K-BeautyLibrary › Hanbang heritage

Schisandra (Omija): Korea's hanbang heritage ingredient 오미자

⏱ 1 min read
Quick answer: Schisandra (Omija) (오미자, omija) is a hanbang botanical Korea has used in traditional skincare for generations. Used in antioxidant-positioned Korean formulas and in hanbang lines, valued for its polyphenol content and its cultural recognisability.

Omija means 'five-flavour fruit' — sweet, sour, bitter, pungent and salty at once — and it is drunk as a tea across Korea. It appears in traditional preparations associated with vitality.

🗣️ Schisandra (Omija) — Hangul 오미자, romanized omija, say "oh-MEE-jah".

In modern K-beauty

Used in antioxidant-positioned Korean formulas and in hanbang lines, valued for its polyphenol content and its cultural recognisability.

Try the free tools

🪞 Find your skin type🧴 Build a routine🧪 Decode any INCI list⚗️ What not to mix🔮 Glass Skin Score🩺 Troubleshoot skin🛡️ Where to buy authentic
Explore more K-beauty guides → ⏭ Up next🪷 Lotus: Korea's hanbang heritage ingredient 연꽃
💄 K-Beauty hub📚 All guides🎤 K-Pop🧭 Korea travel

✍️ 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.