Frequently Asked Questions
What is a Korean skin-care routine?
There’s no one (or right!) way to use Korean skin care. Despite the popularity of the 10-step Korean skin-care routine, you don’t need to go all-out every night to reap the benefits.
“While some still adhere to [the 10-step routine], many prefer a more streamlined approach with three to five products, focusing on functionality and efficacy,” Cho explains. The three basic steps remain the same: cleanser, moisturizer, and SPF (during the day). If you’re unsure how to build your skin-care routine—using Korean products or otherwise—start with the fundamentals before adding the good-to-have steps, like toner and serum.
A huge benefit of Korean skin care is that many products are formulated to be multifunctional, combining steps while saving you time and money. Laneige’s Cream Skin Toner & Moisturizer, an Allure Best of Beauty Award winner, is one such example. This milky formula soothes and softens skin post-cleanse while locking in moisture, thanks to peptides and ceramides.
What are some trending ingredients and treatments in Korean skin care?
The landscape of the Korean skin-care industry changes by what feels like the day—which is to say, the list of trending ingredients and treatments changes rapidly. However, Cho calls out PDRN (short for polydeoxyribonucleotide), a DNA chain extracted from salmon “that is a 95% match to that of humans,” as we previously reported. “PDRN has captured attention across pharmaceutical, medical, and cosmetic industries in South Korea,” Cho notes. While she says it’s “lauded for its tissue regeneration properties and is a popular cosmeceutical injection,” you can find it in some topical products, such as Iope’s PDRN Caffeine Shot Serum. What’s more: “The emergence of vegan PDRN, extracted from wild ginseng, caters to the growing demand for plant-based and cruelty-free skin-care options,” Cho adds.
Microneedling treatments, which utilize fine needles to puncture the skin, are also big in South Korea because they “stimulate natural healing and collagen production,” Cho explains.
Can I trust buying Korean skin-care products online?
Korean skin-care brands are most readily available on Amazon, so, as with anything else you buy on the site, you need to do your due diligence surrounding retailers and sellers. Amazon stock, pricing, and listed sellers can be volatile, so at Allure, we don’t include any products that are not sold by either Amazon or the brand itself at the time of writing. (Bear in mind: The “seller” is sometimes listed as the parent company. For example, Dear Klairs products are sold by Wishtrend.) There are other options, of course. Soko Glam is a stateside e-retailer that meticulously curates its selection, and then there are Asia-based retailers such as Yesstyle and Olive Young that will most likely take longer to ship.
Amazon or not, one big exception to this online shopping discourse is Korean sunscreens. “The reality is that [many sunscreens from popular brands such as] Beauty of Joseon and Round Lab are not approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), which is why they’re not sold on Soko Glam—since we import [our products] into the U.S. and have to go through FDA checks,” Cho explains. “I caution people buying off of Amazon, as it is rife with counterfeit products since Amazon U.S. would not be able to sell these either (it’s a matter of import).” Take heed!
Meet the experts
- Y. Claire Chang, MD, a board-certified cosmetic dermatologist at UnionDerm in New York City
- Charlotte Cho, esthetician and co-founder of Soko Glam based in New York City
- David Kim, MD, is a board-certified dermatologist at Soho Dermatology and founder of Lightsaver based in New York City
- Hee Jin Kim, MD, a board-certified medical doctor and Medical Director of PureenMD based in Fort Lee, New Jersey
- Hee Jin Koh, MD, a board-certified dermatologist based in Clifton, New Jersey
- Ramón Pagán, a cosmetic chemist based in New York City
- Sejal Shah, MD, a board-certified dermatologist in New York City
- Jane Yoo, MD, a dual board-certified dermatologist and Mohs surgeon based in New York City
How we test and review products
When Allure tests a product, our editors look at it from every angle in an effort to best serve you. We review ingredients, scrutinize brand claims, and, when necessary, examine peer-reviewed scientific and medical studies. In addition to testing each and every product that’s included in each and every review, we rely on experts who shape their fields, including dermatology, cosmetic chemistry, and medicine, to help us vet the ingredients and formulas.
For our list of the best Korean skin-care products, we considered each product’s performance across five primary categories: product ingredients and efficacy, packaging, fragrance, texture, and product wear. Every product was determined to have excelled in each category by our editorial team, which is composed of in-house writers and editors as well as contributors—along with special consideration from dermatologists. To learn more information on our reporting and testing processes, read our complete reviews process and methodology page.
Our staff and testers
A beauty product is a personal purchase. You might be searching for a face cream to address persistent dryness or a new nail product to add to your Sunday self-care routine; you may simply be browsing around for the latest launches to hit the hair market. No matter what you seek or your individual needs and concerns, Allure wants to ensure that you love anything we recommend in our stories. We believe that having a diverse team of writers and editors—in addition to the wide range of outside testers and industry experts we regularly call upon—is essential to reaching that goal.
After all, can we really say a skin-care product is the “best” for people over 50 if the only testers we’ve solicited opinions from folks who have yet to hit 30? Can we honestly deem a high-end diffuser worthy of your hard-earned cash if it’s never been tested on curls? We’re proud that our staff spans a wide range of ages, skin tones, hair textures, genders, and backgrounds, which means that we are able to fairly assess any beauty product that comes into the beauty closet.
