8 Korean Skincare Brands You Need To Know About

Korean skincare routines are some of the most widely followed and renowned around the world.

That’s because of their effective, closely-researched, naturally-derived ingredients, and secrets to fresh, dewy skin that have been used for centuries, originating from Jeju Island, South Korea’s ultimate skincare hub.

With these products, you’ll nourish your skin from the inside out, and might even want to stop wearing makeup due to your natural radiance.

Here are eight must-try K-Beauty brands for 2018.

Innisfree

This brand most recently launched their color clay mask series, which we’re obsessed with and is less than ten bucks. Innisfree creates products with all-natural powerhouse bases such as volcanic ash sourced from Jeju Island’s soil, green tea, tangerine and lava seawater.

Products are effective yet gentle, and the price point makes us want to buy the whole store. Try starting with their pore clearing clay mousse mask, which soared in popularity last year for being an overnight acne treatment that absorbs impurities.

Etude House

Etude House’s signature style is a little more femme – it’s known for its pink and girly themes, from their website to packaging, but don’t let the marketing fool you. These products really work and don’t sacrifice quality for affordability.

Their must-have award winning product is Moistfull collagen cream, which is a lightweight floral pre-makeup moisturizer with water particles that have a cooling effect on the skin. Complete your moisturizing game by pairing with its matching eye cream.

Klairs Cosmetics

Klairs Cosmetics is the ultimate for sensitive skin; it’s fragrance-free, and doesn’t contain colorants, alcohol or parabens. Klairs prides itself on simplicity.

Their sunscreen is a fantastic alternative to pore clogging drugstore brands, and most notable items are their “blue” products (fans rave about their midnight blue calming cream) as well as the vitamin-infused ones such as the freshly juiced vitamin E mask.

They carry a hydrating range for all skin types, and seasons, making Klairs your go-to year-round line.

Tony Moly

Cheeky brand Tony Moly is known for its vast range of masks that merits a “Mask Bar” dropdown and are all around $5. Choose between patches, wash off masks, sleeping masks, or sheet masks, mixing and matching to your heart’s desire.

But Tony Moly isn’t a one-trick pony. They also offer cleansing products, serums, lotions, eye care and lip treatments.

Their Tako pore sets are by far our favorite. Within these adorable containers lies a powerful blend of marine plant extract, black mud and peat water, all which help rid your skin of impurities.

Dr. Jart

Dr. Jart has international success in 15 countries across four continents, and there’s a reason for that. This brand prides its success based on dedication to research and science; they work with 15 dermatologists from 15 different clinics, who are all doing groundbreaking work in their respective fields.

Best of all, you can find their products on Sephora’s website, where you can choose from a range of options like weird but innovative rubber face masks, as well as their Cicapair line which is highly soothing and moisturizing due to Tiger Grass, a century-old healing ingredient that has been used in Asia in the wild by tigers to heal wounds and infections.

Mizon

A lot of Asian beauty treatments are notorious for containing snail slime, and Mizon’s regenerative snail repair cream solves a variety of skin issues is definitive proof of that, with a 92% snail secretion filtrate and the addition of plant extracts.

Results are outstanding, immediate, and non-irritating. Their pore refining deep cleansing foam and super-hydrating gel cream are also Mizon bestsellers, but we suggest starting with the snail cream, as it’s the most raved-about item they offer, and has a high amount of snail secretion as opposed to other pricier options on the market.

Secret Key

If you’re looking to glow up, Secret Key’s starting treatment essence products has Galactomyces Ferment Filtrate, a powerful brightening agent for skin. The formula is free of nasty chemicals, instead soothing skin with chamomile, hazel and green tea extracts.

Many of their fermentation essences soften and hydrate the skin while providing that unbeatable glow, and also has proven anti-aging results.

Their AC control mist powered with bee venom nips bacteria in the bud, acts as a toner and quickly soothes skin. Secret Key is one of the top brands at the forefront of “nature-beauty-science,” as they put it.

Blossom Jeju

You can’t get closer to Jeju Island than the Blossom Jeju skincare line. Here, your skin’s BFF and the signature ingredient in many products is Jeju Camellia Oil, which leaves skin dewy and supple.

The winter-blooming flower Camellia, harvested for centuries, was famous for giving the women who harvested it radiant skin and thick, shining hair due to its nourishing properties.

The oil of Camellia is chock full of oleic acid, vitamins, and a variety of Omegas, as well as a fast absorption rate. It also has the highest amounts of naturally occurring antioxidants within the world of botanically derived oil. So try their dry oil and experience the wonders for yourself.