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Many of the most coveted beauty products come from South Korea, where innovative skincare using cutting-edge — and sometimes unconventional — ingredients is the norm. These nine standout items do more than just make your skin look good. They also help treat underlying issues and prevent new ones from starting.
Beauty of Joseon Red Bean Water Gel
Red bean helps keep shiny skin in check
(Image credit: Beauty of Joseon)
Let this one sink in. Gel moisturizers “hydrate without feeling heavy,” said Allure, and Red Bean Water Gel “in particular” is “chock-full of red bean extract” and peptides to “deliver moisture while also absorbing sebum.” It feels “cooling” and “refreshing” and layers “wonderfully” under other skin products and makeup. ($18, Beauty of Joseon)
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CosRx Advanced Snail 96 Mucin Power Essence
Glassy skin starts with snail mucin
(Image credit: CosRx)
The secret to having glowy “glass skin” is in this bottle, said Vogue. It’s made with 96% snail secretion filtrate (yep, that’s the mucus snails produce). The filtrate can “help repair the skin barrier,” along with hyaluronic acid to hydrate and allantoin to soothe. While every skin type can benefit from using the essence, it does wonders boosting dry skin. ($25, CosRx)
Etude SoonJung pH 6.5 Whip Cleanser
Treat your skin to this soothing cleanser
(Image credit: Etude)
Etude’s skincare items are “excellent,” especially this “cloud-like” cleanser that “suits all skin types,” said Allure. Because of its low pH, the product is “less likely” to interfere with your skin’s “natural barrier function,” and it doesn’t have any “potential irritants” that could “trigger irritation or breakouts.” The cleanser does contain “soothing” ingredients like madecassoside and panthenol, so it “hydrates as it removes impurities.” ($16, Ulta)
Gemi Hand Sanitizer + Serum
Gemi’s hybrid hand sanitizer and serum feels luxurious
(Image credit: gemi)
This is not your typical hand sanitizer. Gemi reimagined what the formula should be, infusing the company’s take with premium, nourishing facial skincare ingredients like Centella asiatica extract and propanediol. Choose from five “top-notch” scents, including Elysium, a “luxuriously layered” vanilla, peony and amber fragrance, said Marie Claire (a sister site of The Week). Can’t pick just one? Get the full collection, and try them all. ($12 per bottle, $55 for the full collection, Gemi)
Medicube Zero Pore Pad
Say goodbye to your pores
(Image credit: Medicube)
Zero Pore Pads are infused with salicylic acid, lactic acid and, it might seem, “magic,” said InStyle. That’s because the formula “not only hydrates but also calms and smooths” skin and can “drastically” improve acne scars. One side of the pad is textured, for exfoliating, and the other side is smooth for pore-tightening. ($21, Ulta)
Purito Centella unscented eye cream
This lightweight eye cream tackles puffiness
(Image credit: Purito)
A few dabs of Purito’s beloved eye cream is all you need. The “cult-classic” formula works “quickly” to depuff and “calm irritation,” said Harper’s Bazaar. It’s made with Centella asiatica and peptides and instantly “sinks into the under-eye area,” leaving the skin feeling “moisturized and soothed.” ($13, Amazon)
Round Lab 1025 Dokdo Toner
All skin types respond well to this toner
(Image credit: Round Lab)
There’s a lot to love about this “gentle and lightweight” toner, said Glamour. It works on all skin types, including “sensitive and acne-prone,” and contains “mineral-rich” seawater, panthenol and betaine to “deeply hydrate and support the skin barrier.” Use it after cleansing and prepare to be wowed by how smooth your skin feels. ($17, Ulta)
TimeSavvy Sealing in Moisture mask
Expect to see results after one use
(Image credit: TimeSavvy)
Multitasking has never felt better. TimeSavvy’s Sealing in Moisture mask is designed to be used while on the move, with an upper and lower mask that “stay put,” said Elle. The creamy formula delivers on its promise not to slip or drip, and the “expert-approved” ingredients — niacinamide, adenosine and collagen — are a “triple threat,” helping firm, smooth and hydrate the skin. Keep the mask on for 15 minutes, then get ready to glow. ($12 per mask, $54 for a set of five, TimeSavvy)
Tocobo lip mask
Soft lips are a given with Tocobo’s lip masks
(Image credit: Tocobo)
Dry lips have met their match. Tocobo’s lip masks are made with antioxidant-rich plant oil blends and melt on contact, leaving your pout plump and refreshed. Pick from four masks, with each one offering its own benefit. Mint Cooling reinvigorates lips, Collagen Boosting reduces the look of fine lines, Vita Glazed moisturizes and Lemon Sugar Scrub buffs away dead skin cells. ($19, Tocobo)
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