Top Korean beauty products to incorporate into skincare routine in 2024

August 29, 2024 isla

Korean or K-beauty as it is fondly called and has been rising in popularity due to the unique components used, pretty and sometimes colorful packaging, and the method of addressing the skin that it employs. As we welcome 2024, these K-beauty gurus have selected the best new Korean skin care products for glass skin, anti-aging, luminosity, and more. So keep reading to find out about 13 Korean skin care products you should incorporate into your skincare regimen today.

Table of Contents

Best Korean Sunscreen: Beauty of Joseon Relief Sun: Rice + Probiotic SPF50+ PA++++

What It Is: A water-sunblock lotion that contains SPF 50+ and 30% rice extract and grain fermented extracts.
Why We Love It: It’s probably one of the best known Korean sunscreens out there, and Relief Sun by Beauty of Joseon is all that one could hope for in a UV shield. SPF 50+ protects from the sun while the featured rice grains and fermented rice extracts provide vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants for your best skin ever. To add more to it, it has been approved by a dermatologist who is a doctor by the name Claire Chang, MD.
Best For: This makes this sunscreen-moisturizer easy to apply on the skin, has a very light feeling on the skin and no white cast which makes it suitable for all skin types.
Key Ingredients: Rice water 30%, grain fermented extracts, coconut water, ginseng root, kelp, camellia leaf
Size: 50 mL

Best Lip Treatment :Laneige Lip Sleeping Mask

What It Is: A comfortable lip mask with the silky texture and containing the antioxidant berry mix of Laneige, vitamin C, coconut oil, shea, and murumuru butter.
Why We Love It: But one could say that Laneige’s Lip Sleeping Mask is an absolute hit. Considered one of the most important cosmetic must-haves by Vogue editors (former beauty director Celia Ellenberg and associate fashion editor Charlotte Diamond), as well as famous Hollywood stars (Brooke Shields and Kate Moss, for instance), this is adored for the purpose of nourishing and softening lips. To accumulate, one may suggest to buy more during sales.
Best For: This mask is for anyone who desires to have soft and well- moisturized Lips.Not surprising, since this particular lip treatment was designed for overnight use only, many use it during the day as well. For myself, I use it together with my best lip liner as the best option for daytime lip care.
Key Ingredients: Shea butter extract, murumuru butter, vitamin C, coconut oil
Size: 0.7 oz / 20g

Best Snail Mucin:CosRx Snail Mucin Power Essence 96

What It Is: A lightweight formula that is boosted by 96.3% snail mucin – the K-beauty trend known for brightening and moisturizing benefits.
Why We Love It: “An essence is super helpful at kick-starting hydration in the skin,” notes Yoon, adding that this step is essential in any Korean skincare regimen. Used after cleanser and toner, it helps erase dark spots; replenish skin’s moisture; reduce redness and irritation; and correct roughness—resulting in skin that is supple and glowing.
Best For: Not only is this incredibly nourishing, it has the interesting gelatinous texture that is a treat to touch. Another TikTok favorite, it is currently a Vogue editor’s go-to for normal, oily and combination skin for a sheenless glow.
Key Ingredients: 96.3% snail secretion filtrate, hyaluronic acid, allantoin
Size: 100 mL / 3.38 fl. oz

Best face cream for sensitive skin:Aestura ATOBarrier365 Cream

What It Is: A mild moisturizing face cream that aims at enhancing skin’s moisture content.
Why We Love It: AtoBarrier365 of Aestura is one of the best moisturizers out there and is especially great for all skin types. This conditioning combination of ceramides, fatty acids, cholesterol and allantoin relieves sensitive skin and keeps it moist for the entire day. As it is, they actually love this particular eyeshadow in Vogue. “It has little beads that ‘pop’ when you massage it in for that added moisture,” adds Irene Kim, the production and editorial coordinator.
Best For: Skin sensitivity, skin barrier restoration
Key Ingredients: Ceramides, fatty acids, squalene, glycerin, allantoin
Size: 80 mL / 2.70 fl. oz

