The best Korean face masks that hydrate, brighten, and boost glow for skin that looks smoother.
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The hype is real: K-beauty is usually better, especially when it comes to skin care. “Traditionally, we think of moisturizers as serving two purposes: to keep skin hydrated and to fix the barrier,” says Kseniya Kobets, M.D., director of cosmetic dermatology at Montefiore Einstein Advanced Care. “Korean skincare adds to that framework.” It also has hanbang, which are plant-based ingredients from traditional Asian medicine that help calm inflammation and speed up skin healing. Korean moisturizers are different because of their philosophy of hydration plus barrier repair plus anti-inflammatory support. They also use newer sunscreen ingredients and PDRN technology in their active topicals.
Sabina Wizemann, the director of the Good Housekeeping Institute Beauty & Personal Care Lab, agrees with that. “The philosophy stresses a gentle, long-term approach to deep hydration and soothing, which can be summed up as prevention over correction,” she says. “Formulations mix traditional ingredients like Centella asiatica, ginseng, rice, and snail mucin with advanced delivery systems, active encapsulation, and fermentation technologies.” Korean formulas are usually gels or jelly creams that are light, absorb quickly, and can be layered.
We’ve put together a list of the best Korean beauty face moisturizers so you can bring the latest trends in K-beauty right to your bathroom.
Our best choices:
- The best overall product is the Sulwhasoo Concentrated Ginseng Rejuvenating Cream.
- Beauty of Joseon Red Bean Water Gel Moisturizer is the best deal.
- Aestura A-CICA 365 Soothing Repair Cream pH 4.5 is the best for redness.
- Dr. Jart Ceramidin Skin Barrier Moisturizing Cream is the best for skin barrier.
Sulwhasoo’s Concentrated Ginseng Rejuvenating Cream
BEST IN GENERAL
$55 Amazon $160 Nordstrom $55 Macy’s
Very moisturizing Helps make fine lines look smoother Plumping Costly
Sulwhasoo is one of Korea’s oldest and most famous skincare brands. It is the perfect example of OG K-beauty. The brand has been using ginseng, one of the country’s most famous and powerful skincare ingredients, for a long time, and this cream is full of it. Ginseng actives, ginseng peptide, and a vitamin C derivative are all in the anti-aging formula. They help make wrinkles look better and skin look fuller. The rich texture and how well it hydrates have always impressed me, so it’s worth the money.
Joseon Red Bean Water Gel Moisturizer: The Beauty
BEST VALUE
$18 Amazon
A formula that is light Keeps oil from getting too thick Calming for skin that is sensitive Some people may find the texture sticky.
One of the best things about K-beauty is that it offers the newest products at low prices, like this great moisturizer. People know Beauty of Joseon for combining traditional Korean herbal medicine with new ideas. In this case, they used red bean, which is full of antioxidants and helps control extra oil. The light formula helps keep skin balanced while also adding moisture. There is also a triple peptide complex that makes skin more elastic and smooth.
An Amazon reviewer said, “It is super lightweight and feels great on the skin.” “At first, it feels a little sticky, but it sinks into my skin and dries quickly, making my face feel very smooth. It doesn’t block my pores and does a great job of controlling the oily parts of my skin while also moisturizing the dry parts. It goes on top of sunscreen pretty well and doesn’t pill.
Moisturizing cream for the skin barrier from Dr. Jart+
BEST FOR THE SKIN BARRIER
$50 Amazon $50 Sephora $36 dodoskin.com
Makes skin barrier stronger Water Makes things more flexible Fragrance divides people
This moisturizer is made to help keep your skin barrier healthy, which is important for happy, hydrated skin. It has five kinds of ceramides and panthenol that make the skin barrier stronger and keep it hydrated. It also makes the skin more elastic. It doesn’t have any added scents, but it does have botanical oils like Pelargonium graveolens, olive, bergamot, and sage that give it a very faint, comforting scent that some reviewers didn’t like.
“This cream is always with me. It’s in my makeup bag, my medicine cabinet, and on my nightstand. It’s the first thing I pack when I travel.” Wizemann says, “I love how light and easy it is to glide on my skin. It instantly calms and comforts my skin, and it makes my makeup look and feel better on my face.”
Aestura A-CICA 365 Soothing Repair Cream pH 4.5
BEST FOR REDNESS
$32 Sephora
No scent for people with sensitive skin Lessens redness Help your skin tone look even It can be hard to twist off the cap.
This calming cream can help if your skin is red. It’s safe for sensitive skin. The main ingredient is pH4.5CICA, a unique blend of centella asiatica, zinc, and PHA that calms and soothes skin. Panthenol helps the moisture barrier, and hyaluronic acid and glycerin deeply moisturize. One reviewer said that the cap can be hard to twist off.
