The History of Whoo
Cheongidan Rejuvenating Pro-Radiance line
The History of Whoo’s “Cheongidan” (천기단) is a luxury anti-aging skincare designed to revitalise dull and fatigued skin and address complex signs of aging. The line is based on a modern reinterpretation of the royal beauty beauty secrets of Empress Dowager Cixi from the Qing Dynasty.
Disclaimer: I personally translated the majority of facts and contents in this article from original Korean sources, so I kindly ask you to credit my work if you’re planning to use any of the information included in this guide.
Many concepts mentioned in this guide are based on Oriental Medicine principles, for a better understanding please refer to the introduction to Traditional Korean Medicine on this website. It’s important to stress out that there is no correspondence between Oriental Medicine organs and Western anatomy so capitalised names in this article shouldn’t be interpreted in the Western medical sense.
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Main Ingredients
The History of Whoo’s “Cheongidan” (천기단) is a potent anti-aging skincare line designed to revitalise and rejuvenate the skin from the inside out through a comprehensive three-step treatment.
⬥ Cheongibidan 12α (천기비단 12α, 天气精萃 12α)
“Cheongibidan 12α” (천기비단 12α, 天气精萃 12α) is an innovative skincare complex designed to restore lost skin elasticity. Cheongibidan 12α has been developed through Bio-Herb AI, an exclusive technology developed by The History of Whoo’s Oriental Medicine Research Institute.
Bio-Herb AI analyses biology research papers from all over the world to compile information on the benefits of traditional herbal ingredients recognised for their effectiveness on the skin. This technology has been developed to facilitate the prediction and selection of the effects associated with particular herbal remedies. In this case, for instance, Bio-Herb AI has been used to optimise the anti-aging ingredients of Cheongibidan (천기비단, 天气精萃), a remedy referenced in classical texts of Traditional Korean Medicine, as well as the former signature ingredient of The History of Whoo’s “Cheongidan” line.
“Cheongibidan 12α” is designed to effectively address five key signs of skin aging, including sagging skin, dull and lacklustre complexion, weakened skin barrier function and depleted skin moisture.
Cheongibidan (천기비단, 天气精萃)
“Cheongibidan” (천기비단, 天氣秘丹) is a herbal remedy inspired by the beauty rituals of Chinese Empress Dowager Cixi. The ingredient rejuvenates the skin from the inside out by regulating the flow of the 6 Qi, thereby enhancing the skin’s natural radiance from within.
Empress Dowager Cixi was known to have an elaborate beauty routine, which helped her preserve a youthful appearance well into her later years. Katharine Carl, an American portrait painter who spent nine months at the Chinese Imperial Court and became a close friend of the Empress, described Cixi as having a “wonderfully youthful appearance.”1.
When photographs of Empress Cixi in her 70s emerged in the West, they created quite a stir, as they depicted the sovereign with a flawlessly smooth complexion and no visible wrinkles. However, some critics later contended that these official portraits had been retouched to enhance the Empress’s beauty2.
the theory of the 5 Periods and 6 Qi
In Oriental Medicine, the theory of the 5 Periods and 6 Qi (오운육기, 五運六気) explains how seasonal and climatic variations impact human health. According to the “Advanced Textbook of Traditional Chinese Medicine and Pharmacology”:
“Wind, cold, summer-heat, damp, dryness, and fire are the six climatic factors which correspond to normal seasonal changes. Normally, they are known as the “Six Qi.” (…). The Six Qi normally will not cause diseases. However, if and when the Six Qi become abnormal or excessive, as happens in abrupt changes in environmental conditions, and if the body’s resistance is too weak to adapt to these variations, the Six Qi may become the six excesses: pathogenic factors that cause diseases3.”
Advanced Textbook of Traditional Chinese Medicine and Pharmacology
When the body’s immunity is weakened or compromised, the six environmental forces, known as the “6 Qi”, become injurious by invading the body. In Oriental Medicine, these forces are traditionally referred to as the “Six Pernicious Influences” or “Six Evils.”
