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Once relegated to if-you-know-you-know status, the best Korean skincare products are becoming more popular stateside by the second. “The K-Beauty market is just on the cusp of hitting the U.S. big time,” Sarah Chung Park, founder and CEO of Landing International, previously told Vogue. Chung Park emphasized that “while Amazon and TikTok are leading the K-beauty sales, the category is sure to see major growth this year as American consumers discover new products via social media, Korean culture (think: K-Pop and K-Drama), and in-store launches at Sephora and Ulta.”
Vogue’s Favorite Korean Skin-Care Products
- Best Sunscreen: Beauty of Joseon Relief Sun: Rice + Probiotic SPF 50, $15
- Best Brightening Serum: Peach Lily Glass Skin Refining Serum, $39
- Best Collagen Mask: Biodance Bio-Collagen Real Deep Mask, $19
- Best Oil Cleanser: Anua Heartleaf Pore Control Cleansing Oil, $20
- Best Foaming Cleanser: Zeroid Foaming Cleanser, $23
- Best Essence: Mixsoon Bean Essence, $20
- Best Essence: CosRx Advanced Snail 96 Mucin Power Essence, $25
- Best Retinol: Iope Retinol Super Bounce Serum, $50
- Best Wrinkle Cream: Sulwhasoo Concentrated Ginseng Renewing Cream, $260
Park notes that “sheet masks and under-eye masks are easy examples of K-Beauty trends trickling to the West,” along with increased interest in serums and toners. More often than not, when beauty enthusiasts look to shop K-beauty here, they do so from leading brands like CosRx and Laneige. The former’s snail mucin serum has become a cult-favorite for its slimy texture, whereas the latter’s nourishing lip mask is known to provide instant relief to chapped lips. Below, we take a look at cult-favorite Korean skin-care products like these, alongside emerging picks by Anua, Medicube, Beauty of Joseon and more worth trying in 2025.
In This Story
Best Snail Mucin: CosRx Advanced Snail 96 Mucin Power Essence
- Why We Love It: “An essence is super helpful at kick-starting hydration in the skin,” notes Yoon, citing this step as integral to any K-beauty routine, best applied post-cleanser and -toner. One CosRx’s most popular offerings, the lightweight essence is powered by 96.3% snail mucin—the buzzy K-beauty ingredient made popular for its resurfacing and hydrating properties—to fade dark spots, improve hydration, calm inflammation, and smooth skin texture—leaving skin soft and dewy. Not only is this incredibly nourishing, it boasts a slime-y texture that is a sensorial experience on its own. A TikTok-trending pick, it’s become a Vogue editor favorite for a weightless glow to normal, oily, and combination skin types.
- Best For: Hydration, enlarged pores, dark spots, inflammation
- Key Ingredients: 96.3% snail secretion filtrate, hyaluronic acid, allantoin
- Size: 100 mL / 3.38 fl. oz
Best Wrinkle Cream: Sulwhasoo Concentrated Ginseng Renewing Cream
- Why We Love It: When we think of Korean approaches to firming face creams, this Sulwhasoo option rises to the top. The brand whips a concentrated ginseng (think: ginseng saponin, peptides, and flower that board-certified dermatologist Dr. Claire Chang previously said “has antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and skin brightening benefits.”) into a rich, silky, sinks-right-into-skin cream formulated to promote firmer, plumper skin over time. It’s been a longtime staple of mine, ensuring my skin remains bouncy and glowing after each use. I’m most fond of its gentleness, and the fact that it layers expertly with whatever active ingredients or retinoids I pair it with.
- Best For: Mature skin, wrinkles, fine lines, hydration
- Key Ingredients: Sulwhasoo’s concentrated ginseng saponin, glycerin, squalane, licorice root extract, mango seed butter, sunflower seed oil
- Size: 30 mL / 1.01 oz
Best Sunscreen: Beauty of Joseon Relief Sun: Rice + Probiotic SPF50+ PA++++
- Why We Love It: Easily one of the most acclaimed Korean sunscreens out there, Beauty of Joseon’s Relief Sun is everything one could want in a UV protectant. SPF 50+ shields from sun rays, while the featured rice and grain fermented extracts are rich in vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants for your healthiest, most hydrated skin yet. Not to mention, it’s earned dermatologists Dr. Chang and Dr. Michelle Park s stamp of approval, beloved for both its incredible composition and easy-to-blend texture. Thanks to its light, cushiony formulation and zero white cast, this sunscreen-moisturizer works well on all skin types.
