I was originally thinking of posting a “Monthly Favorites” type of post, but since I love these items so much, I just decided to go ahead and make this a general favorites post. This list is full of my favorites, and should be perfect if you need an introduction to the multitude of the many brands Korea has to offer.
I’m breaking my favorites down by category: Face, Eyes, Cheeks, Lips, Skin Care, and Body. I’ll list the product names with prices next to them, but if you close up on the photos of the products they should also have the product names in Korean.
I’ll mark my absolute favorites/things I think you must have in your collection with an asterik (*) next to the item name and price.
Lastly, I hope you find this post to be helpful and if you have any other comments/questions, feel free to post~
Cosmetics
Face
The Saem: Cover Perfection Ideal Concealer Duo (11,000 won)*
Comes in 3 shades (1, 1.5, 2). My shade is 1.5. I always try to buy a concealer a shade lighter than my regular skin color, because it should brighten. This is by far the best concealer out of all brands, Korean or Western, I’ve ever tried. Better than Bobbi Brown. Better than Nars. Yes, it’s that pigmented, creamy, moisturizing, and budge proof. I love how there’s 2 ends, liquid and in stick form. The formula is amazing. You must buy it. Great for dark under eye circles, red spots, and dark spots. I use it to cover my dark circles, and some of the dark beauty marks, and brown spots left from some acne I had.
Skin Food: Red Orange Makeup Finish Glossy (8,000 won)
Comes in 2 finishes (Matte & Glossy). I don’t think this one is necessarily essential, because almost all Korean brands make their own make up spray. I honestly find that all Korean make up setting sprays, or skin care mists, function in the same way and work just about the same. This is just the one I use lately, and it smells good. I think the fine mists might be better for make up though, so you may be better off checking out Clio for that. This one does have a regular spritzer, so it does tend to spray a lot of product.
Hera: UV Mist Cushion Ultra Moisture (~45,000 won)
This cushion has the regular UV Mist Cushion version, and the Ultra Moisture version. If you have pretty oily skin, I’d suggest the regular Mist cushion. I use the Ultra Moisture and have combination skin, so I think the ultra moisture one is fine for normal~combination skin types.Out of all the cushions I own so far, this one is my favorite. It makes your skin soft, dewy, and glowy. Coverage is on the light-medium side though, so if you want full coverage, this cushion won’t do it for you. I love natural finishes, and this is dewy in a non-budging and not overly sticky kind of way. Hera is a bit pricey, but it’s worth it. If you’re going to spend the money, buy it Korea duty free, or from a department store (like on their websites) because they offer special sets.
Eyes
Aritaum: Diamond Eye Pencil Water Proof (5,000 won)*
Offered in 7 colors, this eyeliner is AMAZINGGGG. Expensive eyeliners like Urban Decay, or even Makeup Forever have never lasted for me. Their claims of being waterproof and smudge proof, even 24/7 have all failed for me. However, Aritaum delivers on all of these claims. I have monolids, so transfer and smudging are usually inevitable for me…yet I’ve found my solution. It’s completely waterproof and smudge proof. It is creamy and highly pigmented. You can also get a perfect wing in seconds courtesy of the pointed tip that can be sharpened with the sharpener on the opposite end. Applying eyeliner has never been so easy and fuss free for me. It’s like a dream come true. My only complaint is that they don’t offer any matte shades, they’re all sparkly. But the sparkles are not noticeable and are small (there’s no fall off or getting into/irritating your eyes).
Missha: [M] Fairy Wings Mascara (12,800 won)
This mascara comes in 2 different colored tubes, mint and an orange color, but the mascara is the same. I usually hate Korean mascara because the formula usually sucks, but this one gets a solid thumbs up from me. The formula is great for curling your lashes (essentially for us Asians with stick straight lashes), and is perfect for those of you that like natural lashes that look black, yet are separated, long, and not clumpy. I hate mascaras that make my lashes look spidery and clumped together. The brush is really nice and separates the lashes, and this mascara is long lasting, and holds my curl all day long. I’m pretty sure it’s waterproof too. I never have to touch it up.
