What the heck is K-Beauty?

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What the heck is K-Beauty and why is it so popular?

If you’re regularly hanging out in Sephora, Ulta Beauty or any other beauty store aisles you certainly have started to see enigmatic brand names like TirTir, Beauty of Joseon, Abib, Laneige, I’m From… along with minimalistic packaging for some. Over the past 5 years my Instagram started to flood with influencers and brands advertising for K-Beauty products. I have to admit that I was both skeptical and intrigued about the ingredients advertised in some products such as snail mucin, centella asiatica or mugwort to name just a few. I decided to see what the hype was all about starting with the futuristic Dr. Jart+ Cryo Rubber Masks before tapping into one of my favourite skincare verticals: sunscreens. Entered Beauty of Joseon SPF 50.

So what is K-Beauty? What types of active ingredients are used in K-Beauty products and how to introduce K-Beauty products in your routine? Let’s K-pop open that question!

What is K-Beauty?

Korean beauty and skincare rituals have been deeply rooted in tradition for centuries. Short for Korean Beauty, K-Beauty refers to skincare and cosmetic products originating from South Korea, renowned for their innovative formulations and focus on skin health. The K-beauty products market size has grown strongly in recent years. Some studies claim that it will grow from $11.56 billion in 2024 to $12.5 billion in 2025 at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 8.1%. Nowadays, I definitely see a shift in demand for K-Beauty products seeing K-Beauty only shops opening, which was unheard of just 6 years ago, or a new K-product brand name popping-out on my feed. As a consumer it’s exciting. As a marketer I’m thinking: competition must be fierce!

The world of K-Beauty can be overwhelming (10 steps skincare routine anyone?). If you look at the roots of K-Beauty though, you learn that it emphasizes a holistic approach to skincare, promoting prevention over correction and encouraging consistency for long-term skin benefits. Korean skincare brands are known for their use of cutting-edge ingredients, fun packaging and affordability making them attractive to a broad audience. There is a different feel about Korean products, the expectation that you are using cutting-edge formulas and cherry on the top, at half the price of most of Western brands. What’s not to like!

What Are The Korean Skincare Routines Principles?

The routines in Korean skincare follow 5 self-explanatory principles:

  1. Layering: from serum to SPF, in which order should you apply each product on your skin so you address different skin concerns at once.
  2. Gentle Cleansing: one of the most crucial steps in Korean beauty. Think no skin stripping to remove dirt/oil from your skin and double cleansing.
  3. Hydration: hydration is key and the starting point to a radiant complexion achieved through moisturizers, hydrating toners, essences, and/or serums. Hello glass skin.
  4. Targeted Treatment(s): if you need to address specific skin concerns such as acne, hyperpigmentation, or ageing, K-beauty routines often include targeted treatments.
  5. Sun Protection: hugely important in Korean skincare (and more and more in the Western world), sun protection products are the final step that seals the deal and must have in any beauty routine.

I personally don’t have time for an extensive, hundred steps routine and prefer a “less is more” approach—as long as you know which ingredient(s) to use. However, if you’re new to K-Beauty, chances are you might feel lost knowing which products to go for and where to start.

How to introduce K-beauty brands in your routine?

Talking from experience, I would start small and with product categories that you can easily introduce in your routine such as cleansers, SPFs, masks or targeted treatment products. Here’s a quick overview of the ones I tried and would recommend to my friends.

SPF – Beauty of Joseon Relief Sun : Rice + Probiotics SPF50+

Great for any skin type including oily skin, this suncream has a light, non-greasy feeling I like and works well under make-up. Since I have a darker skin tone, I’m always on the hunt for sun creams that don’t leave a white cast. If you have a darker skin, this one will work great for you too!

However, I would say that if you are after a mat finish, that might not be your #1 choice, but if you don’t mind a dewy look (even if you're oily prone) this one does a great job.

Bonus: Beauty of Joseon Matt Sun Stick – I have to say I have a love and hate relationship with sun sticks so this is harder for me to give strong yey or nay, but unlike some other sun sticks I’ve used I liked the fact that this one sits well on top of make-up if you need a quick SPF retouch during the day. That being said, I’m more a fan of an SPF spray (maybe something Beauty of Joseon will create in the future?) when it comes to SPF upgrades during the day and would always prioritise going back to my SPF cream if I can.

Cleanser – Beauty of Joseon Radiance Cleansing Balm

I jumped on the double cleaning trend a while back but never with a cleansing balm struggling to find the right texture: not too thick so it melts nicely in your palms and spread easy on your face but not too runny once warm so it doesn't get into your eyes and burn like hell. This one just does the right thing and turns into a light cleansing milk when you add some water to it before whipping off. It’s also great for mascara removal, even waterproof.

Mask – Biodance Bio-Collagen Real Deep Mask

Wow, wow, wow! Strong start for a strong approval for this product. If I love masking, I’ve never been the one going after sheet or collagen masks as much (due to poor past results with sheet masks especially) until I heard about Biodance collagen masks. As per its product description, this mask deeply hydrates your skin and is infused with top ingredients like: peptides, niacinamides, hyaluronic acid (HA). It’s recommended you sleep, so your skin absorbs all the actives overnight.