Wizemann says, “I have really liked this facial moisturizer.” “It’s light and calming, and after using it for a few weeks, my skin is much less sensitive, with less redness and dryness. It doesn’t feel heavy on the skin, and you don’t need a lot to cover your whole face.
Medicube’s Kojic Acid Turmeric Vita Capsule Cream
BEST FOR DARK SPOTS
Twenty dollars Amazon
Texture like a light gel Contains kojic acid and turmeric to make things brighter Some reviewers said the texture was sticky.
This cream is my go-to for fighting uneven patches and making my skin look brighter all over because I have major pigmentation problems. Turmeric and kojic acid are the main ingredients that help even out skin tone and make dark spots less noticeable. I also love how the cream feels like gel and is light as a feather. It sinks right into the skin, which makes it perfect for use with one of my favorite skincare tools, the Medicube Age-R Booster Pro. Some reviewers, though, thought the texture was sticky.
Innisfree Daily UV Defense Sunscreen
BEST WITH SPF
$18 Amazon $18 Sephora Ten dollars innisfree.com
Shiny finish With SPF, it saves a step Looks good under makeup Some people who reviewed it thought the finish was too shiny.
Wizemann says that this great K-beauty sunscreen feels “lightweight and hydrating” on the skin. It won a GH Beauty Award. It protects against UVA and UVB rays with a broad-spectrum SPF 36. The water-based formula gives skin a glow without making it look white, but some reviewers thought it was too shiny. It has green tea extract, sunflower seed oil, and cica in it to hydrate, nourish, and calm the skin.
An Amazon reviewer said, “This sunscreen has become a daily part of my face routine.” “It’s very light, soaks in quickly, and makes my skin look beautiful without looking oily or greasy. Best of all, there is no white cast, which is very hard to find in an SPF. It looks great under makeup or by itself for a natural, dewy look.
How we picked the best Korean face creams
Even though these products weren’t part of a formal Lab test, we chose them based on Beauty Lab expertise, recommendations from dermatologists and editors, and reviews from retailers. We looked at the lists of ingredients and thought about what people said about the texture, how well it hydrated, and the results that were visible.
Things to keep in mind when buying a Korean face cream
Korean face moisturizers are popular right now because we haven’t seen this kind of formulation on this scale before. Wizemann says that texture is an important part of skincare, but you should also look for products that are good for your age and skin type. For each type of skin, remember these things:
Wizemann says that ceramides, squalane, and fermented extract are good for dry and aging skin. Dr. Kobets says, “Put glycerin, niacinamide, hyaluronic acid, and ceramide-rich formulas at the top of your list.”
Sensitive: Look for products that say they are made and optimized for sensitive skin.
Dr. Kobets says, “Choose lighter textures and avoid too much layering” if you have acne.
What are the pros of Korean face moisturizers?
Dr. Kobets says, “The main benefit is that the barrier is stronger and less water is lost through the skin.” Many formulas also include antioxidants and anti-inflammatory plants like centella, which may help reduce redness and make the skin more resilient. “When the barrier is strong and inflammation is under control, the skin handles actives like vitamin C and retinoids much better and works more reliably.”
How do you best use a Korean beauty face moisturizer?
Dr. Kobets says, “Just like with any other moisturizer, I would recommend putting it on skin that is a little damp to help the humectant bind and pressing it gently into the skin.” “If you’re layering, start with the thinnest texture and work your way up to the thickest.” Always put on sunscreen after your morning routine.
Why should you trust Good Housekeeping?
Our Good Housekeeping Institute Beauty Lab experts helped us make this list. In particular, Sabina Wizemann, the director of the GH Beauty Lab, has looked into, tested, and rated thousands of beauty products.
This story was written by Celia Shatzman. She has been writing, editing, and researching skincare journalism for 20 years. She also talked to Kseniya Kobets, M.D., who is in charge of cosmetic dermatology at Montefiore Einstein Advanced Care.
Celia Shatzman (she/her) is a writer and editor who lives in Brooklyn. She has written about a wide range of topics, including beauty, fashion, travel, celebrities, health, entertainment, finance, and more. She graduated from Northwestern University’s Medill School of Journalism. She writes about beauty and style for Forbes, and her work has also been published in New York, Cosmopolitan, WWD, ELLE, Conde Nast Traveler, Afar, Travel + Leisure, Women’s Health, Marie Claire, Byrdie, Refinery29, and NYLON, among other places.
I did 10 minutes of Pilates every day for 2 weeks - my core and posture have never felt better
At the Good Housekeeping Institute, Sabina (she/her) is in charge of the Beauty, Health, and Sustainability Lab. She has been in charge of testing makeup, hair care, and skin care products since 2012. She also looks over applications, backs up claims, and judges products for the GH Seal, Beauty Awards, and Sustainability Awards programs. She has a B.S. in chemistry from Ithaca College and more than 16 years of experience working in the pharmaceutical and personal care industries.