In the context of skin aging, the Six Evils manifest through these symptoms:
“Cheongibidan” is formulated in line with the principles of the 6 Qi theory to target all these symptoms at once.
Through its proprietary Bio-Herb AI technology, The History of Whoo optimised the original ingredients of “Cheongibidan” to create “Cheongibidan 12α“, a more advanced and effective iteration of the traditional remedy.
In particular “Cheongibidan 12α” consists of 30 ingredients, including 27 traditional herbal remedies:
Water, Butylene Glycol, Chrysanthellum Indicum Extract, Lonicera Japonica (Honeysuckle) Flower Extract, Gardenia Florida Fruit Extract, Cyperus Rotundus Root Extract, Cnidium Officinale Root Extract, Lycium Chinense Fruit Extract, Angelica Gigas Root Extract, Ganoderma Lucidum Extract, Panax Ginseng Root Extract, Saposhnikovia Divaricata Root Extract, Paeonia Suffruticosa Root Extract, Rehmannia Chinensis Root Extract, Angelica Tenuissima Root Extract, Ophiopogon Japonicus Root Extract, Poria Cocos Sclerotium Extract, Sesamum Indicum Seed Extract, Viscum Album Extract, Atractylodes Japonica Rhizome Extract, Polygonatum Officinale Rhizome/Root Extract, Cuscuta Australis Seed Extract, Prunus Armeniaca Kernel Extract, Dioscorea Japonica Root Extract, Oryza Sativa Bran Extract, Trichosanthes Kirilowii Root Extract, Polygonum Cuspidatum Root Extract, Gardenia Florida Flower Extract, Kaempferol.
Like the original “Cheongibidan,” “Cheongibidan 12α” has been formulated in accordance with the principles of the 6 Qi theory to effectively target multiple signs of skin aging at once.
[click to enlarge]
⬥ Golden Gardenia
One of the key ingredients of The History of Whoo’s “Cheongibidan 12α” complex is “Golden Gardenia,” a powerful ingredient identified by The History of Whoo after two decades of dedicated research on traditional herbal remedies.
“Golden Gardenia”, scientifically classified as Gardenia Jasminoides (치자, 梔子) but commonly known as “Cape Gardenia” or “Golden Magic”, is an evergreen plant that displays exceptional resilience, thriving even in the harshest winter conditions. In addition to its resilience, “Golden Gardenia” is known for its fascinating colour transformation, with its flowers gradually changing from pure white to a rich golden yellow as they mature. This unique phenomenon is the reason the plant has earned the name ‘Golden Magic.’
In Traditional Oriental Medicine, “Golden Gardenia” is renowned for its exceptional ability to treat conditions associated with excess Heat in has recognised “Golden Gardenia” as a potent ingredient that can effectively alleviate irritation and improve the condition of a weakened skin barrier.
“Golden Gardenia” is cultivated by The History of Whoo for 80,000 hours and carefully hand-picked during its ripening phase, known as “Golden Time,” a short 48-hour period when the plant’s active ingredients are at their peak. The plant is then extracted at a low temperature for 72 hours to preserve its beneficial properties.
⬥ Wild Ginseng With Pearl Knots (산삼옥주)
The History of Whoo’s “Cheongibidan 12α” complex is also enriched with Wild Ginseng With Pearl Knots (산삼옥주).
Panax Ginseng, often referred to as “Shincho” (신초, 神草) or “God’s Herb,” is one of the most valuable Hanbang herbs. In the context of Oriental Medicine, it is frequently used to replenish Qi (“tonify Qi”) across the Five Organs (오장, 五臟)7.
There are significant differences between Wild Ginseng (Panax Ginseng Meyer cv. Silvatica) and Cultivated Ginseng, particularly regarding market value, physical characteristics, and overall properties. Research has shown that Wild Ginseng contains at least ten times the amount of active compounds found in Cultivated Ginseng6. This greater potency, combined with its natural scarcity and limited availability, makes Wild Ginseng one of the most valued herbal remedies in Oriental medicine.
