Whamisa Research & Development Lab
Whamisa is a brand established by Korea's leading clean beauty manufacturer and owns the first Korean organic-certified facility. As the pioneer of clean beauty in Korea, our lab has worked on countless innovations in the past decades, incorporating organic fermentation, preservation system, and raw ingredients to the formulation.
Whamisa's Fermentation Process
Bacillus Strains
Sterilization
We have a unique fermentation method that heightens the ingredients’ potency which allows your skin to better absorb all the goodness. Our products are packed with fermented antioxidants along with mindfully sourced various natural, yet high-functioning ingredients that have been proven to possess skincare benefits and efficacy.
Over 600 hours of fermentation break down ingredients into smaller molecules, with microorganisms precisely decomposing them to maximize skin absorption. Through a two-step fermentation process, impurities and odors are thoroughly eliminated, leaving behind highly purified active substances. These beneficial components are deeply absorbed into the skin, promoting a healthy and hydrated complexion. Scientifically, fermented ingredients possess a cell structure similar to that of human skin tissue, allowing for stable absorption. They also safely neutralize the toxicity of plant ingredients and are rich in essential vitamins, minerals, and other nutrients beneficial to the skin. The organic acids and high-molecular proteins (enzymes) produced during fermentation help create a healthy skin environment, while low-molecular-weight amino acids, like beta-glucan, aid in moisture retention and regeneration, fortifying and revitalizing the skin.
Whamisa's Natural Preservation System
Whamisa is formulated with only plant-derived, natural preservatives. The use of chemical preservatives has several negative health effects, including the increased risk of toxic chemical build-up in our skin.
What's different?
Inspired by the traditional Korean food preservation system of wrapping freshly cooked rice cakes with leaves, we adopted our safe and effective system of natural preservatives by studying this ancient tradition that has been honored and passed down for hundreds of years.
How does it work ?
Our natural preservation system is comprised of a blend of botanicals that provides anti-microbial, anti-oxidation benefits. The nanoparticles found in these botanicals preserve the integrity of our ingredients by filling in tiny microscopic gaps between oil and water layers to prevent water and light from contaminating.
Whamisa’s Patented Strain and Exclusive Formulas
Through extensive research and experimentation, Whamisa has discovered its own unique fermented ingredient, 'Lactiplantibacillus plantarum ENS9265,' which has been registered in a strain bank. This innovative fermented ingredient has been recognized for its originality and effectiveness, even being listed in the International Nomenclature of Cosmetic Ingredients (INCI).
All of Whamisa's products contain this patented strain as a base, with the exclusive ingredient 'Lactobacillus Plantarum™'. Each product is further enhanced with active ingredients tailored to the specific characteristics of each line, resulting in functionally specialized skincare solutions.
NEVER List
Whamisa's formula is 100% plant-based and vegan. We are principally opposed to using any animal-derived and synthetic ingredients, including artificial colorants and fragrances. All of Whamisa's products and packaging are pledged to the principles of clean beauty.
- No Aluminum
- No Aminomethyl Propanol
- No Animal Derived Ingredients
- No Artificial Dyes
- No Benzalkonium Chloride
- No Benzophenone
- No BHA & BHT
- No Butoxyethanol
- No Castor Oil
- No Coal Tar
- No DEA
- No Ethanolamines
- No EDTA
- No Ethoxylated Ingredients
- No Formaldehyde
- No GMO
- No Hydroquinone
- No Mercury
- No Methyl Cellosolve
- No Methylisothiazolinone
- No Mineral Oil
- No Nanoparticles
- No Nitromusks
- No Parabens
- No PFASs & PFCs
- No Petrolatum & Paraffin
- No Phenoxyethanol
- No Phthalates
- No Placenta Extract
- No Polycyclic Musks
- No Polysorbates
- No Propanol
- No Resorcinol
- No Silicones
- No SLES
- No SLS
- No Sulfate
- No Synthetic Fragrance
- No TEA
- No Toluene
- No Triclosan & Triclocarban
- No Triethanolamine
Our Journey
Milestone of Whamisa
- Whamisa US brand site open
- Received the Presidential Citation for its distinguished achievement in innovation and significant international trade contribution.
- Whamisa won 6 awards at the 2020 Russian Live Organic Awards (Best organic brand, Best facial cream, Best facial mask, Best shampoo, Best cleanser, Best well-being and sustainability)
- Whamisa brand and product renewal incorporating sustainable packaging
- Launched at Saks 5th Avenue department store, USA
- Launched at Goop, USA
- Launched at Fenwick department store, UK
- Launched at Whole Foods, UK
- Launched at Printemps department store, France
- Launched at Gerber department store, Germany
- Launched at La Rinascente department store, Italy
- EWG Verified (All Green)
- Featured as the best product in special care from Germany's natural cosmetics tradeshow (Whamisa Real Kelp Mask)
- Launched at Credo, USA
- Launched at Amazon
- Refinery 29 Beauty Innovator Awards - Fanciest Feeling Facial Mist (Whamisa Organic Flowers Olive Leaf Mist)
- Ranked 1st among Top 6 Emerging Natural Beauty Brands in Germany (Whamisa Organic Flowers Olive Leaf Mist)
- Launched at BONIIK department store in Australia
- ENS USA, INC was established
- ENS Europe, INC was established
- BDIH certified on the manufacturing facility as the first manufacturer in Korea
- BDIH certified - one of the oldest and most stringent European organic certification systems created in Germany
- ISO 9001 certified - the international standard that specifies requirements for a quality management system (QMS)
- Whamisa's manufacturer ENS Korea Inc. was established.
Whamisa was founded by a passionate, young Korean entrepreneur living in Australia. Back in the 1990s, when our founder Jun Han Park was still living in Australia, he noticed some emerging natural skincare brands using clean ingredients. He knew this would be a niche market for Korea and saw great potential for this market to grow in the future.
He left his successful restaurant enterprise and started a new venture in clean beauty by acquiring a local ingredient analysis company to learn how products are formulated. Self-taught, Park studied thousands of different formulations in different ratios to find proven skincare formulas. When he came back to Korea to manufacture his own skincare company, there were no manufacturers who could match Park's formula and sourcing standards. This eventually led Park to establish his own manufacturing company with fully functioning R&D labs using natural and organic ingredients he collected from all over the world. Upon starting his manufacturing facility, he pursued an organic certification that no other manufacturers in Korea or Asia possessed at the time.
Park's manufacturing company would go on to become the first organic-certified manufacturer by one of the oldest and most stringent European certification systems in Germany. Setting a high-standard groundwork for clean beauty manufacturing in Korea, Park continued his journey in making innovative products. Some of the novel ideas he introduced included replacing sheet mask fabric with real kelp, using natural preservation system to keep petals or leaves within the formula, and developing water-less, organic fermentation methodology. Park's manufacturing facility now not only makes its own natural and organic brands but also provides OEM/ODM services to other prestigous global brands.