If you’re on the hunt for new K-Skincare brands, here are some of the best ones to try out.
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Illiyoon Ato Ceramide Cream
This fragrance-free, hypoallergenic cream is good for those with dry, tight, and sensitive skin. Easy to absorb with a non-greasy texture, the cream has ceramide-soft capsules that feel nourishing. This process helps improve the skin barrier, to protect against external factors like harsh weather and bacteria.
The product comes in 3 sizes, the biggest 200ml, which means it’s going to last a long time. Take a look at the other products in the line: the lotion is good for those who need less hydration but still need moisturized skin (and is also good for the body), and the gel is good for those who need skincare on the go.
Available here
Beauty of Joseon Rice + Probiotics SPF50+ PA++++
Last year saw a spate of disappointing news when it came to our favorite Korean sunscreens: most of them were packaged with the wrong SPF information, which in the world of skincare is practically a crime. Thankfully, a few brands have stepped up.
One of them is Beauty of Joseon. SPF50-certified in two separate labs in South Korea and Spain, this chemical sunscreen feels gentle on the skin (no stinging!) and also includes skin-calming ingredients like rice extract 30% and grain probiotics complex, with grain fermenting lysate to nourish the skin’s natural strength.
Available here
ma:nyo Our Vegan Color Lip Balm in Green Pink
Formulated with nourishing avocado extract, broccoli to improve elasticity and moisture, and lingo berry to soothe chapped lips, the ma:nyo Our Vegan Color Lip Balm in Green Pink (in the shade avocado) is a must-have that I heard of from skincare influencer @myskinisglass. The balm comes in green and depending on your pH level will deliver a pink-toned shine on the lips.
Available here.
Won Jungyo Aegyo-sal Stick
If the US has Pat McGrath Labs, a well-formulated brand owned by celebrity makeup artist Pat McGrath with an emphasis on high-toned glam, South Korea’s answer is Won Jungyo Beauty. Won Jungyo is behind the makeup looks of celebrities you might know, namely SNSD’s Seohyun and TWICE. Yes, the entire group only trusts this one woman’s judgment and hands on their face.
Like all Korean beauty brands, Won’s emphasis is on clean skin and natural features. Her Aegyo-sal stick is a pencil product meant to emphasize the aegyo-sal, or what we call “under-eye fat.” This might seem anathema to us because we’re very used to covering everything in the under-eye area.
But the aegyo-sal is a natural bunching of fat under the eyes (not the dark circles) that lend a look of youthfulness to the face. Won’s product is a shimmer stick that is applied in that area so it stands out.
Available here.