Is 107's Korean Vinegar Skincare Worth It? 2024 Brand Review
Image Credit: @107global
Introducing 107 Beauty
If it is your first time hearing about 107, don't worry, because I wasn't familiar with this brand either even though I'm a Cosmetics Marketer and have been buying Korean skincare for the past 10 years. Because there's little info online about them other than their website, let's take a deep dive into the brand's origin, the science behind their hero ingredient (vinegar), and critically look at the product reviews so you can decide if you want to try their products. With 107's small social presence and follower count on Instagram and TikTok, you might think they're an up-and-coming brand but they've actually been around for quite some time: 107 was founded in 2015 and focuses on proprietary fermented ingredients, namely aged vinegar, as well as prebiotic and probiotic ferments such as aspergillus/saccharomyces and lactobacillus to balance your skin's microbiome. Their product catalog features skincare, as well as hair- and bodycare products, gut health supplements, and high-end vinegars, with all their formulations being cruelty-free. If you don't have a lot of time, here's my TL;DR take on the brand and its products but I highly recommend you read until the end to find out how I got to this conclusion, your skin will thank you. As always with my more research-heavy blog posts, all sources, especially the clinical studies, research articles, and videos I mention, will be linked at the bottom of this article so you can read and explore further.
The Skin Special TL;DR
Image Credit: 107beauty.com
In my opinion, investing in 107's skincare products can be worth the money if you suffer from eczema or if you have acne-prone, oily skin that has shown to respond well to vinegar-based products. In that case, even investing in one of their expensive, full-size 7 or 10-year aged vinegars might be very beneficial to your skin (full sizes start at $122 BUT minis are available for $25.). However, if you have , dry skin and are looking for deeply hydrating products or want to address early signs of aging such as fine lines, wrinkles, and skin elasticity, this brand might not be the best fit, considering that there are K-beauty brands out there that have proven to help with anti-aging concerns and have more word-of-mouth online to proof their effectiveness.
Disclaimer: This is an independent blog post that expresses my professional opinion as a cosmetics marketer and 107 did not compensate me for reviewing their products. I was not sponsored to write this post, nor did I receive 107 products/PR packages. Please kindly understand that Korean names will be spelled westernized with last names following given names to adhere to Google's English SEO.
The Origins of 107
Hanega’s 7-year-aged-vinegar. Image Credit: @107_korea
Fermented foods, including vinegar, have over 3000 years of history in Korea, with vinegar being applied topically to improve skin well-being or consumed to holistically to heal a wide range of health issues. According to the Harvard School of Public Health, vinegar can be defined as a blend of "acetic acid and water made by a two-step fermentation process" and its usage goes back as far as 5000 B.C.E., often being used across Asia to help with better digestion, speed up wound healing, and even improve common cold symptoms (Harvard, 2019). In their 2022 research article "Fermented Foods of Korea and Their Functionalities", Jung et al. mention how during the Joseon Dynasty, various fermented types of vinegar were used medicinally to help with inflammation, blood clots, and even cardiovascular issues (Jung et al. 2022).
Hanega’s black 10-year aged vinegar. Image Credit: @hanegavinegar
So it comes as no surprise that Korean beauty brands like 107 harness these traditions to develop their secret formulas. But 107 wasn't just founded on ancient Korean fermentation techniques but leans strongly into what we cosmetics marketers call a "founder story". Founder stories connect a brand's products with the often year-long skin-related struggle of its founder. Usually, I'm not fond of founder stories, mainly because given how saturated the global beauty market is with endless products that target every imaginable skin concern, the issue of not finding the "right" product and that's why an entire skincare brand had to be founded is more marketing than facts. However, eczema is still an incredibly complex skin concern to treat and I love a good founder story when the brand's very existence preserves culture, keeps age-old beauty secrets alive, and helps employ local artisan: Chloe Kwak, 107 CEO, Co-Founder, and certified aesthetician, built her brand together with professionals who knew everything about Korea's vinegar fermentation: Enter Seyong Shin and his mother Ok-Ran Jung. Their family business, the renowned Hanega natural fermentation vinegar brewery (visit their website here and their Instagram here) has been producing aged vinegar for decades, with his mother being a pharmacist experienced in both Western, as well as traditional Asian medicine. Hanega's "centuries-old beauty secrets have been passed on and refined for over 30 generations, which makes them not only experts but an important cultural heritage business. If you to go really deep into Korea's fermentation tradition and expertise, I can highly recommend Jung et al.'s 2022 article: "Fermented Foods of Korea and Their Functionalities" (linked at the end). When Shin gave a bottle of their vinegar to Kwak who was battling eczema, also known as atopic dermatitis, and hyper-sensitive skin at the time, the idea to use this artisan vinegar to create skincare formulations was born:
“I was dealing with some soul-crushing skincare problems, namely eczema. [...] With severe rashes on my face and body, my self-esteem was at an all-time low, and it affected me in every possible way. [...] When Seyong found out what I was going through, he gave me something to try. It was a remedy made by his mother, a pharmacist who had studied traditional Asian medicine. Within days of using the remedy, my skin started to recover, and within another week or so, the rashes disappeared completely.”
