Just a few years ago, most of the best Korean skincare products products were only available through specialty sites like Soko Glam, YesStyle, and Olive Young. A niche category that’s steadily made its way into the global mainstream thanks in large part to the power of social media, you can now shop K-Beauty just about anywhere—from mega retailers retailers to social media giants.
“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,” Sarah Chung Park, founder and CEO of Landing International, tells Vogue.
Vogue’s Favorite Korean Skin-Care Products
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Sulwhasoo Concentrated Ginseng Renewing Cream
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But accessibility isn’t the only reason for its rise. With its innovative formulas, skin-specific solutions, and luxurious textures, K-Beauty blends modern science with time-honored tradition. “At a young age, Korean children are taught the importance of moisturizing, exfoliating, cleansing the skin thoroughly, and protecting their skin with SPF,” Charlotte Cho, co-founder of Soko Glam, tells Vogue. These rituals, she explains, are passed down through generations—forming the foundation of a skin-care philosophy that’s as cultural as it is clinical.
Even if you consider yourself a novice to the category, you’ve likely already dipped your toe in without even realizing—Park notes that “sheet masks and under-eye masks are easy examples of K-Beauty trends,” along with the growing popularity of serums and toners. But those are just the tip of the iceberg. No matter your skin concern, there’s a K-Beauty formula designed to target it—often with ingredients and textures you won’t find anywhere else. Ahead, shop the best Korean skin-care products for every step of your routine.
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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 seemingly always TikTok-trending pick, it’s become a Vogue editor favorite for a weightless glow to normal, oily, and combination skin types.
- Key Ingredients: 96.3% snail secretion filtrate, hyaluronic acid, allantoin
- Best For: Hydration, enlarged pores, dark spots, inflammation
- Size: 100 mL / 3.38 fl. oz
Best Spicule Serum: VT Costmetics Cica Reedle Shot 100
- Why We Love It: Dual board-certified facial plastic surgeon Dr. Eunice Park and cosmetic chemist Victoria Fu cosign this serum—previously sharing with Vogue that it’s the pick that made spicule serums go viral stateside. Need a quick refresher on what spicules even are? Think of it as micro-needling in a bottle. This serum, which promotes the skin’s cellular turnover, is offered in multiple intensity levels and unless you have hyper-sensitive skin, Reedle Shot 100 is an ideal staring point (it’s a microneedle intensity of 100 out of 1,000), so you’ll get a subtle prickly feeling rather than a full-on spicy sensation. The spicules in the formula help to increase penetration levels of active ingredients: Cica, or centella asiatica, works in tandem with propolis extract to help soothe and heal skin, while sodium hyaluronate and glycerin provide deep hydration.
- Key Ingredients: Centella asiatica extract, propolis extract, sodium hyaluronate
- Best For: Uneven texture and tone, dryness, and those who want to customize their treatment
- Size: 1.69 fl. oz.
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