How to Shop for K-Beauty Products in Korea As a Complete Noob
Are you a newbie when it comes to skincare? The K-beauty trend is spreading like wildfire, and if you're anything like me, you're both curious and overwhelmed on how to sort through what's what when it comes to Korean beauty products.
If you're traveling to Korea soon and interested in finding K-Beauty products to bring home, I'm going to show you a few tricks to decoding the world of k-beauty. Below, find Korean beauty store experiences in Seoul, how to determine your skin type and skincare needs, and where to find products online or in stores.
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Short on Time?There's soo much information on K-Beauty out there. Let's simplify the process for total noobs like myself. 🧴 Plan Your K-Beauty Roadmap at Home
Plan Your Korean Beauty Store Experiences in Seoul:🛍 Private Shopping and Skin Consultation 🧑⚕ A Clinical K-Beauty Experience: A Pre-Consultation for Skin Treatments 💄 K-Beauty Group Class and 1:1 Makeup 💇 Get a Korean "K-Style" for Your Hair 🫰 Luxe Experiences:
Make Your Shopping ListDon't forget to include these basics!:
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My K-Beauty Adventure
Here's the thing, readers: I'm not a makeup or cosmetics enthusiast. Until about a year ago, I wore exactly zero products on my face. I didn't even use cleanser or moisturizer (shocking, I know).
Then, I saw this random video (it was definitely an ad) on Instagram, and I fell for the hook. The girl was American, visiting a Korean friend in Seoul going through a divorce. She'd been using her skincare routine all wrong, the friend corrected her errors, and at the end the Korean grandma says to the girl,
"your face can finally breathe".
I don't know what it was about that comment, but it really hit me. Was I neglecting my skincare? Could I be doing more as I age? I'm three weeks from turning 40. Do I want to preserve my skin now or try to catch up with it later in life? So this got me thinking. Time for action!
I went to the local Lotte Market grocery store, sheepishly went into the little k-beauty store at the front of it, and talked to the lady about what I wanted. She guided me to a simple starter product - a lightweight dokdo lotion from Round Lab. I was excited that the bottle had Korean writing, and that the ingredients came from the sea. Clean and lightweight was a perfect choice for me. "Next, you try toner," the shop keeper told me.
Later that month, I was on Amazon buying the sister toner product."You need sunblock now," I was told on my next visit to the Korean beauty shop.
Back to Amazon.
My story is probably not unlike yours. You're thinking about k-beauty, about your skincare, about all the hype. And lucky you, you're headed to Korea to go find some. Here's my advice based on my own experience and journey, and research (so you don't have to do it).
Your Korean Beauty Roadmap - In Korea
Start with a skincare analysis
Visit in store and talk to a professional
Determine your needs
Browse options for your skin type
Take home some sample products
Read the Labels for ingredients that might not work with your skin
Check for 'Made in Korea' and for other cues to authenticity
How to Prep at Home
Visit your local K-Beauty store like Moida or standalone shops, like in the Lotte Market.
Talk to the shop owners and see what they recommend.
Try a few products
Bring a list of desired products to Korea, sometimes they can be cheaper or have better ingredients with the same label!
Korean Beauty Store Experiences in Seoul
🧴 eSpoir Makeup Pub
This "beer tap" beauty experience is really a super cool spot in Hongdae dispensing out custom color products from their kitschy tap system. It is designed as a casual cafe of beauty supplies where you can get your very own skin tone consultation before creating your exact match in house.
🛍 Private Shopping and Skin Consultations
My Pick: Go with a beauty expert
The tour host Lily is a beauty expert - a former Olive Young product developer and a beauty content creator. She takes you to the down-to-earth stores like Olive young, pharmacies, and even Daiso (my personal fave for all Japanese and Korean souvenirs!). I like her vibe and it's perfect for the audience in this article.
🧑⚕ A Clinical K-Beauty Experience
There are also clinics that do all sorts of intense looking facials for everything from chin sculpting to honestly, I don't know what. If this is for you, this pre-consultation includes a ride and a very sleek modern clinical experience. They'll use things like this eyesonic beauty device (this one from a home show or cruise port,where they do trials) and they'll rub all sorts of devices on your face to smooth and glow. I suppose it's relaxing, too!
Take this experience for a less intimidating, department store style makeup session. You'll get personalized tips and walk away looking fantastic!
💇 Get a Korean "K-Style" for Your Hair
I've been thinking about coloring or styling my hair differently - I love the sleek Korean styles. If this sounds like you, check out this hair wash + styling combo from Klook.
Less about education, more about feeling fabulous.
Korean K-Beauty Retailers to Look For (Online and In-Person)
StyleVana
iHerb
In Seoul, the large department stores like Shinsegae, Hyundai and Lotte sell luxury cosmetics (think like Macy's or Nordstrom Rack).
For more approachable brands, shops include names like Olive Young (above) and Missha (which makes my favorite foundation style sunblock).
Pro Tip: I have read that in Seoul you can find 50% off deals on the third weekend of the month at Missha, so plan your dates right and get a good deal!
What Products to Look For
For me, I really need to start considering anti-aging products. The fun part is - you can shop for these in supermarkets in Korea, much like going down to your local Publix or Walgreens!
But on top of the old-lady stuff, you need to have your bases covered on the basics.
The basic products for a proper k-beauty routine (in order of application) are:
Cleanser
Toner
Eye cream
Moisturizer
Sunblock
You'll want to stock up on cotton pads and makeup remover tissues (especially from stores like Daiso, where they are cheap and sometimes cute shapes).
Additional Korean beauty products you may want to consider:
Nail care
Hair care
Hair color (while you're there, get a haircut abroad too, it's an experience!)
Makeup and matte lipstick
Ant-aging creams
Face masks - especially overnight collagen masks
A Word About Korean Sunblock
Apparently, this is THE thing to buy from Korean beauty stores in Korea. The sunblock has better ingredients than in the US, even if the label and brand are the same as what you might buy at home.
Some really cool sunblock products to consider include:
Sunblock cushions: these are mini compacts with a mirror and applicator pad
Sunblock sticks: like a lip balm for your face (some are shaped like deodorant too!)
Sunblock foundation: a colored or tinted cream with high SPF coverage
K-Beauty Retailers in the US
My Pick: Moida
They have standalone stores in my local mall and the prices can't be beat! Their staff is so kind, helpful and patient. It's a great place to start your k-beauty education!
Get $15 off when you spend more than $70 with this discount link!
Pro Tip: Look for expiration dates of each product on the product page under the image for peace of mind on what you will receive (if purchasing online). There's also descriptions on how to use each product. So handy for researching!
Runner Up: Amazon! Check out my fave products here.
Other stores carrying K-beauty products include:
Ulta
Sephora
Costco
Lotte Market: this is where I consulted with a shop owner for the first ever k-beauty product that I bought!
H Mart
I've even seen my line of Round Lab products at Burlington!
Your K-Beauty Experience Planner💇 Korean Beauty Experiences I Have to Book In Seoul!
🧴 K-Beauty Products I Want to Look For!
Or, start shopping online now at Moida or Amazon! 🛍 K-Beauty Stores I Want to Shop at! |
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