What also moved me (and I'm a jaded beauty marketer lol), was what Ok-Ran Jung said during a 2017 CNN short docu-series that toured Hanega Vinegar Brewery located in the Ganghwa province (you can watch it here, highly recommend):
“This vinegar is a living thing just like a person, so we need to foster [it] with a respectful heart. [...] I play music sometimes so that this living thing can listen to good music and have good thoughts.”
Traditional fermentation storage jugs. Image Credit: @hanegavinegar
Hanega artisans during the intricate vinegar-making process. Image Credit: @107beauty7 on YouTube
Chloe Kwak and Seyong Shin became founding partners and together with cosmetic chemists started developing 107's formulations that use Hanega's artisan vinegar. What I find really commendable is that 107 has their very own lab where they conduct research on vinegar and develop new beauty products, for a medium-sized beauty company, I think it's impressive that they're not outsourcing this process to an external laboratory.
Let's see what dermatologists and cutting-edge skincare science have to say about the effectiveness of vinegar before we look at the brand's key ingredients beyond vinegar a bit closer.
What Does Dermatology Say About Vinegar?
Image Credit: 107beauty.com
While Chloe Kwak's success story in healing her eczema inspired the founding of 107, there aren't a lot of scientific studies backing up the efficacy of vinegar for eczema. However, dermatologists have been praising a component of vinegar, namely prebiotics, as helpful in targeting acne and eczema. Let's look at both of these aspects:
According to The National Eczema Association, contrary to popular belief that apple cider vinegar can restore the skin's pH levels, a small-scale 2021 clinical trial showed that 0.5% apple cider vinegar could not visibly improve skin barrier function, as well as transepidermal water loss and didn't influence the skin's bacterial microbiome, which are all important aspects in managing skin issues like eczema (NEA, 2020), (Luu et al., 2021). Two major limitations of this study are that it was only continued for 2 weeks and limited to 22 participants.
The Harvard School of Public Health takes a similar stance by emphasizing that there have been animal studies, as well as smaller human studies related to vinegar and skin health (like the one just mentioned) but that to name vinegar as an effective ingredient for various skin diseases, it would take more large-scale human studies (Harvard, 2019). Twelve Bridges Dermatology also has a short and informative video in which they state that, so far, there's little scientific evidence backing up the personal success stories some people may have experienced with homemade vinegar remedies. Dr. Mamina's informative 2023 video explains how important it is for people with eczema-prone skin to make sure their microbiome is balanced with the help of prebiotics. From that point of view, it would make sense why eczema-prone skin might find relief in 107's products: They are packed with pre- as well as probiotics. Also worth mentioning is that Dr. Mamina suggests a new, non-steroid medication called Dupixent which has shown to be very promising for eczema skin, works for different skin types, and is even approved for babies.
The Hanega Aged Vinegars Mini-Set. Image Credit: @107beauty7 on YouTube
That being said: The lack of large-scale scientific studies shows that we will need more research done on vinegar and its effectiveness regarding skin-related issues, in the best-case scenario even studies exploring how different types of vinegar such as store-bought vinegar and aged vinegar differ in their dermatological efficacy. I could imagine that not all vinegars are created equal: If a vinegar ages for 7-10 years like Hanega's aged vinegar used in 107 products it MIGHT (I'm merely making assumptions here) have a higher quality similar to that of fine wine and probably can't be compared to a store-bought vinegar which hasn't been through the same rigorous aging process. However, whether this makes Hanega vinegar superior in treating skin issues like eczema is something that would have to be scientifically tested and proven.