- Best For: Sun protection, hydration
- Key Ingredients: Rice extract 30%, grain fermented extracts, coconut fruit extract, gingseng root extract, kelp extract, camellia leaf extract
- Size: 50 mL
Best Brightening Serum: Peach Lily Glass Skin Refining Serum
- Why We Love It: “[This] become a cult favorite for how visibly hydrating, firming, smoothing, clarifying, and brightening this universal treatment is in one easy bottle,” says Alicia Yoon, founder of Peach Lily. Powered by a blend of peach extract, niacinamide, East Asian mountain yam, madecassoside, peptides, and hyaluronic acid, this lightweight serum has all the makings of treating a wide array of concerns at once. Suitable for sensitive skin, this is known to combat dark spots and loss of elasticity to promote even-toned, supple skin. In our experience, this sinks quickly into the skin, layers expertly with other products, illuminates your complexion over time.
- Best For: Enlarged pores, dark spots, brightening, hydration
- Key Ingredients: Hyaluronic acid, Madecassoide, niacinamide, peach extract, peptides, beta-glucan
- Size: 69.8 mL / 2.36 oz
Best Toner Pad: Anua Heartleaf 77% Toner Pads
- Why We Love It: “Toning is an easily misunderstood step!” Cho says. “Toners serve as both a treatment and a way to prep your skin for further products in your multistep skin-care routine.” These pads are powered by 77% heartleaf extract grown and harvested in Korea. The ingredient boasts soothing and anti-inflammatory properties that when paired with the exfoliant PHA can limit excess oil production, smooth enlarged pores, and prevent blackheads without stressing skin—perfect for those blemish-prone, or experiencing rough, bumpy texture.
- Best For: Enlarged pores, blemishes, acne-prone skin, brightening, dark spots
- Key Ingredients: Heartleaf extract 77%, evening primrose extract, centella asiatica extract
- Size: 70 pads / 160 mL / 5.41 oz
Best Cleansing Foam: Zeroid Foaming Cleanser
- Why We Love It: In search of a cleanser to gently clear skin of dirt and oil? Consider Zeroid’s wash your new go-to. A hypoallergenic foam featuring a blend of surfactants made of botanical extracts, hyaluronic acid, ceramide, and bitter-orange extract, this non-irritating formula offers a deep cleanse while balancing skin’s pH, moisturizing, and protecting skin from external stressors. Despite its foaming consistency, it’s also non-drying—making it a suitable option for normal, combination, and sensitive skin types.
- Best For: Cleansing
- Key Ingredients: Nature-derived surfactant, hyaluronic acid, bitter orange extract, ceramide
- Size: 240 mL
Best Lip Treatment: Laneige Lip Sleeping Mask
- Why We Love It: It’s no secret that Laneige’s Lip Sleeping Mask has garnered cult-favorite status over the years. A favorite of everyone from Vogue editors to celebrities (Brooke Shields and Kate Moss, to name a few), Laneige’s silky-textured mask is loved for its ability to nourish and smooth lips via antioxidant-rich Berry Mix Complex, vitamin C, coconut oil, shea, and murumuru butter—great for anyone looking to achieve a softer, smoother, hydrated pout. Despite being formulated for overnight use, many reach for this lip treatment throughout the daytime, too. Personally, I often pair it with my favorite lip liner for the ultimate daytime lip combo.
- Best For: Lip nourishment
- Key Ingredients: Shea butter, murumuru butter, vitamin C, coconut oil
- Size: 0.7 oz / 20g
Best Face Cream: Aestura ATOBarrier365 Cream
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- Why We Love It: A gentle, fragrance-free, nourishing face cream designed to improve skin s moisture levels, Aestura s AtoBarrier365 is as good as moisturizers come—particularly because it s notably effective for all skin types. Its conditioning blend of sensitive skin-friendly ceramides, fatty acids, cholesterol, and allantoin help restore the skin barrier and stave off dryness all day long. Turns out, it’s a Vogue editor favorite, too. “It has little beads that “burst” when you rub in for that extra hydration,” Irene Kim, production and editorial coordinator details.