Missha: [The Style] 3D Mascara (3,300 won)
Comes in 2 packaging types, the original black tube and the wonder woman packaging. They’re the same. This is also a good mascara. Missha is on point with it’s mascaras and skin care. It’s a simple smaller shaped brush, and holds a good curl. And it’s cheap. Really cheap haha.
Etude House: Bling Bling Eye Stick (4,000 won)*
Comes in 6 shades. I LOVE LOVE LOVE this eye stick. It’s one of my holy grail items. It can be used as an eye shadow, or as a highlighter. I use the sparkly white shade to get an inner eye corner highlight (tear duct area) and to make my eyes look more awake when I’m tired. I apply it right along the bottom of my eyes, along the inner corners, and I get a young and fresh look. Completely waterproof, smudge proof. Lasts alllll day long. No need for reapplication. Seriously.
Cheeks
Etude House: Lovely Cookie Blusher (6,000 won)
I think it comes in 8 shades. I own #6, Grapefruit Jelly, which is the favorite of Korean makeup artist/you tuber Pony. The blushes come in a range of pinks, pinky-oranges, oranges, and beiges. The packaging is cute, and the colors are really pretty. Pigmentation is average, and lasting power is good. I mainly like it because of the pretty color options. Though the packaging is cute, it feels pretty cheap. The puff is useless imo (doesn’t give you a good application), and the cover is made of cheap plastic. The hinge for the cover is prone to breaking easily, and it’s kind of bulky. However, overall, out of the Korean blushes I’ve tried, I think I like this one best.
Mamonde: Bloom Harmony Blusher & Highlighter (15,000 won)
Comes in 2 shades, a pink gradiated color, and an orange one. I have the pink one. This is the blush/highlighter Park Shin Hye used in the drama Pinocchio. This isn’t a good blush, but as a highlighter, it’s REALLY REALLY GOOD. Highly pigmented, and pretty soft and buttery once it’s more used. Lasting power is excellent as well. It gives you a great highlight, but there’s not much color pay off. It’s just a strong, iridescent highlight. Looks great on the tops of your cheeks^^
Lips
Peri Pera: Peri Pera’s Water Tint (~4,500 won)
Comes in 5 colors. I have #4, Strawberry Juice. For some reason, I can’t find it on the Clio website anymore, but I can find it in stores. It’s somewhere around 4,500 won. This is a water based tint, so it’s the type you apply, and it stains your lips. Great for gradient lips. It smells really good (like candy), and the lasting power is great. The only thing I dislike is that since it is soooo watery it can sometimes get on your teeth when you’re applying it. Be careful when applying ;)
Etude House: Berry Delicious Color in Liquid Lips (9,500 won)
This is a recent strawberry collection that just came out, and I bought the liquid lips about a week ago. I got mine in PK014, Berry Cherry to Go (베리 체리 투고). It’s a pinker shade than I would usually go for, but I love it. It smells really good…like sugary bubblegum? And the packaging is so cuteeeeee. I adore it. You can see the shape of a lipstick bullet in the tube, and it’s decorated to look like a strawberry. The product is also super thick and creamy, and pigmented. Lasting power is average, but the colors are really pretty! <3
Aritaum: Mirror Gloss Tint (9,000 won)
Comes in 15 gorgeous colors. 15?! Can you believe it??? These days, Aritaum is really popular for it’s lip tints. They’re really good. My favorite line is their glam world tints, but I think this one is just completely sold out, or being discontinued. It was so popular and was flying off the shelves, so it’s hard to find this collection now. However, I find the Mirror Gloss tint to be good because unlike other tints, it’s not a super water-based tint. These are very creamy, liquidy, pigmented, hydrating tints. They are thicker than regular tints, and feel more like the moisturizing, liquidy version of lipstick. This isn’t at all like a liquid lipstick though, because it’s very shiny and gloss like. But it’s not sticky at all, and feels great on the lips. I highlyyyy recommend these tints!
