28-05-2025
33 K-Beauty Products You'll Wish You Had Sooner
The Face Shop's facial foaming cleanser, which uses rice water extract to gently cleanse while leaving your skin feeling soft, not stripped. It lathers like a dream, melts away dirt and makeup, and gives your face that fresh, clean glow.
A four-pack of bio-collagen overnight masks loaded with top-tier skincare ingredients, like oligo-hyaluronic acid (a smaller, more powerful version of hyaluronic acid that penetrates deeper into your skin) and niacinamide, known for its brightening and revitalizing effects. It's designed to be worn for at least three hours, so apply before bed and wake up with soft, refreshed skin!
A pearl highlighter delivering an iridescent glow that catches the light just right, giving your cheekbones, collarbones, and anywhere else you apply it a dazzling shimmer. The texture is blendable and buildable — meaning you can go from a subtle sparkle to a blinding beam of light depending on your vibe.
And a loose setting powder designed to set and bake your makeup for a long-lasting, matte finish. The lightweight formula helps absorb excess oil and provide a smooth, airbrushed look. Reviewers say it blends really well, making their skin tone look more even.
A Cosrx snail mucin repairing essence with a *deeply* hydrating formula that can help you glow like a baby hippo, calm redness/irritation, and even help reduce the appearance of fine lines. Reviewers love how soft and supple it makes their skin feel. Just apply after cleansing and toning, and you'll understand why this stuff has earned over 56,000 5-star ratings!
And their 92% snail mucin moisturizer for plump, dewy skin that'll have people thinking you start your days in a sauna. It's infused with hyaluronic acid and great for soothing redness and helping even out your skin tone.
Tonymoly's Watermelon Dew All Over Sugar Polish with a light, fruity scent that'll make your skincare feel more indulgent. It gently exfoliates while moisturizing, leaving your skin feeling soft as a baby's (pretty dang soft!) without any greasy residue.
Plus, a very cute octopus-shaped blackhead remover to gently scrub away any excess sebum and other goop that's built up from the day. It's the perfect tool to help maintain soft, smooth skin without any real work.
A Nooni tinted appleberry lip oil because your hair continuously getting stuck in your gloopy lip gloss is *not* the vibe anymore. This non-sticky, long-lasting oil will make your lips look so plump and juicy, you'll have to resist kissing your reflection. 💋
A Laneige glowy lip balm infused with shea and murumuru seed butters to lock in moisture and keep your pout hydrated while adding a subtle tint and shine. Its pocket-sized tube and angled applicator make it easy to apply throughout the day, providing a glossy finish without the stickiness.
A moisturizing hair serum that tames frizz, adds shine, and smells like a fruity floral dream. The blend of seven nourishing oils (argan, coconut, jojoba, camellia, olive, marula, and apricot) can transform dry, damaged strands into silky, soft hair. So whether you're dealing with split ends or heat damage, this serum will provide the hydration and protection your hair is craving.
An Elizavecca Hair Treatment to add that extra oomph and softness to your hair when it's been feeling a bit lackluster. This stuff is packed with collagen, ceramide 3, and other nourishing ingredients that'll help get you silky soft strands even Legolas would be jealous of. You simply won't find another hair mask that works this well and is this affordable (*side-eyes Olaplex*).
An Elizavecca carbonated clay mask that turns your face into a foamy cloud as it works to unclog pores, leaving your skin feeling squeaky clean thanks to the blend of charcoal, green tea, and collagen. It starts as a smooth gray paste and turns frothy as it reacts with air, creating a tickling sensation that's both fun and effective.
An Etude eyebrow pencil for a soft, natural, and long-lasting look that'll have people thinking you have the best brows in town. Its angular tip allows for precise application, making it easy to create hair-like strokes for well-defined brows.
A lightweight blurring primer to help reduce the appearance of blemishes and pores by creating a smooth base for even makeup application — while *also* giving you a lovely, natural glow. It provides a flawless finish to any makeup look and keeps it in place all day!
A satin-finish TirTir cushion foundation for those seeking a flawless base without the heavy, cakey feel. Its semi-matte finish provides a natural glow, while the buildable formula ensures customizable coverage that lasts up to 72 hours. Enhanced with skin-loving ingredients like niacinamide and hibiscus extract, this foundation not only perfects your skin tone but also nourishes it from within.
An Innisfree daily UV defense sunscreen with SPF 36 that gives your skin a nice, glowing finish without leaving any white cast. It also has green tea and sunflower seed oil for a boost of hydration and moisture, along with cica to calm irritation — everything your skin needs for a day in the sun! It's safe to say this is much more nourishing than your average sunscreen.
