The Last Sulwhasoo Timetreasure Honorstige Serum Sachet

Photo of a Pusheen The Cat wash bag with the last Sulwhasoo Timetreasure Honorstige packet on the left, just under Pusheen's left eye. The corner has been ripped off the sachet as it only occurred to me to take a photo after I'd opened it...

I've been drafting this post on the Sulwhasoo Timetreasure serums for ages and in the intervening period, the Invigorating has been replaced/reformulated as The Ultimate S.

I had thought the Invigorating was completely discontinued, although Lonelyblep notes that it still has the same name in Korea (link below, see ingredients section). 

This post is going to be somewhat chaos because of Frankenstein format: my thoughts about the Timetreasure serums and my experience of using my last Honorstige sachet. It's also extremely long, even compared to my usual longish posts!

Before I get started, here's an excellent description of the serums generally, see AB Muse: https://www.abmuse.net/2023/07/review-updated-luxe-serum-smackdown.html

A bit of background

At the beginning of my skincare purchasing (about 3-4 years ago), I both tried new things a lot and repurchased staples. 

I had a full-on routine that meant I had a lot of space for new products.

Although I tried Sooryehan The Black Serum about 2 years ago, I've been fully bought in to luxe for about 12-18 months and I notice that I don't need so many products to get my skin looking and feeling nice.

The quality of the ingredients, advanced technologies, thicker textures and better formulations means I don't need a ton of steps to get good results. 

I'm not going to quantify ingredient quality or technologies against the cheaper stuff, Odile's blog has plenty of information on it.

https://themonodist.com/

Right now, I'm entirely disloyal to any particular product for a few different reasons, such as lack of full size availability, varying availability of samples and general ooh new shiny so I haven't been particularly bothered with reformulations, regional variations and such like. 

And then there's whole AI thing, which now includes AmorePacific, see the update on AB Muse's post: https://www.abmuse.net/2024/11/lg-h-using-ai-for-marketing-and-why-i.html

I was considering switching to AmorePacific and I did think it was likely that if LG was using AI heavily then AmorePacific probably was too. 

As AB Muse points out, jbeauty is likely to be a better option for protest:

I don't really expect Japanese skincare/beauty companies to never use AI in the future, but this is the same society that held onto the ubiquitous use of fax machines for far longer than many other countries

For me, long term, some of it depends on availability and what I feel I can justify. Jbeauty unfortunately isn't as easy to get for me so I'm just gonna spread my money around so I'm not giving one company everything. Not a great compromise but there we go.

I'll note at this point that I still have a handful of the Invigorating sachets left and I thought I'd run out of the Honorstige ages ago. But I found a stray sachet in one of my various skincare "organising" bags and I've been saving it up for a special occasion before the expiry (January 2025).

I decided that I'd use it this Christmas as a booster before a house party. 

Obviously my organisation bags weren't that organised otherwise I'd have known I had this last sachet. But let's just take the positive here of one last hurrah!

I'm going to post here info from my original review draft and then talk about my experience of using the last sachet...

Do I love them or just love the idea of them?

Sulwhasoo Timetreasure serums are more than luxury products, they're prestige products.

Even on TesterKorea, the Honorstige serum is $666 at full price ($486 sale) or $800 from the Sulwhasoo US site. For 40ml of serum.

That is 12 times the cost per ml of Sooryehan's The Black Serum.

In sample sachet prices, Sooryehan is $1.12 and Sulwhasoo Honorstige is $23 (worth noting: the Honorstige was $15 ish a couple of years ago).

Granted I buy and use the Invigorating, which is $7.50 for the same amount in samples. Or was *cryface*.

This review will concentrate more on the Invigorating as I'm more familiar with it.

However, both serums do things that I crave and seek out in skincare: that thick, siliconey texture that helps plump out my fine lines, gives me a gorgeous sensory experience (in texture and fragrance), dries unbelievably quickly for its texture and make my skin look nice. 

Then there's the potential long term benefits which I can't really comment on but I feel like they would be there, if I used them long term. 

The problem with these serums, obviously, is the price - I can't justify the price and there are cheaper alternatives that, when combined in a routine, definitely approach what's going on with the Timetreasure serums.

