We have Korea to thank for many things, K-pop and our undeniable thirst for all the girls in BLACKPINK for one thing. But great fashion, food and lifestyle aside, if there is one area we are truly excited about here its Korean beauty. Over the past few years, the industry has seen the expansion of many top tier industry favourites. Cult brands like Laneige are often a feature of any major beauty influencer's recommended list. In fact, as soon on as TikTok, went viral with their life changing lip sleeping mask range, we knew it was only going up from there.
As many of the industry founders will tell you, Korean beauty has always been about quality first, and making their ingredients more accessible world wide. Very much a skin-first ethos, the now billion-dollar industry is all about about utilising skin-loving, inflammation-reducing ingredients like niacinamide, yuzu, birch, and much more.
Not to mention natural extracts from plants and animals, like snail mucin, continue to dominate the Korean beauty market space and have done for many years. These ingredients have been known to enhance the effects of products that result in plumper and firmer skin. One thing is for sure, treating irritated skin, improving blood circulation to removing dead cells, using K-products in a daily skincare routine will undeniably help yield the best results. So with all that said, we've compiled a list of all the best of the Korean beauty favourites to consider adding to your cart.
1. Sulwhasoo
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Pronounced “Suhl-ha-soo," this skincare brand was founded on the philosophy of balance. Utilising Korea's finest natural ingredients, Sulwhasoo is one of the best selling Korean brands on the market. In keeping with the brands holistic approach, you won't find any nasties or overpowering scents.
2. Laneige
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Not for nothing, this cult favourite brand has most of beauty TikTok in a chokehold. The aforementioned lip mask is one of the highest selling on the market for a reason. But it doesn't stop there, its serums laden with goodies like niacinamide are genuine skin savers.
3. Peach and Lily
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Founded by Alicia Yoon, the brand has been going from strength to strength since its launch in 2021. The brightening vitamin C is a stand out, helping aid persistent dark spots and sun damage.
4. Amore Pacific
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Known as a key luxury Korean skincare brand, Amore Pacific is the corporation, which operates well known Korean beauty brands Laneige, Sulwhasoo, Innisfree, and more. With a focus on ingredients packed with green tea, Amore Pacific's aim is to penetrate the skin with natural and moisture-enhancing formulas.
5. Glow Recipe
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After working together for L’Oreal, Christine Chang and Sarah Lee founded the fruit-infused brand in 2017. What started as a Korean skincare market place has evolved into what is now referred to as Glow Recipe. Highlighting a singular fruit as the star of each product, the Watermelon Glow mask has become a cult favourite.
6. Innisfree
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What can we say? Any brand inspired by a Yeats poem can only be poetry in motion for us. Innisfree is a holistic skincare brand, using the natural ingredients found on Jeju island to enhance skin in the cleanest way possible. With an array of moisturisers, clay masks and serums, they truly have everything covered.
7. Some By Mi
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There are not enough hours in the day to praise this brand. Using a truly innovative array of natural ingredients, the AHA serum is certifiably insane how rebalancing it is. Evening out the skin and giving it an extra boost of hydration. Worth it to the last drop, the Matcha pore tightening toner also ranks very high on our list!
8. Dr. Jart+
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Since it was founded in 2004, Dr. Jart+ has fostered a prolific presence in the land of beauty. The name is an abbreviation of "doctor joins art," which captures the way the brand aims to marry dermatological science and art. If you're looking to ease your way into its product range, we suggest starting with one of its popular Rubber masks, before proceeding onto its Cicapair line infused with soothing tiger grass or its BB creams injected with niacinamide and SPF, of course.
9. Saturday Skin
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As its name suggests, Saturday Skin's philosophy is all about the relaxed, stress-free pace of the weekend. Its products work hard, so you can take the day off. Hailing from the CHAUM wellness centre in Seoul and formulated with seven potent peptides, we're big fans of the Waterfall Glacier Water Cream and its affordable price point.
10. Then I Met You
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The brainchild of Soko Glam co-founder, Charlotte Cho, Then I Met You was born in 2018 and is loosely based around the Korean concept of jeong, which put simply is the rapport, affection and attachment born between two people or a community. The beauty range is small and carefully curated with hero ingredients like persimmon, ginseng, and fermented rice.
Image: roses_are_rosie, pinterest, pinterest