Science aside, when it comes to complex skin diseases such as acne and eczema, different remedies work for different people and every skin microbiome is unique. Sometimes, product or ingredient recommendations from someone who was able to manage their acne or eczema can be helpful in your journey to healthier skin. Whether you want 107's founder story of Chloe Kwak to be that recommendation for you is something you and your skin (and your wallet) will have to decide. To help you decide if you want to give 107's products a shot now that you know a bit about their origins and the skin science behind vinegar, let's look at the brand's key ingredients and their clinical studies.
107's Key Ingredients & Clinical Studies
Image Credit: @107_korea
As we've already seen, 107's hero ingredient, meaning the one skincare ingredient you'll find in almost all of their haircare, bodycare, and skincare products, is sustainably sourced, aged vinegar. Other main ingredients that you will find in the majority of their products can be described as probiotic ferments. They include rice ferment filtrate (fermented rice), panax ginseng root ferment filtrate (fermented ginseng root), and soymilk ferment filtrate (fermented soy milk). Remember how we learned in our science section of this blog post that especially eczema-prone skin loves the natural ingredient that is probiotics? 107 products will be nothing short of a feast when it comes to feeding your microbiome with a range of different pre- as well as probiotics. Another ingredient 107 uses which you will find in many Korean skincare products is lactic acid, also known as alpha hydroxy acid (AHA). It's a gentle exfoliating ingredient that removes dead skin cells and improves your skin's tone with very little chance of irritating the skin barrier, which makes it a great fit if you have sensitive skin.
Aside from their fermented ingredients, what also stands out about 107 is their VinBiome™ Complex which you will find in their Vitamin C serum. It's a microbiome complex that not only fuses prebiotics with probiotics but adds postbiotics to deeply nourish your skin with an impressive amount of 45 micronutrients such as vitamins, minerals, and peptides. The probiotics in this complex are meant to strengthen the skin barrier by promoting microbiome well-being, while the prebiotics such as inulin and fructooligosaccharides "feed" the microbiome which is supposed to help balance your skin. What also stood out to me about this complex is what 107 refers to as Ginseng VINB10-Biotic, which is a ginseng extract fermented using Hanega's black vinegar that has aged for 10 (!) years. Not only is this artisan mastery at its finest but according to 107, this intricate process helps the skin absorb ginseng even better and effectively lowers inflammation of the skin.
Image Credit: Nataliya Melnychuk on Unsplash
While browsing 107's products and website, you might have seen that they've done clinical studies. First of all, I think it's great that a medium-sized company like 107 does clinical testing and publishes them on its website as clinical studies are generally expensive and require a lot of effort and planning. However, as a cosmetics marketer, who has to write clinical claims and see data from clinical trials daily, let me tell you that not all clinical studies are created equal. Let's take a look at the clinical results for 107's Vitamin C serum to better understand:
"Based on an independent clinical study of 21 women, 40-61 years of age:
-Skin wrinkles decreased by 9.03% after two weeks and decreased by 12.84% after 4 weeks of daily use
-Skin density improved by 4.36% after two weeks and increased by 12.10% after 4 weeks of daily use
-Skin moisture improved by 105.47% after one-time use and increased by 46.67% after 2 weeks of daily use
Based on independent clinical study of 53 subjects, 18-61 years of age, this serum did not cause any dermal irritation or sensitization."
What I'd like to draw your attention to here are the test subjects: 21 people is a relatively small cohort when it comes to testing the efficacy of a product. As a beauty marketer, I usually consider clinical studies of 100+ participants as decently thorough and more reflective of a product's effectiveness but again, kudos to 107 for testing independently and sharing their findings transparently with their community. Now, let's check out some of their products...
