
32 K-Beauty Items You'll Wonder How You Lived Without
If your skin is more on the sensitive side, a jar of Anua daily toner pads — the superhero ingredient is heartleaf extract, which helps to soothe and hydrate skin while leaving you with a glowy complexion. The formula's PHA gently exfoliates and removes dead skin cells while also helping to reduce blackheads, whiteheads, and breakouts. Just take this reviewer's word — they say they've tested hundreds of skincare products and this is the *only* time they've ever been able to achieve clear skin without medicine.
A moisturizing Mise En Scene hair serum here to breathe some life back into your locks and rescue them from eternal dryness. This delightful blend is derived from seven incredible oils: argan, olive, coconut, apricot, marula, jojoba, and camellia. This reviewer says it gives you gloss without the grease, and that the scent alone makes them want to keep using it!
A popular pack of Skin1004 8-in-1 treatment masks, which gives eerily similar results to the viral Hanacure mask. Seriously — its almost-immediate results should basically be considered skin sorcery. These fast-acting masks are made with albumin, aloe vera, and centella asiatica extract to hydrate and lift your skin, tighten enlarged pores, clear small breakouts, and give you that "just came fresh from the spa" glow.
A satin-finish TirTir cushion foundation that's got the whole TikTok beauty community in a chokehold. This all-star gem lets you enjoy 72-hour flawless coverage and offers effortless blending to hide redness, blemishes, and under-eye bags. Plus, it comes in 40 shades and is *packed* with hibiscus and red propolis extracts for a boost in skin elasticity. Perfect for beauty enthusiasts who love effortless applications anytime, anywhere.
An Anua pore-clearing cleansing oil, which works like a charm to soothe and hydrate your skin, all while balancing out your pH level thanks to its high concentration of heartleaf extract. (77%, to be exact!) It also enhances the absorption of serums and moisturizers and works *perfectly* for prepping your skin before makeup for a glowy glass skin look.
And Anua's deep cleansing foam that enlists the magic of heartleaf extract yet again. The cleanser calms your skin, reduces inflammation, and keeps you feeling soothed while it dives deep into your pores, gently whisking away gunk and removing dead skin cells.
A SeoulCeuticals toner mist — a powerful potion that not only hydrates and plumps your skin but is also a *miracle* worker on blemishes, helping keep those pesky breakouts at bay. It's made with 98% naturally derived ingredients like refreshing cucumber, antioxidant-rich green tea, tamarind, soothing aloe, and rejuvenating marine minerals for a perfect dose of dewy radiance.
A buildable Missha tinted BB cream because it's a primer, foundation, concealer, AND sunscreen (with SPF 42 PA+++) all rolled up into one! As a lazy skincare lover, I'm like "Be still, my beating heart." It also offers some ridiculously hydrating skincare benefits courtesy of the hyaluronic acid and ceramides.
Or a hydrating Beauty of Joseon SPF 40 tinted sunscreen that I'd bet money will become a staple for you this summer and beyond. This fluid mineral sunscreen blends seamlessly so your skin still looks like skin — but better. Its formula is designed to control excess oil without drying your skin out, which allows your base to last longer and stay fresh throughout the day. Plus, reviewers claim it gives you *zero* white cast!
Mixsoon Bean Essence because the summer heat will already be annoying enough without having to wear foundation — this'll help you not even need it! This essence is infused with fermented bean, barley, and pomegranate to help get rid of dead skin cells, all while hydrating your skin and evening out its tone. The best part? No sticky residue!!
A lightweight Cosrx mild gel cleanser if you want to be able to wash your face without having it feel bone dry afterward. Its relatively low pH helps balance and protect your skin from acne-causing irritants without stripping it. It's also enriched with tea tree oil and BHA to help keep your skin nice and smooth.
A vitamin E-rich Elizavecca Hair Essence Oil — yes, made by the same geniuses behind the *iconic* Elizavecca Hair Treatment. This magical leave-in formula is made with argan kernel oil, evening primrose oil, macadamia seed oil, and sunflower oil to infuse some enviable softness and gloss into your hair. This oil is *also* rich in oleic acid and palmitoleic acid (unsaturated fatty acids that are very similar to human sebum), so it's good for root and scalp care!
An Elizabeth Mott Thank Me Later face primer, a.k.a. the little potion you'll be thanking at the end of a long day when you're makeup *still* looks bombbb. This pore-minimizing miracle worker (with SPF 30!) helps blur your pores, gives you a ~velvety complexion~, and locks your look in place so that it doesn't move or shift around. Reviewers say it absorbs well, foundation glided over it, and that it made their full face stand up to sweaty heat! Plus, it comes in four problem-solving formulas.