Best Toner Pad: Anua Heartleaf Toner Pads 77%

What It Is: A collection of toner pads formulated with high concentrations of PHAs to minimize pore size, blackheads, and sebum secretion.
Why We Love It: These pads are made from 77% of the heartleaf which is naturally grown and collected from Korea. The ingredient has skin calming and anti-inflammatory benefits when combined with the exfoliant PHA can regulate oil production, reduce pore size and prevent blackheads without compromising the skin.
Best For: Due to the fact that these pads contain salicylic acid, they are suitable for anyone with pimples or skin with rough surface and bumps.
Key Ingredients: Ethanolic extract of Heartleaf 77%, ethanolic extract of Evening Primrose, ethanolic extract of Centella Asiatica.
Size: 70 pads

The Best Serum for People with Acne: Beauty of Joseon Glow Serum

What It Is: A serum designed for the acne-prone skin type, enhanced by the inclusion of propolis extract and niacinamide.
Why We Love It: Balancing sebum to ensure skin remains moist because of the presence of oil glands is not an easy thing, but Glow Serum makes it easy with this tiny honey like serum. It contains propolis extract in a syrup-like serum base with 60% propolis extract and 2% niacinamide to help manage surface oil on skin and give skin an out of this world glow.
Best For: Perfect for repairing skin that has been overworked or damaged in some way, incorporate it into your skincare regimen to restore, illuminate and shield.
Key Ingredients: 60% propolis extract, 2% niacinamide, 0.5% BHA
Size: 30 mL = 1 fl. oz

Best Brightening Serum: The Peach & Lily Glass Skin Refining Serum

What It Is: A versatile and lightweight serum with active ingredients of peach extract, niacinamide, East Asian mountain yam, madecassoside, and peptides with hyaluronic acid.
Why We Love It: This is a cult favorite for how visibly hydrating, firming, smoothing, clarifying, and brightening this universal treatment is in one easy bottle.
Best For: Safe for use by people with sensitive skin, this serum is particularly effective in tackling dark spots and skin tightness for a silky smooth skin. To the best of our knowledge, it absorbs well into the skin, applies beautifully over other products and gradually brightens the skin.
Key Ingredients: Hyaluronic acid, Madecassoide, Niacinamide, peach extract and peptides
Size: 69.8 mL / 2.36 oz

Best for Glass Skin: Superegg Sound Renewal Serum Cream

What It Is: A gel-cream of milky texture that incorporates vitamin B5, squalane, ceramides, and exfoliating acids to rebuild the skin barrier and minimize the size of the pores.
Why We Love It: Erica Choi, a licensed esthetician, and the mind behind skin-care line Superegg says that the key to getting that glass skin is in gentle exfoliation and deep hydration. She explains that exfoliation assists in the elimination of dead skin cells, making skincare products presumably ‘absorb better.’ Consequently, when applying the Sound Renewal Serum Cream from her line, there is the PHA that clears the pores and works with panthenol, plant extracts, and squalane to nourish the skin and restore it.
Best For: This vegan, cruelty-free face moisturizer is suitable for all skin types, particularly those that need to target large pores and skin dullness in order to get a brighter, smoother complexion.
Key Ingredients: Panthenol, Squalane, PHA, Glycerin, Centella asiatic extract, Vitamin E, Ceramides, Chicory root extract, Mushroom extract, Beta-glucan
Size: 60 mL

Best Pimple Patch: Hero Cosmetics Mighty Patch The Original

What It Is: A set of pimple patches which include the medical-grade gel hydrocolloid.
Why We Love It: Feeling low because of those hard to remove zits? All you have to do is put a Mighty Patch on top of your zit and replace it with a new one when the sticker becomes white. Hydrocolloid draws out the gunk in six to eight hours, leaving a smaller, flatter pimple on the skin.
Best For: If you are one of those people who struggle with acne, these should be on your list of remedies for calming the skin down. Wear them to minimize the visibility of the zits, or, just to avoid contact. Remember: you would prefer to stay as far away from an active breakout as you possibly can!
Key Ingredients: Hydrocolloid
Size: 36 patches

