The Best Korean Moisturizers & Creams (Products Below)
| Image | Product Name | Top Choices | Latest Pricing |
|---|---|---|---|
 | 1. SeoulCeuticals - Multi-Function All-in-One Anti-Aging Snail Repair Cream | Our Favorite | Amazon |
 | 2. Etude House - Moistfull Collagen Cream | Great Deal | Amazon |
 | 3. COSRX - Oil-Free Ultra-Moisturizing Lotion | Amazing Product | Amazon |
There’s such a huge hype surrounding Korean skincare for a good reason: excellent quality without the huge price tag. Koreans take their skin health seriously, and that’s why they’re at the forefront of innovation in cosmetics and personal care products. It also helps that Korean beauty products have delightful packaging that either gives you a sense of fun and playfulness or makes you feel rich and luxurious. So how do you choose the best Korean moisturizer while basing your decision on more than the price and attractive packaging?
The Benefits of Korean Moisturizer
Truth be told, Korean moisturizers work just like others made by different brands around the world. Like all moisturizing facial products, their primary function is to support the skin’s natural ability to retain moisture to keep it plump, healthy, and youthful. So why are Korean moisturizers so popular? The answer lies in its brilliant combination of texture, variety, exotic ingredients, price, and packaging.
1) Texture
The typical Korean skincare routine involves 10 steps. Prior to moisturizing (which is actually anywhere from the 7th to the 9th step, depending on what method you’re following), the face has already been washed and nourished with a variety of products. That might include a toner, essence, ampoule, and mask. For that reason, it’s not surprising that Korean moisturizers are often lightweight. They’re usually weightless yet, somehow, still incredibly potent in locking in moisture.
2) Variety
Some of the best Korean moisturizers are compatible with all skin types. Nevertheless, one of the most impressive things about Korean skincare is its wide range of products, each specializing in a particular skin type. Whether you have dry, oily, combination, sensitive, or normal skin, you’ll surely find a product that’s formulated especially for your needs.
3) Exotic Ingredients
South Korea has been incredibly bold in discovering natural compounds and exploring their potential for skin health. As such, they’re known for exotic ingredients you wouldn’t usually find in Western skincare brands. What’s surprising is that these otherwise unknown ingredients actually work extraordinarily. Some of them include slimy snail mucin, propolis, and bamboo extracts. Nevertheless, most products still have skincare staples like hyaluronic acid, vitamin C, and aloe.
4) Price
While some luxury brands from South Korea are still hard to reach for the average person, Korean moisturizers typically come at unbelievably affordable prices. Most will come at the same price as your average drugstore brand. Even the more expensive ones offer incredible value for money.
5) Packaging
South Korea reinvented packaging for skincare and made it one of the largest selling points of their products. True enough, it’s easy to be drawn to a specific brand of Korean moisturizer for the sheer charm of its packaging alone. What’s great is that they’re not just pretty but well-thought-out as well.
Top 5 Korean Moisturizers
Finding the best Korean moisturizers is tricky because of users’ varying skincare concerns. But, here are the top 5 brands and variants that have gained excellent reputations and massive followings among some of the world’s most discerning skincare enthusiasts:
1) SeoulCeuticals – Multi-Function All-in-One Anti-Aging Snail Repair Cream
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Although SeoulCeuticals is an American company with products manufactured in Florida, it develops products inspired by Korean skincare formulations and methods, with a Korean skincare enthusiast leading their product development team. While snail mucin or snail secretion is a common ingredient in K-beauty products, their Multi-Function All-in-One Anti-Aging Snail Repair Cream claims to offer the highest concentration at 97.5%. Additionally, it contains other incredibly nourishing natural ingredients like aloe, shea butter, jojoba oil, green tea, and vitamin E. Combined, its organic ingredients make it a potent anti-aging cream with antibacterial properties. Over time, it won’t just keep skin supple and youthful but also free of dark spots and other blemishes.
2) Etude House – Moistfull Collagen Cream
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The Moistfull Collagen Cream by Etude House instantly gives you enviable Korean glass skin that lasts as long as 12 hours. It is a lightweight cream with a watery-gel texture that won’t leave you feeling sticky. It is rich in hydrolyzed collagen meant to nourish your skin with moisture that has been proven to last up to 120 hours. It also contains prized baobab oil, which is best known for its impressive vitamin C content. So, this product is not only an excellent moisturizer but also an incredible antioxidant and anti-aging cream. It firms skin up from within and promises to give you visible results within 5 days of continued use.
3) COSRX – Oil-Free Ultra-Moisturizing Lotion
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The Oil-Free Ultra-Moisturizing Lotion by COSRX is ideal for people with sensitive, acne-prone, oily, or combination skin. Nevertheless, it is also suitable for those with balanced or normal skin who prefer lightweight creams over rich, creamy ones. It boasts a formulation that’s over 70% birch sap. Also known as willow bark water, birch sap is a natural ingredient that’s prized in the world of natural cosmetics due to its incredible antioxidant effects and ability to boost collagen production. As such, the Oil-Free Ultra-Moisturizing Lotion isn’t just a moisturizer but also a remarkable anti-aging lotion. Additionally, it has soothing properties that help calm irritated skin. Instead of a pot, it comes in a luxurious pump bottle that dispenses just the right amount for a single application.
4) Klairs – Rich Moist Soothing Cream
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Klairs, also known as Dear Klairs, is a Korean skincare brand best known for its gentle formulations suitable for even the most sensitive skin. Its Rich Moist Soothing Cream is completely vegan and provides intensive moisture using basic ingredients. It is free from artificial coloring and fragrances and helps soothe irritated skin. With continued use, it helps nourish your skin and boosts its natural ability to repair and protect itself. This cream already had a loyal following soon after it was first released. But, improvements made in 2016 cemented its place in the world of K-Beauty. The formulation was enhanced with shea butter, lipidure, and ceramide 3, which made it even more effective. Its packaging was also replaced with an easy-dispensing tube for more hygienic use.
5) Innisfree – Orchid Intense Cream
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The Orchid Intense Cream by Innisfree boasts extracts from Jeju orchids, which contains antioxidants known to nourish skin and slow down the aging process. Being one of its prized ingredients, Innisfree has developed its trademarked Orchidelexir, an innovative means to process the resilient flower to harness its full potential in skincare. This cream also contains hyaluronic acid, making an even more potent anti-aging cream. Among all the products in Innisfree’s entire Jeju Orchid line, the Orchid Intense Cream has the richest texture, allowing it to moisturize deeply. Even so, it is easily absorbed by the skin and won’t leave you with a sticky or oily feeling. While it is formulated for all skin types, it is best used by people with dry or normal skin.
While it might be tempting to base your decision on price and packaging alone, choosing the best Korean moisturizer for you should depend on your skin type as well as your specific concerns. Once you have a good understanding of what you’re looking for, consider the top 5 Korean moisturizers that thousands of skincare enthusiasts swear by. It might still require a little bit of trial and error, but you’re well on your way to getting the same dewy and flawless skin that Koreans have become best known for.