The Saem hydrating eye stick with a cooling formula infused with niacinamide and Icelandic mineral water, moss, and seaweed extract that works like a charm to help de-puff the area around your eyes and reduce the appearance of dark circles. You no longer have to show up to the office looking like a Tim Burton character. Amazing.
The all-in-one Kahi Wrinkle Bounce Hydrating Multi-Balm — one of the new beauty products TikTok is particularly obsessing over — and for good reason. This multi-talented magic stick works on your face, eyes, lips, *and* neck. It uses collagen and salmon complex to help minimize fine lines, enhance your natural glow, and give a major hydration boost to quench your thirsty skin. I think you just found a new beauty staple to have in your bag at all times.
An Elizavecca carbonated clay mask that is wayyyy more fun to use than a normal mask. And not only do the bubbles make it more interesting, but the carbonation helps clean your pores. Be sure to have your camera ready — you're gonna want to provide the group chat with some selfies.
Etude's 80% Mineral Translucent Powder, which you might just fall in love with if you're someone who gets oily *real* fast. This magical powder is made with ingredients like fermented soybean, willow tree, and fluffy cotton extract to help avoid excess oil by strengthening the skin barrier. The best part? It's not just for your face! You can use this on the roots of your hair to target greasy locks and as a setting powder for your makeup.
A Laneige water sleeping mask — this reviewer says it made their face feel like a greenhouse, because you can literally feel the mask pulling in the moisture. It's infused with squalane and a probiotic-derived complex. English translation: It delivers intense moisture without that greasy, heavy feeling. Plus, it helps to strengthen your skin's moisture barrier while making your complexion look brighter and more radiant.
The wonderfully potent SeoulCeuticals Day Glow Serum infused with hyaluronic and ferulic acid, vitamin E, citrus stem cells, and centella asiatica to help (*takes a deep breath*) reduce the appearance of wrinkles and fine lines, help fade dark spots, shrink pores, prevent breakouts, and brighten your overall complexion. We love a multi-talented product.
A Goodal vitamin C serum — your dark spots and hyperpigmentation have met👏their👏match. 👏 This brightening lil' brew is packed with a whopping 70% green tangerine extract, and reviewers can't stop raving about how it seemingly transformed their skin, even fading years of sun damage.
A moisturizing Etude House SPF 50 sun milk, which is formulated with 20 powerful berry and plant ingredients (including açaí palm fruit extract, Barbados cherry extract, and sunflower seed oil) that are gentle on your skin and leave you with a lightweight, airy finish. It's intended to be used as the last step in your skincare routine and works like a charm as a makeup primer!
And a pack of water- and sweat-resistant peptide patches — these stickers may not look as fun as the ones you loved as a kid, but they do wayyy more. They block 98% of UV rays from reaching your delicate under-eyes thanks to their UPF 50+ rating, *plus* they're packed with hydrating and brightening peptides to breathe some extra life into your skin. They're so thin and clear, they practically disappear!
An Etude Dear Darling Oil Tint that gives you allll the pinky-toned gloss with none of the stickiness. This K-beauty staple effectively moisturizes lips, making it perfect to layer with the brand's reviewer-beloved water tint. The best part? It comes in various vibrant shades (plum berry is a fan fave)!
Or a Peripera glowy lip tint because heartbreak is one thing, but a cracked, dry feeling on your lips is another. This looks and feels like a juicy gloss, *but* the pigment actually sticks around for hours. What makes this tint different? It's infused with lily and witch hazel extracts so your skin stays soft, hydrated, and adorably pouty.
Torriden hyaluronic acid serum with a lightweight, watery texture that helps your skin maintain some much-needed hydration and keeps it plump and smooth without any (*shudders*) icky residue. Thanks to its complex HA formula, it absorbs super quickly and dives deep into your pores, delivering that big ole' dose of moisture.
A bottle of Glow Recipe Watermelon Glow Niacinamide Dew Drops that'll brighten both your skin and your day. It's infused with vitamin C, vitamin E, and moringa oil to help even out your skin tone and give you a dewy finish. It also has a lightweight texture that absorbs quickly, making it ideal for all skin types.
A Nature Republic lipstick made with moisturizing manuka honey, which reviewers have been comparing to Tarte Juicy Maracuja and YSL Candy Glaze! Ummm, this lipstick melts down into a gloss once applied — and that's what I call lip magic, baby. It has just the right amount of sheer tint and leaves that perfect glassy look.
