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At this point, most of us are already aware of K-Beauty and its impressive growth. Here in Los Angeles, K-Beauty brands do pop-ups left and right to release new products, where hundreds of Gen Zers line up for free goodies.
Despite K-Beauty’s relatively recent introduction to the Western market, over the past few years it has become a powerhouse. From BB creams and sunscreens to toners and serums, you name it — brands like Cosrx, Beauty of Joseon, Anua, and d’Alba have become some of the top-selling K-Beauty brands in the U.S. market. According to CNBC, “K-beauty sales in the U.S. will reach approximately $4 billion in 2026.”
Another two factors that have propelled K-Beauty into the mainstream are social media and K-pop, with fans trying to emulate the coveted glass skin look.
What is K-Beauty?
K-Beauty originated in South Korea and harkens back to thousands of years, but modern K-Beauty was actually birthed in the 1990s.
As opposed to the Western beauty, K-Beauty focuses on hydration and lightweight products with efficacious formulas at an affordable price point to achieve the viral “glass skin”, a term that refers to an exceptional glowy and smooth skin.
Beauty treatments in South Korea are significantly more affordable than in many other countries due to high demand, cutting-edge technology, and fierce competition. In fact, there’s even a term for it: skincare tourism, where people travel to South Korea solely for beauty treatments. Overall, South Korea is a breeding ground for skincare innovation.
My skin type
Combination
Extremely sensitive
Acne-prone
Since I started using K-Beauty in 2024, the results are far more than I expected. From strangers complimenting my skin to an esthetician asking about my routine so she could buy the products in the middle of a facial, K-Beauty has completely transformed my skin. While I occasionally incorporate French skincare, 99% of my routine consists of K-Beauty products.
In the pictures above, I’m wearing sunscreen, blush, and a dab of concealer under my eyes. That’s it!
Trial and error
Unfortunately, part of figuring out what the best products are for your skin involves a lot of trial and error.
Just because a product is popular on TikTok, doesn’t mean your skin will like it. Something I highly recommend is searching the Reddit K-Beauty community for the product category you’re interested in (e.g., “best K-Beauty cleanser”), then looking up each recommendation on Amazon to gauge the reviews. Do your research! 🙂
Where to purchase K-Beauty?
I personally recommend buying K-Beauty from Amazon because it’s a one-stop shop for a wide range of brands and offers a lenient return policy. I’ve gone to many K-Beauty stores and unfortunately, not only do they not offer samples so you can try them first and see if your skin has any reaction, but returns are not allowed once you open the product. Depending on the store, the selection may be limited, but I like going in and ask the sales employees which brands are selling the most. Additionally, I like to do the research on the product I’m going to buy.
How to achieve Glass Skin?
I don’t have time to do the viral 10 step K-Beauty routine every day. Not to mention that most of the time, less is more. My routine is usually very simple: cleanser, exfoliating every other day, toner, serum and moisturizer. I use these steps interchangeably. If I’m really tired, I’ll just cleanse and moisturize, or sometimes I’ll just cleanse and apply a serum. It depends!
After two years of using K-Beauty, these are products that I’d recommend to a K-Beauty beginner:
If you want to jump straight to any category, just click on any of the links below.
oil cleanser
gel cleansers
toners and exfoliants
mists
serums
masks and peels
moisturizers
oil cleanser
mixsoon Bean Cleansing Oil
I never thought I’d see the day where I parted ways with my beloved $59 Eminence Crop Cleansing Oil, which I’d been using since 2019.
For days when I’m wearing heavier makeup or want a deeper cleanse, I go in with the Mixsoon Bean Cleansing Oil, which is incredibly gentle and feels very soft on the skin.
Bean Essence is a K-Beauty powerhouse, offering gentle exfoliation and deep hydration. Additionally, this cleansing oil is formulated with fermented ingredients and plant-derived oils for a nourishing, effective cleanse. My skin is as soft as a baby every time I use this! Another popular cleansing oil is the Skin1004 Madagascar Centella Light, which I also used – but I prefer Mixsoon’s a lot better.
gel cleansers
Beauty of Joseon Green Plum Refreshing Cleanser
I have the world’s most sensitive skin when it comes to cleansers. I’ve tried so many over the last couple of years, including the viral ones — but they’re either overly foamy and leave my face feeling tight, or I wake up with tiny pimples. After having such a good experience with the Beauty of Joseon sunscreen in early 2024, I decided to try the Green Plum Refreshing Cleanser, and it’s been a game-changer. I love it so much that I’m on my THIRD bottle!!
