If you follow the beauty world even a little bit, K-Beauty has become inescapable. According to data from South Korea’s Ministry of Food and Drug Safety, South Korea’s cosmetics exports reached $5.51 billion in the first half of last year, marking both a record number and a 14.8% total increase year-on-year. What started as a social media trend has become a staple.
The effects of Korean imports, and K-Beauty in particular, are evident when shopping. Five thousand miles away from South Korea, in the most famous shopping neighbourhoods of London, Korean displays and even speciality stores are everywhere. I found myself looking at the products while refilling my regulars at SpaceNK, picking up a prescription at Boots, and even eventually exploring the Korean beauty shop PURESEOUL. I had what I thought were my holy-grail beauty products for years, and I wasn’t looking to change them, but even I quickly got influenced.
When diving into the world of K-Beauty, the big question is: where to begin? With what feels like countless products, advertisements and social media recommendations, it can be overwhelming for beginners. A year ago, when it was winter and my skin was especially dry, I started to buy trial sizes of every product that sparked my interest. Over time, I have discovered which famous brands are worth the hype and which hidden gems are worth knowing. While skincare will be different for everyone, I feel I have found a perfect place to start.
Best Cleanser: Glowery Honey Glow Defy Face Wash
Glowery is not a household name, but it is quickly growing and for good reason. Their colorful and creative packaging quickly catches your eye, but their products are good for much more than aesthetics. Their unique approach of combining K-Beauty with the French equivalent, F-Beauty, creates products that are the best of both worlds. I would recommend every one of their products, but if I had to choose a favorite, it would be this cleanser. I have found most cleansers to be drying, but Honey Glow maintains moisture and creates a dewy look that I did not know was possible from a cleanser alone. Because Glowery is a young brand focused on young customers, you can even apply to their co-creating program. If you are accepted, you will have access to their private WhatsApp group chat and the opportunity to trial products.
Best Moisturizer: Glow Recipe Watermelon Pink Juice Oil-Free Moisturizer
Glow Recipe is one of the few viral K-Beauty brands that I have found to live up to the hype. They have a unique approach of creating formulas primarily made with fruit extracts, developing
products that are clean and delicious-smelling. What stuck out to me most about this moisturizer is how lightweight it is. I have found that most moisturizers are too thick and take forever to blend, but because this one is a gel, it absorbs quickly. It lives up to its name and gives a natural glow that can be worn on its own or used as a base for beauty.
Best Sunscreen: Beauty of Joseon Relief Sun: Rice Probiotics
Beauty of Joseon has grown quickly over the past couple of years, most notably for its sunscreens, which have built a cult following. I have sensitive and pale skin that burns easily, so I am always on the hunt for a good sunscreen. This sunscreen gives me the SPF 50+ protection I need while also offering other skincare benefits. It has a lightweight texture that is more like a moisturizer than a traditional sunscreen. Because of this, it blends easily, unlike traditional sunscreens that feel greasy and create a white cast. If you are looking for the glass skin K-Beauty is famous for, this is the first product I would recommend. It is organic, so unlike most sunscreens you don’t need to think about harmful ingredients entering your bloodstream.
Best Face Mask: Medicube Salmon DNA PDRN Pink Collagen Jelly Gel Mask
Salmon DNA injections, medically known as polynucleotides, have grown in popularity over the years for their many benefits. Most notably, they increase collagen, elasticity, and tissue repair. This procedure has become known as a natural alternative to Botox and even embraced by celebrity beauty icons like Jennifer Aniston and Kim Kardashian. However, getting injections is expensive, painful, and annoying to maintain. This mask gives you the benefits with none of the downsides. Further, unlike a traditional sheet mask that you have to time and peel off, the mask completely absorbs into the skin. It has an innovative colour-changing gel that changes the mask from pink to transparent. Once it is fully absorbed, a bit of serum remains for you to pat into your skin. Because of this, I like to use it overnight and wake up extra refreshed.
Best Lip Product: LANEIGE Lip Sleeping Mask
I have found that my dry skin affects my lips the most, especially in the winter. No matter what lip product I used, they were constantly chapped and red. I have experimented with traditional drugstore Chapstick, luxury brands and even prescription lip treatments, but nothing has hydrated my lips like the LANEIGE Lip Sleeping Mask. It nourishes and smooths lips overnight, and has become a staple on my nightstand.
A little goes a long way, and each jar lasts at least a year. They smell and even taste good, and the flavors are the most fun part. My favorite flavor is Sweet Candy, but the others are so delicious that I have found myself collecting and alternating. They even have exciting limited-edition masks, like the festive Peppermint, which of course comes out for the Christmas season. Although the mask is designed for sleep, I also keep one in my bag to nourish my lips on the go and add a light gloss.
Best Hair Product: GROWUS Sea Salt Therapy Shampoo and Scalp Scaler
When I was on the hunt for K-Beauty products, I was completely focused on skin care. However, I have come to discover that their haircare products are equally effective. I believe it is the most underrated part of K-Beauty. GROWUS currently has a relatively small following on social media, so it is my best-kept K-Beauty secret. While anyone can use GROWUS products, they specialize in repairing damaged hair with ingredients from the sea. The Sea Salt Therapy products use sea salt, sea water, and a seaweed complex. Every ingredient has a different purpose, but they come together to give your hair a boost, as if you are coming right out of the ocean. Further, the ingredients exfoliate, lifting away dead skin cells that regular hair products often do not reach, and turning your daily shower into a spa-like experience.
Best Speciality Product: Dr. Jart Cicapair Soothing Color Correcting Treatment SPF 30
For someone with sensitive and pale skin like me, this has been a holy grail for years. The light green cream quickly neutralizes redness and changes color from green to beige. Although the brand designed it primarily for the face, I have used it on my chest, and it has worked just as well. I have even used it for a sunburn, and it cured it much quicker than traditional aloe. While I would call this a speciality product for its focus on redness, it also provides the skin benefits and dewy look I am always looking for. Further, it is even a great alternative to makeup because it nourishes rather than simply covering. Like the LANEIGE Lip Sleeping Mask, the jars are small, but a little goes a long way.
Best On-The-Go Product: mixsoon Bean Balancing Ampoule Mist
No matter how good your skin is and what products you use, the inevitable fact is that environmental exposures dehydrate the skin, especially in cold weather. Because of this, I have found myself keeping this mist in my bag, giving me a quick boost before I arrive somewhere or meet someone. Mixsoon is a minimal brand that uses a conservative amount of clean ingredients, most notably the Soybean Ferment Extract, which exfoliates dead skin and brightens the complexion. This mist is like a quick facial in a jar, absorbing quickly and lasting for hours.
Final Verdict
Over the past year, my beauty routine has become almost completely K-Beauty. I have found it to be effective for every skin type, mostly natural, and accessible to everyone. The icing on the cake is that the brands package and scent most of their products beautifully, helping turn a daily routine into a ritual to look forward to. Like every beauty trend, some products do not live up to the hype, but the ones that do are magical. I have created a routine that I would happily recommend to anyone.