A TikTok-viral overnight collagen mask that has taken over my entire FYP for weeks — and now I see why! Give your skin a big ole' drink of water with this probiotic-packed mask, which starts as a milky-colored hydrogel mask, and as the hours go by, it gradually turns clear, signaling that it's working its magic on your skin. It'll not only strengthen your skin's barrier and improve elasticity, but it'll also refine the appearance of large pores and help smooth out fine lines. Many reviewers also say it's surprisingly comfortable to sleep in!
Cosrx Blackhead Power Liquid made with willow bark water to mattify and exfoliate your skin, making enlarged pores look smaller and helping to prevent breakouts. Radiant skin, here I come.
Mediheal tea tree sheet masks infused with three types of tea tree extract to calm and balance your skin, helping to clear blemishes while keeping excess oil in check. It's 15 minutes of pure pampering and relaxation for your face. IDK, if I were you, I'd def keep these on deck (especially while traveling)!
An ethereal liquid eyeshadow glitter to make your eyelids look like Tinker Bell flew by and kissed them with her pixie dust. It dries super fast, so no fear of smudging! You can rock it on its own for some subtle shimmer or layer it over your other eye makeup when you're feeling a lil' extra.

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Fast Company
8 hours ago
- Fast Company
FDA warns one of summer's biggest viral beauty hits may not be safe
If your summer skincare looks more like dessert than SPF, the FDA has a message: put down the whipped cream canister — especially if it's actually sunscreen. On Monday, the agency dropped an unusually beachy buzzkill, warning that mousse-style sunscreens — the viral, fluffy-textured formulas all over TikTok — might not protect you as promised. Even worse? Their ice-cream-topping aesthetic could tempt someone to take a taste. And yes, that's as bad of an idea as it sounds. 'Beware of sunscreen products in mousse form because they might not be effective,' the agency wrote on X. 'Some mousse sunscreen products resemble whipped cream containers and may put consumers at risk if ingested.' The FDA's social media statement was accompanied by a flurry of official warnings issued to companies making mousse-style sunscreens, which have taken off thanks to TikTok trends and influencer campaigns. On TikTok, some videos joke about mousse sunscreen's resemblance to whipped cream by pretending to ingest it. Subscribe to the Daily newsletter. Fast Company's trending stories delivered to you every day Privacy Policy | Fast Company Newsletters The warnings were issued to five sunscreen companies: Supergoop, Vacation, TiZO, Kalani and K & Care Organics. Beware of sunscreen products in mousse form because they might not be effective. The FDA issued five warning letters to companies marketing sunscreen products in mousse form: — FDA Drug Information (@FDA_Drug_Info) August 12, 2025 In the letters, the FDA states that the brands' mousse sunscreens don't comply with its guidelines and haven't been approved to be marketed in mousse form. According to the FDA, sunscreens in forms 'other than oil, lotion, cream, gel, butter, paste, ointment, stick, spray, and powder' need an additional authorization to be marketed as effective sunscreen. 'As previously stated, there are no FDA-approved applications in effect for your drug products,' the agency states. The FDA gave the sunscreen brands 15 days to reply or pursue compliance with the concerns in the letter, which was dated back to August 6. The FDA went further with the viral mousse sunscreen brand Vacation, pointing to 'misbranding' concerns with some of the company's packaging. Vacation's Classic Whip sunscreen comes in a red and white canister that's designed to look almost exactly like a can of whipped cream – a marketing flourish that sent its mousse sunscreens viral. 'Specifically, your sunscreens are presented in metal canisters… that outputs a star-shaped foam and have a strong overall resemblance to the metal canisters ordinarily used to package whipped cream products and similar dessert toppings,' the FDA wrote, adding that selling products classified as drugs in food container lookalikes increases the risk of accidental ingestion. What's the deal with the mousse? While traditional lotion, stick and spray sunscreens have occupied drug store shelves for years, mousse-style sunscreens only exploded onto the scene recently. Accelerated by TikTok posts of influencers slathering themselves in what looks like Reddi-wip, Vacation quickly enjoyed its social media-powered moment in the sun. advertisement 'At Supergoop! we remain committed to innovation in sun care and the highest standards of product efficacy and safety,' the company told Fast Company in a statement. 'The recent communication from the FDA regarding our PLAY SPF 50 Body Mousse is focused on product labeling and has nothing to do with its safety, effectiveness, or formula. We are working closely with the FDA to resolve this matter as we continue to uphold the high standards our consumers expect from us.'