Given my skin’s sensitivity, I need cleansers that are low-pH, don’t strip my skin barrier, and don’t make me feel like I’m doing the dishes every time I wash my face. This cleanser is formulated with hypoallergenic and hydrating ingredients, including plum and mung bean extracts, leaving your skin nourished and refreshed.
1025 Dokdo Cleansing Gel
As much as I love the Green Plum cleanser, it’s recommended to switch up your products from time to time. After a lot of research, the 1025 Dokdo Cleansing Gel has become another staple in my routine. For now, this is the second cleanser I’ll return to. One bottle lasted me for half the year! It’s so soft and lathers beautifully without becoming overly foamy, which is exactly what I’m looking for.
Roundlab has different cleansers available on Amazon, but the 1025 cleansing gel is only available on the Roundlab website and selected K-Beauty online retailers. Make sure you’re buying the right one!
The next cleanser on my list that’s also suitable for sensitive skin is the HARUHARU Black Rice Soft Cleansing Gel.
toners and exfoliants
medicube Toner Pads Zero Pore Pad
I use this every other day. The double-ended pads are formulated with lactic acid and salicylic acid to slough away dead skin cells, remove blackheads, control excess sebum, and minimize the appearance of pores. The formula is so gentle that many people use it every day! One jar contains a whopping 70 pads, which is incredible for the price. I also like the Roundlab Birch Juice Moisturizing Pads.
haruharu wonder Black Rice Toner
If you’re looking for a toner, the Haruharu Wonder Black Rice Hyaluronic Toner is one of Reddit’s top recommendations in the K-Beauty community. I use it occasionally, but I can’t say it’s an essential step in my skincare routine. If you love toners, you’ll probably like this!
Mists
MISSHA Artemisia Calming Essence
Every time I used this before my serums in 2024, it felt like a facial in a bottle. Mugwort is a highly praised K-Beauty ingredient due to its healing properties. From calming redness to soothing skin from everyday stressors, the Missha Artemisia Essence definitely deserves a spot in your skincare routine. Not to mention that one bottle lasts a long time!
Biodance Collagen Peptides Jelly Serum Mist
I’m currently using this, and I love the instant boost of hydration it gives my skin. If I’m too lazy to apply serum and moisturizer, I’ll spritz this a few times and call it a day. This jelly serum mist is formulated with collagen water, collagen extract, and peptides. The texture is thicker than the Missha Calming Essence, but it absorbs very quickly. Some people use it as a primer, others for a quick spritz throughout the day.
masks and peels
Admittedly, since the products listed here have worked so well, I don’t feel the need to use masks very often. Still, these are the ones I’ve tried and genuinely love. For best results, it’s recommended to use them at least once a week.
Beauty of Joseon Red Bean Refreshing Pore Mask
If you have acne-prone skin and want to minimize the appearance of pores and tackle dullness, I can’t recommend Beauty of Joseon’s Red Bean line enough. It’s an oily skin dream! This particular clay mask, albeit messy to apply, will rejuvenate your skin. The main ingredients are saponin, a natural exfoliant that removes dirt and excess sebum, 30% Haenam red bean extract, and kaolin clay, which absorbs excess oil.
COSRX AHA BHA PHA LHA 35 Peel
Launched in 2023, this powerful blend of acids is the nearest you can get to a professional peel. Make sure you use it at night for no longer than 10 minutes.
You might feel a slight tingling sensation, but it goes away pretty quickly. If you’re intimidated, you can always do a patch test first. So far, even people with sensitive skin like mine haven’t reported any reactions.