- Best For: Sensitive skin, skin barrier repair, hydration
- Key Ingredients: Ceramides, fatty acids, chloesterol, squalene, glycerin, allantoin
- Size: 80 mL / 2.70 fl. oz
Best Collagen Mask: Biodance Bio-Collagen Real Deep Mask
- Why We Love It: The Biodance Bio-Collagen sheet mask has all the characteristics of a TikTok-viral product. Notably, it goes on like your average milky white sheet mask but turns into a clear, thin film after a few hours—signifying that the ingredients have been absorbed by the skin. You can go on social media right now to find video after video of people, jaw-dropped, peeling the finished mask away from the skin (often after a long flight) to reveal a noticeably glowing complexion. It’s an intriguing concept I wanted to try myself, and fell in love with the mask at first use. While the application process is cool, what’s most notable is how the combination of low molecular weight collagen, galactomyces, hyaluronic acid, and niacinamide delivers deep hydration, while reducing enlarged pores and illuminating the skin after just one use. Yes, I m still obsessed with it one year later. And as it turns out, K-beauty experts are anticipating overnight masks to be huge this year, so, there s no better time to test one out for yourself.
- Best For: Hydration, reducing pore size, boosting skin elasticity, glass skin
- Key Ingredients: Low-molecular weight collagen peptides, galactomyces, hyaluronic acid, niacinamide
- Size: 4 sheet masks per pack
Best Collagen Cream: Medicube Collagen Jelly Cream
- Why We Love It: For days when you’re in search of weightless moisturizer—say to accommodate oil-prone skin or to set the stage for makeup application—Medicube’s cream comes to the rescue. Its bouncy, jelly-like texture sinks instantly into skin, revealing a glowing, soft complexion in the process. And beneath skin’s surface, the cream’s mixture of hydrolyzed collagen, niacinamide, squalane, and elastin come together to strengthen the skin barrier, improve firmness, and deliver long-lasting hydration. “This is beneficial for those with dry or aging skin, as it helps improve elasticity and promotes long-lasting hydration,” board-certified dermatologist Dr. Dara Spearman previously shared of the formula, consigning one of our favorite jelly collagen face masks.
- Best For: Hydrating, firming, boosting skin elasticity
- Key Ingredients: Niacinamide, hydrolyzed collagen, squalane, hydrolyzed elastin
- Size: 1.69 fl. oz / 50 mL
Best PDRN Serum: VT Cosmetics PDRN 100 Essence
- Why We Love It: PDRN, short for polydeoxyribonucleotide, is a building block of our DNA known to stimulate collagen production. Korea has recently popularized use of the ingredient in the salmon sperm facial where the PDRN derived from salmon is applied to the face designed for anti-aging. To make the ingredient more widely available, many brands are offering topical solutions. Of the best, this VT Cosmetics essence is an editor-favorite. It utilizes a plant-version of PDRN sourced from Korean ginseng, along with a host of nourishing and reparative agents like a five-ceramide complexion, polyglucuronic acid, panthenol, and squalene to not only improve skin’s firmness and reduce the look of wrinkles, but to soothe and strengthen skin from within.
- Best For: Smoothing fine lines and wrinkles, improving skin elasticity, hydration
- Key Ingredients: Phyto-PDRN, ceramides (NP, NS, AS, EOP, AP), polyglucuronic acid, panthenol, squalene, allantoin
- Size: 1.01 fl. oz
Best Gel-Cream: Superegg Sound Renewal Serum Cream
- Why We Love It: For Erica Choi, licensed esthetician and founder of skin-care brand Superegg, achieving glass skin requires gentle exfoliation and deep hydration. Exfoliation, she says, helps remove dead skin cells—allowing “skin-care products penetrate more effectively.” So, when you use her label’s Sound Renewal Serum Cream, the featured PHA unclogs pores while the nourishing agents like panthenol, botanical extracts, and squalane hydrate and repair the skin with ease. While this vegan, cruelty-free face moisturizer is suitable for all skin types, its best for those looking to address enlarged pores and skin dullness in order to reveal a brighter, smoother complexion.