Aritaum: Coloring Lasting Tint (8,000 won)
Comes in 15 lovely shades. I think this tint is really similar to the mirror gloss tint, it’s just a little less shiny? They’re both pretty similar though. I think this one is a bit more popular in Korea than the other one though, and it is 1,000 won cheaper.
VDL: VDL Expert Color Lip Cube (22,000 won)
They have different collections for the lip cube, so there are a varying number of shades. I own #502, Rosewood. This is a gorgeous neutral shade. All of the lipsticks are creamy and pigmented, and feel great on the lips. They’re also matte, but not drying. I think there may be different finishes depending on the collection? Not sure. The lasting power is average though, and I find the “innovative” lip cube shape to be annoying. For me, it totally doesn’t make application easier. It makes it really difficult. I’d prefer if it had the traditional bullet shape. These lipsticks are good, but I would wait until it’s on sale.
Club Clio: Gelpresso Melting Lipstick (9,000 won)
These lipsticks come in a whopping 16 shades! I own shades #11 Pink Date, and #14 Runaway. I really like this lipstick, but if you aren’t a glossy lipstick fan, you won’t like these. They are superrrrr hydrating, really glossy, shiny, and pigmented. They’re creamy, like applying liquid butter on your lips. The lasting power is pretty good for a glossy lipstick (these tend to transfer a lot). I’m not sure if these are being discontinued though, because they’re always available on the website at half price now, and almost always sold out. The lipstick has a slanted shape, and feels like applying a pigmented lip balm. If you can’t get your hands on this, Clio actually makes really good lipsticks in general. I like their traditional bullet shaped lipsticks as well~
Skin Care
Skin Food: Black Sugar Perfect First Serum 2X Essential (24,000 won)*
Comes in 2 types, Light and Essential. According to a sales lady I talked to, Essential is more moisturizing and Light is for more oily skin types. I bought mine in essential. Also, they recently came out with a jumbo size which is more expensive, but contains more product. For me, this is another holy grail item. I’ve been using it for half a year now, and there’s a HUGE notable difference in my skin. Specifically, my pores and acne scars. I’ve struggled with unusually large nose and cheek pores, like huge…like craters on the moon huge. This product has greatly reduced their size. It’s amazing…they’ve basically disappeared!!!!! My acne scars are mainly brown spots on my face, but most have faded or disappeared. This product has also evened out the color of my complexion, and made my skin feel silky soft. Skin Food claims that it brightens skin, and has anti-wrinkle effects as well. I 100% recommend this product!!!!!!!!
Skin Food: Black Sugar Perfect Essential Scrub 2X (15,000 won)
I like this scrub, but the original black sugar scrub, or even the strawberry one is just as good. It’s important to exfoliate a few times a week, so this is one of my go-to exfoliators. This one is definitely rough on the skin, but you can adjust the strength by adding more or less water to it when applying to your face.
Skin Food: Rice Mask Wash Off (7,700 won)*
This is a more gentle exfoliator, and is a hydrating face mask. It gently exfoliates your face with rice particles, and brightens and hydrates after letting it sit on your face for 15-20 minutes. Love this mask.
Nature Republic: Shea Butter Steam Cream (31,000 won)*
Comes in 3 skin types: moist, fresh, and ultra. This is in order of its moisture levels from the least moisturizing (gel-like consistency) -> most moisturizing (thick cream). I bought mine in fresh. This is my absolute favorite moisturizer in the cooler seasons (fall and winter). Steam cream is just so moisturizing, and as Nature Republic claims, it keeps in the moisture for up to 48 hours. Whenever it gets cool, I switch my traditional lighter moisturizers for the heavier steam cream. My skin gets really dry and peely in the winter, specifically in my cheek, nose, and mouth area.The thick consistency of this cream is great, and it truly does moisturize for a long period of time. After applying it one afternoon, I found that it was STILL dewy and moist feeling the following morning. Lastly, word of advice, NR has tons of 50% off sales. This steam cream is expensive at 31,000 won, but always goes on sale for 15,500 won. As soon as the cooler weather starts kicking in, keep a look out for this cream, and snag it when you see that 50% off sale.