107's Skincare Line
Image Credit: 107beauty.com
First off, 107's skincare line is described as free from synthetic dyes and mineral oils, as well as cruelty-free. As a cosmetics marketer, I'm not a fan of the "free from" marketing approach that has shaped Korea's, as well as the global beauty industry in recent years but many brands these days feel that including "free from"-claims in their product packaging and ads will make their products more appealing to us beauty buyers. Before we have a look at two of their more popular skincare products, I'd like to introduce you to a kit they created in collaboration with Korean Air. As a cosmetics marketer, I always look out for bundles like this because they often give you a good product-price value: This kit is not only uniquely designed in that it upcycles and handmakes old airplane life vests into travel-size pouches but 107 donates the entire profits from the sales toward environmental causes. The pouch gives you 7 full-size products which, if you bought them separately, would add up to over $170 for the decent price of $125. The travel set contains two of 107's bestsellers from their carefully crafted line of skincare products called "Essentials Line", namely their best-selling Chaga Jelly Low pH Cleanser and their Everyday Plump Hydro Cream. Let's look at both products a bit more closely:
Everyday Plump Hydro Cream
This silky cream is not a lightweight moisturizer for us acne girlies and boys but is more fit for dry to normal skin types. Enriched with Hanega's 7-year aged vinegar, squalane, and different probiotics, namely different lactobacillus ferments, it's supposed to give your microbiome daily nourishment and a hydrated, dewy finish. I would recommend this moisturizer if you have a compromised skin barrier, suffer from irritated skin, or want to focus on preventing transepidermal water loss at night.
Ingredients: Water, Butylene Glycol, Glycerin, Cyclopentasiloxane, Helianthus Annuus (Sunflower) Seed Oil, Squalane, Bacillus/Corchorus Olitorius Leaf Ferment Filtrate, PEG/PPG-18/4 Copolymer, Isostearyl Isostearate, 1,2-Hexanediol, Cetyl Alcohol, Aluminum Starch Octenylsuccinate, Cyclohexasiloxane, Polysorbate 60, Dimethiconol, Glyceryl Stearate, PEG-100 Stearate, Sorbitan Stearate, Lactobacillus/Soymilk Ferment Filtrate, Lactobacillus/Punica Granatum Fruit Ferment Extract, Arginine, Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer, Lactobacillus/Panax Ginseng Root Ferment Filtrate, Simmondsia Chinensis (Jojoba) Seed Oil, Panthenol, Trehalose, Allantoin, Sodium Hyaluronate, Polyglutamic Acid, Pyrus Communis (Pear) Fruit Extract, Beta-Glucan, Rosa Damascena Flower Water, Prunus Persica (Peach) Fruit Extract, Hedera Helix (Ivy) Leaf/Stem Extract, Pimpinella Anisum (Anise) Fruit Extract, Vanilla Planifolia Fruit Extract, Vinegar, Cucumis Melo (Melon) Fruit Extract, Phenoxyethanol (0.52%).
Chaga Jelly Low pH Cleanser
Image Credit: @107_korea
Their other bestseller is a yes for me: I think the Chaga Jelly Low pH Cleanser's price point of $22 is very reasonable given that it contains Hanega's 7-year aged vinegar, botanical extracts like green tea, and paper mulberry root, as well as chaga mushroom extract, an ingredient that delivers the lesser-known betulinic acid (BA) loved for its anti-aging and free radicals-fighting properties. If you're sensitive to scent, be aware that this cleanser does have a slight, citrussy fresh scent but nothing on the artificial or overpowering side.
Ingredients: Water, Glycerin, Ethoxydiglycol, Cocamidopropyl Betaine, Xanthan Gum, Glycereth-26, Decyl Glucoside, Inonotus Obliquus (Mushroom) Extract, Coceth-7, PPG-1-PEG-9 Lauryl Glycol Ether, PEG-40 Hydrogenated Castor Oil, Camellia Sinensis Leaf Powder, Glyceryl Caprate, Polyglyceryl-2 Laurate, Citrus Aurantium Bergamia (Bergamot) Fruit Oil, Citric Acid, Malt Extract, Polyglyceryl-10 Laurate, Chamomilla Recutita (Matricaria) Flower Extract, Broussonetia Kazinoki Root Extract, Nelumbo Nucifera Extract, Morus Alba Bark Extract, Malus Domestica Fruit Extract, Camellia Japonica Leaf Extract, Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract, Centella Asiatica Extract, Vaccinium Vitis-Idaea Leaf Extract, Tricholoma Matsutake Extract, Vinegar, Vitis Vinifera (Grape) Fruit Extract, Linalool, Limonene, Sodium Chloride, Butylene Glycol, 1,2-Hexanediol, Ethylhexylglycerin.
