Disclaimer: This post contains a few affiliate links. If you choose to shop through them, I may earn a small commission (but it won’t cost you a thing). It’s a little way to support the blog and helps me keep sharing honest skincare reviews. Thank you!
If you’ve been around my blog for a while, you’ll know my skin went into full reset mode a couple of months after I had my baby. It became dry, flaky, tight, and reactive to almost everything, even the products I used to trust.
That’s when I knew I had to do something different. My routine needed to be gentler, calmer, and focused on rebuilding my skin barrier. And that’s how I ended up exploring Pyunkang Yul.
Their products are often recommended for sensitive skin because of their minimalist ingredients—no fragrance, no alcohol, and a strong focus on hydration. It felt like exactly what I needed to add to my routine.
So, I picked up two of their most-loved products: the Essence Toner and Moisture Ampoule.
In this post, I’m sharing what it was like to use both for nearly a month, right when my skin was at its most vulnerable.
Pyunkang Yul Essence Toner Review
Hydrating toner with astragalus root extract
This one had me hopeful. I wanted to try a different hydrating toner. It’s also has a short, simple formula—just seven ingredients, with Astragalus Root Extract as the main ingredient, known for calming and antioxidant benefits.
The texture is silky and viscous, more like an essence than a watery toner, and it layers beautifully.
My Experience
For the first few days, it felt fine. It’s slightly hydrating, no stinging, no redness.
But as I kept using it, something changed. My skin started feeling oddly dry and tight again. I noticed tiny bumps forming around my cheeks, like it was clogging or irritating something underneath.
I paused it, having that dreadful feeling it might not be a good match with my skin. So I tried using it on my back to avoid waste, and… same issue. More breakouts.
I started to think that maybe I have sensitivity with the Astragalus Root Extract. That’s when I knew it wasn’t the right fit.
TL;DR – Pyunkang Yul Essence Toner
Minimalist, silky, and often hyped for sensitive skin, sadly my dry, postpartum skin didn’t love it. It left me feeling drier over time and caused small bumps.
Probably better suited to oilier or less reactive skin types.
Curious to try it anyway? You can check it out at YesStyle
Pyunkang Yul Moisture Ampoule Review
Lightweight hydrating serum with jojoba oil and barberry root
This one fared better. It’s a milky, fluid serum with a calming feel and no irritation at all.
I liked layering it with my COSRX Snail Essence and Soon Jung cream—it gave a soft, hydrating cushion to my skin, especially on super dry, flaky days.
My Experience
I used this consistently during one of my barrier repair phases. It didn’t cause breakouts, though I did feel a slight stinging. I kept using it anyway, and looking back, I’m glad I did, because I think the stinging was more about my damaged barrier than the product itself.
That said, it never quite wowed me. I wanted to love it, but it ended up feeling more like a “nice to have” than a must-have.
And the dropper? Honestly, frustrating! I thought maybe mine was faulty, but after a quick search, turns out it’s a common complaint. It barely picks up the serum, and I found myself dreading the fiddly packaging every time I reached for it.
TL;DR – Pyunkang Yul Moisture Ampoule
Lightweight, gentle, and non-irritating, but not a standout for me. It added a soft layer of hydration but lacked that wow factor. The dropper packaging was also a pain.
Want to see if it works better for you? Find it at YesStyle
What I’m Using Instead
After moving on from Pyunkang Yul, I found better results with:
- Purito Wonder Releaf Centella Serum (Unscented) – calming, hydrating, and barrier-supporting
- COSRX Advanced Snail 96 Mucin Power Essence – deeply hydrating and soothing, especially when my skin feels unbalanced
These have become mainstays in my routine and give my skin that comfortable, cared-for feeling I’d been missing
Curious why I love these more? You can read my full review of the Purito Wonder Releaf Centella Serum here and the COSRX Advanced Snail 96 Mucin Power Essence here for all the details on how they worked for my skin.
TL;DR – Would I Recommend Pyunkang Yul?
If you have oily, non-reactive skin, or your barrier is already in a good place—Pyunkang Yul’s gentle, minimalist formulas might work beautifully for you.
I really love the brand’s ethos, but for dry, sensitive and compromised skin like mine (especially postpartum) these two just didn’t give me what I needed.
That said, I’m still curious about the brand. I love their approach to skincare, and I wouldn’t rule out trying some of their other products in the future.
Skincare is so personal. Just because they didn’t work for me doesn’t mean they won’t work for you. I’m glad I tried them, and just as glad I’ve found products that work better for my skin.
Leave a Reply