Are you ready for that glow up?
If you’re heading to Seoul, brace yourselves for an excessive amount of beauty shops! As you walk through the beauty cafes that take over the streets of Myeongdong, you’ll realize that the billion dollar beauty industry in South Korea is no joke. Both women and men experiment with innovative, and sometimes unusual, products and ingredients to enhance their natural features – all to adhere to a skin-first philosophy.
With that, we’ve put together some really interesting skincare products that have proved positive results! Soon you’ll be getting that healthy, glass skin these Koreans are notoriously known for!
With the rising popularity of the products we’re about to mention, it might be difficult to locate all of them in one location. So do yourself a favor and book yourself a private car charter in advance and shop til you drop from the busy streets of Myeongdong to the endless retail options at Lotte Duty Free.
1. Dr Jart Rubber Lover Face Mask
Scary? Or scary good? At first glance, these masks look pretty freaky, but just as the front photo suggests – you’ll have a face as smooth as a baby after one use! If you’ve used regular sheet masks before and raved about its moisturizing results – get ready to be blown away by Dr. Jart’s Rubber Face Mask!
What’s different about these masks are that they’re rubber instead of sheets, therefore adding a cooling sensation into the masking process. There are four types of lover face masks – Firm Lover, Moist Lover, Bright Lover, and Clear Lover. Depending on what your skin needs, Dr. Jart is sure to deliver!
2. COSRX Advanced Snail 92 All-in-One Cream
When you think of “Snail Mucus”, what comes to mind? Definitely not a face cream! But did you know that snails produce mucus when they’re under stress? K-Beauty companies choose to put this ingredient in their products due to its skin regenerating properties, so if you’re looking for anti-ageing products, the COSRX Advanced Snail 92 All-in-one Cream will help you hide those wrinkles!
3. Besolbo Royal Salmon Egg Sleeping Mask
Photo Credit: amazon.com
You know those little orange balls in your sushi? Apparently they make good skincare products, too! If applying these little salmon eggs onto your face doesn’t sit well with you – don’t worry! The Besolbo Royal Salmon Egg Sleeping Mask isn’t actually made out of salmon eggs – just extracts! Arguably, the concept of this product is a bit odd, but we have to admit that this product is so incredibly moisturizing it’s almost unbelievable! Just squish three balls in your palm for overnight use and lather it all over your face. When you wake up, your skin will be soft and glowy!
4. Mizon Original Skin Energy Placenta 45
Photo Credit: @lovely.bunny.cosmetics on Instagram
Yes, you read that right – Korean women use placenta on their skin, and it’s probably why they look like they don’t age. In case you didn’t know, placenta has amazing healing and repairing abilities that’s perfect if you’re looking for a solution to those eyebags and wrinkles! If you’re looking to rejuvenate your skin, The Mizon Original Skin Energy Placenta 45 is a great option! If you’re worried about wrinkles, we recommend starting on the placenta products as early as possible!
5. Etude House Cherry Lip Gel Patch
Photo Credit: etudehouse.com
When tackling skin care products, we also have to take into account our lips! If you watch any K-dramas you would’ve probably noticed the our favorite drama stars have soft and kissable lips! To achieve that, all you need is the Etude House Cherry Lip Gel Patch! Skip the lip scrub and go for this moisturizing option instead – it’s far less damaging! Thanks to this lip mask, you can say bye-bye to dry and chapped lips!
6. Dear Dreams Come True Melted Cheese Cream
Photo Credit: enpranishop.com
Calling all cheese lovers! With the Dear Dreams Come True Melted Cheese Cream, you can now also lather your face in cheese and wake up with positive results! Though the product resembles actually cheese in regards to consistency, it fortunately doesn’t smell like it! Anybody can enjoy this pretty weird, but pretty fantastic innovation – even those who are lactose intolerant!
7. Elizavecca Milky Piggy Carbonated Bubble Clay Mask
Photo Credit: elizavecca.com
Off the bat, this face mask seems like any other clay mask in the market, but when you apply this mask onto your face – something really cool is about to happen! Apply this clay mask a little faster than you would a regular clay mask because in a matter of seconds, the mask will start to bubble up into a rich foamy texture. The Elizavecca Milky Piggy Carbonated Bubble Clay Mask is perfect if you’re looking to tighten up your pores or to clear up those blemishes!
8. Holika Holika Pig Collagen Jelly Face Mask
Photo Credit: holikaholika.ca
We know what you’re thinking – pig collagen, really? Well it happens to have anti-aging properties, making it popular with Korean women. If you’re not ready to dive into such an exotic product – try the Holika Holika Pig Collagen Jelly Face Mask! Don’t worry, though! It has a pleasant scent and you won’t even realize you’re putting pig collagen on your face!