I can justify the price of the Invigorating or the Ultimate S in sachet form, used for the reasons one would use a sheet mask, which is how I got into this whole thing in the first place!

The Story

The Honorstige was the second luxe product AB Muse tempted me into purchasing.

I mean, it's only one of the most pricey products out there so why not try it?!

You never know, there could be very good reasons for the price tag and what if I'm missing out?

Granted, the likelihood that I would ever spend that much on a serum is very close to zero.

I would have considered repurchasing the Honorstige at $15ish for a 12 pack of 1ml samples but it went out of stock and then the price went up.

Hence the move to the Invigorating.

AB Muse describes the Sulwhasoo Honorstige, in effect, as a sheet mask or sleeping mask; using it as a booster - and also as medicine. Love this description!

Plus it's thick enough that you could skip moisturiser if you want, depending on skin type and so on.

Here's the link to the AB Muse review again in case you didn't click on the first one.

https://www.abmuse.net/2023/07/review-updated-luxe-serum-smackdown.html

A brief comparison

I'd say the Invigorating is lighter than the Honorstige but we're not talking a dramatic difference. The fragrance is a clear step down but I'm not going to dock it points for either of these factors. The difference, whilst noticeable, is not enough to make me sigh in wistful longing for the Honorstige.

On the fragrance, I have said that both are very fancy colognes. 

When I use the term perfumey, it is usually dismissively because it smells of cheap, generic perfume.

Whereas the Timetreasure serums smell complex and balanced. 

I have a serious lack of skills with fragrance. I rarely wear it and I have a preference for light spring smells or really fruity things. My taste is largely proletarian because I got burned by the perfect limited edition Versace. Since then, I haven't ventured into fancy stuff because I was so sad I couldn't have that one again (Versace Versus, peach bottle, RIP 2004. I know, I hold a grudge a LONG time). 

But it doesn't mean I don't appreciate something that smells complex, I just can't tell you that much about why.

I did develop my fragrance matrix but that only really works on things with distinct notes that I can identify - it doesn't work on the Timetreasure because I am not sophisticated enough to draw out different notes. All I can really say is that it smells like a complex cologne and it is a sensory delight!

There are many layers to the fragrance, it feels like a 3D olfactory experience. 

And add to this that Sulwhasoo advised a 5 step application process where you breathe in the fragrance before you massage it in. 

Check it out!

 https://www.sulwhasoo.com/int/en/products/timetreasure-honorstige-serum.html

I do get why: I have done it and it does add to the experience.

Ingredients

I did wonder about deleting this section, particularly since I think the formulation LonelyBlep is refering to is the one before the one I used and now the Timetreasure Invigorating has been replaced by the Ultimate S. 

But I'll include it for general interest and background information, given I gathered the info together anyway. 

The ingredients here are to do with the anti-aging aspects of the serum and pigmentation improvements associated with the extracts.

Korean red pine is called out on the Sulwhasoo website but it also has other extracts and a combination of Ginseng extracts.

A note on red pine: the AB sub Sulwhasoo expert Lonelyblep talks about it at length but then also in the comments that red pine wasn't actually listed in the 2018 incarnation. Right now [prior to discontinuing Timetreasure] red pine extract is listed on the Sulwhasoo US site as an ingredient.

Previously, Lonelyblep also talked about the "Korean red pine" extract, star ingredient of the Timetreasure. Worth noting that this point is that the products aren't delineated as Invigorating or Honorstige, it's Timetreasure Renovating.

https://www.reddit.com/r/AsianBeauty/comments/7oxdq3/guide_full_guide_to_sulwhasoo_skincare_mini/ Lonelyblep noted that in fact Scots Pine was listed: 

Oh my god I just realized in the old versions of Timetreasure and Harmonizen there was pinus densiflora (red pine) extract. The new version has pinus sylvestris and it's actually called the Scots Pine?????? I feel lied to. I mean Timetreasure is lovely but should pinus sylvestris even be called the Korean red pine?

Three years ago, Lonelyblep reported that the lifting effect of the Invigorating wasn't as strong since it was reformulated.

 https://www.reddit.com/r/AsianBeauty/comments/nbm2rx/updated_sulwhasoo_brand_guide/ 

Prior to discontinuation, the current Sulwhasoo US website has Korean Red Pine listed as the key ingredient. 

