I’m Obsessed With K-Beauty, Here’s My Honest Thoughts on These New Products
Juna Xu is a freelance writer and journalist with over 11 years of experience covering beauty, fashion, lifestyle, interiors and health. Her work has appeared in publications including Adore Beauty, Body+Soul, Mamamia, News.com.au, Who, marie claire and ELLE Australia. Alongside running her own e-commerce interiors business, Juna has a not-so-secret obsession with skincare (especially K-beauty, which she proudly admits is her ultimate addiction).
From a pore-firming serum to an innovative peel-off mask, these are the launches that have genuinely blown me away.
As someone who spends their days testing, researching and writing about Korean skincare (I know, it’s a pretty sweet gig), I'm constantly discovering new launches promising firmer skin, smaller-looking pores and that coveted glass-skin glow.
And while innovation is one of the reasons I absolutely love K-beauty so much, it can also make shopping for skincare feel incredibly overwhelming.
Every week, there seems to be a new viral ingredient or must-have product taking over social media. However, even though some genuinely deserve the attention, there are others I think are nothing more than… umm… a TikTok hype or clever marketing (sorry, harsh critic here).
So, because I don’t want you to be spending your hard-earned money trying to separate the good from the not-so-good, I've done the work for you and rounded up the most recent K-beauty launches I genuinely think are worth adding to your cart.
BEAUTY OF JOSEON Pore Firming Serum: Red Bean PDRN + Peptide, $36
Key features of Beauty of Joseon Pore Firming Serum: Red Bean PDRN + Peptide:
- Formulated with Red Bean Extract to help balance excess oil and refine the appearance of pores.
- Contains vegan Red Bean PDRN to support skin renewal and improve the look of skin elasticity.
- Peptides help promote firmer, smoother-looking skin.
- Lightweight serum texture absorbs quickly without feeling sticky.
- Suitable for those concerned with enlarged pores, uneven texture and loss of firmness.
My Beauty of Joseon Pore Firming Serum: Red Bean PDRN + Peptide review:
I’ll admit, I approached this launch with a healthy amount of scepticism. The words "pore firming" get thrown around a lot in skincare, but this serum genuinely impressed me.
The texture is lightweight and silky, sinking in almost instantly without leaving behind any stickiness (a non-negotiable for me when it comes to layering products).
After a week of consistent use, my skin looked noticeably smoother and more refined, particularly around my nose and inner cheeks, where my pores tend to be most visible. While no serum can magically erase pores (if there is, please send it my way), this one definitely helped make them look less obvious while giving my skin a firmer, bouncier appearance.
BEAUTY OF JOSEON Revive Firming Moisturizer: Ginseng Ceramide + Fermented Retinol, $49
Key features of Beauty of Joseon Revive Firming Moisturizer: Ginseng Ceramide + Fermented Retinol:
- Fermented Retinol helps smooth the appearance of fine lines and improve skin elasticity, without causing irritation.
- Ginseng Ceramide supports the skin barrier while delivering long-lasting hydration.
- Copper Peptides help promote a firmer, bouncier-looking complexion.
- Lightweight gel-cream texture absorbs easily without feeling heavy.
- Designed to target texture, dullness, pores and early signs of skin ageing.
My Beauty of Joseon Revive Firming Moisturizer: Ginseng Ceramide + Fermented Retinol review:
My hyper-sensitive skin and retinol never had the best relationship — that was until I got my hands on the Beauty of Joseon (BOJ) eye cream, which has now been a twice-a-day staple for me for several years. So, when it comes to retinol-containing products, there is literally no other brand I trust more than BOJ.
This moisturiser feels like it was made for people who want the benefits of retinol without committing to a complicated retinoid routine that can come with side effects (read: purging, dryness and sun sensitivity to name a few).
The gel-cream texture is surprisingly lightweight, but it still leaves my skin feeling deeply moisturised and comfortable.
BIODANCE Rejuvenating Caviar PDRN Real Deep Mask 4pc, $37.50
Key features of Biodance Rejuvenating Caviar PDRN Real Deep Mask:
- Infused with PDRN to support skin repair and improve the look of elasticity.
- Deeply hydrating sheet mask designed to leave skin plump and refreshed.
- Helps improve the appearance of dull, tired-looking skin.
- Delivers intensive nourishment in a single treatment.
- Ideal before special events when your skin needs an extra boost.
My Biodance Rejuvenating Caviar PDRN Real Deep Mask review:
Unless you’ve been living under a rock, you’d know Biodance masks have developed somewhat of a cult following. And while I was a huge fan of the viral Collagen one, I think I’ve officially been converted to this new PDRN version.
The morning after using it, my skin looked significantly plumper, brighter and more hydrated, almost as though I'd had a full eight hours of sleep and drunk two litres of water (even when neither of those things were true).
I actually ended up using it before a wedding, and I swear my makeup has never sat on my skin more smoothly. I was shook.
INNISFREE Vitamin C Brightening Mask-To-Foam, $27
Key features of INNISFREE Vitamin C Brightening Mask-to-Foam Facial Cleanser:
- The innovative formula can be used as both a cleansing mask and a daily cleanser.
- Vitamin C helps promote a brighter, more radiant-looking complexion.
- Removes impurities, sunscreen and excess oil without stripping the skin.
- Foams into a rich lather for a thorough cleanse.
- Leaves skin feeling refreshed, smooth and visibly brighter.
My INNISFREE Vitamin C Brightening Mask-to-Foam Facial Cleanser review:
I'll be honest: I wasn't expecting to love this product as much as I do. As someone who usually prefers separate products for separate jobs, I tend to be sceptical of anything claiming to do two things at once.
But after using this for the past few weeks, I've found myself reaching for it constantly.
As a cleanser, it leaves my skin feeling fresh and clean without that tight, squeaky feeling I truly dislike. It also does a surprisingly good job at removing leftover sunscreen and excess oil, making it a staple in my evening routine.
What really won me over, though, is using it as a one-minute mask. Whenever my skin is looking a little dull, tired or lacklustre, I'll apply it to dry skin before jumping in the shower. Every single time, my complexion looks noticeably brighter and feels more refreshed afterwards. And all this for only $27? Please, take my money.
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