If I was not as impressed the morning after I first used it, I was hooked the second time I did for an express hydration glow on the day of my wedding. To quote my make-up artist that morning: “I don’t know what you did to your skin, but it does everything it should when I add make-up” – Nothing to add here.

Bonus: Laneige Lip Sleeping Mask – A nice to have if you sometimes want to show your smile some extra love. I have the Grapefruit version and it smells amazing. I have used it during the day as well for an extra hydrating shine.

Serums – Niacinamide 25% & Retinol 0,5% In Squalene from Beauty Drops

One of my two most recent purchases and so far so good. I’m prone to hyperpigmentation and wanted to tackle this concern more this year so I decided to introduce niacinamide back into my routine. The consistency is very light-weight and you don’t need much to cover your entire face and neck and décolleté.

As for Vitamin A or Retinol, I normally use a 0,5% prescription cream but got very curious when I saw an oil retinol product. You also don’t need much and the product is very runny (maybe a tad too much) but after the oil sensation when you first apply it penetrates the skin much easier than my prescription tretinoin cream. I’ve been using both products for the past 3 weeks so it’s too soon to say how effective both are, that being said I am starting to see less pigmentation and a brighter complexion.

Essence – COSRX AC Collection Calming Liquid Intensive

I used this product when I had active cystic acne and found it perfect to simplify my routine since it has both BHA and AHA, making it a great ally if you like using essence/toner in your routine and want to combat acne and/or support your oily skin. The product also exists in a mild version for more sensitive skins.

Spot Treatment – COSRX Acne Patches

I am a huge fan of acne patches and COSRX was my first introduction to this specific product. The brand has multiple types of patch sizes. Like other hydrocolloid patches, they will absorb your pimple impurity helping the acne disappear without a scar.

Hooked already? If you want to dive deeper and before you venture in the K-Beauty world, here’s a list of top Korean ingredients to look out for.

1. Snail Mucin

Snail mucin is a powerhouse ingredient known for its skin-repairing, hydrating, and anti-aging properties. It helps with wound healing, reducing acne scars, and improving skin elasticity. It’s excellent for dry, damaged, or acne-prone skin. Western beauty equivalent(s): hyaluronic acid (which can also be contained in snail mucin products) or Panthenol (Pro-Vitamin B5) for their hydrating benefits.

Brands that use it: COSRX, Missha, Benton

2. Centella Asiatica (Cica)

Perfect for damaged skin barrier, centella asiatica, also called "cica" or "tiger grass," is a soothing botanical extract with powerful anti-inflammatory and healing benefits. This K-Beauty staple helps with multiple concerns: acne, oily skin, redness, dehydration and is a powerful antioxidant. Western beauty equivalent(s): Colloidal Oatmeal beneficial for many skin conditions like eczema and psoriasis and found in brands like Aveeno, La Roche-Posay, First Aid Beauty or Aloe Vera for its similar healing properties.

Brands that use it: Dr. Jart+, Purito, Etude House

4. Ginseng

Ginseng is a traditional Korean herb with potent anti-aging and brightening properties. It helps boost collagen production, improve blood circulation, and revitalize tired, dull skin. Packed with antioxidants, it also protects against environmental stressors. Western beauty equivalent(s): Niacinamide for its skin radiance boost effect and anti-ageing properties among many others.

Brands that use it: Sulwhasoo, Beauty of Joseon, Innisfree

5. Rice Extract

Under the radar in the Western world, rice extract is well known for its brightening and hydrating effects in Korea. It’s packed with vitamins (A, C, E, yes like the juice), amino acids, and minerals that help improve skin tone, reduce hyperpigmentation, and provide long-lasting moisture. Perfect if you’re after a dewy looking skin. Western beauty equivalent(s): Vitamin C for its support with collagen production and antioxidant protection or Licorice Extract known to helps reduce dark spots and pigmentation.

Brands that use it: Laneige, SKINFOOD, The Face Shop

6. Mugwort

Mugwort is a medicinal herb with soothing, anti-inflammatory, and antibacterial properties. It helps calm redness, control sebum production, and support the skin barrier, making it great for sensitive, acne-prone, and irritated skin. It’s also rich in antioxidants, helping the skin detoxify and be protected from environmental damage. Western beauty equivalent(s): Chamomile Extract or Turmeric both used to tackle skin inflammation and for their anti-inflammatory and antioxidant benefits.

Brands that use it: I'm From, Missha, Round Lab

7. Propolis

Like honey, propolis is derived from bees, and is rich in antioxidants. It’s also a great antibacterial, anti-inflammatory, and moisturizing ingredient that helps fight a wide range of concerns such as: acne, heal wounds, or improve overall skin radiance. Western beauty equivalent(s): easy: honey, honey. Brands like Farmacy, Lush, use honey in their products for the same properties as propolis.

Brands that use it: iUNIK, Beauty of Joseon, COSRX