But also consider Shiseido's research into Scots Pine https://www.cosmeticsdesign-europe.com/Article/2015/07/16/Shiseido-uncovers-cause-of-sagging-skin-and-suggests-pine-cone-extract-may-be-the-cure 

Then, as Lonelyblep points out on the Ultimate S line: 

The line shifts its focus away from the sacred red pine, and onto the ginseng berry as its star ingredient. I do think this shift is due to Sulwhasoo's brand image and its inherent link to ginseng. I suppose they want to claim the authority to ginseng before any other Korean brand does in the international space, which is a totally valid move as they have the grounds to back up their title of "Ginseng king". With the spotlight on the ginseng berry, Sulwhasoo touts it as the crystal of ginseng vitality.

https://www.reddit.com/r/AsianBeauty/comments/1d04x08/analysis_and_review_of_the_ultimate_s_line_by/

Lonelyblep gives a detailed analysis of the ingredients in this post, I strongly recommend reading it!

So where does that leave us humble consumers? It depends. It depends on why you're buying the product. Presumably we're interested in a product because of what it claims to do for us, which is usually a combination whether of brand reputation, popularity, a personal recommendation and because we've assiduously researched potentially efficacious ingredients.

I really enjoy using it, regardless of all that.

I've seen of people talk about how luxe products are all about the user experience - cosmetic elegance - rather than efficacy. Often people come down on the side that these products aren't efficacious enough to justify paying for cosmetic elegance.

Lastly, any issues with reformulation are moot for me as I've only just started using the reformulated Timetreasure serum. (and it's now discontinued lol).

Also, slightly off track but for anyone interested: AB Muse and I are less impressed with the Ultimate S as a replacement for the Invigorating.

And I'd agree with Lonelyblep, it is less siliconey, which saddens me personally.

Texture

Both Timetreasure serums have such a pleasing density of structure that is nonetheless yielding.

It softens on contact with the skin and spreads readily. Although, don't apply to too dry skin. It still applies wonderfully but you'll need more than the tiny amount I try to usually apply. However, if I'm using it for sheetmask effects, I apply a whole sachet. Otherwise, as a serum, I'll just fold the top of the sachet over and paperclip it so I can get more uses out of it.

It's gel-cream texture rather than a fluid texture and is very silky. I've used moisturisers less thick than these serums and they don't dry as well! 

This applies to both the Invigorating and the Honorstige, with the latter being thicker and more like an actual moisturiser texture - they come under the 'siliconey' texture for me. 

Why I like it

I think it's delightful to use and gives me great joy.

The fragrance is truly excellent and it has maximum cosmetic elegance - it is thick but dries to a perfect smooth finish.

The dry down is superior to most products with this kind of texture.

It's more dense than any other serum I've tried but it also has a delightful slip that is easy to spread.

It applies like a dream whether I'm applying a thing layer, using half a sachet for a boost or going ham and using a whole sachet for max effects.

Granted, a whole sachet is 1ml and I think it's extremely unlikely that the bottle would dispense 1ml in one go, it's a huge amount of product. 

Even with pretty dry skin, a whole sachet can replace moisturiser. I still prefer a moisturiser on top but that's because I'm extra and I also love my moisturisers.

I've used a whole sachet in the moisturiser slot a few times and I've woken up with perfectly moisturised skin, no dryness or uncomfortable skin.

In many ways, this is such a versatile product: all these different usage scenarios. I don't think I've ever tried a product that I can use this way.

I have often been tempted by the full size of the Invigorating because it is a delight and there may sell be benefits to using it consistently. 

But the shopping one-upmanship hadn't fully kicked in before it was discontinued.

Let me explain: when looking at any kind of products, it's very easy to end up going over and beyond what you thought you might justify for a product because the extra features - which you may not actually need - seem like a relative bargain, so you start talking yourself into the higher priced option regardless of whether you actually need those feature.

This is particularly true if there's an even more pricey option of whatever it is you're considering because level 2 has more features than level 1. You know you don't need level 3 and consequently, even though you may not need the level 2 features, level 2 starts looking great because of those extra features over level 1.

