Allure Korea's 24 Favorite K-Beauty Products of the Year
Just as we've done for nearly 25 years now, Allure Korea also selects the top products for its own Best of Beauty Awards. Its winners come from brands all around the world, too — not just South Korea. However, this year, Allure Korea decided to spotlight the innovations coming out of their country and teamed up with our editors here in the U.S. for a special, new K-beauty award.
Back in April, Allure Korea editors sent five of our editors dozens of Korean beauty products to test out and introduced us to ones we've never seen before, as well as new brands. Together, we picked the Allure Korea's Best of Beauty K-beauty winners. They fall into five different categories: sensitive skin, glass skin, kuanku makeup, special ingredients, and innovations. The latter is like Allure Korea's version of breakthroughs. In this group, you'll find what's next in K-beauty, like freeze-dried hyaluronic acid and custom sheet masks.
Sensitive skin has its own selection of winners due to the rising popularity of products labeled for the skin type in Korea. More and more people are dealing with redness and inflammation as a result of the high concentrations of fine dust in the air in Seoul.
Glass skin, on the other hand, is more obvious. The phrase for smooth, clear, radiant skin has become synonymous with K-beauty. Allure Korea broke down these winners by the four key products Koreans seek out for achieving glass skin.
Another pillar of K-beauty is natural-looking, effortlessly cool makeup known as "kuanku." It's basically Korea's version of no-makeup makeup with MLBB lip stains, barely-there foundations, and clump-free mascaras.
With the special ingredients category, Allure Korea wanted to address how powerful herbs, like centella asiatica and mugwort, aren't just fads in Korea — they're integral parts of the country's culture.
OK, now that you know the basics, here are the specifics on the Allure Korea Best of Beauty K-Beauty winners.
All products featured on Allure are independently selected by our editors. However, when you buy something through our retail links, we may earn an affiliate commission.
All products are independently selected by our editors. If you buy something, we may earn an affiliate commission.
Courtesy of brand1/24Sensitive Skin: Dr.G Green Mild Up Sun
Our associate digital beauty director Sarah Kinonen helped Allure Korea pick Dr.G Green Mild Up Sun as the winning physical sunscreen for sensitive skin. With SPF 50, the lightweight fluid glides onto skin like a moisturizer and quickly absorbs for a barely-there finish. "It doesn't smell or feel like a traditional facial sunscreen, which is great for my sensitive skin," Kinonen says. "The lotion blends into skin easily and doesn't leave any sort of white cast."
$17 (Shop Now)
Courtesy of brand2/24Sensitive Skin: Donginbi 1899 Single Essence
A major element of K-beauty is skin-care products with super-short ingredient lists that avoid anything unnecessary or hazardous in order to make them safer to apply to sensitive skin. Among the best of the best is Donginbi 1899 Single Essence. The water-like formula is made with 100 percent antioxidant-rich red ginseng extract from Korea's most popular producer of the herb. Allure Korea editors note it infuses skin with moisture without greasiness.
$55 (Shop Now)
Courtesy of brand3/24Sensitive Skin: Point Deep Clean Whip Cleansing Foam
The easiest way to ensure your skin is as clean as it can be at the end of the day is to wash with Point Deep Clean Whip Cleansing Foam. Just a pea-size dollop of the cleanser foams into thick, rich bubbles that rinse away makeup and dirt while keeping skin from feeling parched. It's free of parabens, sulfates, and dyes for the gentlest deep cleansing possible. Kinonen applauds it for not stripping away the skin barrier and keeping it balanced. Unfortunately, it's not readily available in the U.S. just yet, but we'll be keeping an eye out for it.
Courtesy of brand4/24Sensitive Skin: Abib Mild Acidic pH Sheet Mask Heartleaf Fit
For soothing skin with TLC, Allure editors from both countries grab the Abib Mild Acidic pH Sheet Mask Heartleaf Fit. For those who are not familiar with it, Heartleaf is a leafy green that balances the complexion's pH level and fortifies the skin barrier. Allure Korea editors say the sheet mask's cooling effect is super satisifying, and Kinonen says it leaves skin feeling dewy and calm for hours.
$18 for 5 (Shop Now)
Courtesy of brand5/24Sensitive Skin: Dr.ForHair Folligen Shampoo
The hypoallergenic Dr.ForHair Folligen Shampoo uses amino acid-based cleansing ingredients and plant extracts to wash away dead skin cells and other nasties from your scalp while strengthening roots. "The refreshing and clean feeling after washing my hair lasted for a long time," says an Allure Korea editor.
$27 (Shop Now)
Courtesy of brand6/24Glass Skin: Lagom Cellup Gel to Water Cleanser
A secret to glass skin often kept on the down-low is morning cleansers, which are mild face washes that help skin lock in oil and moisture. The Lagom Cellup Gel to Water Cleanser fits the bill with its extra-gentle formula. "The moist, elastic, jelly-like texture makes washing your face more enjoyable," says our senior writer Brennan Kilbane, who tested it out. "The fact that it doesn't irritate skin is enough to win the prize."
