When it comes to calming down irritated and sensitized skin, Mugwort is one of the best ingredients to run to. It’s one of South Korea’s holy grail skincare ingredients as it is rich in antioxidants and has powerful anti-inflammatory properties. Throughout my acne-prone skin’s skincare journey, I have only tried one mugwort product and that was the Mugwort cream from the Korean skincare brand I’m From. It’s one of the best moisturizers I have ever tried. Since then, I always had high regards for mugwort skincare products.

When I saw that Missha also has a mugwort line, I was a little surprised that they’re priced reasonably lower than the ones from I’m From. From then on, I have been constantly eyeing their essence and ampoule and have been heedfully reading and watching reviews on them.

Exactly 2 months ago, when I felt like my ever angry and sensitive skin is ready to be introduced to some new formulations, I finally decided to get my hands on these products. So here you go (drum rolls please),  Missha Time Revolution Artemisia Treatment Essence and Ampoule!

Purchasing these two beauties is one of the best skin care decisions I have ever made. I have been using them day and night since I got them and I’m loving the experience every single day! I am so excited to share my entire experience with you but before we dive into that, let’s first take a look at their aesthetics, and what these amazing Korean skincare products are made of.

What’s Outside

One of the first things I immediately fell in love with these products is their packaging. While they came with the regular Korean skincare boxes, what’s inside are a lot fancier! They both came with thick glass bottles and thick plastic covers in a beautiful olive greenish-brown ombre color. The heavier weight of these glass containers and their matte finish added luxury to its overall look and feel. I want to mention this because I particularly enjoyed the packaging as it gives off that luxe pampering vibe to the products. When I’m doing my routine and about to use them, I take a very short moment to appreciate how they look. They are so pretty and it makes me feel like I’m being very generous to my skin. Experience-wise, that alone is a huge plus for me!

What’s Inside – Essence 

Misha Time Revolution Artemisia Treatment Essence is made of 100% double fermented Artemisia Annua Extract (or Mugwort extract). To say it simply, it means after the mugwort extracts are fermented twice, they are only added with ingredients that are necessary to create a pleasant texture. These are solvents (Water, Dipropylene Glycol, Propanediol), and humectants and coupling agents (1,2-Hexanediol), and that’s it! I really appreciate it when brands keep their ingredients at bare minimum because it means lower risks to irritation for those with reactive sensitive skin like me, so thank you Missha!

Per Missha’s official website, these artemisia or mugwort plants are grown in Ganghwa Island in South Korea where there is a “mild oceanic climate and an environment full of minerals”. The plants are harvested and extracted every September when its active properties are at their maximum amount. It is then naturally fermented inside traditional Korean earthenware jars, first at a warm temperature, and second in a cool temperature. This process helps reinforce mugwort’s natural repairing function and soothing properties.

What’s Inside – Ampoule

Like the essence, Misha Time Revolution Artemisia Ampoule is also made with 100% double fermented Artemisia Annua Extract. The concentrated extracts take 70% of the formulation and added with a similarly short ingredients list that, per Missha, provides a 3-step moisture and oil balance.

The added ingredients are: Glycerin, Butylene Glycol, Water, 1,2-Hexanediol, Betaine, Trehalose, Chondrus Crispus Extract, Saccharum Officinarum (Sugarcane) Extract, Carbomer, Polyacrylate Crosspolymer-6, Tromethamine, Polyquaternium-51, Ethylhexylglycerin, Disodium EDTA.

My Experience – Essence

The essence itself is very lightweight and watery. I think this is mainly because of its very simple and no-frills sets of ingredients. My skin can easily absorb it so I like to layer it up sometimes (particularly in the morning when I skip toner). Despite its lightweight formulation, it is surprisingly very hydrating and moisturizing.

As expected from a pure mugwort or artemisia extract, it has the signature herby scent to it. I don’t know if this smell bothers anyone out there but I have always loved the grassy aroma of mugwort. I can remember those DIY herbs and menthol oils my grandmother used to massage to my body when I was a kid, especially when I am sick. For me it’s kind of like that. It feels like there’s a relaxing treatment situation going on but minus the annoying stickiness, oiliness and “warmness”. I am not sure if something like that sounds pleasing to describe a skincare product, but that is what I have always felt with how mugwort products smell. I love it! I have to say, though, that the mugwort scent is not as strong for this essence. It is still the herb-ish grassy smell but it is very light and it is rather sweet.

I initially used this essence in the toner stage of my morning routine. Eventually, because I felt like my skin was loving it, I decided to use it day and night. I use it in the third step of my night time routine. That is after the cleanser and toner. After about 2 months of use, I have consumed a little more than half of it contents. So, I think this entire 100ml bottle can last me about more than 3 months. It’s definitely worth the purchase for a price that’s less than $20.

My Experience – Ampoule

For a concentrated ampoule, this one is obviously a little lightweight in comparison to most serums. It’s less viscous but also not watery. Initially, I thought it’s going to leave a shiny finish on my face but I’m happy to find that it can be spread very easily and it absorbs pretty nicely as well. Before putting on my moisturizer on top of it, I like to give it about 2-3 minutes to allow my skin to absorb it even more. I noticed that giving it a little time helps the ampoule to set well and penetrate better on my skin. As a result, it leaves a very hydrated, healthy looking finish on my skin.

This led me to a conclusion that it is one of the best serum or ampoules to use in daytime. I think you can go straight with your favorite moisturizing sunscreen on top of it if you are the oily-skin type who wants to skip the moisturizer step. On the other hand, if you’re the dry-skin type, you can comfortably top it with both your favorite moisturizer and sunscreen and it would still feel nice.

Compared to the essence, the ampoule has a stronger herby aroma. What’s more interesting is that it smells sweeter – with a hint of out-of-the-shower freshness in it. This added pleasant sensorial experience without the risks of irritation from essential oils is certainly some plus points!

I use 3 drops of it in every routine and it is already enough to spread to my whole face and a little left over to cover my neck. After 2 months of regular use, I have only consumed about ⅓ of its content. Even when used regularly for both day and night routine, I think this product is going to last me 4-5 months.

Final Thoughts

While these products did not absolutely clear my skin out of acne (yet) or stopped the breakouts entirely (since I personally need more than skincare to totally solve them), I can confidently say that they have improved my skin significantly. True to their claim, they certainly delivered relief and calmness to my acne-prone skin.

Prior to these products, I was religiously doing a skin-barrier repairing routine which is composed mostly of panthenol, ceramides and cica-based products. Adding this pair has worked synergically with that routine. My breakouts are not as many, they heal a lot faster and I noticed that they are also less inflamed and angry. For my skin in general, I noticed that redness and oiliness has also reduced.

However, what I am truly proud of these products and their combination in my skincare routine is the noticeable improvement of my skin’s texture. While massaging my skin during cleansing about three weeks since using the products, I felt that my skin got smoother. The tiny little bumps were gone. In the areas where I don’t get breakouts, I also noticed that the skin has looked more fine, hydrated and plump.

I know my breakouts will need a longer time to get fixed. Because more than the perfect Korean skincare products and my tender loving care, it needs medical attention. However, despite my consistent breakouts, I did see positive results from religiously using these products. For that reason, I can safely conclude that these products, Missha Time Revolution Artemisia Treatment Essence and Ampoule, are definitely some great finds! There’s no question they will be staple items in my skincare journey.

Have you tried Missha Time Revolution Artemisia Treatment Essence and Ampoule as well? What about other mugwort or artemisia products from other Korean Skincare brands? Share with us your experience in the comments below!