An adorable hydrating eye stick that cools and smooths to help lessen dark circles. Just keep it in the fridge and roll it under your eyes before you head out — a perfect quick de-puff remedy so your face can feel snatched! It's also a great thing to bring while traveling because, wow, do airplanes make you feel puffy and tired or is it just me?
A jar of Anua daily toner pads containing 77% heartleaf extract, which is known for its calming and anti-inflammatory properties, making it ideal for reducing redness and irritation. Each pad is also soaked in PHA (polyhydroxy acid), a light exfoliant that helps remove dead skin cells and control sebum production without causing irritation.
Plus, an Anua heartleaf extract cleansing oil with a gentle formula that makes it a favorite in double cleansing routines (just start with this oil-based cleanser, followed by a water-based one). Reviewers love how this stuff makes their skin feel clean and smooth — even after one use!
And their aloe-scented hydrating barrier serum formulated with holy grail ingredients like hyaluronic acid, glycerin, and niacinamide. This serum hydrates, calms irritation, and helps repair and strengthen your skin's barrier — which is just what you need after a long day of work.
A Some By Mi Miracle toner that combines three types of chemical exfoliants (AHA, BHA, and PHA) to gently remove dead skin cells, unclog pores, and promote cell turnover, revealing brighter, smoother skin. One reviewer even says this made them look 10 years younger!
A cult-favorite Mixsoon Bean Essence packed with fermented bean extract, barley, pomegranate, and Korean pear. This lightweight serum gently exfoliates, hydrates, and smooths all at once — think of it as skincare multitasking at its finest. Massage it in until it starts pilling (yes, on purpose!) and watch your dull, tired skin become soft and radiant.
A bottle of hydrating Glow Recipe watermelon niacinamide dew drops you should only grab if you're into instant radiance and long-term skin benefits. This lightweight serum helps even out your skin tone while hydrating and plumping so your complexion can look as fresh and luminous as possible. You can use it as a primer under makeup, mix it with foundation, or apply it as a highlighter on the high points of your face for the popular "glass skin" look.
A Peach & Lily water gel moisturizer that uses a blend of hyaluronic acid and vegan pre- and probiotics to provide deep hydration without clogging pores or leaving a greasy residue. Think plump, dewy skin that feels as fresh as it looks. ✨
A dark spot correcting serum formulated with 5% niacinamide, which helps brighten the complexion, reduce the appearance of dark spots, and strengthen the skin barrier. It's also packed with soothing, plant-based ingredients like calendula, papaya, and sea buckthorn, so your skin's getting a little spa treatment with every drop.
Kahi Wrinkle Bounce Hydrating Multi-Balm, an all-in-one moisturizer you can swipe anywhere between your hairline and collarbones for an *instant* dewy refresh. The formula contains salmon complex and collagen to help you achieve that ~glass skin~ lewk. If your skin tends to feel dry, this is the perfect thing to keep on hand!
A Dear Klairs calming cream for when your face is throwing a tantrum — redness, irritation, post-sun regrets, you name it. It's packed with guaiazulene (an anti-inflammatory ingredient extracted from chamomile) and centella asiatica, which can help calm and repair even the most sensitive, breakout-prone skin.
Heimish cleansing balm that dissolves waterproof makeup, sunscreen, excess sebum, and other residues to leave only baby-soft skin behind. The balm emulsifies with water into a milky texture, and it's designed to *not* make your eyes sting while removing your winged liner.
A Dear, Klairs Freshly Juiced vitamin mask to help even out your skin tone, reduce the appearance of fine lines, and strengthen the skin barrier — all while you catch some z's. Reviewers love the pudding-like texture that goes on refreshingly cool and locks in moisture.
A pack of peptide patches that shield your skin from the sun with UPF 50+ while delivering a boost of hydration and radiance. The ultra-thin, transparent design makes them virtually undetectable, allowing you to wear them comfortably under makeup. Plus, they're water- and sweat-resistant, making them perfect for outdoor activities like hiking, golfing, or simply running errands.
A box of "Zombie" face masks to help hydrate and tighten your skin while reducing the appearance of pores and fine lines. Just apply, let sit for 15 minutes, and rinse to see all the benefits! It's like Hanacure but at a fraction of the price, so you'll realistically be able to add and keep this in your routine.
A pack of exfoliating washcloths that sloughs off dead skin, leaving you with a smoother, more radiant complextion. They're reusable, quick-drying, and perfect for tackling dry patches, ingrown hairs, or getting your body prepped for self-tanner.
Check out more AAPI-centered content by exploring how BuzzFeed celebrates Asian Pacific American Heritage Month! Of course, the content doesn't end after May. Follow BuzzFeed's A*Pop on Instagram, TikTok, and YouTube to keep up with our latest AAPI content year-round.
