Best Korean Moisturizer for Glowing Skin
The Korean beauty craze has expanded globally. Women want that Korean glow and glass porcelain skin. That is why we gathered the best Korean moisturizer for every skin type. Some may have dry skin, oily, combination, or even sensitive; but regardless of skin type, everyone needs to moisturize their skin.
Why You Should Moisturize Your Skin
Moisturizing your skin keeps your skin healthy. It fights skin damage like acne and blemishes and prevents the appearance of wrinkles and fine lines giving you young-looking skin. Also, it gives you glowing skin; instead of dry and dull skin. Moreover, when we shower, the skin suffers from moisture loss, so it’s necessary to moisturize after bathing.
Why Use Korean Moisturizers
Korean skincare is always on the lookout for better formulations, and innovative technology that could further develop both the skincare and cosmetics industry. Korean moisturizers focus on the prevention and protection of skin and not just remedying skin damage. Therefore, the advantage of Korean moisturizers is that they are products of a well-researched study that prevents skin moisture loss and protects the skin barrier instead of simply rejuvenating already damaged skin.
How to Choose the Best Korean Moisturizer for Dry and Combination Skin
Generally, the ingredients you must look for in looking for the best Korean moisturizer for dry and combination skin are (1) Snail Mucin Extract, (2) Hyaluronic Acid, and (3) Antioxidants. Snail Mucin Extract balances moisture and revitalizes skin while Hyaluronic acid hydrates skin and helps correct skin issues by retaining lots of water in your skin. Lastly, Antioxidants target skin texture leaving them soft, smooth, and plump for healthy-looking skin.
Some brands have discovered some ingredients that could also hydrate and prevent moisture loss in the long run. So even if a product doesn't contain snail mucin extract, hyaluronic acid, or antioxidants, it still comes out as the best Korean moisturizer.
Best Korean Moisturizer for Dry Skin
Say goodbye to that flaky, dry, and dull-looking skin. Here are the 4 best Korean moisturizers for users with dry skin.
Belif Moisturizing Bomb
The Belif Moisturizing Bomb is perfect for dry and dull skin as it moisturizes skin for up to 26 hours. Equipped with herbs like the comfrey leaf, it’s the best Korean moisturizer to hydrate skin for supple and smooth skin. Moreover, it contains a cushiony cream texture that deeply nourishes without stickiness making it the best Korean moisturizer for dry skin.
The Belif Moisturizing Bomb is part of the True Cream line. Know more about the Belif story and other best-selling products here.
Etude House Moistfull Collagen Cream
The Etude House Moistfull Collagen Cream is the best Korean moisturizer for those on a budget. Made with fine particles of Super Collagen™ Water, it provides hydration for up to 100 hours making your skin bouncy and dewy. It also contains White Lupin extract that has seed-derived protein for overall moisture.
Etude House offers a complete line of Moistfull Collagen from toner, essence, emulsion, eye cream, cream, and deep cream. They also offer a whole variety of skincare and cosmetics. Know the brand and its variety of high-quality yet affordable products through this link.
COSRX Advanced Snail 92 All in One Cream
For those who want to check snail mucin extract off their list, this is the best Korean moisturizer. The COSRX Advanced Snail 92 All in One Cream contains 92% of snail secretion filtrate that protects skin from moisture loss and improves its elasticity. Hence, apart from its moisturizing and hydrating properties it also contains anti-aging by protecting your skin from fine lines and wrinkles. Get moisturized into plump and glowing skin with the COSRX Advanced Snail 92 All in One Cream. Shop this best Korean moisturizer for dry skin here!
Read more about COSRX and its bestselling products here.
Laneige Water Bank Moisture Cream
The Laneige Water Bank Moisture Cream’s main ingredients are Hyaluronic Acid, antioxidants, and Green Mineral Water that provides complete 24-hour hydration leaving your skin moisturized all day. The extracts that made the Green Mineral Water also assist in strengthening the defensive barrier of the skin to avoid moisture loss. Complete your day with hydrated skin with this best Korean moisturizer for dry skin. Get it here.
Alternatively, know more about the global brand Laneige and its most sought-after products here.
Best Korean Moisturizer for Combination Skin
Not because your skin isn’t dry or flaky, it doesn’t need moisturizing. Moisturizers are a must in any skin type, even combination skin. Here are the 2 best Korean moisturizers for combination skin.
COSRX Oil-Free Ultra-Moisturizing Lotion
Combination skin prefers lightweight products like the COSRX Oil-Free Ultra-Moisturizing Lotion. It absorbs quickly without the greasy feeling and doesn’t pile up under make-up. It contains 70% birch sap which is its main ingredient in hydrating while soothing sensitive or irritated skin so yes aside from combination skin, it’s the best Korean moisturizer for sensitive skin too.
Nature Republic Super Aqua Max Combination Watery Cream
The Nature Republic Super Aqua Max Combination Watery Cream contains Hyaluronic acid to keep combination skin moisturized for hours. It also offers the Aqua Sherbet network system that forms a moisture film over the skin so harmful irritants from the external environment cannot go through. This product is the best Korean moisturizer for combination skin as it’s under Nature Republic’s Super Aqua Max moisturizing line that specializes in combination skin types giving them a refreshing feeling. Nature Republic derived its mineral-rich water and plant extract 915 meters deep from the Hawaii Kona ocean.
Nature Republic is one of the Korean brands that provide natural ingredients. Read more here.
How to Choose the Best Korean Moisturizer for Oily Skin
Avoid skincare that could make your skin oily or let you suffer from breakouts. When looking for the best Korean moisturizer for oily skin, make sure that it’s oil-free and non-comedogenic. These usually are gels or water-based moisturizers. Ingredients that you are likely to find are Dimethicone (as an alternative to oil), Glycolic Acid (to reduce oil production), Hyaluronic Acid (a lightweight moisturizing ingredient), Niacinamide (to improve skin quality), Retinol (for collagen production), Jojoba Oil (to balance pH levels and reduce breakouts), Grapeseed Oil (to clear acne), and Hazelnut Oil (to unclog pores).