Micro Drizzle Hydro Toner
Image Credit: 107beauty.com
I'm a huge toner girl, I, for example, swear by Laneige's Cream Skin Refiner which literally saved my skin barrier but to be honest: The price point for 107's Micro Drizzle Hydro Toner simply is too high for me, given that I haven't seen anybody online rave about it unless it was a sponsored post or a PR package. I’m also not impressed by its ingredients list and the product description that kept raving about hyaluronic acid also failed to get me excited to invest in this particular toner. If you want to try 107 products, skip this one and rather try their moisturizer or cleanser I'd say.
Ingredients: Water, Glycerin, Butylene Glycol, Glycereth-26, Hydrolyzed Hyaluronic Acid, Sodium Hyaluronate, Sodium Acetylated Hyaluronate, Panthenol, Camellia Japonica Leaf Extract, Betaine, Beta-Glucan, Allantoin, Vitis Vinifera (Grape) Fruit Extract, Vinegar, 1,2-Hexanediol, Boswellia Serrata Resin Extract, Disodium EDTA, Ethylhexylglycerin.
Dewy Glow Serum Mist
Image Credit: 107beauty.com
Even though it contains rice ferment filtrate as the first ingredient, the 107 serum mist is a hard pass for me not just for the high price point ($58 for 50ml) but because I always recommend people to rather invest in a serum, as opposed to a serum mist. Due to the spray design, mists simply waste too much product for my tastes and I would always choose a serum over a serum mist because serums usually contain a higher amount of actives so you're getting your money's worth. If you love serum mists and you really want to try their Dewy Glow Serum Mist, I'd recommend you get it in the Korean Air travel kit where it's included because, for a little more money, you're at least getting some additional products and a cute travel pouch on top.
Ingredients: Aspergillus/Saccharomyces/Rice Ferment Filtrate, Butylene Glycol, 1,2-Hexanediol, Arbutin, Water, PEG/PPG-18/4 Copolymer, Pentylene Glycol, Lactobacillus/Soymilk Ferment Filtrate, PEG-60 Hydrogenated Castor Oil, Allantoin, Adenosine, Carthamus Tinctorius (Safflower) Flower Extract, Pyrus Communis (Pear) Fruit Extract, Rosa Damascena Flower Water, Prunus Persica (Peach) Fruit Extract, Hedera Helix (Ivy) Leaf/Stem Extract, Pimpinella Anisum (Anise) Fruit Extract, Vanilla Planifolia Fruit Extract, Vinegar, Cucumis Melo (Melon) Fruit Extract, Phenoxyethanol (0.36%)
107's Pricing & Product Design
Image Credit: @beautyofjoseon_official
107 clearly is a carefully crafted Korean skincare brand that takes cultural heritage, especially fermentation and artisan skincare formulation using aged vinegars seriously. Given their steep prices, I'm almost inclined to put them in the luxury skincare category which would be justified when it comes to their fermented ingredients that require a multi-year-long, intricate manufacturing process. But what makes me hesitant about calling them a luxury skincare brand is, well, to be honest? Their product design. I remember I was surprised when I first started going through their product catalog to find that they rebranded in 2020, mainly because their millennial pink, flat color design of their products is slowly but surely considered outdated in the beauty industry. I also was disappointed by their brand photography on Instagram which is reminiscent of stock photography.
