Celeb-Approved: 19 Top Korean Beauty Brands for Flawless Skin

When it comes to skincare, the world of K-Beauty is a cut above the rest. The queens of glass skin and natural, no-makeup makeup looks are taking the industry by storm, and their beauty brands are making waves around the globe.

So, get ready to upgrade your beauty game with our top picks of Korean makeup and skincare brands for incredible skin.

What Sets Korean Skincare Apart?

Korean beauty brands prioritize hydration, reducing inflammation, catering to sensitive skin, and offering personalized treatments to address specific skin needs. Their natural ingredients, including ginseng, matcha, niacinamide, and snail mucin, are gentler and more effective than many American alternatives.

Where to Buy Authentic Korean Products?

These days, you can find K-Beauty products almost anywhere, from Sephora, Ulta, Target, Walmart, Amazon, Nordstrom, and more. But EmpressKorea is the best excellent source for Korean skincare. Many brands also have their own websites for direct purchases.

Empress Korea is a registered Korean company committed to providing genuine Korean products that are not sourced from other countries. They guarantee the freshness of their products, as they never sell older products stored in warehouses or clearance items, unlike some major shopping malls.

Their Korean company registration number and telecommunications operator's license can be found at the bottom of their site, and you can verify them on the official Korean government agency website. Please note that it is illegal for a Korean company not to display their registration number at the bottom of their website. If a registration number is not provided, it could indicate that the site is potentially a fake Korean site.

Major shopping sites or retailers outside Korea often struggle to sell fresh Korean products, as they receive shipments after long durations, store them in warehouses, and sell them with potentially manipulated expiration dates. Using old cosmetics is akin to applying poison.

Stay updated with the latest K-Beauty tips, recipes, and deals on the empresskorea.com.

Top Korean Beauty Brands to Discover:

1. Dr. Jart

Renowned for smooth, creamy skin, Dr. Jart offers top-notch skincare, including Cicapair Tiger Grass Color Correcting Treatment and Tiger Grass Cream for winter skin woes.

2. PLU

“Inspired by Nature”

Plu carefully selects only reliable natural ingredients,

Based on proprietary formulation technology optimized for human skin,

It is a 'naturalism brand' that delivers ingredients to the skin without irritation.

3. Espoir

espoir helps express your genuine look jointly with beauty crew full of vibe

Enjoy the journey of discovering your genuine beauty and focus on your appearance, instead of being conscious of others’ attention. Foundation texture and shade designed based on Asian skin tone as well as various color spectra and professional artists’ accumulated know how will provide your own unique makeup look.

4. Peripera

For lightweight, long-lasting makeup, Peripera is a top pick. The Ink the Velvet Lip Tint and Sugar Twinkle Duo Eye Stick are standout products.

5. Amore Pacific

Splurge-worthy and effective, Amore Pacific's green-tea infused enzyme cleanser is a must-try.

6. LANEIGE

Banish dark circles with LANEIGE's Water Glow Base Color Corrector and pamper your lips with their Lip Sleeping Mask.

7. Tony Moly

Quality and fun are the pillars of this Ulta Beauty bestseller. The Chok Chok Green Tea and Peach Punch Sweet Cleansing Sherbet Balm are fan favorites.

8. HOLIKA HOLIKA

For sensitive skin, the Aloe Facial Cleansing Foam is a gentle and effective choice.

9. 3CE

Get adventurous with 3CE's Multi Eye Color Palette and Easy Brow Designing Pen.

10. Dr. Olga

Dr. Olga's Brand PrinciplesUse of proven good ingredients firstAll ingredients are EWG safe, use of medium-grade fiberExcludes 20 ingredients of caution & excludes 25 ingredients that are allergic to the Ministry of Food and Drug SafetyPreservation and protection of the environment to be passed on to future generations

11. Sulwhasoo

For anti-aging, try Sulwhasoo's Anti-Aging First Care Activating Serum and Overnight Vitalizing Mask.

12. Klairs

This vegan-friendly, cruelty-free brand offers the Daily Skin Softening Water Klairs Toner for sensitive skin.

13. COSRX

Snail mucin fans will love the Advanced Snail 96 Mucin Power Essence and Advanced Snail Mucin Sheet Mask.

14. Banila Co.

The Dear Hydration Balancing Moisturizer and Hello Sunny Sun Stick provide hydration and sun protection.

15. FILLIMILLI

  Smart Beauty Habits Every Day for a Better MeFrom makeup brushes and cotton pad to hair rolls and hair ties for bangs. There are more and more ‘beauty tools’ that help me become beautiful more easily, simply, and smartly.Olive Young, Korea's No. 1 H&B store, decided to develop Olive Young's own brand, thinking that beauty tools could become a 'beauty habit item' for smart customers, not just for assorting stores.With the concept of 'everyday smart beauty habit for a better me, Everyday Health & Beauty Experience', the new brand conveys the message that it can become a habit for health and beauty and a beautiful everyday life, beyond an auxiliary tool that is good to have and not enough. I wanted to.  

16. Some By Mi

Matcha, carbonated water, and glacial water. Doesn’t that kind of sound like the start of an awesome cocktail?

Some By Mi uses those ingredients as their base for the Super Match Pore Tightening Toner. The goal of toner in general is to refresh and tighten skin without stripping it of its natural oils. Some By Mi is known for being gentle on sensitive skin, and their toner fits the bill.

If you’re more interested in a deep scrub, the Bye Bye Blackhead 30 Days Miracle Green Tea Tox is a natural buy. 16 tea ingredients combine to gently remove blackheads, dirt, and dust.

17, Etude House

I love the name of this Etude House best seller: The Soonjung Hydro Barrier Cream. There’s just something so comforting about putting up a barrier between the outside world and my skin.

This cream is completely fragrance free and hypoallergenic, so it is perfect for all of the sensitive skin people out there. The pH levels have been carefully constructed to make sure that this moisturizer does nothing but– well, moisturize!

18, Round Lab

A well-rounded skincare routine is nothing without a little UV protection. Dermatologists recommended daily sunscreen protection to prevent melanoma as well as wrinkles. The problem is, the classic sunscreen you’d bring to the beach can be oily and heavy to wear everyday.

That’s where Round Lab comes in. Think of this more as a sun cream than a sunscreen– it’s going to be actively preventing dryness as it protects from the sun. The Birch Juice Sun Moisturizing Sunscreen is a God sent for everyday protection.

The key ingredients here are the birch tree juice and the amino acid minerals– that’s what’s going to keep you feeling soft but clean all day long.

19, Innisfree

One of the best things about K-beauty products are the natural ingredients. The emphasis on clean products is so important and the difference that makes shows up in the quality of the products.

Innisfree has a Volcanic AHA Pore Clearing Clay Mask that uses all natural ingredients (including Jeju volcanic clusters!) to help tighten pores, even out skin texture, and wipe away debris. So pretty much, everything you’d want in a face mask!

Once you’ve let the mask sit for 15-20 minutes, stick with Innisfree to get it off. Their Green Tea Cleansing Oil will strip away anything from your face that shouldn’t be there without drying your skin or removing natural moisture.

Now, excuse me while I go stock up on allllll these amazing Korean beauty products online. I’ve been doing so many cabin projects lately (think dust and paint fumes) combined with dry winter mountain air, my face has not been happy with me.