Best Renewing Cream: Sulwhasoo Concentrated Ginseng Renewing Cream

What It Is: An example of a facial cream which uses the characteristics of ginseng to rejuvenate facial skin.
Why We Love It: Speaking of Korean solutions for firming face creams, this Sulwhasoo product is among the most popular ones. The brand whips a concentrated ginseng (think: It contains ginseng saponin, peptides, and flower and has a silky, grease-less texture that sinks into the skin like a cream that is supposed to give the skin more volume over time.
Best For: The author has depicted mature skin, wrinkles and fine lines.
Key Ingredients: Sulwhasoo ginseng saponin concentrate, Glycerin, Squalane, Licorice root extract, Mango seed butter, Sunflower seed oil
Size: This schedule should be followed for 60 mL or 2 oz per hour for an infant who weighs under 4 kilograms or 8.8 pounds.

Best Oil Cleanser: Anua Heartleaf Pore Control Cleansing Oil

What It Is: A non comedogenic facial cleansing oil to help wash away dirt, skin debris, and blackheads.
Why We Love It: A good cleansing oil should be able to efficiently and without any harshness remove all the dirt and grime clogging the pores. Anua’s concoction achieves this with ease; incorporating botanical oils and extracts that form the conditioning oil that kindly depilates makeup, blackheads, and other impurities without sebum the skin. Also, it is non-acnegenic, which is perfect for people with acne issues or other skin concerns.
Best For: Blackheads containing skin, Acne prone skin, For removing makeup, Double cleansing
Key Ingredients: Sunflower oil, olive Fruit oil, Jojoba oil, Grapeseed oil, Turmeric root extract, Moringa seed oil
Size: 200 ml / 6.76 fl. oz

Best Daily Cleanser: Zeroid Foaming Cleanser

What It Is: An advanced foam formulation using a combination of mild surfactants derived from plants, hyaluronic acid, ceramide, and bitter orange peel extract.
Why We Love It: This mild and non harsh cleaning method can effectively clean the skin without altering its acidity level, fully moisten it and protect it from the influence of outside environment.
Best For: Do you wish to get a gentle, gentle soap to peel off dirt and oils? You should choose Zeroid’s wash as your default option. However, it is not drying and comes in a foaming texture, which makes it suitable for normal, combination, and sensitive skin.
Key Ingredients: Hyaluronic acid, bitter orange extract
Size: 240 mL

Best Lightweight Moisturizer: SoonJung Study 10 Free Moist Emulsion

What It Is: An oil-free lotion formulated with 93% natural origin ingredients to moisturize, restore and soothe the skin.
Why We Love It: This is an emulsion made with sensitive skin in mind and will not cause any issues when used with any active ingredients you may be using.
Best For: For those who seek a light gel, close to a milky cream, Etude’s emulsion would be a good choice. It can be used alone but does even better when it is layered with other hydrators such as a hyaluronic acid serum or a rich moisturizer. These additional steps are particularly beneficial if you have dry skin. Pro tip: allow it to dry before massaging it back into the skin or applying the next layer.
Key Ingredients: Squalane, Panthenol, Glycerin, Green tea leaf.
Size: 130 mL / 4.39 fluid ounce oz

Best Sheet Mask: Mediheal The N.M.F Ampoule Mask

What It Is: A hydrating sheet mask with a moisturizing factor of hyaluronic acid and amino acids for enhanced skin nourishment.
Why We Love It: This should be considered as a moisture surge in a sachet in a way that it is assumed to be free from it. After the cleansing and toner steps, apply this mask on the skin and leave it on for 20 minutes to reduce dryness and to give skin a smooth and radiant finish.
Best For: This sheet mask that solves the problem of dry, lackluster skin instantly provides a comfortable fit on the face. The skin feels great after its removal – the remaining serum in its package should also be massaged. Due to its conditioning hydrators, it is also ideal for the sensitive skin types of the face and neck.
Key Ingredients: Hyaluronic acids, Amino acids, Ceramides, Niacinamides, Glycerine, and Squalane.
Size: 10 sheets