Of course, you could say why should this phase you, if you're not a cosmetics marketer like me? I think poorly curated social media is a big reason why it is hard for some brands to build a larger following online: People want more from brands these days and stocky product photos that don't make your mouth water and make you want to crave a product fall behind brands that speak their brand's visual language well. Curating a social presence for a beauty brand does not require expensive equipment even: We've seen many smaller beauty brands rise in recent years that showed how in order to succeed, you don't necessarily need big marketing budgets and expensive beauty shoots but good storytelling: One Korean brand that has been doing this by leaning into their heritage with huge success is Beauty of Joseon. Take a look at their beautiful "Dynasty Sun Kit", a small vanity that introduces people to the 'kyungdae’, a vanity used in the Joseon Dynasty. What pains me is that 107 could tell equally as inspiring stories about their products as they formulate with Hanega's incredibly aesthetic, culturally rich aged vinegar which could invite people to discover Korea's rich history of fermentation, yet their product design and social presence don't explore this.
107 Brand Reviews
One of 107’s gut health supplements, their Hanega 10-year aged black vinegar ginseng extract. Image Credit: @107global
As someone working in the cosmetics industry, I'm used to almost every major brand "moderating" product reviews on their website: This means to show their products in the best possible light, brands will often display mainly (or only) 4/5-star reviews. I have a major issue with this practice in general because I think transparency tops "brand reputation" (transparency makes brand reputation even stronger if you ask me) but as most of us these days buy our Korean beauty products from third-party websites such as Amazon, YesStyle, Olive Young Global, Stylevana, or other K-beauty stores, you usually have more independent, unfiltered reviews to rely on. That's why I'd recommend you to rather read 107's Amazon reviews and not rely too heavily on the filtered reviews you see on their website.
As a long-time K-beauty buyer myself, I personally trust TikTok and YouTube the most when it comes to product reviews, the issue with the majority of 107 product reviews on YouTube and TikTok is that they are mostly sponsored, which tends to make reviews less honest and reliable. One of the few independent 107 product reviews I found is this one by creator Belorraine. I love how she tested 107's beauty products for 4 months and shares what she likes and dislikes about each, highly recommend watching it to help you decide whether or not to try out their skincare line.
107's Locations & Where to Buy
107 Beauty Offline
When you're in Korea, you unfortunately can't buy 107's products at Olive Young BUT you can purchase them at select Chicor stores at no extra cost:
- Ipark Mall Yongsan (Address: 55 Hangang-daero 23-gil, Yongsan-gu, Seoul, South Korea)
- Hongdae AK Plaza (Address: 188 Yanghwa-ro, Mapo-gu, Seoul, South Korea)
- Hongdae AJ Park Ilex (Address: 55, Hangang-daero 23-gil, Yongsan-gu, Seoul 04377 South Korea)
107 Beauty Online
As you may have noticed, 107's products aren't available on YesStyle or the Olive Young Global website but you can buy them at the brand's Amazon store, as well as at their online shop (Free shipping on orders of $40+),
Sadly, 107 brand currently does not ship beyond the United States but they do fulfill international orders through their Korea-based office, with shipping fees being applied individually, so be prepared mentally for a higher shipping fee than what you're used to from larger K-Beauty stores. TO place an international order, you can email them at intlship@107beauty.com.
Hanega Vinegar Offline
You can buy beautifully crafted bottles of the Hanega vinegar 107 uses in their formulations at Hyundai Department Store Apgujeong Main Branch and many other stores in Seoul (click here to see where)
Lisa is a Cosmetics Marketer & Science Writer with 10 years of experience in curating Korean skincare. When she isn’t taking care of Eucerin’s global brand messaging, she’s researching K-beauty's latest launches and Seoul’s places to be for The Skin Special blog and podcast.
Sources
Article by The National Eczema Association
Harvard School of Public Health on Vinegar
Jung S-J, Chae S-W, Shin D-H. Fermented Foods of Korea and Their Functionalities. Fermentation. 2022; 8(11):645. https://doi.org/10.3390/fermentation8110645
Luu LA, Flowers RH, Gao Y, Wu M, Gasperino S, Kellams AL, Preston DC, Zlotoff BJ, Wisniewski JA, Zeichner SL. Apple cider vinegar soaks do not alter the skin bacterial microbiome in atopic dermatitis. PLoS One. 2021 Jun 2;16(6):e0252272. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0252272.
Dr. Mamina Eczema TikTok Video
Twelve Bridges Dermatology Apple Cider Vinegar TikTok Video
107's Brand Philosophy
107's Brand Story
Independent 107 Brand Review (YouTube)
CNN's Tour of Hanega Brewery (YouTube)
