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When we think about what’s driving skin-care innovation—from product launches to social media trends—the most impressive of all traces back to Korea. K-beauty trends have been on our watch list for years as we strive to keep up with the industry’s buzziest ingredients, formulas, and treatments.
Vogue’s Favorite K-Beauty Products
- The Spicule Serum: Medicube Zero Exosome Shot, $28
- The PDRN Treatment: VT Cosmetics PDRN 100 Essence Intensive Glow Serum, $30
- The Mirror Skin Solution: Some By Mi AHA BHA PHA 30 Days Miracle Toner, $22
- The Airbrushed Blush: House of Hur Moist Ampoule Blusher, $15
- The Overnight Mask: Sungboon Editor Deep Collagen Overnight Mask, $19
- The Collagen Patch: Mixsoon Melting Collagen Neck Forehead Film, $39
“K-Beauty is beyond hot right now,” Michelle Lee, beauty industry adviser and former editor in chief of Allure, tells Vogue. “In the past 10 years, there were a few Korean brands that hit the American mainstream including Cosrx and Laneige. And we saw some Korean American brands like Glow Recipe and Peach Lily finding success. But 2024 was a big breakout year, where we saw a massive influx of Korean beauty brands crossing over.” Of these, Lee cites Vogue favorites like Beauty of Joseon’s sunscreens, Biodance’s overnight sheet mask, and Mediheal’s treatment pads—and she does not anticipate the K-beauty bubble to pop anytime soon: “In fact, I anticipate it will be even more popular this year because we’ll start to see some of these socially buzzy brands enter major retailers.”
I recall a few years back when you could only really find the leading Korean skin care and makeup players stocked at YesStyle—an online retailer that makes Asian fashion and beauty products available worldwide—or Soko Glam’s marketplace of curated K-beauty brands. Nowadays, these have made their way to Amazon and TikTok Shop where, per Sarah Chung Park, founder and CEO of Landing International, K-beauty sales have gone through the roof. She says to expect an influx of in-store launches too.
“The K-Beauty market is just on the cusp of hitting the US big time,” Park explains. “Although Amazon and TikTok have seen huge K-beauty sales, the average American is still unfamiliar with K-beauty products. Our recent survey showed only 10% of consumers were shopping [the category]. Although almost every consumer has shopped a product made in Korea, they haven’t actively sought out a K-beauty brand, and 2025 will be the year that changes that.”
So with K-beauty set to take over the cosmetics sphere, what exactly should we expect to see? Below, Lee and Park weigh in on the Korean skin-care trends to know in 2025—plus the products you can shop now.
Korean Sunscreen
Korea makes some of the best sunscreens on the market—pairing powerful UV filters with luxurious textures and innovative ingredients you really don’t see Stateside. And while this is not a burgeoning space, Lee predicts increased consumer interest in already popular formulas from brands like Beauty of Joseon will grow their retail presence. She expects even more buzz if the sunscreen filters used in Asia are made available in the US. “Unfortunately, the excellent Asian UV filters are still not approved here, so there are a growing number of Korean brands that have adapted their formulas with FDA-approved filters,” she says. “They’re not quite as good as the originals. So we’re all crossing our fingers that something will change soon.”
Overnight Masks
Park says turning serums into overnight masks is going to be huge in 2025. “This cool new tech really works, and people are loving the results,” she explains. I couldn’t agree more—I experienced the overnight mask’s benefits firsthand when I tested the Biodance Bio Collagen Real Deep Mask last summer following its rise to virality on TikTok. It’s one of my most-used tricks to wake up with bouncier, more luminous skin without using harsh exfoliants or shelling out hundreds of dollars for a good facial. So if these options by Sungboon Editor, Luvum, and Sulwhasoo work as well, I will happily add them to my rotation.
PDRN Treatments
“The world has gotten much smaller thanks to social media, so we see a lot of the different procedures and injection techniques that happen in Korea,” Lee notes. She’s positive some of these will become mainstream here, like PDRN (salmon sperm), which you can get Stateside as injections or via topicals like Milktouch’s Gold PDRN masks. The salmon sperm facial began gaining quite a bit of buzz through the latter half of 2024 after Kim Kardashian revealed she’d tried the treatment on an episode of The Kardashians. This specific facial is meant to improve signs of aging—firming the skin and improving hydration. To achieve these results, you can consult a doctor, though you can give these serums below a try in the meantime.
Mirror Skin
Move over glass skin, “mirror skin” has entered the chat. “While both focus on achieving a flawless, smooth, and clear complexion, mirror skin pushes the boundaries further by emphasizing an intensely reflective, mirror-like glow,” Park says. “This approach amplifies the dewy, radiant finish of glass skin, taking hydration and luminosity to an entirely new level.” Get the look with toners and essences that pair exfoliation with ample hydration, like I’m From or Some by Mi, along with, say, Anua’s beloved toner pads and Superegg’s cream—the latter combines fatty acids, hyaluronic acid, green tea, and centella asiatica with PHAs to gently refine the look of pores and is one of our favorite Korean moisturizers.
Spicules
“Spicules have been around for a few years, but we’re starting to see them in a lot more Korean products this year,” Lee explains. “Spicules are basically tiny needle-like structures derived from sea sponges that help to exfoliate and create micro-channels in your skin (somewhat similar to micro-needling) so that other ingredients can penetrate deeper. You can find them in products like Sungboon Editor’s Collagen Boosting White Spicule Cream and Medicube’s Zero Exosome Shot.” Park names micro-needle skin care as a space to watch, too, pointing toward Mixsoon’s Peptide Cica Hyal-Shoot, while we’ve been hearing a bit of buzz about VT Cosmetic’s Reedle Shot.
Skinification of Makeup
Korean makeup remains wildly underrated in the US. Fortunately, Lee expects the formulas—known for their unique textures—to gain traction here this year. “Korean lip products and lip-cheek duos can sometimes feel mousse-like or bouncy, unlike the textures we typically find here,” she explains. “This also helps to achieve a more matte, blurry look that’s popular in Korea. Korea has also had a focus on hybrid formulas for a while. I think we’ll continue to see things like skin-friendly liquid blushes and lip-cheek hybrids that help to add a healthy glow while still letting natural skin peek through.” One of her favorites is House of Hur’s Moist Ampoule Blusher—a skin-care–makeup hybrid formulated with over 50% moisture essence to nourish the skin and create a natural flush of color. You could also look to Fwee’s Lip Cheek Blurry Pudding Pots, which have a soft, fluffy texture that delivers an airbrushed finish.
Hydrolyzed Collagen Patches
“Hydrolyzed collagen patches for your forehead, cheeks, and undereye area are trending hard right now—get ready to see them everywhere!” Park predicts. Collagen’s effects on the skin are well known these days: A naturally occurring protein in the body that provides structural support to the skin, increased collagen levels can improve skin’s elasticity, reduce wrinkles, and deliver a more youthful complexion. Experts say collagen supplements are a considered way to replenish your body’s natural reserves, but many skin-care players are placing the ingredient in topical treatments like these patches by Sungboon Editor and Mixsoon, which firm and even targeted areas of the face.
Meet the experts
- Michelle Lee is a beauty industry adviser and former editor in chief of Allure.
- Sarah Chung Park is a beauty industry veteran and founder and CEO of Landing International.
