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

K-beauty blogger and founder of cruelty-free K-beauty storeDot Dot SkinElisa Leelikes 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.”

This cultish cleanser is a favorite ofvlogger Michelle Choiandthe Cut’s Kathleen Hou. “I love using the cleansing balm to not only remove my makeup but also to clean out my pores,” says Choi. “I tend to produce a lot of sebum around my nose, and I can see some darkening from it being oxidized. The balm does a great job of melting down all the oil and dirt stuck in the pores and keeps them clean.”

Mizu ChanofMarvelika Lifelikes this toner from K-beauty brand Benton, which containssalicylic acid, a popular ingredient for combating pimples andacne. “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 bloggerEunice 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, includingsensitive skinfolks 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.”

Charlotte Cho, the founder of K-beauty marketplace Soko Glam, recommends this exfoliator from Unpa that (gently!) peels away dead skin. It also uses charcoal to exfoliate and smooth, vitamin B5 to help hydrate and protect the skin’s barrier, ginseng root to calm, and baikal skullcap root extract to help withhyperpigmentation.

“Essences are essential to my skin-care routine, and this one is one of my all-time favorites,” says YouTuberMorgan Stewartof this essence from Missha, which Strategist writer Rio Viera-Newton alsoloves. “It’s a watery product that goes on after you cleanse and tone your skin. It contains fermented ingredients that help smooth, hydrate, and brighten the skin. The fermented ingredients in this also help with anti-aging and repairing damage,” says Stewart.

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 forhiveupkeep, 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 bloggerTracey E. RobeyofFanserviced-bis 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.”

Cho likes this mask from K-beauty brand Enature, which is designed to work while you sleep. Hemp seed oil helps soothe inflammation and improve texture, and fatty acids help protect against free radical damage. It also works for all skin types, says Cho, including acne-prone and sensitive skin.

“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 ofSnow 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 ofKorean Beauty Secretsand co-host of beauty podcastTriple BeesCoco Parkswears by this moisturizing cream fordry skinand 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.”

If you’re on the hunt for a lighter, gel-likemoisturizerCho recommends this cream from her brand Then I Met You, which contains three peptides that help improve texture and stimulate collagen production, and ceramides that protect the skin’s natural barrier.

YouTuber Lily Hong (more popularly known asHautedoll) likes thissunblockfrom Missha, which is popular in Korea but still not very well-known Stateside. “It isn’t sticky like typical sunblocks and doesn’t feel greasy, either (and so far hasn’t broken me out),” she says. “It’s perfect as the first step to prep your skin before foundation application, as it’s moisturizing as well.”

Rioswears by this SPF, which she says is intensely moisturizing, without being overly greasy. “This is what I recommend to anyone who is sensitive to sunscreens or scared that an SPF might break them out,” she says, noting that it’s calming, soothing, protective, and activelyimprovesthe skin. “After a few uses,” she says, “I noticed that some errant redness I’d had on my chin had subsided, and my skin lookedglowy, hydrated, and supple.”