- Best For: Enlarged pores, hydration, brightening
- Key Ingredients: Panthenol, squalane, PHA, glycerin, centella asiatic extract, vitamin E, ceramides, chicory root extract, mushroom extract, beta-glucan
- Size: 60 mL / 2.2 oz
Best Oil Cleanser: Anua Heartleaf Pore Control Cleansing Oil
- Why We Love It: A great cleansing oil has the ability to seamlessly and gently pull away dirt and debris from the pores. Anua’s elixir does this effortlessly; pairing botanical oils and extracts into a conditioning oil that sloughs away makeup, blackheads, and impurities without stripping skin of its natural oils. Plus, it’s non-comedogenic, making it excellent for acne-prone skin types.
- Best For: Blackheads, acne-prone skin, removing makeup, double cleansing
- Key Ingredients: Heartleaf extract, sunflower seed oil, olive fruit oil, jojoba oil, grapeseed oil, turmeric root extract, moringa seed oil
- Size: 200 mL / 6.76 fl. oz
Best Cleansing Balm: Then I Met You Living Cleansing Balm
- Why We Love It: “Cleansing with an oil-based cleanser and following up with a water-based cleanser is called a double cleanse and is a foundational part of an effective multistep skin-care routine,” says Cho, who prefers cleansing balms to remove makeup and oil-based impurities—cleansing and conditioning simultaneously. A sorbet-textured balm infused with vitamin E, olive oil, persimmon extract, and sea-buckthorn oil, Then I Met You’s cleansing balm is rich in fatty acids and antioxidants, lending skin some much-needed moisture, setting the stage for a hydrating routine to follow. While those with oily or acne-prone skin might follow this with a resurfacing cleanser, someone with dry skin might appreciate the soft, conditioning feel the cleansing balm achieves. Not to mention, it boasts a delightful citrusy scent. A little product goes a long way here—one dollop is all you need.
- Best For: Cleansing, double-cleansing
- Key Ingredients: Seabuckthorn oil, persimmon extract, olive oil, grapeseed oil, vitamin E, grapefruit seed oil
- Size: 3.17 fl. oz / 90g
Best Essence: Mixsoon Bean Essence
- Why We Love It: While any essence is good, it’s great if it boasts multitasking benefits. See: the Mixsoon Bean Essence. Upon application, you’ll notice a veil-like film coat the skin for instant hydration. Over time, however, you ll realize it’s the botanical ferments that also help smooth skin texture and even tone. A viscous essence powered by four plant ferments—soybean, barley, pomegranate, and Korean pear—this essence works wonders to rejuvenate skin in a single use. I’ve been absolutely obsessed with this lately, using it almost daily between toner and serum steps to reduce pore size. The sticky feel is intriguing, a sensorial experience upon each application.
- Best For: Exfoliating, enlarged pores, dry skin
- Key Ingredients: Fermented soybean, barley, pomegranate, and Korean pear
- Size: 50 mL / 1.69 fl. oz
Best Clarifying Mask: Innisfree Pore Clearing Clay Mask
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- Why We Love It: Having an exfoliating, clarifying mask in your beauty cabinet is always a good idea, and Innisfree’s option proves effective after each use. Each product in the brand s lineup is powered by ingredients sourced from Korea’s Jeju Island; this whips volcanic clusters from the island and lactic acid into a creamy clay mask apt for oily, acne-prone skin types, or anyone experiencing texture concerns. Work this at least once per week to slough away dead skin cells, reduce the look of pores, and absorb excess oils in a 20-minute application. (Pro tip: swipe it on with a little silicone spatula for a true spa-like experience.)