$20 (Shop Now)
Courtesy of brand7/24Glass Skin: Beigic Correcting Exfoliator
Of the many scrubs and peels tested for the glass skin category, the Beigic Correcting Exfoliator came out on top with its coffee bean powder-based formula. "This face scrub smells like a very expensive fudge-coffee dessert," Kilbane says. "My skin beamed after I used this. I have never seen it look so lovely."
An editor from Allure Korea echoed his sentiments, noting they wish they could rub it all over their body because the scent and texture are so incredible. It's "perfect for smoothing skin texture and [making a] glowing complexion," they added.
$39 (Shop Now)
Courtesy of brand8/24Glass Skin: Saturday Skin Pretty Pop Probiotic Power Whipped Cream
Just as its name suggests, Allure Korea editors say the Saturday Skin Pretty Pop Probiotic Power Whipped Cream has the soft, fluffy texture of whipped cream. The winning glass skin moisturizer smooths with a weightless feel and brightens skin with the help of probiotics and niacinamide. "As soon as you apply this cream, it moisturizes your skin and adds a sparkly glow," Kilbane says. "It even makes a bare face shine."
$39 (Shop Now)
Courtesy of brand9/24Glass Skin: Belif Aqua Bomb Sleeping Mask
The winner of the best sleep mask for glass skin takes cues from a longtime Allure-favorite product. "I've always loved The True Cream Aqua Bomb by Belif, and the Belif Aqua Bomb Sleeping Mask is also excellent," Kilbane says. "It melts into skin lightly and embraces it tightly."
Allure Korea editors love how it rapidly infused skin with moisture. “The next morning, the brighter skin results prove it’s the top dog in sleeping masks," they add.
$34 (Shop Now)
Courtesy of brand10/24Kuanku Makeup: Labiotte Château Labiotte Wine Lip Tint Velvet
Allure editors in Korea and America picked the Labiotte Château Labiotte Wine Lip Tint Velvet in the shades #Cognac Red and #Cork Nude as the best product for creating a dreamy blurred lip look. Of course, the cute wine bottle-shaped packing is eye-catching, but our digital deputy editor Kara McGrath swears its pigmentation and hydrating texture are just as amazing.
"It makes your face look more romantic as if using a photo filter," Allure Korea editors say. They suggest layering the two hues for a more dimensional, plumper, blurred lip look.
Courtesy of brand11/24Kuanku Makeup: AHC Aura Secret Toneup Cream
Toneup cream is basically a pink-toned primer that color-corrects and brightens skin. The best in the game is the AHC Aura Secret Toneup Cream. It's spiked with SPF and fermented ingredients to help your skin glow like your favorite serum. McGrath loves it because it easily blends into skin without getting chalky, while Allure Korea editors say, "It gives off a subtle gleam from each angle of your face and makes your skin look more beautiful."
$25 (Shop Now)
Courtesy of brand12/24Kuanku Makeup: Amuse Dew Tint in #05 Hipjiro
If you prefer a lip tint that has a glossiness to it, you'll fall in love with the Amuse Dew Tint. After swiping on the sheer peach hue called #05 Hipjiro, your lips will look plumper and feel nourished without any uncomfortable stickiness. Even when the shine fades, you'll be left with a matte stain, according to McGrath.
$20 (Shop Now)
Courtesy of brand13/24Kuanku Makeup: Giverny Milchak Sensitive Mascara
To give lashes a natural-looking boost, Allure editors from America and Korea reach for the Giverny Milchak Sensitive Mascara. Its ultra-slim brush "sculpts and lengthens the lashes one by one, but never clumps, despite applying several layers," McGrath says.
Our colleagues in Korea add that the mascara makes it seem as if you've always had long, lush lashes and it's easy to wash off.
$18 for 2 (Shop Now)
Courtesy of brand14/24Kuanku Makeup: Hera Sensual Spicy Nude Balm in #429 Naked Almonds
The ultimate MLBB lipstick from a K-beauty brand is the Hera Sensual Spicy Nude Balm in #429 Naked Almonds. The warm-brown hue melts into lips for a sheer, low-key finish. McGrath gave it her vote because of the intensely moisturizing texture and universally flattering shade.
$28 (Shop Now)
Courtesy of brand15/24Kuanku Makeup: Sooryehan Golden Baby Face Cushion
The gilded butterfly compact of the Sooryehan Golden Baby Face Cushion contains the same ingredients as the brand's luxurious Soo Chunsam Seonyu Gold Ampoule, so you can expect it to plump and smooth skin with ginseng and chrysanthemum. "Lightweight texture, natural color, and enough moisture — this cushion has a perfect trinity," McGrath says.
Allure Korea editors have similar praise for the cushion, adding, "It gives your face a glow, and the [foundation] stays bright for quite a while without oxidizing.”
Sadly, the Sooryehan Golden Baby Face Cushion hasn't made its way to the U.S. yet.
Courtesy of brand16/24Special Ingredients: Sulwhasoo Concentrated Ginseng Renewing Serum
The Sulwhasoo Concentrated Ginseng Renewing Serum is the winning traditional herbal skin-care pick. It spotlights ginseng, which has been used for generations in South Korea in medicine and food. In beauty form, the root improves the elasticity of skin and has a firming effect. The serum comes with a hefty price tag, but it's backed by decades of research and prized ingredients. "It gave my skin a glassy look that lasted for several hours," says our senior beauty editor Dianna Mazzone.