Innisfree: Super Volcanic Pore Clay Mask (13,000 won)
This is one of Innisfree’s most popular masks. It’s a thick, gray colored mask that helps tighten pores. You can use this mask all over your face, but I generally focus it in the t-zone because it can be drying. It works well for tightening pores and helping with oil production on your face. I like this mask, but it’s pretty annoying to wash off. It really adheres and dries on your skin, so it takes a lot of water and scrubbing to get it completely off.
Laneige: Water Sleeping Mask (28,000 won)*
Laneige’s most popular beauty product ever. The water sleeping mask. You put it on right before bed, sleep and wear it overnight, then wash it off in the morning. It’s dewy and tacky, but it doesn’t get on your pillow or blankets. Just make sure you let it absorb into your skin before bed for a minute or two, so it’s doesn’t rub off. Laneige also claims that it has a scent that helps you fall asleep and calms you down. The smell is pleasant, definitely helps me relax, and is a nice treat before bedtime. It keeps your skin moist throughout the night (which is great, because my skin tends to need the moisture and absorbs the moisture while I sleep at night). When you wake up, and wash it off, it leaves your skin fresh, and soft. This is specifically good for those nights when you go to bed late, and don’t get a lot of sleep. You may feel tired, but at least your skin doesn’t look it :) I’d say use it 2-3 times a week at night, or whenever you feel your skin is lacking moisture!
Laneige: Pore Deep Cleansing Foam (15,000 won)
I love Korean foam cleansers, you only need about a dime sized amount, add water, and it suds up like crazy. This cleanser leaves your skin feeling squeaky clean, and really helps to tighten the pores (if you have pore problems, like I do).
Body
Nature Republic: Hand and Nature Hand Cream (6,600 usually 1+1)
This hand cream is really popular right now, and comes in a huge variety of scents. I believe there’s 18 different scents, and they’re almost always 1+1 (buy one get one). They also sell them in jumbo sizes now. The hand creams aren’t really all that moisturizing and all that special, but they smell so AMAZING. Really, really amazing. I love the smells!!!! :D
Etude House: Silk Scarf Moisture Hair Mist (6,000 won)
This hair mist smells really good. Plus, very moisturizing. I like the silk scarf line. My hair tends to be really dry because I color my hair a lot, and I got a perm. I also have a split end problem, so this mist helps a lot.
Etude House: Play Nail Art Gel Coat (3,000 won)*
This top coat is just a regular top coat, but makes your nails look really shiny and feel smooth like a legitimate gel manicure. This top coat is great, and really helps the color stay in place. Etude House also sells a good base coat! With this base and top coat, most polishes last me over a week.
Etude House: Play Nail (2,000 won)*
Play Nails are amazing, it comes in multitude of collections, and colors. The original collection has over 130 colors, so literally any color you could want or need, they have. They are also reallyyyyy beautiful colors. They apply like a dream. They are pigmented, apply smoothly, and with no streaking. I’m not a huge fan of the nail polish brush, but I love everything else about it, and for 2,000 won it’s a steal. Their limited collections are also really, really pretty, like the afternoon tea collection, the new berry delicious collection, the happy new year collection, the arctic aurora collection, and more. I’m a big fan!
Aritaum: Modi Juicy Nails (2,500 won)*
I love Aritaum Modi Nails because the polishes are just so beautiful, and last forever. With a base and top coat, I can wear these polishes for a solid 2-3 weeks. They apply really sheer though, so it can be annoying, because you really have to take your time layering the polishes. It takes a good 2-3, or sometimes 4 coats to get a good solid nail polish color.