These nourishing cleansers, toners, serums, and moisturizers banish breakouts without drying out your skin.
Of the many acne treatments available in South Korea – countless lasers, in-office exfoliating peels, and Skin Botox, included – the country’s innovative beauty products are the easiest for us to access stateside. Korean skin-care routines place emphasis on treating zits incredibly gently without drying them out. (The latter approach may be what you’re used to here in America.)
In fact, when I was in Korea in 2020 (pre-pandemic, of course), I asked dermatologist Cho Yun Joo what the number one piece of advice she had for people battling breakouts, and “moisture, lots of moisture,” was her immediate answer.
Lim Ee Seok, the head dermatologist at Seoul’s Thema Dermatologic Clinic, shared similar sentiments with me. Typically in the U.S., the oil buildup on skin is usually focused on first instead of the fact that you probably just have dry or sensitive skin, and your complexion is trying to balance itself out.
Addressing inflammation is also key, according to dermatologist Shin Hae Won at Oracle, a major dermatology and skin-care clinic in Seoul. Seeking out soothing ingredients, like Centella asiatica (a.k.a. cica), allantoin, and niacinamide, will help calm redness while clearing up your complexion. In fact, you can probably find all three in every product from beloved brands, such as Mediheal, Innisfree, Cosrx, and Skinfood below.
With all this in mind, we gathered up the best Korean skin-care products for acne-prone skin (or any skin type) that dermatologists and editors from Allure and Allure Korea swear by. Add to your skin-care routine asap and revel in the joy and comfort of more balanced, nourished, and clearer skin.
Best Overall Acne Treatment: Dr.G R.E.D Blemish Clear Soothing Cream
One of the best-selling skincare products in Korea for 2023 is Dr.G’s R.E.D Blemish Clear Soothing Cream. It stands out for its versatility. Not only does it thoroughly hydrate skin with its lightweight, gel-like texture, but it also features an impressive concentration of five different types of acne-improving cica, shares board-certified dermatologist Hee Jin Koh, MD. Niacinamide and panthenol (a.k.a. vitamin B5) also make appearances on the ingredient list, “which can help reduce inflammation and fortify the skin barrier,” she adds.
Best Gentle Cleanser: Medicube Zero Foam Cleanser
Not only are Allure editors in New York City fans of the Medicube Zero Foam Cleanser, but so are our peers in Seoul. Allure Korea beauty editor Minji Kim says the sensitive skin-friendly formula forms a rich lather to effortlessly rinse away grime and bacteria on skin while maintaining its natural balance of oil and moisture.
Most Popular Soothing Toner: Anua Heartleaf 77% Soothing Toner
Anua’s Heartleaf 77% Soothing Toner is a “very popular soothing toner in South Korea,” according to Dr. Koh. Reason being: It’s chockful of Houttuynia cordata extract a.k.a. heartleaf. Studies have found this Southeast Asian medicinal plant has powerful antibacterial and antimicrobial properties for combating acne-related pathogens on the surface of the skin and in the sebaceous glands.
Best Gentle Exfoliant: Juice to Cleanse Vinegar Kombucha Vegan Essence
Allure Korea editors love how this 2023 Clean Award winner brings together fermented ingredients (black tea and vinegar, specifically) with raw fruit and vegetable extracts, like apple, cabbage, and pear, to gently slough away dead skin cells and excess sebum that could cause breakouts and blackheads. In the process, Juice to Cleanse’s Vinegar Kombucha Vegan Essence also illuminates and intensely moisturizes skin.
Best for Inflammation: Mediheal Tea Tree Biome Blemish Cica Ampoule
Consider the Mediheal Tea Tree Biome Blemish Cica Ampoule as a serum version of the brand’s iconic Tea Tree Essential Blemish Control Mask. Both are formulated with several forms of acne-fighting tea tree. However, the gorgeous green serum has been trending on Korean social media because it brings cica and rosemary extract, which has antimicrobial, anti-inflammatory, and antifungal benefits, into the mix for added complexion-calming and blemish-banishing benefits that feel ultra-refreshing on contact.
Best Gentle Spot Treatment: Cosrx Acne Pimple Master Patch
Cosrx needs no introduction if you’re even slightly familiar with the Korean beauty scene — after all, it’s one of the best non-irritating spot treatments in the game. After you’re through with your cleansing oil or balm and water-based cleanser, pop one of these nearly-transparent patches onto clean, dry skin, and let the hydrocolloid material do its thing.
The medical-grade sticker literally absorbs unwanted fluid from your pimples, effectively deflating the blemish over a period of a few hours. It also guards them against external irritants and prevents you from picking at your breakouts. This is key as “picking a pimple increases the inflammation and can slow the healing process down,” Elizabeth Tanzi, MD, founder and director of Capital Laser & Skin Care and associate clinical professor in the Department of Dermatology at the George Washington University Medical Center, previously told us. When you pick, the chances of acne scars popping up and getting an infection rise, too.
Best Chemical Exfoliant: Some by Mi AHA-BHA-PHA 30 Days Miracle Toner
It takes guts to put “miracle” in any product name, and while we don’t think any skin-care product produces those, Some by Mi’s AHA-BHA-PHA 30 Days Miracle Toner comes pretty darn close. What you can take from the name at face value is the three types of chemical exfoliants (AHAs, BHAs, and PHAs), which we all know are excellent at boosting cell turnover, smoothing skin texture, and brightening skin. If that wasn’t enough, papaya and witch hazel extract also assist in gentle exfoliation.