Unlike the other mask, this one should only be used once a week.
medicube Wrapping Mask Collagen Overnight
This viral salmon PDRN has been all the rage on TikTok. I bought it without knowing it was viral, and I really liked it! Don’t forget to peel off the mask the next day. Loaded with collagen and promising a radiant glow, this mask feels like pouring 10 gallons of water onto your skin — in the best way possible.
serums
Diving into the endless sea of serums is both fun and challenging. The hallmark of K-Beauty serums is hydration, with barrier-friendly ingredients that help diminish acne scars, fine lines, and other skin imperfections.
These are the ones that have worked for me in the last couple years and that I will continue to repurchase.
COSRX Propolis Ampoule Serum
This is probably one of the best products I’ve used in the last few years. What has taken me so long to try it? Honey is a natural antibacterial loaded with anti-inflammatory properties. This was the first K-Beauty serum I purchased in 2024, and the results were overnight. Unlike other honey-based serums, this one isn’t too sticky or oily. Instead, it feels like a refreshing glass of water for my skin.
Throughout the years, I’ve used the honey moisturizer from the American skincare brand Farmacy Beauty, which you can find at Sephora, but the Cosrx Propolis line truly stands out for its price, quality, and formula. I was blown away!
Purito Deep Sea Serum
Another holy-grail if you have sensitive, oily and acne-prone skin. I found about it on Reddit and it truly exceeded my expectations when I bought it in the summer of 2025!
It has a viscous consistency, but nothing too overpowering. I love the smoother, healthier look it gave my skin after just two nights. I’m actually repurchasing it soon!
The key ingredient in Purito’s products is deep sea water, which delivers essential minerals like magnesium, calcium, and potassium to the skin, according to the brand’s official website.
Beauty of Joseon Glow Serum Propolis
This one is a K-Beauty favorite, and I’ve actually purchased it twice. I still prefer the Cosrx serum, but the Beauty of Joseon Glow Serum is infused not only with propolis but also with BHA to provide gentle exfoliation and unclog pores. It also has a thicker consistency. The only downside is that the bottle is quite small, so it doesn’t last as long.
Beauty of Joseon Pore Firming Serum
This is the newest serum from Beauty of Joseon, and I love it so far! Designed to minimize pores and plump the skin, the Pore Firming Serum is another excellent option for oily and acne-prone skin. It’s recommended to use this in conjunction with their Pore Firming mask and the Red Bean Water Gel (also on this list). Beauty of Joseon has other serums, like the Ginseng + Snail Muchin, or the Calming Barrier — but they broke me out. 🙁
COSRX 2% Alpha Arbutin Discoloration Care Serum
If I’m having a breakout, I can’t go wrong with Cosrx. One of the reasons the brand became so popular in the Western market is its effective yet gentle BHA exfoliants, particularly those featuring snail mucin. To this day, the Snail Mucin 96 line has a devoted cult following.
This serum targets pigmentation and post-breakout marks, and true to Cosrx’s effective yet elegant formulations, it feels lightweight and never pore-clogging. I love it!
Other popular serums that I tried and that you might be interested in, are the Dr. Althea Vitamin C Boosting Serum and the Skin1004 Madagascar Centella Probio-Cica Intensive Ampoule. Both these serums broke me out. They are very intense!
moisturizers
COSRX 64% Propolis Honey Lightweight Cream
Just like the Propolis serum, the COSRX Propolis line continues to deliver standout results with this holy-grail moisturizer.
At first, I thought it was going to be too thick, but I was wrong. This moisturizer is incredibly lightweight and feels like I’m applying a veil of silk. Even in this incredibly hot weather, it doesn’t feel heavy or cloggy in the slightest.
Although it’s pricier than the average K-Beauty moisturizer, I will happily repurchase it again in the future.
Beauty of Joseon Red Bean Water Gel
This is the moisturizer that got me through last summer! It’s incredibly cooling and refreshing, with a lightweight gel consistency that’s perfect for hot weather.
Beauty of Joseon Dynasty Cream
This cream feels like I’m applying a luxurious La Mer cream. Out of the three moisturizers on this list, this one is the richest. Despite that, the texture doesn’t feel too heavy, leaving the skin soft and providing long-lasting hydration. The key ingredients are squalane, ginseng extract, niacinamide, and rice bran water.
I hope you found this post useful in your K-Beauty journey!
