The K-Beauty Products That Are Actually Popular In Korea
Dr Yumiko Kadota is an Australian-trained medical doctor with 14 years of clinical experience. She owns a cosmetic skin clinic in Sydney, performing treatments such as injectables, lasers, and chemical peels. She was born in Tokyo and loves using Japanese and Korean skin care in particular. You can find her on @dryumikokadota or @sydneyfacedoctor
I was recently in South Korea and was curious about which K-Beauty brands were *actually* popular there.
I spoke to locals, saw which products were ranked high on bestseller lists, which products won at various biannual awards, which brands had counters at department stores, which brands had flagship stores, as well as what shopping bags people were carrying on the streets!
Here's what I found...
Beauty's New Buzzword: PDRN
Ingredient wise, PDRN was still all the rage!
PDRN stands for polydeoxyribonucleotides and has multiple benefits including hydration, calming the skin, and encouraging collagen production to reduce fine lines.
VT Cosmetics and Medicube both have strong PDRN ranges, and I’ve enjoyed many of the products from both ranges.
My top picks would be the VT Cosmetics PDRN Essence 100 30ml, VT Cosmetics PDRN Hydrogel Mask, and the Medicube PDRN Pink Collagen Gel Mask - 4 pack
The essence is fragrance-free, and gentle on the skin. It dries down smoothly and I wake up with soft, supple skin.
Hydrogel masks – the ones that stay on your face for a few hours and turn transparent – are becoming increasingly popular.
I love using them, and the Medicube PDRN version might just be my favourite in this growing category!
The Torriden Dive-in Range
As well as the Medicube mask, I find the Torriden Dive In sheet mask to be very hydrating.
The entire Dive In range dominates best seller lists and K Beauty awards, particularly the serum.
However it’s the sheet mask that I am most fond of – it’s a repeat purchase for me, and it reliably does the job whenever my skin is feeling dehydrated.
Sheet masks are also an affordable entry into a brand if you’re keen to try something from their range before purchasing a full-sized serum or cream.
(*Editor's note: these uber hydrating and affordable sheet masks are so popular they are currently sold out! But we'd check back in soon, or opt to be notified when they make their glorious return!)
Top K Beauty Cleansers
Moving onto cleansing, my picks for double cleansing would be the Banila Co cleansing balm and Sulwhasoo Gentle Cleansing Foam 200ML
The bestselling Clean It Zero cleansing balm is a consistent performer, and I still love the OG pink version, but there are more versions now.
The green clarifying one is great for combo/oily skin, the blue is for sensitive skin, and the yellow nourishing one is for dry skin.
Sulwhasoo is the *epitome* of luxury skin care in Korea, with beautiful flagship stores and counters at department stores.
They are best known for their anti-ageing serums and creams, but I need to tell you about their Gentle Cleansing Foam!
Just one pump of this high-performance cleanser is enough to lather into a creamy foam:
It has a mousse texture which is very pleasant to use, and I found that it gave me a proper, deep clean.
It washes off easily without leaving behind any residue, and it didn’t strip my skin.
INNISFREE
Innisfree is also popular in Korea, particularly for those with blemish-prone skin. Their retinol cica products are rated highly, and I also love their loose powder!
If you have combo or oily skin, the INNISFREE No Sebum Mineral Powder works effectively to control shine. My forehead gets very oily, so I use this as a finishing powder on my forehead.
Skin1004
For those with combo skin, I also want to recommend the Skin1004 clay stick mask.
Clay masks help to absorb excess oil and deep clean the pores. I love that this one comes in a stick, which makes for easy, mess-free application.
I use it on oily and congested areas like my T-zone and chin, and found this mask to keep my skin soft.
Skin1004 is well known for their use of Centella Asiatica to calm the skin, and their range has never missed the mark for me.
It also ranks highly in Korea, which I was not at all surprised by!
Facial Mists For Hydration
Lastly, my favourite category of skincare: mists!
I love mists because they’re great for when you need to top up hydration. The cult favourite d’Alba First Spray serum has a unique oil-in-serum formula, which is very moisturising.
Their sensitive skin version is the Vital Spray, which I enjoy using when I need a break from actives.
The quality of the spray mechanism deserves a mention. This product delivers a super fine mist so that you get an even application. It can also be used over sunscreen and make up if your skin is feeling dry during the day!
*Editor's note: You guys are already all over this cult product, and that's why it keeps selling out! But don't stress, simply hit the 'NOTIFY ME' button to make sure we let you know as soon as it's back.
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