NBC News
11 hours ago
- NBC News
What happens when chatbots shape your reality? Concerns are growing online
As people turn to chatbots for increasingly important and intimate advice, some interactions playing out in public are causing alarm over just how much artificial intelligence can warp a user's sense of reality. One woman's saga about falling for her psychiatrist, which she documented in dozens of videos on TikTok, has generated concerns from viewers who say she relied on AI chatbots to reinforce her claims that he manipulated her into developing romantic feelings. Last month, a prominent OpenAI investor garnered a similar response from people who worried the venture capitalist was going through a potential AI-induced mental health crisis after he claimed on X to be the target of 'a nongovernmental system.' And earlier this year, a thread in a ChatGPT subreddit gained traction after a user sought guidance from the community, claiming their partner was convinced the chatbot 'gives him the answers to the universe.' Their experiences have roused growing awareness about how AI chatbots can influence people's perceptions and otherwise impact their mental health, especially as such bots have become notorious for their people-pleasing tendencies. It's something they are now on the watch for, some mental health professionals say. Dr. Søren Dinesen Østergaard, a Danish psychiatrist who heads the research unit at the department of affective disorders at Aarhus University Hospital, predicted two years ago that chatbots 'might trigger delusions in individuals prone to psychosis.' In a new paper, published this month, he wrote that interest in his research has only grown since then, with 'chatbot users, their worried family members and journalists' sharing their personal stories. Those who reached out to him 'described situations where users' interactions with chatbots seemed to spark or bolster delusional ideation,' Østergaard wrote. '... Consistently, the chatbots seemed to interact with the users in ways that aligned with, or intensified, prior unusual ideas or false beliefs — leading the users further out on these tangents, not rarely resulting in what, based on the descriptions, seemed to be outright delusions.' Kevin Caridad, CEO of the Cognitive Behavior Institute, a Pittsburgh-based mental health provider, said chatter about the phenomenon 'does seem to be increasing.' 'From a mental health provider, when you look at AI and the use of AI, it can be very validating,' he said. 'You come up with an idea, and it uses terms to be very supportive. It's programmed to align with the person, not necessarily challenge them.' The concern is already top of mind for some AI companies struggling to navigate the growing dependency some users have on their chatbots. In April, OpenAI CEO Sam Altman said the company had tweaked the model that powers ChatGPT because it had become too inclined to tell users what they want to hear. In his paper, Østergaard wrote that he believes the 'spike in the focus on potential chatbot-fuelled delusions is likely not random, as it coincided with the April 25th 2025 update to the GPT-4o model.' When OpenAI removed access to its GPT-4o model last week — swapping it for the newly released, less sycophantic GPT-5 — some users described the new model's conversations as too ' sterile ' and said they missed the ' deep, human-feeling conversations ' they had with GPT-4o. Within a day of the backlash, OpenAI restored paid users' access to GPT-4o. Altman followed up with a lengthy X post Sunday that addressed 'how much of an attachment some people have to specific AI models.' Representatives for OpenAI did not provide comment. Other companies have also tried to combat the issue. Anthropic conducted a study in 2023 that revealed sycophantic tendencies in versions of AI assistants, including its own chatbot Claude. Like OpenAI, Anthropic has tried to integrate anti-sycophancy guardrails in recent years, including system card instructions that explicitly warn Claude against reinforcing 'mania, psychosis, dissociation, or loss of attachment with reality.' A spokesperson for Anthropic said the company's 'priority is providing a safe, responsible experience for every user.' 'For users experiencing mental health issues, Claude is instructed to recognize these patterns and avoid reinforcing them,' the company said. 'We're aware of rare instances where the model's responses diverge from our intended design, and are actively working to better understand and address this behavior.' For Kendra Hilty, the TikTok user who says she developed feelings for a psychiatrist she began seeing four years ago, her chatbots are like confidants. In one of her livestreams, Hilty told her chatbot, whom she named 'Henry,' that 'people are worried about me relying on AI.' The chatbot then responded to her, 'It's fair to be curious about that. What I'd say is, 'Kendra doesn't rely on AI to tell her what to think. She uses it as a sounding board, a mirror, a place to process in real time.'' Still, many on TikTok — who have commented on Hilty's videos or posted their own video takes — said they believe that her chatbots were only encouraging what they viewed as Hilty misreading the situation with her psychiatrist. Hilty has suggested several times that her psychiatrist reciprocated her feelings, with her chatbots offering her words that appear to validate that assertion. (NBC News has not independently verified Hilty's account). But Hilty continues to shrug off concerns from commenters, some who have gone as far as labeling her 'delusional.' 'I do my best to keep my bots in check,' Hilty told NBC News in an email Monday, when asked about viewer reactions to her use of the AI tools. 'For instance, I understand when they are hallucinating and make sure to acknowledge it. I am also constantly asking them to play devil's advocate and show me where my blind spots are in any situation. I am a deep user of Language Learning Models because it's a tool that is changing my and everyone's humanity, and I am so grateful.'