Different morphological characteristics of Wild Ginseng (sx) and Cultivated Ginseng (dx). (source: YTN)
Pearl knots are tiny protrusions located on the fine rootlets of certain Wild Ginseng plants, serving as reservoirs for nutrients absorbed from the soil throughout the plant’s growth.
These pearl knots play a crucial role in the seasonal nutrient absorption of ginseng4. Consequently, the number of pearl knots on a ginseng plant can provide a general indication of the plant’s age, with a higher number of knots suggesting a longer growth period.
(picture by 소담정)
⬥ Pro Radiance™
“Pro Radiance™” is an innovative skincare ingredient designed to enhance skin radiance and elasticity, promoting a youthful and naturally luminous complexion. The ingredient was developed based on extensive data collected from the skin profiles of over 17,000 Asian women.
The History of Whoo used big data analysis to identify traditional herbal ingredients known to be particularly effective in boosting skin radiance and restoring elasticity. These ingredients were then encapsulated within nano liposomes to facilitate absorption and maximise effectiveness.
Pro Radiance™ has been shown to effectively address multiple skin concerns at once, including wrinkles, fine lines, decreased elasticity, impaired skin barrier function, uneven skin tone, enlarged pores and extreme dryness.
“Pro Radiance™” appears in ingredient lists as:
Glycerin, Water, Dipropylene Glycol, Cetyl Ethylhexanoate, Hydrogenated Lecithin, Bisabolol, Butylene Glycol, Oryzanol, Polygonum Cuspidatum Root Extract, Quercetin, Chrysin. Sodium Mannose Phosphate, Mannose, Kaempferol, Sodium Pyruvate.
⬥ Gong Jin Solution™
All products from The History of Whoo contain “Gong Jin Solution™” (공진솔루션™), a proprietary herbal complex that constitutes the brand’s signature ingredient. This complex represents an evolution of “Gongjinbidan” (공진비단, 供辰秘丹), which was previously the representative ingredient of the brand.
Gong Jin Solution™ is the result of The History of Whoo’s extensive integrative medicine research. The brand began by identifying and isolating the key skin-firming active ingredients found in Gongjinbidan: Glycoproteins, Arginine, and Glutamic Acid. These three active ingredients, known as “Gongjinbidan Active“, were then combined with Gongjinbidan, The History of Whoo’s original signature ingredient, to obtain more potent Gong Jin Solution™.
Gongjinbidan (공진비단, 供辰秘丹):
The History of Whoo’s “Gongjinbidan” is based on “Gongjindan” (공진단, 拱辰丹), a traditional Oriental medicine prescription originally created by Chinese physician Wei Yilin. According to the classical text or Oriental Medicine “Efficacious Remedies of the Physicians” (세의득효방, 世醫得效方), “Gongjindan” was a remedy exclusively reserved for emperors and for this reason, it earned the name of “Emperor’s Medicine”8.
[source: 백록담한의원]
“Gongjindan” appears in many traditional medical texts from China and Korea and it’s described as a remedy that strengthens the body’s immune defences and brings back the natural balance between its organs.
The Donguibogam (the most representative text of Traditional Korean Medicine) describes “Gongjindan” as follows:
“If a man is sickly even after growing up, he is constitutionally weak. In such a case, body fluids should be increased but body heat should be cooled down. Other medicines are inefficacious against it, but this medicine is effective to harmonize internal organs with each other and to prevent various diseases.”
DONGUIBOGAM (1613)
To this day, “Gongjindan” is a vital tonic that is still commonly used in many Asian countries to combat chronic fatigue, weak constitution and deteriorated immunity.
Through the integration of modern science, LG Household & Health Care developed a cosmetic ingredient based on the original prescription for “Gongjindan”: “Gongjinbidan” (공진비단, 供辰秘丹).
