If ONEOSEVEN's Hanega Vinegar Can Cure Atopic Eczema, Imagine What It Can Do For You
Vinegar for your skin? When it’s Hanega vinegar, a prestige vinegar fermented for years and used in Michelin-star restaurants — yes! Jude Chao talks to ONEOSEVEN co-CEO Chloe Kwak about how Hanega vinegar changed her skin — and why you’re going to wanna try it, too.
If the idea of vinegar in your skincare conjures up images of earthy DIY treatments involving store-bought apple cider vinegar, it’s time to reframe your perception of the ingredient. Indie K-beauty brand ONEOSEVEN takes a luxurious new approach to vinegar as a beauty treatment.
ONEOSEVEN co-founder and co-CEO Chloe Kwak's venture into the skincare industry began with a skin condition: atopic eczema, which she began suffering from when she moved back to Korea from the U.S.
"When my immune system went down, atopic eczema went all over my body, including part of my face," Chloe tells me. She was using doctor-prescribed medication for the condition, but "it only worked for a few days."
The solution to her problem emerged from a surprising source. Chloe and a friend were volunteering for United Help for International Children (UHIC), a South Korean NGO headed by UHIC CEO Shin Seyong. Seyong's mother runs Hanega Vinegar, one of South Korea's largest vinegar factories, and Seyong was aware of the skincare benefits of the company's traditionally fermented vinegars, which are brewed for several years. When he heard about Chloe's skin issues, Seyong gave her some Hanega vinegar to boost her immune system.
"Since vinegar can kill all kinds of bacteria, I mixed it with water and put it on my skin," says Chloe. "And it [was] cured!"
The revelation spurred Chloe to research the benefits of naturally brewed vinegar. By 2014, when Seyong offered her a position at ONEOSEVEN as co-CEO and co-founder, "I had no doubt,” she says. “Because I believed in the key ingredient."
Chloe also believes in the uniqueness of ONEOSEVEN formulations compared to competing brands' products. After having worked as a duty-free business agent for over a decade, she had noticed the similarities between many cosmetics products and knew that the same few factories were making products for many different brands. White label manufacturing is common in K-beauty. Exclusive ownership over ONEOSEVEN's star ingredient, Hanega vinegar, makes ONEOSEVEN products truly different.
"Our lab guy is amazing!" says Chloe. "He works directly with us, and we discuss every single ingredient. I bother him more than I bother my mom!"
So what are ONEOSEVEN products, which first hit the market in 2016, all about?
Rich in amino acids and with anti-aging properties and bioavailability enhanced by the long Hanega fermentation process, ONEOSEVEN skincare products soothe and strengthen skin from the surface in. Meanwhile, herbal extracts drawn from traditional healing remedies further strengthen and brighten skin and protect it from inflammation and free radical damage.
Chloe's recommendation for everyone's first ONEOSEVEN product is the COREFLEX Cream Essence.
"The reason I choose the Cream Essence is because it helps to revitalize so that your skin revives,” she says. “I think it is important to nourish your skin in order to put anything else on. If you use the Cream Essence for seven days, you can really feel that your skin has transformed. It's a lot softer and firmer."
I've used the Cream Essence myself and can vouch for its results, as well as its highly unusual properties. The dense, creamy essence looks like a lotion and applies like one, too. Then, without warning, the nourishing layer of product patted onto skin sinks right in, leaving nothing behind but a softer and more supple texture and a noticeable increase in firmness.
The COREFLEX Cream Essence is one of my favorite ONEOSEVEN products. It's right up there with ONEOSEVEN's Feminine Body Soap+α, which somehow banished the chicken skin bumps on my arms and legs without needing any exfoliation.
Having met Chloe in person (only once … for now), I can also vouch for her bright, beautiful complexion. So I asked her for her own skincare routine, which she describes as "very simple!" It's a study in the classic K-beauty "layers of hydration" approach, and, unsurprisingly, it's almost all ONEOSEVEN:
1. Makeup removal (night only)
"I wash my sunblock or makeup with our Oil in Gel Cleanser. I know oil-in-gel takes a few more minutes to use because you have to massage. But massaging your skin really helps blood circulation. If you do it daily, you will notice that your complexion is toned."
2. Cleansing
"I wash leftover residue with ONEOSEVEN soap. I know there are so many issues about high pH cleanser. But I want my face to be CLEAN before I put anything else. But in the morning, I use soap only on my T-zone area."
3. Mist
"I put 107 Rose Vinegar Water all over: my face, body, and hair. It's very soothing and hydrating."
4. Toner
"I then use COREFLEX Essential Liquid for nourishment. It purifies the skin and gives deeper hydration."
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5. Essence
"I use COREFLEX Cream Essence all over my face, including my neck. I use what's left over on my elbows and knees. I use the cream essence especially when I'm tired. When I look really tired, I put the rose vinegar, the essential liquid, and LOTS of cream essence on at nighttime, with no cream. It really revitalizes my skin and gives me a healthier complexion. I don't need to use eye cream because the cream essence was formulated as eye cream for face."
6. Cream
“I use COREFLEX Hydrorich Cream all year because I have extremely dry skin. In the summer, my skin feels less dry, but that doesn't mean it's fully hydrated inside. Unlike other hydration creams, the COREFLEX cream absorbs quickly, and the hydration lasts a very long time. It leaves plumped and hydrated skin."
7. Sunscreen and base (day only)
“As you know, I don't put on heavy makeup. So I use the 107 Illuminator for the finishing product. I put sunblock before the illuminator. My tip for the Illuminator is, when you put it on, give it a couple of minutes to settle down. It coordinates with your skin and gives you a glowing, even, and toned-up complexion."
Of course, Chloe uses 107 sheet masks: two to three times a week, she says, depending on her skin condition.
As a final tip, Chloe advises a brief wait time between each step of the skincare routine. "For example, after the Cream Essence, I don't apply cream right away. I give it at least a few minutes to absorb."
Here at Beautytap, we're fans of Chloe and ONEOSEVEN, and I personally am also a fan of Hanega Vinegar (and Shin Seyong's cooking!). Have you tried any ONEOSEVEN products? Which one would be your first pick?
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