$205 (Shop Now)
Courtesy of brand17/24Special Ingredients: Be Plain Cicaful Ampoule
Over the past couple of years, centella asiatica (a.k.a. cica) has taken over skin-care products in the U.S., thanks to the plant's versatility and longstanding history in Asia. "It's chock-full of amino acids, beta carotene, fatty acids, and phytochemicals, including vitamins C, A, B1, and B2," Shari Marchbein, a board-certified dermatologist and clinical assistant professor of dermatology at New York University School of Medicine has told Allure. So you can expect it to soothe inflammation, plump skin, banish breakouts, and boost hydration.
The Be Plain Cicaful Ampoule is like a concentrated serum spiked with the stuff. Instead of having water as a base, cica extract is subbed in and makes up exactly 84.28 percent of the mild formula. "This ampoule is faithful to the basics to strengthen the skin barrier," Mazzone says. "The more you use it, it makes your skin increasingly supple and moist."
$21 (Shop Now)
Courtesy of brand18/24Special Ingredients: Missha Time Revolution Artemisia Treatment Essence
Mugwort is another ingredient that has been a part of Korean culture for eons. You can find it in rice cakes and infused in the water at bathhouses due to its healing properties. The popularity of mugwort skin-care products has recently spiked in Korea and the Missha Time Revolution Artemisia Treatment Essence is a standout.
Taking cues from its scientific name, Artemisia princeps, this watery essence has a high concentration of fermented mugwort to calm irritated skin and balance it out. Allure Korea editors love it for soothing maskne from face coverings.
$55 (Shop Now)
Courtesy of brand19/24Special Ingredients: Papa Recipe Bombee Honey Mask
If you haven't tried propolis skin-care products before, allow the Papa Recipe Bombee Honey Mask to be your introduction. Like honey, it's produced by bees, but it's the glue that keeps their hives together and keeps the bees living inside it happy and healthy. Propolis is known to have antimicrobial properties as well as the nourishing, emollient effects of honey. This sheet mask helps combat breakouts while leaving skin dewy and radiant.
$18 for 10 (Shop Now)
Courtesy of brand20/24Innovations: Wellage Real Hyaluronic One Day Kit
One of the rising beauty trends in Korea right now is skin-care products inspired by cosmetic procedures, like skin booster shots. The Wellage Real Hyaluronic One Day Kit, in particular, is like getting painless injections of hyaluronic acid in your face. Overnight it deeply plumps and hydrates even the flakiest, most parched skin as if you just had hyaluronic acid administered through a needle.
Instead of just packaging it as a serum, the Wellage Real Hyaluronic One Day Kit is like a mini science experiment. You pop the small ball of freeze-dried hyaluronic acid into the palm of your hand before squeezing the water ampoule over it and letting it dissolve. Then you pat the mixture onto your skin — no needles required.
$7 (Shop Now)
Courtesy of brand21/24Innovations: Mediheal Tension Flex Soothing Mask
The next generation of sheet masks lifts the skin and adheres to faces better. The Mediheal Tension Flex Soothing Mask has a flap at the bottom that stretches underneath your chin and upwards toward your ears for a snugger fit and lifting effect. Spiked with tea tree extract and cica, the elixir inside the pouch reduces inflammation and nourishes skin.
$25 for 10 (Shop Now)
Courtesy of brand22/24Innovations: Attibe Beauty Planic
As Allure editors in the U.S. tested out products for this post, we discovered the wealth of beauty devices Korea has to offer. One of the highlights is the Attibe Beauty Planic, which isn't sold in America yet. Microcurrents help it pull dirt and oil out of the skin and zap away zits — literally, you can feel a gentle static-like shock as you glide it across your face. Another mode on the high-tech wand pushes products into your skin for maximum absorption.
Courtesy of brand23/24Innovations: IOPE Lab Tailored 3D Mask
Another way sheet masks are improving in Korea is through customized services, like the IOPE Lab Tailored 3D Mask. Allure Korea editors asked our digital beauty editor Devon Abelman what her skin concerns were on specific parts of her face and they had a custom, 3D-printed gel mask made for her at the IOPE Lab in Seoul's Myeongdong neighborhood. Abelman loved how the mask targeted her skin's needs to a T instead of giving a single solution all over like most sheet masks. The next time she goes to Seoul, the IOPE Lab will be one of her first stops to stock up on more.
Courtesy of brand24/24Innovations: VANAV Hot & Cool Skin Fit
The VANAV Hot & Cool Skin Fit is the second winning beauty device on the list. It's basically the Korean version of the Joanna Vargas Magic Glow Wand: It warms up and cools down the temperature of your face to help the absorption of products and also tightens pores to make your skin bouncier and smoother. Allure Korea editors power it up when their faces feel puffy. It's so relaxing Kinonen says you can use it in an at-home spa experience.
$164 (Shop Now)