9. Berrisom Lip Tint Pack
Photo Credit: berrisom.com
It’s no secret that Koreans love their lip tints, but since there are already so many lip tints in the market, Berrisom decided to come out with a product you can simply peel off! The Berrisom Lip Tint Pack is not only long lasting, but each lip tint stays highly pigmented throughout the whole day! So say bye-bye to re-applications and worrying about your lipstick when you eat – this is the only lip product you need in your life.
10. Etude House Bubble Tea Sleeping Pack
Photo Credit: @lovely.bunny.cosmetics on Instagram
If you love Bubble Tea, then you’ll love the Etude House Bubble Tea Sleeping Pack! This product comes in three different options: Strawberry, Black Tea and Green Tea – all with pearls! No matter which one you get, we’re sure this sleeping pack is bound to leave your skin plump and moisturized in the morning. If that’s not enough to convince you to buy the product, maybe its super cute packaging will win you over!
11. Skinfood Coffee Face Mask
Photo Credit: theskinfood.com
Take that love for coffee to whole new level! If you think that two cups of coffee a day isn’t enough, maybe a coffee face mask would fill that void! People have been using coffee grinds for their skin problems for a long time – even Beyonce says it works for her! The coffee beans in The Skinfood Coffee Body Scrub are able to exfoliate dead skin cells, while the honey and sugar mixed in the formula make skin super smooth and gentle!
12. Guerisson 9 Complex Cream
Here’s another odd animal-based product! Before you get weirded out about the idea of horse oil, you should know that there’s a good reason as to why Koreans love to use this ingredient! If you have horribly dry skin, the Guerisson Horse Oil is about to be your holy grail product! The animal fat from horses produces a lasting hydration that can keep your skin moisturized for up to 72 hours! Also, if you haven’t noticed – Koreans love their whitening products. The linolenic oils from horse fat apparently helps with dark spots, making it a must-buy item if you’re struggling with uneven skin tone!
13. Wine Lip Tint by Chateau Labiotte
Wondering what you can get that friend who’s obsessed with wine? Well, look no further cause Chateau Labiotte has got Wine Lip Tints that you and your friend are bound to love! These lip tints are made from actual wine extract from France and comes in a gorgeous packaging that’ll make you want to buy 10 more. The great thing about this lip tint is that it’s long lasting, moisturizing and comes in 8 different shades – from a blushing pink to a deep, dark red.
14. COSRX Acne Pimple Master Patch
Don’t you hate it when you get a zit on important events? Well, COSRX has got the solution for you! Stamp this hydrocolloid sticker over that nasty zit and watch it flatten in a matter of hours! What’s so great about this is that it’s skin-coloured so it isn’t even that noticeable! If you’re super conscious about it showing through, you can even put some makeup to cover it up and it won’t harm your healing pimple.
15. TONYMOLY Haeyo Mayo Hair Nutrition Pack
Photo Credit: tonymoly.us
Holy moley, TONYMOLY! This isn’t technically skin care, but keeping your hair healthy is just as important, right? A tad bit weird, but if you’ve reached this point in the article, you shouldn’t even be surprised anymore. Give your hair some TLC and deep condition it with the TONYMOLY Haeyo Mayo Hair Nutrition Pack! Despite it looking like mayonnaise bottle, it doesn’t actually contain any mayo. Instead it contains egg yolk extract, shea butter, and macadamia seed oil to moisturize, nourish and rejuvenate dull hair!
If you think your hair needs more repair, book yourself a trip to a Traditional Hair Care Clinic in Seoul!
Shop these products and more at Lotte Duty Free!
If you’re looking to shop these products, many of these are available at Lotte Duty Free! You can also get your hands on other K-beauty brands here such as 3CE, Banila Co., and Sulwhasoo! But if you prefer imported brands like SKII, Aesop, or Chanel – you can find these in Lotte Duty Free too!
You can definitely shop more than just cosmetics at Lotte Duty Free. It’s one of the biggest retail shopping malls in the country so you can bet that you’ll get a shopping experience like no other! But if you’re only staying for a short while in Seoul, don’t fret! You can shop your favorite items on Lotte Duty Free’s online store, and pick them up at the airport for your convenience.
Treat yourself to a beauty retreat!
Give your skin the the therapy it needs at the Sulwhasoo Spa Treatment in Gangnam, Seoul! Sulwhasoo is one of South Korea’s most premium and trustworthy beauty brands due to its fast-acting products. Using only the best and most luxurious ingredients, you’re sure to be glowing by the end of your treatment!
