, I don't think it makes sense (with a product like this) to look for individual beneficial ingredients.
I follow Odile Monod's writing and videos about these premium brands because there's a lot you can't tease out by looking at the ingredients.
On Whoo, she says:
So, how can we tell what individual ingredient might help? Odile does list the extracts that constitute the proprietary complex and it's useful to know what they might do.
But to be honest, I've really moved away from obsessing over Ingredient lists.
And I'll happily take reviews and recommendations on trust (Odile and rczc especially, even when rczc recommends a Sulwhasoo serum that is £200! Spoiler alert: I ordered samples of that, so a review will be featured in the future!)
Ingredient list taken from Whoo's .ca site, I ordered mine from Stylevana. Not sure if Whoo changes their product formulation by region. If you know whether they do or not, please comment!
Water/ EAU, Glycerin, Propanediol, Peg/ppg-17/6 Copolymer, Alcohol Denat,, Trehalose, Curcuma Longa (Turmeric) Root Extract, 1,2-hexanediol, Panthenol, Lactobacillus/soybean Ferment Extract, Hydrogenated Lecithin, Dipropylene Glycol, Betaine, Saccharomyces/barley Seed Ferment Filtrate, Saccharomyces/potato Extract Ferment Filtrate, Hydrogenated Polydecene, Lactobacillus Ferment, Arginine, Carbomer, Butylene Glycol, Fragrance, Panax Ginseng Root Extract, Phellinus Linteus Extract, Ammonium Acryloyldimethyltaurate/beheneth-25 Methacrylate Crosspolymer, Phytosteryl/octyldodecyl Lauroyl Glutamate, Polygonatum Sibiricum Rhizome Extract, Carthamus Tinctorius (Safflower) Flower Extract, Cetyl Phosphate, Polygonatum Officinale Rhizome/root Extract, Asparagus Cochinchinensis Root Extract, Polygonum Multiflorum Root Extract, Peg-14m, Punica Granatum Fruit Extract, Acrylates/c10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer, Dioscorea Japonica Root Extract, Trifolium Pratense (Clover) Leaf Extract, Lithospermum Erythrorhizon Root Extract, Ziziphus Jujuba Fruit Extract, Cimicifuga Racemosa Root Extract, Paeonia Suffruticosa Root Extract, Atractylodes Japonica Rhizome Extract, Lonicera Japonica (Honeysuckle) Flower Extract, Chrysanthellum Indicum Extract, Glycyrrhiza Glabra (Licorice) Root Extract, Paeonia Albiflora Root Extract, Angelica Acutiloba Root Extract, Scutellaria Baicalensis Root Extract, Prunus Persica (Peach) Kernel Extract, Plantago Asiatica Extract, Mica, Titanium Dioxide(Ci 77891), Poria Cocos Sclerotium Extract, Cuscuta Australis Seed Extract, Oyster Shell Extract, Ledebouriella Divaricata Root Extract, Forsythia Suspensa Fruit Extract, Magnolia Officinalis Bark Extract, Glycine Soja (Soybean) Seed Extract, Angelica Gigas Extract, Velvet Extract, Trichosanthes Kirilowii Root Extract, Gardenia Florida Flower Extract, Cyperus Rotundus Root Extract, Lycium Chinense Fruit Extract, Angelica Tenuissima Root Extract, Rehmannia Glutinosa Root Extract, Prunus Armeniaca (Apricot) Kernel Extract, Ophiopogon Japonicus Root Extract, Cnidium Officinale Root Extract, Viscum Album (Mistletoe) Extract, Sesamum Indicum (Sesame) Seed Extract, Iron Oxides(Ci 77491), Dendrobium Candidum Flower Extract, Gold
Fragrance
This has the most beautiful fragrance of any products I have ever tried.
I am unskilled at describing fragrance because I have a rather poor sense of smell.
However, I said on Reddit that it is:
distinctly floral, a touch of fruit, perhaps. A richness without being overpowering. I don't notice citrus. It's sweet ish, an undertone of spice as it's a warm smell, perhaps, but it's not dominant. Hint of tartness but barely. Faintly musky but not musty. It's on the way to heady but not overpoweringly so, definitely somewhat intoxicating!
The only thing that smells as good or better than this is The Black Serum from Sooryehan when it is warmed.
The other Sooryehan products are nice smelling (or increasingly nice with further acquaintance) but the Whoo immediately blew me away with it's balanced complexity!
What Step?
After an acids, first treatment essence and before serum: the toner step, essentially.
For a week, I used it with:
- Cosrx AHA Whitehead Power liquid (PM - not always)
- Missha Artemisia Calming essence / Decorte Hydra Clarity Treatment Essence
- The History of Whoo Ultimate Rejuvenating Balancer
- Sooryehan The Black Serum (PM)
- Retinal (PM - not always)
- Sooryehan Bon Firming cream
- Verdio UV Moisture Gel N (AM, mostly, sometimes other SPF)
Experience
I recently decided to try and use less products, given the richness of these new products, which I mentioned in the previous two reviews of Sooryehan products.
I cut back my routine even further to test how this product performed.
It performed very, very well.
Although I found that The Dream Routine (Sooryehan essence and serum, plus a sunscreen) was effective, I only tried it for one day. My skin can survive on just moisturiser and sunscreen for one day, so The Dream Routine test doesn't tell me that much (although there's no moisturiser in The Dream Routine so it does tell me something).