And then sometimes, even level 3 can start to look great if it's on sale. You know you don't need the level 3 features but it's on sale so you're not paying a huge amount more than level 2! Except now you've forgotten you maybe didn't need the level 2 features in the first place. 

This particularly happens when my partner and I are talking about purchases for the household. We call it shopping one-upmanship and it's useful having a concept for it because it means we have a handy phrase to use when we suddenly notice that we're getting off-track with perceived benefits.

That's not to say that level 2 wasn't what we needed in the first place, though, but we're very susceptible to level 3 bargains. However, it's still more money that we actually need to pay and it's easy to get sucked in. Or at least it is for us! 

Now that I'm on to the Hera Signia Core Lifting Serum, which is the priciest thing I've ever been willing to pay the full cost of, I am beginning to see how one could get to the $270 (on sale) for the Invigorating. 

Although the Hera does it all for me right now, I'm only in my 40s. I can definitely see how, when one has been buying a $150 serum, one could justify the Cost of the Invigorating as more oomph is needed. 

Presuming the Invigorating was as good as the Hera. I mean, it might be! 

Granted, a moot point given the discontinuation and also, there are - for example - ways to boost the Hera routine as there's the Concentrate as well.

The Last Sachet

I applied half the night before and half on the day of the party.

My skin does look extra nice. It really does.

I am very sad that this is the last one.

The Honorstige is still listed on the Sulwhasoo US site but I couldn't justify the cash for "my skin looks extra nice"! Not when the Hera has been so good and my skin is only a shade below the Sulwhasoo level of extra nice 🤣

https://commercialpoemferments.blogspot.com/2025/03/first-impressions-hera-signia-core.html

There are still samples available on eBay but the price is vastly inflated compared to how much they were on TK/SJ.

I also feel super fancy when I use it and I feel like it's doing more for my skin than if I used a sheetmask

Ok so I have mostly used lower end sheetmasks but I did try a Sooryehan Ginseng one, which is mid end, and it didn't give nice skin vibes like a sachet of the Invigorating.

I use Timetreasure sachets as a treatment or booster to my routine, and sheetmasks as my SOS lifeline when I've borked my skin.

https://commercialpoemferments.blogspot.com/2025/01/the-emergency-sheetmask.html

I'm really pleased that I found the last Honorstige before it went out of date, although I probably would have used it anyway. Or put it in my hand and breathed it in at the very least 🤣

Final Thoughts

As a set of samples, the Honorstige and Invigorating have been a great experience.

If one has the cash spare, I can totally see why someone would buy these. 

I also trust Lonelyblep's comprehensive reviews that with consistent use, these prestige products have great effects.

When I first started using the Honorstige, as much as I enjoyed the whole experience and my skin looking extra nice, I couldn't imagine spending even $100 on a serum.

I do get that things like tret have unparalleled research and generally vastly cheaper (depending on where you live etc). 

However, I personally choose not to use it so I don't nuke my skin but also because the entire user experience of skincare is really important to me. 

I want effects but I also want to want to do my routine.

As I said in my Hera review, I get very bored of functional products and I am not at all consistent.

When I enjoy using a product that's going to hit more than one routine element, doesn't have finniky application needs and is a joy to apply, you get my money. 

Yes, it might be a stupid amount of money for a serum but that's my choice. I just buy less other stuff and have a Hera serum fund (I am saving up the money first so it doesn't feel so spendy).

Of course, I am in the situation where I have disposable income in the first place.

One thing is for sure, if the Invigorating sachets were still available, I would still be buying them. They definitely give my routine a boost and I like to use them for a few days before any significant social events.

I'm not convinced about the Ultimate S but I am sure there must be other top end serums that could fill the slot. I have got plenty of the Ultimate S sachets so I will be using them, I'm just less convinced about the benefits. Although some of that may be down to the texture and fragrance benefits. I'm certainly using my the Invigorating sachets over the Ultimate S.

And there's me joking in my head that if I end up with a mostly Decorte, Sekkisei and Hera routine, it'll be really boring for my blog.

I forgot about replacing the Invigorating: roll on the luxe serum experiments!