Best Cleansing Balm: Living Cleansing Balm

What It Is: An aniseed-flavored sorbet balm, which contains vitamin E, olive oil, persimmon extract, sea-buckthorn oil, and other natural components containing fatty acids and antioxidants.
Why We Love It: Using a cleansing oil then washing with water is referred to as double cleansing and is a key step in a multi-step skincare process.
Remove makeup and other oil based impurities,cleansing and conditioning at the same time.
Best For: While the person with oily or acne prone skin might follow this with a resurfacing cleanser, a person with dry skin might enjoy the soft, conditioning finish the cleansing balm lends. Besides, it has a pleasant orange like fragrance to it all of which when combined was simply a bonus. Quite a concentrated product here, and a little will do: one scoop should do nicely.
Key Ingredients: Sea Buckthorn oil, Persimmon extract, Olive oil, Grapeseed oil, Vitamin E, Grapefruit seed oil
Size: 3.17 fl. oz /90g

Best Retinol Serum: Iope Retinol Expert 0.1%

What It Is: A potent beauty product that includes active ingredients such as pure retinol 0.1%, hyaluronic acid, and panthenol for skin aging.
Why We Love It: The reason behind the choice of Iope’s retinol from the myriad of vitamin A products is its non-irritating formula.
Best For: If smoothing fine lines while increasing skin elasticity is the goal, consider Iope’s retinol serum for a more effective product. As an anti-aging moisturizer formulated for wrinkles, firmness, and density, this is reputed to rejuvenate the skin and give a radiant glow upon regular application. Like any other retinol product out there, use it sparingly at first, use a pea-sized amount and begin with using it every two days gradually increasing the frequency as the skin adjusts.
Key Ingredients: Retinol, Allantoin, Hyaluronic acid, Panthenol, Shea butter extract, Soya bean oil
Size: 30 mils / 1.01 ounces

Best Korean Essence: Mixsoon Bean Essence

What It Is: A thick juice made from four plant ferments including soybean, barley, pomegranate, and korean pear.
Why We Love It: Any essence is good but it is even better if it can offer more than one advantage. See: the Mixsoon Bean Essence. As soon as it is applied, you will feel a thin layer forming on the skin, which helps to hydrate it. You will eventually discover that it is the botanical ferments that also have a role of giving a smooth skin tone and texture.
Best For: They include exfoliation, large pores, and dry skin.
Key Ingredients: Soybean, barley, pomegranate and korean pear
Size: One serving is 50 mL of the liquid, or 1.69 fl. oz

Best Mask: Innisfree Pore Clearing Clay Mask

What It Is: The Innisfree lineup is enriched by ingredients that are sourced from Jeju Island in Korea. This clay mask comes in a creamy texture with volcanic clusters sourced from the island and lactic acid.
Why We Love It: It’s always good to have an exfoliating, clarifying mask in your beauty arsenal and Innisfree’s does the job after every use.
Best For: For acne-prone and oily skin or for those with texture issues, incorporate this clay mask at least once a week into your routine for 20 minutes to lessen the appearance of pore, mattify the skin, and exfoliate it. (When applying with a little silicone spatula it feels more like going to the spa.)
Key Ingredients: Jeju volcanic clusters or finely ground hardened volcanic lava Jeju lactic acid
Size: 100 mL or 3.38 oz

Best Face Cream: Mugwort Cream

What It Is: A gel-type lotion with a skin weight of 73.55% mugwort extract, which is also used in traditional Korean medicine and healing arts. “It is also valued for its curative properties and its ability to reduce inflammation and calm the skin,” she adds.
Why We Love It: This brings us to the other reason why we love this cream apart from the mugwort extract—it’s got an anti-inflammatory property that makes it very gentle on skin.
Key Ingredients: Mugwort extract, panthenol, Shea butter, Pinus palustris leaf extract, Primrose flower extract, Allantoin
Size: 50 mL