1. Dr. Jart+, 2. Saturday Skin, 3. Laneige, 4. Thank You Farmer, 5. Cosrx, 6. Innisfree, 7. Sulwhasoo, 8. Then I Met You, 9. Amorepacific, 10. Banila Co.. The K-beauty sector is expected to be worth $13.9 billion by 2027. Those Korean brands in the following list are the most innovative and good for sensitive skin.
Dr. Jart+
One of the brands that Allure editors can’t get enough of is Dr. Jart+. Tiger grass, also known as cica or centella asiatica, and ceramides—up to five varieties in a single product, in fact—are infused into the skin-nourishing formulae of the leading K-beauty brand to stop the development of redness and irritation in its tracks. It’s understandable why so many of us have developed a deep love for so many of the company’s signature items, including the Best of Beauty-winning Tiger Grass Relaxing Gel Cream and Tiger Grass Color Correction Treatment SPF 30.
Star Product:
- Allure Best of Beauty Award testing is no joke, but Dr. Jart+’s Cicapair Tiger Grass Sleepair Intensive Mask was an easy winner. The formula’s cica pumps up the hydration while bringing inflammation all the way down, while moisturising glycerin, texture-smoothing niacinamide, and anti-inflammatory heartleaf hug your skin in a blanket of moisture overnight — repairing and maintaining hydrating levels.
Official website: https://www.drjart.com/
Screenshot via https://www.drjart.com/
Saturday Skin
Saturday Skin, as the name suggests, is all about embracing the weekend idea of having stress-free days that are focused on relaxation and self-care – when you may devote an additional 10, 20, or even 30 minutes to your skin care. The leave-on Yuzu Vitamin C Sleep Mask accomplishes the labor-intensive work (such as smoothing texture and evening skin tone) while you sleep, but the lightweight gel-cream Waterfall Glacier Water Cream can be worn at any time of the day.
- The Melt + Cleanse Makeup Melting Balm is so good that it might just make any devoted makeup-wipe user look the other way — forever. Not only are cleansing balms more environmentally conscious than single-use wipes, but this sorbet-like formula is rich in natural exfoliants derived from fruit acids (including orange, lemon, and sugar maple) to deep-cleanse clogged pores and pumpkin seed oil to nourish the skin so it feels soft and pampered.
Official website: https://saturdayskin.com/
Screenshot via https://saturdayskin.com/
Laneige
While we are devoted fans of Laneige’s Lip Sleeping Mask, which has garnered three Readers’ Choice and one Best of Beauty Award, there are so many more items from the K-beauty mainstay that are deserving of the attention. After all, Sydney Sweeney, an advocate for Euphoria, swears by the Water Bank Blue Hyaluronic Cream and Cream Skin Milk Oil Cleanser for glowing, healthy skin.
- Hear us out. The Water Sleeping Mask is the end-all, be-all in terms of thirst-quenching moisturizers that still feel lightweight and absorb in a flash. Spiked with hydrating squalane and probiotics (like Lactobacillus ferment lysate), this overnight mask locks in moisture, strengthens your skin barrier, and boosts clarity — so you wake up looking extra refreshed.
Official website: https://www.laneige.com/
Screenshot via https://www.laneige.com/
Thank You Farmer
Once you hear the name Thank You Farmer, you won’t be able to forget it. And you shouldn’t because, as far as we know, living in the United States and all, this line contains some of the best Korean sunscreens available. This skin-care line is all about pampering your skin with non-irritating solutions while giving it the highest attention, similar to how a farmer tenderly tends to their crops. A few of the elements in the list that soothe the skin are rice, green tea, aloe vera, and sunflower seed.
- Simply put, the Sun Project Light Sun Essence checks off every box in terms of what we’re looking for in a go-to SPF. This chemical formula absorbs instantly into the skin, leaving behind a glowy, semi-matte, and never greasy finish that’s completely void of any cast. Aloe leaf, lotus flower water, and soybean lipids also lend a hand in terms of strengthening your barrier.
Official website: https://www.thankyoufarmer.co.kr/
Screenshot via https://www.thankyoufarmer.co.kr/
Cosrx
Cosrx is an approachable, budget-friendly, and ingredients-focused K-beauty brand that some have compared to no-frills, American-based brands like Paula’s Choice. Have you heard that regular use of snail mucus can help to treat hyperpigmentation and level out your complexion? It’s possible that’s because of the Advanced Snail line. How did you learn about pimple patches? Very likely, the Master Patch is to blame.
- The Full Fit Propolis Light Ampoule is the answer to your stressed-skin woes. Infused with an 83-percent concentration of anti-inflammatory black bee propolis extract, you can say goodbye to redness and hello to a more radiant complexion. Use it in place of your usual serum, mix it in with your moisturizer of choice, or sandwich it in between your serum and moisturizer for an added layer of nourishment.
