It's always time to celebrate the best Asian and Korean skincare products but especially now in the wake of hate crimes against the Asian community.
These beauty heroes sometimes fly under the radar but are the brilliant and notable finds on display in editors' bathrooms.
There's undeniably a certain pleasure in running to the corner store to pick up those tried-and-trusted beauty favorites for just a few bucks. And drugstore staples like CeraVe Moisturizing Cream and La Roche Posay Anthelios Ultra Light Sunscreen will always have a place in our beauty regimes. Skincare by Hyram (opens in new tab) wouldn't forgive us if they didn't.
But here's the thing: the best Asian and Korean skincare products will raise the bar on the anti-aging and glow-galvanizing results of that regime, even those jam-packed with the best vitamin C serums (opens in new tab).
This wonderful raft of products may have fun names and whimsical packaging, injecting a bit of personality into the hum-drum role call of cleansing, moisturizing and masking. And we're all for beauty taking itself a little less seriously. After all, who doesn't want to play with a magical skin-illuminating serum or a snail-based sheet mask in the name of beauty?
But don't be fooled. All importantly, they also contain science-backed ingredients influenced by eastern medicine and take the approach that healthy skin is the non-negotiable basis for everything that comes next.
Take Shiseido, for example. This Japanese brand is celebrating its 150-year anniversary in 2022, during which time it has developed technology like a polymer that adapts and lets in more moisture according to the amount of humidity in the air. Or the Responsive Sensory Technology for its best non-comedogenic foundation (opens in new tab) where the amount of mattifying powder released onto the skin depends on how much oil it detects. Pretty clever, no?
Here's our pick of some of the best Asian and Korean skincare products on the market today. Trust us, once you've tried them, there's no going back as you realize exactly what you've been missing out on.
Once you get past the idea that a sooty-looking cleansing oil is actually going to clean your skin, you can begin to appreciate how the charcoal in the formula hoovers up make-up, oil and daily grime.
Dr Jart+ has become the byword for ultra-healing formulas. Alongside the now legendary tiger grass extract (aka centella asiatica) to quell irritation, it also contains four probiotic ferments to strengthen dry, depleted compromised skin.
(Image credit: Revole)
Blithe Patting Splash Mask Energy Yellow Citrus & Honey
Inspired by a Korean bathhouse tradition of splashing botanical water on the face after cleansing, this "splash mask" works in a matter of seconds. Just pat the lactic acid–filled liquid over your damp face and let the vitamin C, honey and citrus AHAs (alpha hydroxy acids) brighten, energise and clarify skin.
Perhaps not a product you ever thought you needed, you'll be won over by its buttery texture and a whopping boost of hyaluronic acid and innovative mineral water technology, which together form a protective veil over the lips and reduce flakiness overnight. It's so good, one Lip Sleep Mask sells every minute in the US.
(Image credit: Neogen)
Neogen Dermalogy Bio-Peel Gauze Peeling Lemon Face Pads
Like the Cliff Notes of exfoliation, these cotton pads make easy work of a brighter, buffed complexion. Soaked in a vitamin C rich serum that also contains lemongrass to tighten pores and improve elasticity, you'll wonder what you ever did without them.
Snail Mucin is the hero ingredient here - basically the slime excreted by a snail that is a surprisingly rich source of hyaluronic acid and glycolic acid, promising extra plumpness clarity. Side note: no snails are harmed in the collection of the mucin.
Few skincare products can boast a 25,000-strong waiting list of women who can't wait to snap it up on account of how lustrous it makes their skin look. But that's precisely the sort of fanfare that surrounds this Glass Skin Refining Serum and its ‘Superskin Ingredients’ list. That includes niacinamideto help calm inflammation; hyaluronic acid for hydration; East Asian mountain yam for added suppleness and peach extract, which is rich in vitamins and essential fatty acids.
Meet the No1 targeted product to launch in Asia last year. It contains pure retinol to spark change in the skin, improving the look of wrinkles and dark spots in just four weeks. Notably it is also formulated with ReNeura Technology, which enhances your skin's ability to receive and transmit signals so that any actives respond better to your skin's specific needs. Apply anywhere where skin looks slack or your tone is uneven.
