The 17 best K-Beauty products, according to a Korean beauty expert

If you are looking for a fragrance-free moisturiser that is gentle and deeply hydrates the skin, you need to try the Aestura Atobarrier365 Cream. What truly sets this triple lipid complex moisturiser apart are the ceramide capsules (a single tube has one million capsules). The technology allows for longer retention of ceramides in the skin barrier. It's the Korean number one bestseller at Olive Young, Korea’s premier cosmetic store, and was awarded the prestigious Olive Young Award in 2024.

This blurring face powder has been a cult classic in Korea for years. The special silicone mesh keeps the three-powder blend from making a mess in your bag and easily disperses the product. It's perfect for anyone constantly on the go who wants to keep oil at bay for good.

The Torriden Dive-In serum delivers moisture without any stickiness, and it should be the first step in your skincare routine. The watery essence-serum is beloved by Korean K-beauty consumers, as it won the Olive Young Award back-to-back in 2022 and 2023.

The number one sunscreen of the 2023 Olive Young Awards has landed at Boots. The hydrating formula leaves zero white cast and does not irritate the skin. The magic lies in birch sap from birch trees in Korea’s Inje region, which is full of hydrating amino acids.

I will never not have this in my medicine cabinet. Known as the "flight attendant spray" for its use by Korean Air flight attendants and their famed skin despite dry cabin conditions, the d'Alba First Spray Serum is simply a treasure. The double-layer serum is formulated with tuber magnatum (white truffle) extract and avocado oil that, when shaken and sprayed, delivers the perfect mist of hydration.

The mixture of soybean, hazelnut, olive, jojoba, tea tree, lavender, evening primrose, sunflower oil, and rice oils gently removes make-up, sunscreen, and blackheads from even the most sensitive skin. For three consecutive years (2021, 2022, and 2023), it has reigned as Olive Young’s number-one ranked product. To get a deeper clean, follow up with a foaming cleanser.

Looking for a cushion foundation that gives sheer coverage and an illuminating glow? Jung Saem Mool Essential Skin Nuder Cushion is the ultimate pick for a your-skin-but-better formula. However, I will say even though K-beauty has opened and marketed itself to a larger global audience, the shade range of the cushion foundations is extremely limiting despite its immaculate formulation.

This is essentially at-home microneedling in a tube. Here's how it works: Smaller and thinner than the size of the average pore, Cica Reedletm creates pathways into the skin for quicker absorption and gentle exfoliation after massaging the serum into the skin. Ingredients such as Centella Asiatica extract, green propolis extract, and low-molecular hyaluronic acid are combined to soothe and pack the skin with nutrients.

The hydrating lip gloss worn by Blackpink Jennie. Need I say more?

This best-selling little jar truly gives life back to the skin. The propolis extract nourishes and gives an unbelievable glow from within. Other ingredients in this ampule, which is essentially a supercharged serum, include beta-glucan, hyaluronic acid, and madecassoside to soothe the skin with hydration.

This is my current sunscreen, and I love it. The combination of hyaluronic acid and Centella Asiatica Extract in this SPF50 soothes sensitive skin and delivers plump hydration while protecting it from harmful UV rays. It wears extremely well under make-up and leaves behind a glass-like glow—not a white cast. Nutrients from seven types of sprout extracts help revitalise the protected skin.

With a honey-like consistency, this lip tint is almost a lipgloss hybrid. Colours range from bright berries to warm caramel tones, and it has even won a 2024 Olive Young Award. For those searching for a product similar to pigmented lip gloss with longer-lasting staying power, this is the one.

Toner pads are the ultimate multi-use skincare product. My favourite way to use them is as a mini sheet mask, applied for ten minutes on any dry areas of my face. Wiping your face with the pads after washing is a great way to ensure no make-up or SPF is left behind. And for make-up prep, the pads can be a quick way to infuse the skin with hydration. These toning pads come in a few varieties, but I like the calming and dark spot-reducing Madecassoside Blemish Pads the best.

Torriden’s biodegradable sheet mask is the love child of the brand’s beloved Dive-In Serum. For days when you need extra hydration, the cellulose sheet keeps skin moist with three different sizes of hyaluronic acid. Other ingredients like D-panthenol and allantoin help soothe the skin.

Built for the Korean stubbornly straight lash, this mascara keeps a curl like an oath. Not only does it come in black, but also brown and a unique grey-brown for a softer finish. It's as smudge-proof as they come.

The Fwee Lip & Cheek Blurry Pudding Pot gives the most bouncy wash of colour that makes skin glow. The dual-use product is made with cocoa butter and agave tequilana leaf extract to blur both enlarged pores and lip lines. The consistency is extremely unique, with an almost fluffy, jam-like texture that makes applying it all the more fun.

Everything from the Dr. G Red Blemish line is famed in South Korea for its soothing capabilities, but the cream is particularly beloved with two Olive Young Awards. The lightweight gel cream instantly calms down any redness and irritation using Centella Asiatica extract. It's especially great for those with sensitive skin.