The Best Korean Beauty and Skin Care Products from Cosrx, Dr. Jart, and More

When Korean beauties first come to America, your options, while impressive, are pretty limited. But things have turned 180 degrees. Special area.

The only downside to this diversity is that it’s difficult to parse. But luckily my colleagues and I have all the products we want and An important part of our job (and hobby) is testing them. I present to you a list of nine Korean beauty and skin care products that we use and love.

9 Editors’ Favorite K-Beauty Skin Care Products

Dr. Jart+ Cicapair Sensitive Skin Serum for redness and barrier repair

After using a gentle retinol serum for a few months, I started to see some encouraging results—my fine lines and hyperpigmentation were disappearing, and my skin was noticeably smoother—so I decided to use a prescription Strength tretinoin to increase strength. Big mistake. This serum from Dr. Jatt soothes my dry, irritated skin and helps repair a damaged skin barrier. It contains niacinamide (which reduces inflammation) and the brand’s proprietary Centella Asiatic Complex, which stabilizes and begins repairing skin within an hour. Plus, it’s lightweight and free of fragrance, alcohol, and parabens, so it won’t cause any additional irritation. — Bronwyn Barnes, Vice President, Commercial Affairs

Anua Heartleaf 77 Soothing Toner

I’ve been using this toner for about a year and love how gentle it is. It’s the perfect addition to my skin care routine and helps with redness and breakouts. Plus, it helps prep my skin to absorb my other moisturizers and serums better. — Hannah Freedman, Director of News and Trading Strategy

Eco Your Skin Volufiline15 Eye Essence

Everyone rave about the Glass Skin Serum, but my favorite Peach and Lily product is Volufiline15 Eye Essence. The results I got were comparable to those of friends who had had eye fillers. It hydrates and plumps the under-eye area, smoothes crow’s feet and fine lines, and does double duty as a makeup base to prevent concealer from creasing or caking. The brand doesn’t make such a claim, but I swear this serum actually gets rid of my dark circles. You can even use it to fade wrinkles on your forehead and neck. — Bronwyn Barnes

Cosrx Snail Mucin Powerful Repair Serum

I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again: Cosrx Snail Mucin Power Essence Serum is my secret to glass-like skin. At this point, I have used three bottles of the ultra-hydrating formula, and the smoothing and plumping effect is amazing. To get a noticeable change in my skin tone, I apply the serum while my skin is still damp from toner and lock it in with my go-to moisturizer. As the temperatures drop, I know I’ll be relying on my Korean beauty holy grail to combat fall and winter dryness. — Kayla Surgent, business writer

Seoul Ceuticals Plumping Glow Essence Mist

I always need some kind of toner/serum/spray in my daily routine. After going through many sticky, tacky and completely unsatisfying products, I finally found one with SeoulCeuticals Essence Spray. Made with skin-friendly ingredients like tamarind and cucumber extracts, aloe vera, green tea, and more, this mist leaves my complexion glowing, bright, and fully prepped for my next step in skin care. — Christine Butin, Senior Business Editor

Sulwhasoo gentle cleansing oil

I’ve been obsessed with cleansing oils lately, especially as a pre-makeup remover, and this Sulwhasoo Gentle Cleansing Oil is hands down one of the best cleansing oils I’ve ever tried. It removes everything without leaving my skin feeling overly tight or dehydrated. It also feels very luxurious, and although it’s a bit pricey, a little goes a long way, so this bottle will last a while. — Eva Thomas, senior business writer

Cosrx Propolis Light Ampoule

My skin is oily, prone to acne, but also very dehydrated. It’s a cursed combination that makes finding the right moisturizer nearly impossible. Not only has this solution always been within my purview (Cosrx is literally everywhere), but it only costs $13.

This blend of propolis and honey instantly soothes and kills blemishes, leaving my skin soft, smooth, and elastic. — Tamim Alnuweiri, Senior Beauty Business Writer

Peach Lily Peptide Professional Moisturizing Cream

Peach and Lily’s Peptide Professional Moisturizer is the unsung hero of glowing, baby-soft skin. Contains a blend of 12 (!) peptides, hyaluronic acid, and polyglutamic acid to leave my dry/oily combination skin hydrated, refreshed, and smooth. This is my go-to all year round, but I find it’s especially great for soothing my dry patches now that the weather is getting colder. —Alyssa Morin, Senior Business Editor

Beauty of Joseon Radiant Cleansing Balm

I love this cleansing balm because it completely removes all my makeup! I’ve even used it after professional makeup and it melts everything away, which is much gentler on the skin than using makeup wipes. —Melissa Chavez, Director of News and Offers Strategy