In case you have sensitive skin, don’t fret. This lightweight toner is formulated with a pH of 5.5, our skin’s natural pH, and shouldn’t cause irritation — especially since it contains tea tree water. (If you didn’t know, tea tree oil is often diluted by water or a carrier oil because tea tree oil by itself is strong and potentially irritating.)
Best for Stressed-Out Skin: Iope Derma Trouble Emulsion Luxe
When your skin is feeling raw and angry, reach for Iope’s Derma Trouble Emulsion. Squalane and beta-glucan help heal and strengthen the skin barrier without adding extra products and uncomfortable weight to your stressed-out skin. It has a streamlined ingredient list to keep your routine as minimalist as possible to get your complexion back on track.
Best Clarifying Serum: Isoi Bulgarian Rose Blemish Care Serum
Since launching in 2009, Isoi’s Bulgarian Rose Blemish Care Serum has been a best seller at Korea’s most popular beauty store, Olive Young, year after year. People repurchase it so often to keep their skin clear and glassy that Olive Young offers the serum in sets of two to three.
The pretty pink bottle is packed with Bulgarian rose in water and oil forms to heal and soothe broken-out skin. (After all, rose does contain “anti-inflammatory and antiseptic properties,” as Ava Shamban, MD, a board-certified dermatologist in Beverly Hills, previously told Allure.) Best of all, it smells like a fresh bouquet of roses without any added artificial fragrances.
Best Face Mask for Blackheads: Innisfree Super Volcanic Clay Mousse Mask 2X
The volcanic ash from Korea’s Jeju Island in the Innisfree Super Volcanic Clay Mousse Mask 2X helps stave off oil and absorb impurities deep in your pores. The rinse-off mask is also rich in sulfur, which is not only an anti-inflammatory but also antibacterial.
Best for Post-Inflammatory Hyperpigmentation: Axis-Y Dark Spot Correcting Glow Serum
Need something to help diminish post-breakout dark spots? Dr. Koh recommends Axis-Y’s TikTok-viral Dark Spot Correcting Glow Serum for keeping your complexion even-toned. A 5% concentration of niacinamide alongside papaya, rice bran, and sea buckthorn extracts “help brighten your skin by inhibiting melanosome transfer from melanocytes to keratinocytes,” she explains.
Best for an Instant Glow: Beauty of Joseon Glow Serum
The star of the Beauty of Joseon Glow Serum is the beloved K-beauty ingredient propolis, which is great for dry skin. For those unfamiliar with it, propolis is a glue-like mixture that bees produce by mixing their own enzymes from saliva and beeswax, and botanical exudate. Like honey, it touts antibacterial and anti-inflammatory properties to help tame inflammation while giving your complexion a boost of radiance.
Best Deep Cleaning Face Wash: Banila Co Clean It Zero Pore Clarifying Foam Cleanser
From the makers of Korea’s best-selling cleansing balm is the ideal second step of your double-cleansing routine: Banila Co Clean It Zero Pore Clarifying Foam Cleanser. With a gentle-yet-effective combination of AHAs, BHAs, and LHAs that Allure Korea editors swear by, the acid-spiked face wash sweeps away dead skin cells to keep pores from clogging and skin from breaking out.
Best Serum for Oily Skin: BeginS Pore Perfecting Serum
The BeginS Pore Perfecting Serum is like a cup of tea for your skin. Persimmon, bergamot, and mint leaves are brewed together to help regulate oil production and minimize the appearance of pores.
Most Nourishing Toner: Skinfood Carrot Carotene Soothing Toner
This Allure Korea 2023 Clean Award winner placed in the moisturizing toner category. Not only is the Skinfood Carrot Carotene Soothing Toner spiked with organic carrots grown on South Korea’s Jeju island to minimize the product’s carbon footprint, but the extract made from them reduces redness and alleviates sore skin while replenishing it with plenty of much-needed moisture, Allure Korea editors say.
Best Serum for Textured Skin: Manyo Factory Galactomy Niacin Essence
In Korean, manyo means witch, and the skin-smoothing results Manyo Factory Galactomy Niacin Essence provides are just as magical as you could imagine. Galactomyces ferment filtrate (a yeast byproduct from brewing sake) and niacinamide team up to eliminate roughness and bumps while giving skin a dewy, hydrated glow.
Best Face Mist: Dr. Orga pH Balance Houttuynia Cordata Red Spot Mist Toner
Allure Korea has its very own Best of Beauty Awards, as well as Clean Awards, and this won in the facial mist category for 2023. The Allure editors over in Seoul point out that the DR.Orga pH Balance Houttuynia Cordata Red Spot Mist Toner is filled with cica and wheat germ extract for instant inflammation relief without having to touch your face, which is particularly helpful when dealing with active breakouts.
Most Soothing Moisturizer: Make P:rem Inteca Soothing Cream
The Makep:rem Inteca Soothing Cream won an Allure Korea Best of Beauty Award in 2022 for its ultra-calming effects. The creamy cica-infused gel swiftly melts into skin to quickly quell sensitivity and irritation, editors say. Several weights of hyaluronic acid also bring major plumping moisture to the equation that plays well under makeup.
Best Face Mask for Oiliness: Bring Green Tea Tree Cica Pore Clay Pack
Instead of slapping on a single-use sheet mask, consider the Bring Green Tea Tree Cica Pore Clay Pack instead. It blankets skin in a non-drying, clay-based mask infused with the usual suspects — cica and tea tree — to soak up the excess sebum on the surface of your skin and balance out oil production. Your skin is sure to be dewy in all the right ways once you wash it off.