- Best For:
- Key Ingredients: Jeju volcanic clusters (or, finely ground hardened volcanic lava), lactic acid
- Size: 100 mL / 3.38 oz
Best for Sensitive Skin: I’m From Mugwort Cream
- Why We Love It: A sumptuous moisturizer powered by 73.55% mugwort extract, an ingredient that Cho explains has long been used in Korean medicinal and wellness practices. “It’s also highly regarded for its healing properties, as well as its anti-inflammatory and soothing benefits,” she says. The mugwort extract isn’t the only reason we covet this cream—it’s soothing, calming, and plumping, too. With its healing properties in mind, this cream is meant to nourish and soothe stressed, sensitive skin while protecting against environmental stressors and stimulating collagen production.
- Best For: Hydration, skin barrier repair, soothing
- Key Ingredients: Mugwort extract, panthenol, shea butter, pinus palustris leaf extract, ulmus davidiana root extract, evening primrose flower extract, allantoin
- Size: 50 mL / 1.76 oz
Best Eye Cream: Haruharu Wonder Black Rice Bakuchiol Eye Cream
- Why We Love It: A common denominator in Korean skin-care products is an emphasis on fermented ingredients, black rice, and retinoids—Haruharu Wonder’s eye cream pairs all three in one straightforward formula. Though, in lieu of retinol, it draws on bakuchiol, a plant-based option well-loved for its ability to stimulate collagen production sans irritation. “Given the lower risk of irritation when compared to retinol, bakuchiol may be a more appropriate choice for people with sensitive skin, including those with rosacea and eczema, who desire the skin-care benefits of retinol but cannot tolerate it,” says dermatologist Dr. Mina Amin previously shared. And when paired with fermented black rice extract and bamboo shoot extract, you have an eye cream great for combatting crow’s feet and dark circles with consistent use.
- Best For: Evening skin tone, reducing fine lines
- Key Ingredients: Bakuchiol, fermented bamboo extract, fermented black rice, niacinamide
- Size: 0.67 oz
Best Glow Drops: Glow Recipe Watermelon Glow Niacinamide Dew Drops
- Why We Love It: I do not apply my makeup without first layering on Glow Recipe’s Watermelon Glow Dew Drops (or, its bronzing Hue Drops). A lightweight, jelly highlighting serum infused with niacinamide, watermelon, hyaluronic acid, and moringa-seed oil, this gives my complexion some much needed TLC—helping to brighten and illuminate skin over time. I’m normally prone to breakouts around my cheeks from constant blending of foundations, blushes, and bronzers (and perhaps, not washing my makeup brushes frequently enough), but since I’ve started using this, I experience far less zits. A major game-changer for me, the formula yields a glass skin finish, applied as a serum, primer, or highlighter under or over makeup.
- Best For: Brightening, glass skin, a glow
- Key Ingredients: Watermelon, niacinamide, hyaluronic acid, moringa seed oil
- Size: 40 mL / 1.35 oz
Best Retinol: Iope Retinol Super Bounce Serum
- Why We Love It: Those in search of a Korean approach to retinol will quickly fall in love with Iope’s Super Bounce Serum—a formula both Cho and board-certified dermatologist Dr. David Kim rave about. Powered by the brand’s Quadruple Retinoid Complex blend of encapsulated retinol, granactive retinoid, and bio-seletinoid, it remains exceptionally gentle despite its potency. To wit, Cho said this is “highly effective, smoothing fine lines while keeping skin plump and hydrated” without irritation.
- Best For: Wrinkles, fine lines
- Key Ingredients: Retinol, encapsulated retinol, granactive retinoid, Bio-Seletinoid
- Size: 30 mL
Why use Korean beauty products?
“At a young age, Korean children are taught the importance of moisturizing, exfoliating, cleansing the skin thoroughly, and protecting their skin with SPF,” she says. And these beauty traditions, she explains, are passed down through generations.
“For example, a common bathhouse tradition is to splash spoiled milk onto faces after cleansing as milk contains lactic acid, which helps smooth and brighten skin,” says Glow Recipe cofounder Christine Chang. “This tradition is an example of the Korean consumers’ approach to gentle exfoliation over harsh, physical exfoliation.”
These traditions are coupled with innovative technologies to create products that are beneficial to treating an array of concerns. The result? The entrance of new ingredients like snail mucin or categories like essences. Cho notes that many of the ingredients we’ve come to associate with K-beauty products come from hanbang, or traditional Korean medicine, like ginseng, green tea, and lotus.