But an entire week of a seriously reduced routine, plus actives, tells me that these more premium toner-step products are incredibly well-formulated.
The Whoo is a sensorial delight to use from he look and feeling of it in my hand (I know it's going to be a comforting blanket of hydration for my skin and it looks gorgeously thick and luxe) to the way it smoothes onto my skin, a completely refined experience, even on dry skin.
I got ahead of myself and already mentioned a lot of things I should be talking about here! Oops!
So here's the thing: my short routine, as detailed above, mostly worked great for the whole week.
I do feel I was getting a fraction dry by the end of the week and I feel introducing a new treatment essence was perhaps foolish - but I was itching to try the Decorte so what can you do? And I'll talk more about the reasons from that slight dryness below, because I think I've found the cause.
If you're me, willpower and skincare, especially with new shiny products, is not a thing! So the Decorte just happened. Lol.
I will want to add a thin, lightweight toner I think - and the entire point of this project (to see if I can use less products) is subject to my user experience. So, if another hydrator is appropriate, I'll add it to the next round of tests. I don't think the Whoo routine is genuinely lacking. A large part of why I feel a little extra hydration is necessary is what I will discuss next.
The slight drawbacks here are two fold (I'm not counting the stickiness because that's a non-issue for me, I just mentioned it because transparency is key! And of course, some people might not like that transient sticky feeling).
So: one slight drawback is the same issue I constantly have - make-up. I have oily lids, oily lid margins (lash lines) top and bottom and dry eyes. All of this makes for a complicated situation with make-up and leads to a lot of mascara transfer. Even with previous HG waterproof mascaras.
Because of that, I end up with dry undereye / eye bag areas because the make-up transfer dries out the delicate skin. Adding eye cream doesn't help because it actually facilitates transfer. For me, anyway.
I'm hoping a tubing mascara helps!
I will give up daily make-up for the sake of my skin but only when I've tried a few more things and only if I really, really need to do so. No routine, and I've tried quite a few, avoids transfer: even purely silicone-based skincare (no oil) still attracts transfer.
So what I'm trying to say is that the dry undereye area is not the fault of the products.
And then there's the unwelcome visitor: Monster Pimple! Said pimple is a huge cystic acne spot, I believe. It's been hanging around for three weeks with no sign of shifting.
I've tried nightly AHA, retinal, mild BHA: no progress.
I usually wouldn't mind but it's quite sore, too. And I am a little concerned about pigmentation, because it's so huge!
Monster Pimple came about because, regretfully, I tried a product with coconut oil for my hair and my face then suffered. Such a shame, because my hair loves coconut oil and my hair was extra special nice with that product.
I think the richness of my premium routine sadly prolonged Monster Pimple's reign of dominance on my forehead.
So, after my week long Whoo trial, I've gone back to entry level AB for a week now and Monster Pimple does seem to be reducing in size.
As soon, and I mean the minute, this pimple is gone, I will be instigating my next test: Sooryehan Hyobidam Fermented Toner as my main hydrator.
Why it's changed how I think about skincare
On Reddit, I endlessly complain about thin, watery toners that irritatingly slip through my fingers (on to my clothing, the floor, run down my application hand) when I want get the precious liquid on my face!
Irritating.
But said toners are good so I just put up with it, I try to scoop my application hand around the hand into which I've dispensed the product to avoid too much spillage.
Little did I know that such amazing toner textures existed, providing the solution to my problem. Heart.
I know moderately viscous toners exist, I've seen texture videos - they're seem just about the same as the Pyunkang Yul essence toner. And that's fine, I like Pyunkang Yul but it is definitely a more basic formulation and less useful for me than, for example, Cezanne Deep Moisture Skin Conditioner.
Which is a very long ramble to say: the Sooryehan Hyobidam Fermented Toner and this one from Whoo are game changers!
The texture is delightful and just what I want, the fragrances are luscious and decadent and I would like a perfume that smells like this Whoo product, if you know of one, please comment!
Schrödinger's Cultural Analysis
It's not feminism this week, I feel I've said a lot about that already. This week it's cultural analysis!
The more I use premium products, the more I feel at home with them. Even if it's not really my aesthetic.
It's really about the efficacy over whatever cultural meaning or market position I might feel these products exude.
Efficacy is important!
This is a bit random but I think it supports my point - we buy the more expensive tinned tomatoes (from Mutti) because they elevate our cooking. Far, far superior to the supermarket basics - and it means we'll order less takeout because we can make nice food at home. So it ends up being a saving after all, even if there are cheaper alternatives.
My partner and I are working class but we are able to afford to buy better quality things, compared to when we were younger. And we appreciate the better quality things now we've had chance to try them.
As with food, it is with skincare!
(Food is my other great passion, next to skincare and books).
Final Thoughts
Yes, this Whoo makes it onto my short list for my forever routine!
Without doubt!
But, will something else work just as well?
Will I choose it, in part, because of the amazing fragrance? Quite possibly!
Yes, this Whoo makes it onto my short list for my forever routine!
Without doubt!
But, will something else work just as well?
Will I choose it, in part, because of the amazing fragrance? Quite possibly!
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