The Best K-Beauty Skin-Care Products, According to Bloggers and Vloggers

K-beauty blogger and founder of cruelty-free K-beauty store Dot Dot Skin Elisa Lee likes to use this cleanser when traveling and recommends it for sensitive or acne-prone skin. “This is an oil-free all-in-one cleanser. I don’t need to double cleanse when using this; it removes all my waterproof makeup and dirt in one go, while leaving my skin hydrated. It contains aloe vera juice, portulaca extracts, and papaya extracts to keep the skin calm, non-irritated, and moisturized.”

Mizu Chan of Marvelika Life likes this toner from K-beauty brand Benton, which contains salicylic acid, a popular ingredient for combating pimples and acne. “I apply the toner with a cotton puff, after cleansing to remove any dirt on my face,” she says. “The toner is really hydrating. And it doesn’t make my face sting, like a lot of other popular toners.”

“One of the secrets to healthy skin is using a darn good exfoliator,” says beauty blogger Eunice Cho. “This is an AHA (alpha hydroxy acid) product, but it has a larger molecular size than most AHA products out in the market, which means it’s super-mild. All skin types, including sensitive skin folks like me, can use it. It helps to exfoliate skin mildly while not stripping away the moisture from skin. I use it two to three times a week after applying my toner.”

Robey likes this ampoule (which is basically an ultraconcentrated serum) from CNP Laboratory, one of the top science-focused brands in Korea (that’s still fairly under the radar here in the U.S). Propolis extract, a resinous mixture that honey bees produce for hive upkeep, is the main ingredient — it supposedly works well as an antibiotic, antifungal, and especially as a moisturizer. “CNP mixes propolis with some humectants to create a skin syrup that’s so effective, I usually only use a drop or two at a time (the bottle is a small 15 ml, so don’t slather).” she says. “A few drops will soften even the scaliest skin over night. And when I want wildly glowy, K-drama-actress skin, I mix a few drops into my facial cream.”

K-beauty blogger Tracey E. Robey of Fanserviced-b is a fan of these masks from Papa Recipe, which she says are a great budget buy. “I bust these out after cleansing when my skin is feeling dry and irritated — or when I just want to relax,” she says. “The sheet material is super-flexible, and the hydrating, fairly thin essence smells like honey and slowly sinks in to plump up fine lines, takes care of dry flakes, and give a great glow.”

“Mizon Snail Recovery Gel Cream was one of my first K-beauty loves, and has remained a staple in my skin-care stash ever since,” says K-beauty blogger and reviewer Cat of Snow White and the Asian Pear. “It’s a simple product that soothes my skin and speeds healing of my breakouts. It’s lightweight enough to use in the heat of summer, and works wonders on accidental sunburns. If my skin is irritated and won’t tolerate anything else, this is the product I reach for.”

Co-author of Korean Beauty Secrets and co-host of beauty podcast Triple Bees Coco Park swears by this moisturizing cream for dry skin and recommends it for nighttime use. “This cream’s first ingredient is saccharomyces ferment filtrate (a yeast derivative that’s supposedly a powerful anti-aging ingredient), so you know you’re in for a treat,” she says. “This is on the thicker side, and is probably better suited to nighttime, unless you have the driest of the dry skins. It has a beautiful texture and performs much more like a high-end luxury cream than the $20 cream that it actually is.”