Official website: https://www.cosrx.com/
Screenshot via https://www.cosrx.com/
Innisfree
Innisfree is probably a name you’ve heard of if you have even the slightest knowledge of the K-beauty industry. Innisfree offers seriously effective skin-care products for $30 or less, including but not limited to the Best of Beauty-winning Innisfree Youth Enhancing Serum Mist with Black Tea and Intensive Hydrating Serum with Green Tea. This U.S.-based editor believes that Innisfree is the most reasonably priced branch of the vast Amorepacific empire.
- There are tons worth shouting out in terms of Innisfree’s intensive lineup but we’re highlighting the Dewy Glow Jelly Cream right now. This delightfully bouncy gel moisturizer lends your complexion a featherweight, cooling layer of hydration, thanks to cherry blossom flavonoids, niacinamide, and sugar beet betaine. Never sticky, always refreshing.
Official website: https://us.innisfree.com/
Screenshot via https://us.innisfree.com/
Sulwhasoo
Sulwhasoo is the brand to choose if you want skin care that feels as opulent as it appears. Do you need further details from us? You can get supple solutions that cushion your skin with a soothing layer of moisture that noticeably smoothes, lifts, and shields it from the elements.
One of the brand’s standout ingredients is ginseng, and Ginsenomics, a secret ingredient created exclusively for Sulwhasoo and the result of decades of research, significantly amps up skin resistance. Another noteworthy point is that the Best of Beauty-winning Gentle Cleansing Oil is a dream to remove makeup with (including waterproof products).
- One of the brand’s most iconic products is definitely the First Care Activating Serum, which is sold every 10 seconds in Korea. The fifth iteration of this famed treatment, which is supposed to be applied right after cleansing, is spiked to the brim with moisturizing, soothing, and brightening ingredients such as lotus, white lily, and Solomon’s seal. Allure commerce editor Sarah Han uses it every day to keep her skin refreshed and looking plump, and she’s even turned some of her friends onto the product as well.
Official website: https://www.sulwhasoo.com
Screenshot via https://www.sulwhasoo.com
Then I Met You
Then I Met You is a skin-care line created by Charlotte Cho, co-founder of Soko Glam, and is inspired by the Korean idea of “jeong,” which is loosely translated as lasting, meaningful interactions. (Cho actually wrote a book about it, if you’re interested in delving more into the topic.) Since its inception in late 2018, the collection has grown into eight luxurious (but not completely pricey) and effective items that may very well serve as your introduction to K-beauty.
- If you’ve ever experienced that unsettling tight feeling after your usual morning and nighttime cleanse, let us introduce you to the Birch Milk Refining Toner. Instead of water as its first ingredient, you’ll find a potent 70-percent concentration of birch juice to boost moisture levels, alongside squalane and glycerin, which help retain that moisture.
- For the gentlest dose of exfoliation, there’s a 1-percent blend of AHAs (glycolic and lactic acid) and PHA to refine and smooth the appearance of pores and fine lines — from there, you have the perfect base for your hydrating serums and moisturizers to seep into.
Official website: https://thenimetyou.com/
Screenshot via https://thenimetyou.com/
Amorepacific
Similar to the Rolls Royce of Korean skin care is Amorepacific. Want proof? AbsoluTea, which Amorepacific claims to be the first green tea developed just for skin care, is harvested on the brand’s several plots of land on Jeju Island, where it also employs top scientists to develop cutting-edge formulae that will make your skin cells sing. Additionally, the green tea leaves are hand-selected and put through a specific brewing and extraction process to increase their antioxidant and amino acid content. Yet impressed?
- Your eye area is the most fragile part of your complexion, so give it a little extra love with the Time Reserve Eye Reserve Creme. Though it’s definitely a splurge, all you need is the tiniest dollop of product to form a blanket of protection against free radicals and environmental stressors that can cause signs of aging like wrinkles and crow’s feet. It’s the perfect way to cap off your morning and nighttime routines, trust.
Official website: https://us.amorepacific.com/
Screenshot via https://us.amorepacific.com/
Banila Co.
When it comes to skin care, Banila Co. provides pretty much everything you could possibly need, including toners, ampoules, and creams. This company takes makeup removal very seriously. Although the Hi Bye line focuses on non-irritating exfoliation using a combination of AHAs, the Dear Hydration line uses soothing ingredients like bamboo, fermented lotus water, and neem leaf extract to prevent the negative impacts of pollution (many derived from fruits like citrus, kiwi, and raspberry).
- You can’t talk about Banila Co. without mentioning Clean It Zero. There are five versions of this iconic jar that target specific skin issues. For example, the lavender one pictured above is Purifying, which is spiked with seven active botanicals including brightening licorice and soothing centella. Not only does it remove makeup and impurities gently and flawlessly, but it really calms down the skin after a long day of makeup and exposure to pollution and whatever else your environment has thrown your way.
Official website: https://banilausa.com/
Screenshot via https://banilausa.com/
Source: https://top-list.co/top-best-korean-skincare-brands-v1547.html
Keyword: Top Best Korean Skincare Brands