Active Tracking Technology:
At the heart of the new “Gong Jin Solution™ is The History of Whoo’s Active Tracking Technology, an innovative Hanbang Bio-Po Jae technology that effectively delivers the skin-firming properties of Gongjinbidan to the skin.
The term Po Jae (포제, 炮制) refers to traditional methods from Korean medicine used to prepare herbs for medicinal use. These techniques are designed to enhance or modify specific qualities of the herbs to prepare them for specific therapeutic effects. (For further details, please consult the guide on Traditional Korean Medicine available on this website, specifically section 3.3, which covers “Herb preparation and processing methods”).
The History of Whoo combined traditional Po Jae techniques with cutting-edge biotechnology to enhance the skin-firming properties of its signature ingredient, Gongjinbidan.
Key Ingredients of Gong Jin Solution™
The History of Whoo’s new “Gong Jin Solution™ appears in ingredient lists as:
1,2-Hexanediol, Angelica Gigas Root Extract, Arginine, Asparagus Cochinchinensis Root Extract, Butylene Glycol, Cornus Officinalis Fruit Extract, Ethylhexylglycerin, Ganoderma Lucidum (Mushroom) Extract, Glutamic Acid, Glycoproteins, Thymus Vulgaris (Thyme) Extract, Water.
In particular, the ingredient includes with five traditional herbal remedies:
Overall, the ingredient promises to increase energy flow, while also rebalancing and reinvigorating skin to enhance the skin’s intrinsic energy and elasticity.
Gong Jin Solution™ combines four different patented technologies: patent no. 10-2168532, 10-216853, 10-222362 and 10-2411385.
Products
Click on a product to learn more about its features
Cheongidan Illuminating Regenerating Essence
Cheongidan Illuminating Refining Pad
Cheongidan Radiant Regenerating Wrinkle Repair
Cheongidan Radiant Regenerating Gold Concentrate
Cheongidan Wild Ginseng Facial Oil
Cheongidan Regenerating Eye Serum
Cheongidan Radiant Cleansing Foam
Cheongidan Rejuvenating Pro-Radiance Aging-Sign Solutionist
Cheongidan Radiant Essence Cushion SPF50+/PA+++
Cheongidan Radiant Powder Pact SPF30/PA++
Cheongidan Double Radiant Base
Cheongidan Double Radiant Base Pink
Cheongidan Radiant Essence Foundation SPF35/PA++
⬥ Recommended order of use
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Make sure to check out the Discount & Coupons page to access exclusive offers for major Korean skincare retailers.
Notes
1. Chen, D. (2013). “The Western Perception of Empress Dowager Cixi”. Master of Arts. University of Victoria.
2. Peng, Y. (2013). “Lingering Between Tradition And Innovation: Photographic Portraits Of Empress Dowager Cixi.” Ars Orientalis, Vol. 43.
3. State Administration of Traditional Chinese Medicine. (1995). “Advanced Textbook on Traditional Chinese Medicine and Pharmacology”. New World Press.
4. Li M, Li RJ, Liu MY. Zhongguo Zhong Yao Za Zhi. 1989;14(11):654-701.
5. Qi, Z., Li, Z., Guan, X., Wang, C., Wang, F., Li, P., & Liu, J. (2019). “Four Novel Dammarane-Type Triterpenoids from Pearl Knots of Panax ginseng Meyer cv. Silvatica. Molecules£ (Basel, Switzerland), 24(6), 1159. https://doi.org/10.3390/molecules24061159
6. Jeong H. (2009) 인삼ㆍ산양삼ㆍ자연산 산삼의 ginsenoside 함량 분석 및 홍삼화 후 성분변화 비교. 상지대학교 학술정보원.
7. Dharmananda, Subhuti. (2002). “The Nature of Ginseng.” Herbalgram (Number 54), the Journal of the American Botanical Council.
8. 김은진. (2003). “나도 한번쯤 써보고 싶다! 피부 보약, 한방 화장품.” 레이디경향.
9. 나누리. (2023, February). 천문동[天門冬]의 효능과 섭취방법 알아보기. 나누리 블로그.
