Houttuynia (Eoseongcho): Korea's hanbang heritage ingredient 어성초
⏱ 1 min read
⚡ Quick answer: Houttuynia (Eoseongcho) (어성초, eoseongcho) is a hanbang botanical Korea has used in traditional skincare for generations. One of the biggest K-beauty ingredient stories of recent years, driven by brands building entire lines around high-percentage heartleaf extract for blemish-prone and reactive skin.
Named for its distinctive fishy smell — 어성 means fish smell — houttuynia has a long folk-medicine history in Korea and across East Asia, traditionally used in preparations for skin complaints.
🗣️ Houttuynia (Eoseongcho) — Hangul 어성초, romanized eoseongcho, say "uh-SUNG-choh".
In modern K-beauty
One of the biggest K-beauty ingredient stories of recent years, driven by brands building entire lines around high-percentage heartleaf extract for blemish-prone and reactive skin.
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⏭ Up next🪷 Sophora Root: Korea's hanbang heritage ingredient 고삼
✍️ Written & reviewed by the KoreaPlus Editorial team — dermatologist-informed, cosmetic-science researched & source-cited. Last reviewed: 2026-08-23.
General educational information using cosmetic structure-function wording — not medical advice. Always patch-test new actives. © KoreaPlus.