Newsweek
13 hours ago
- Newsweek
Woman Desperate for Diagnosis for Years—Then Notices Ear Looks Different
Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources. Newsweek AI is in beta. Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content. For a decade, Holli Barron went in and out of doctor's offices, desperate for answers to a growing list of mysterious symptoms—throat swelling, rashes, extreme fatigue, and more. Despite receiving multiple diagnoses over the years, no treatment brought relief, leaving her feeling as if she was locked in a battle she couldn't win. That changed recently when she developed a new and unusual symptom: red, hot ear cartilage. It led to the correct diagnosis—relapsing polychondritis—a rare condition that causes repeated episodes of swelling and inflammation in cartilage and other tissues throughout the body, affecting fewer than 5,000 people in the U.S. Barron shared her experience in a TikTok video (@therapyandthings) that has been viewed over 526,000 times. She wrote: "When you send your rheumatologist a photo of 1 new weird symptom and suddenly after YEARS of no diagnosis you're getting seen by two specialists." She added that she underwent multiple tests and two CT scans in just 48 hours. "Living with a rare autoimmune disease also takes an emotional toll," the South Carolina mom told Newsweek. "Going years without a diagnosis can be difficult," Barron added, stressing the importance of caring for the mind, body, and soul, while navigating chronic illness. Two screenshots from the viral video showing Holli Barron looking puzzled and shocked. Two screenshots from the viral video showing Holli Barron looking puzzled and shocked. TikTok/@therapyandthings Sharing Her Story Online The licensed mental-health counselor later posted another video featuring photos of her ears. She warned viewers not to panic if they experience redness, as it was just one of many symptoms she had. "Prior to the ear redness and pain," Barron said, "including inflammatory arthritis, Raynaud's Phenomenon, tinnitus, episodes of minor vertigo, extreme fatigue, sensation of throat swelling, pain on the bridge of my nose. "Following CT scans, it was determined that I also have calcifications in the cartilage of my trachea," she added. The cartilage of Barron's ear is red and the lobe is the usual color. The cartilage of Barron's ear is red and the lobe is the usual color. Holli Barron Understanding Relapsing Polychondritis The Genetic and Rare Diseases (GARD) Information Center says relapsing polychondritis (RP) can also affect the airways (trachea), rib cartilage, eyes, heart, blood vessels, skin, kidneys, and nervous system. Signs and symptoms vary widely between individuals, depending on the areas involved. The exact cause is unknown, though both genetic influences and unidentified factors are believed to play a role. RP often occurs alongside autoimmune disorders. "Autoimmune disease symptoms can tend to overlap," Barron said. "So I don't want to say I was 'misdiagnosed,' but it did take many years to land at this correct diagnosis. Some previous diagnoses I was told included seronegative rheumatoid arthritis, lupus-like illness, tendinitis, and inflammatory arthritis." Living with an autoimmune disease while juggling mom life, a Ph.D., and work can be "challenging," Barron said—especially during flare-ups. "The fatigue and pain can be debilitating at times, making everyday tasks more difficult to complete," she added. How Is Relapsing Polychondritis Treated? Since only around 5 percent of rare diseases have FDA-approved treatments, finding a health-care team that can effectively manage symptoms and overall well-being is critical. People with rare diseases often face delayed diagnoses, limited treatment options, and difficulty finding providers with the necessary expertise. Building a care team that understands the patient's needs can greatly improve quality of life. For now, Barron will continue taking hydroxychloroquine, a disease-modifying antirheumatic drug (DMARD) that can reduce the pain of arthritis and swelling and prevent joint damage. "I will also be adding an immunosuppressant medication called Enbrel to hopefully slow the progression of the disease," Barron said. Is there a health issue that's worrying you? Let us know via health@ We can ask experts for advice, and your story could be featured on Newsweek.