Beyond the ingredients, Glow Recipe’s other cofounder, Sarah Lee, explains how K-beauty also preaches tackling your specific skin-care concerns day by day. “Skin is different every day, and instead of boxing yourself into a set skin type, it’s so important to listen to our skin and treat that day’s concerns with the right products,” she says. “Your skin will tell you how it feels each day and is influenced by many factors—how much sleep you had the night before, the climate, stress, and environmental aggressors can all affect your skin in a different way each day.”
This versatile, customized approach to treating skin can certainly aid anyone’s regimen. With that, I’ve tapped our industry experts and Vogue editor’s experiences to curate this edit compiling the best Korean skincare brands to add to your routine.
The Ideal Korean Skin Care Routine
Now that you have the lowdown of the best K-beauty products, the next step is curating your ultimate Korean skin care routine. To do this, we asked Yoon for guidance. Her M.O.? Overall skin health and long-term results centered around gentle formulations, ample hydration, and of course, a personalized regimen.
- Step One: Oil-based cleanser: “Oil and water repel, so an oil-based cleanser is used to effectively dissolve and remove oil-based impurities from skin, like excess sebum, makeup and SPF,” she says. Another pro tip? “Massage onto dry skin for about a minute to thoroughly dissolve and remove impurities for sparkly clear pores.”
- Step Two: Water-based cleanser: A gentle, water-based cleanser to remove impurities like sweat and dirt is next. “Opt for a sulfate-free, pH-balanced cleanser to keep your skin barrier in tip top shape,” she says.
- Step Three: Exfoliator: Yoon explains that exfoliators come after cleansing. While she loves an enzyme powder, peels and liquids are suitable, too. Just steer clear of over-exfoliating and keep to a once or twice a week minimum.
- Step Four: Toner: Step four, toner, and step five, essences, can be combined or used separately. “A toner’s main job is to help balance the skin’s pH to keep the skin barrier in a happy place and also to help prep for next steps,” she says. “Meanwhile, an essence is meant to super-drench skin with hydration to optimize health and also to increase absorption of the products that follow.”
- Step Five: Essence: “In my experience as an esthetician, deep hydration is hard to achieve given external stressors and various micro-climates that can be drying—A.C., heat, travel,” Yoon says. “When hydration goes, many other skin issues can crop up. I think of essences as a hydration insurance-policy. Plus, they give skin a plumped up glow.”
- Step Six: Serums and ampoules: Per Yoon, this is where hyper-targeted treatments come into play. “Serums and ampoules are formulated to be concentrated treatments with active ingredients targeting specific skin concerns,” she says. “Depending on the formula, you can cocktail formulas together or use a single one.” But remember: less is more.
- Step Seven: Eye Cream: “The eye area is delicate and thin and can have its own set of issues – dark circles, puffiness, fine lines, dryness,” she says, so choose an eye cream with ingredients that target whatever concern you re after; our guide to eye creams is a worthwhile read if you don’t already have a go-to.
- Step Eight: Moisturizer: When it comes to picking a face moisturizer, dry skin types should opt for something more emollient while oily skin types should seek out formulas that are lightweight and oil-free.
- Step Nine: SPF: “An essential last step, Korean SPFs are able to incorporate more diverse filters than U.S. SPFs, and there are plenty of fantastic options that will look and feel great on skin making them more wearable,” she says.
- Weekly Bonus: Masks: While not necessary everyday, face masks can make it easier to achieve all your skin goals—especially if you incorporate them once a week. “Make your masking moment perfect for you whether that s leaning into an ambience of relaxation or a moment of fun while you treat skin with an extra boost of TLC to pick up skin and your mood,” Yoon says.
Meet The Korean Skincare Experts
- Christine Chang is the cofounder of K-beauty brand Glow Recipe.
- Charlotte Cho is the cofounder of marketplace Soko Glam.
- Sarah Lee is the cofounder of K-beauty brand Glow Recipe.
- Alicia Yoon is a Korean skin care expert and founder of Peach Lily.
