Soon Jung 2x Barrier Intensive Cream – Review

This post will review the Soon Jung 2x Barrier Intensive Cream.

This review has been overdue especially since I used the cleanser version, Soon Jung Whip Cleanser, months ago. I thought I could use them together, but here we are. But it’s better late than never because I’m excited to have finally used this product.

This is one of the best Korean moisturizers many people still don’t know about. As the saying goes, only those who know, know. But I think it is high time it gets the recognition it deserves.

EtudeHouse is a Korean Beauty brand that has been around since 1988. You can think of them as one of the pioneer Korean Skincare brands similar to AmorePacific, Innisfree and Laneige. The Soon Jung line is a clean beauty brand under Etude House that targets barrier repair.

So, you’ll find that most of the products in this line have been formulated with soothing ingredients to restore a damaged skin barrier. Which is also what I think is the general ethos of Korean Skincare; hydration and barrier repair. Any other skin concerns you want to treat might not be as effective.

Think about Soon Jung as a more polished and clean version of Cerave. Plus, the products are well-formulated and tend to work across most skin types, especially people with oily to combination skin.

As someone with dry, dehydrated skin, I’m excited to share how this moisturiser works for me.

First Impressions of the Soon Jung 2x Barrier Intensive Cream

According to Soon Jung;

Formulated with panthenol, madecassoside, sunflower seed oil and shea butter, this intensely hydrating cream moisturizes and restores the oil and water balance of the skin while repairing the damage. Low pH formulation and absence of irritants like fragrance, artificial colours and parabens help pamper and nourish skin to strengthen it against damage and stress.

This cream uses 93% naturally derived ingredients and minimal ingredients to balance, hydrate, and soothe skin with every use. Panthenol, a skin-benefiting compound closely related to Vitamin B5, delivers deep hydration while madecassoside, derived from Centella Asiatica, repairs skin damage. Sunflower seed oil and shea butter also combine to nourish skin from within, keeping skin smooth and soft. With a low pH and free of potential irritants like fragrance, artificial colour, and parabens, this cream will strengthen the skin barrier and bring your skin back to health.

Ingredient List & Fragrance

Honestly, I haven’t studied the ingredient list before now. I just figured the moisturiser won’t be any different since the cleanser worked well for my skin, and I was right.

But for the sake of this post, let’s see what ingredients make this moisturiser amazing:

• Glycerin
• Sunflower Seed Oil
• Shea Butter
• Panthenol
• Madecassoside
• Green Tea

So, you have a straightforward ingredient list with Glycerin, Shea Butter and Sunflower Seed Oil for nourishment and Green Tea, Panthenol and Madecassoside for soothing. Simple and straight to the point.

For those worried about their skin clogging up with Shea Butter. The level where Shea Butter appears in the ingredient list is worth noting. With many heavy-duty and potential pore-clogging moisturisers having Shea Butter in the second position, this one is in the ninth position.

So I wouldn’t worry too much about it. Etude House tried to balance the Shea Butter, so it doesn’t alienate people with oily to combination skin.

As always, it is also free of all irritants, including alcohol, essential oil and fragrance.

Packaging, Texture & Consistency

This moisturiser is packaged in a 60ml squeeze tube, one of the most unique packaging I’ve seen in a while. Instead of squeezing the end to release the product like a regular tube, you only need to rotate the cover to dispense as much product as you want. It’s really just lovely.

This has a lightweight, creamy consistency similar to a water gel cream. Instead, it is slightly thick, which I’m guessing results from the Shea Butter. Upon application, it provides immediate hydrating and soothing benefits.

But then, it dries down into a matte finish and completely disappears into the skin. It goes without saying that it is non-greasy and non-sticky.

Price & Availability

For 60ml worth of product, it officially retails for $14, but you can always find it on sale for about $10. I also hear that it runs out pretty quickly, so if it becomes a staple for you, I suggest you stock up.

Review of the Soon Jung 2x Barrier Intensive Cream

During Autumn/ Winter, I typically swap out my gel moisturisers for creamy moisturisers, so I had to wait a bit before using this. I use it in my daily routine before sunscreen in the morning and before my occlusive at night. Depending on how I’m feeling or the state of my skin, I sometimes use it alone.

Performance

What can I say? The hype is real. I particularly enjoy it because it is the perfect soothing moisturiser for my other treatment serums. While it hydrates and moisturises my skin, it also soothes it. You can literally feel your skin calm down immediately after application, especially if it has been stinging from your treatments.

It might not be heavy enough for the winter, but there’s nothing a good ol’ Aquaphor or Cerave Healing Ointment over it cannot fix.

But most importantly, if you have oily to combination skin and are looking for a great basic moisturiser, you absolutely need to try this.

In Summary

The Soon Jung 2x Barrier Intensive Cream might seem like a basic moisturiser on paper. But sometimes, you need basic products in your life to repair your skin barrier, and this just works.