Best Korean Moisturizer for Oily Skin
Oily and moisturized are two different things. Not because you’re oily, you should avoid moisturizers. It’s the lack of moisture causing your breakouts. But don’t worry, we have listed 4 of the best Korean moisturizers for oily skin and acne-prone skin.
Belif Aqua Bomb
The Belif Aqua Bomb is the best Korean moisturizer for oily skin. It appears in almost all the lists of the best Korean moisturizers for oily skin. It’s perfect for oily skin because it’s an ultra-lightweight gel-cream so it doesn’t feel sticky at all and doesn’t add any more oil to your skin. Nonetheless, it provides intense hydration that refreshes the skin and softens the appearance of pores leaving you with soft and supple skin. Moreover, the product is infused with herbs that even improve skin elasticity. Shop this best Korean moisturizer here.
Mamonde Rose Water Gel Cream
The Mamonde Rose Water Gel Cream is made up of gel that makes it ideal for oily skin. It contains rose water that infuses hydration leaving your skin refreshed and moisturized. It also soothes skin with damask roses grown in morning dew. Lastly, it creates a moisture barrier to keep your skin hydrated all day and this protection makes it the best Korean moisturizer for your oily skin.
Know more about the Mamonde and its best products here.
Innisfree Green Tea Fresh Cream
Another best Korean moisturizer for oily skin, the Innisfree Green Tea Fresh Cream is also made of gel that instantly moisturizes without leaving any oily residue. Its main ingredient - Green Tea consists of both green tea leaves and seeds from Jeju that keep skin moisturized. It also controls sebum and oiliness through the clove flower extract.
Dear Klairs Midnight Blue Calming Cream
Dear Klairs Midnight Blue Calming Cream is perfect for both oily and sensitive skin. It soothes and calms damaged and acne-prone skin. It takes pride in guaiazulene and Centella Asiatica extract that soothes irritation, heals skin, regenerates skin cells, and fights scars.
The calming cream is best applied after your moisturizer. It acts as a moisturizer but it’s a top-up and must be used as your secondary moisturizer.
How to Choose the Best Korean Moisturizer for Sensitive Skin
Some ingredients are harmful to sensitive skin like Vitamin C, Glycolic Acid, and alcohol, as well as fragrances. These might be too strong for those who have sensitive skin causing flaking, peeling, redness, or irritation. Essential oils may be unnecessary as well. Try to avoid these ingredients when picking your moisturizer.
Best Korean Moisturizer for Sensitive Skin
The best Korean moisturizer for sensitive skin would be very conservative with its ingredients. To help you in choosing such, we’ve listed the top 3 here:
Pyunkang Yul Moisture Cream
The best Korean moisturizer for sensitive skin, Pyunkang Yul is known to remove all ingredients that are deemed unnecessary for skincare, this includes fragrances and anything that could be harmful to the skin. The Pyunkang Yul Moisture Cream may be mild but effective in moisturizing sensitive skin. It’s also non-greasy so it is easily absorbed by the skin. It’s sensitive-friendly that babies can even use them.
Read more about Pyunkang Yul and its fragrance-free products here.
Etude House Soon Jung 2x Barrier Intensive Cream
The Etude House Soon Jung 2x Barrier Intensive Cream is suitable for both dry and sensitive skin. It is not greasy upon application so it quickly absorbs on the skin giving you an instant yet long-lasting hydrated feeling. The product cares for your skin’s water-oil balance, strengthens the skin barrier, and calms irritated skin through Panthenol and Madecassoside. It is non-comedogenic and keeps its pH level to 5.5 making it the best Korean moisturizer for sensitive skin. Moreover, it’s free of oil additives, paraben, and animal materials, and is hypoallergenic.
Dr. Jart Cicapair Tiger Grass Calming Gel Cream
Dr. Jart Cicapair Tiger Grass Calming Gel Cream is a lightweight gel that soothes irritated skin and prevents breakouts. It contains Centella Asiatica, Jartbiome, and Cicabond to hydrate, soothe and strengthen the moisture barrier of the skin. It also contains Centella Asiatica Complex and 76% Centella Asiatica Leaf Extract to soothe and moisturize skin. Not only that, but it also retains moisture making it the best Korean moisturizer for sensitive skin.
Know who Dr. Jart is and its bestsellers here.
Verdict
Korean moisturizers are products of years of research and innovation in skincare technology making users trust them more than any other moisturizers. We would say that the best Korean moisturizer for dry skin is the COSRX Advanced Snail 92 All in One Cream. Its moisturizing properties instantly hydrate and keep the skin moisturized for a long time. Moreover, it has preventive measures for anti-aging and improving skin elasticity. The Etude House Moistfull Collagen Cream, however, is best for those on a budget. Catch it on sale here.
For combination skin, we would go for Nature Republic’s Super Aqua Max Combination Watery Cream. It’s the best Korean moisturizer for combination skin because it contains Hyaluronic acid which hydrates skin for hours as well as Aqua Sherbet which creates a moisture film over the skin.
The best Korean moisturizer for oily skin is Belif Aqua Bomb, a lightweight gel-cream that refreshes skin instantly and provides 70% more hydration.
Lastly, the best Korean moisturizer for sensitive skin is the Pyunkang Yul Moisture Cream. It is cruelty-free and free of additives like fragrances which is the most ideal for sensitive skin. Apart from moisturizing skin and making it bouncy, it locks in moisture. It also has soothing properties for irritated skin.