Few are immune to the allure of viral Korean beauty brands like Beauty of Joseon, Laneige and Cosrx. Skincare enthusiasts can't stress enough the efficacy of natural, plant-derived ingredients found in these products. The subtle, glittery style of makeup also piques the interest of K-drama and K-pop fans. If your upcoming Eid plans involve a clean and minimal look, you might want to take inspiration from our list of trending K-beauty products.
We dove into beauty circles online and picked lip tints, eyeshadows, toners, blush and sunscreen for a complete glow routine. Below, you'll discover both skincare and cosmetics brands that are currently all the rage in South Korea, from Round Lab to Clio. Hop on Amazon's ongoing End of Season Sale to score amazing savings on all things beauty. Get a Prime membership to get eligible items delivered just in time for the holidays.
1. Best Toner: Anua Heartleaf 77% Soothing Toner, 250ml
Skincare prep eventually determines a good or bad makeup day. It's key to a flawless base application, so much so that you might end up skipping foundation altogether. This soothing toner by Anua helps to absorb important steps in your skincare regimen, making the most of moisturisers and serums. It's composed of 77 per cent heartleaf extract water, sourced from Korea, to soothe and hydrate all types of skin. The mild toner also balances the pH levels of the skin. Rave reviews pour in from buyers who suffer from bumps, blackheads, post-retinol irritation and fungal acne. Just soak cotton pads in this miracle formula and let them rest on your face for an at-home spa treatment.
2. Best Sheet Mask: Mediheal Tea Tree Essential Blemish Control Mask, 24ml
Suffering from a sudden breakout? Tackle it quickly before Eid, with Mediheal's viral tea tree essential mask sheets. Formulated for blemish control, the face mask is enriched with herbal extracts, such as willow bark for exfoliation, rosemary and tea tree oil to deep clean pores, and chamomile and Asiatic pennywort for calming any redness. There are five sheets in this pack, and each goes on the face for a 15-minute treatment. Reviewers with active breakouts see healing results in a couple of days, adding that it keeps their acne at bay. Most use it at night before bed and wake up with tightened pores and glowing skin.
3. Best Sunscreen: Round Lab Birch Juice Moisturising Sun Cream, 50ml
Every now and then, we're introduced to a Korean sunscreen better than the last - the likes of Cosrx's Aloe Soothing Sun Cream and Beauty of Joseon's Relief Sun told us that sunblock didn't have to be thick and heavy. Meet Round Lab's moisturising sun cream, the latest popular SPF from Korea. TikTok reviewers prove the no-white cast claim, and it's to be expected since it's a chemical sunscreen. It features birch tree sap, which is packed with minerals, enzymes, proteins and antioxidants, niacinamide for hyperpigmentation and hyaluronic acid to moisturise the skin. As for the rating, you're getting a sun protection factor of 50+.
4. Best Cushion Foundation: Etude House Double Lasting Cushion Glow (N21 Neutral Beige)
If you've been meaning to try out a cushion foundation, pick up this Etude House product. The Double Lasting Cushion Glow slips into the smallest of bags and is easily retrievable for quick touchups throughout the day. Etude promises a 24-hour fix, offering light, buildable coverage with a watery texture. A three-ingredient moisture complex made up of ceramide, panthenol and hyaluronic acid keeps your base makeup from becoming cakey. It's a great summer option for those who prefer a no-makeup makeup look, say reviews. However, the only drawback is its limited shade range. Sticking to your liquid foundation? Toss the beauty blenders and apply the product with a Korean makeup spatula for a skin-like finish.
5. Best Lip Tint: Peripera Ink Mood Glowy Tint (03 Rose In Mind)
Peripera's fresh, fun releases are always at the heart of K-beauty trends. Best known for lip tints, the brand adds the Ink Mood Glowy Tint to its arsenal, a glossy watercolour lip product. The formula is infused with lily and witch hazel extracts to smoothen out a chapped pout. It'll enhance your natural lip colour with a single coat - you can always layer for a pigmented look. We've picked the Rose in Mind shade to flatter all lips, and it also happens to be the most bought colour in the reviews. Buyers say the texture feels a lot like petroleum jelly, so the tint doesn't dry the lips out after use.
6. Best Blush: I'm Meme Palette Afternoon Tea Blusher
I'm Meme's powdery blush palette offers three tea-inspired shades. Experiment with cool-toned peach tea, cherry tea and berry tea, which absorb sebum as they're swapped across the cheeks. According to reviews, the shades apply lightly but are buildable. They attest to the long-lasting application and love how smooth the powder is. Don't forget to check out the other three palettes in the collection, if you wear warmer tones.
7. Best Eyeshadow: Clio Pro Eye Shadow Palette (013 Picnic By The Sunset)
With this Clio eyeshadow palette, you can nail the soft, shimmery eye makeup of your favourite K-pop stars. It consists of 10 brown to pink shades, featuring three high-intensity crystal glitters for a lustrous pop. The matte and glitter combination glides on effortlessly and lasts all day without any fallout. You can even use the shimmery white shade, A Piece of Moon, as a highlighter in the corner of the eyes. The palette comes with a two-sided brush applicator. Reviews confirm the subtle and sheer pigment of the eyeshadows, which makes them perfect for a daily look.
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