Seoul is the land of beauty mania. It’s really overwhelming. Whilst a lot of my favourite Korean beauty products are only available online (and a lot are available internationally online now- yay), here are my must-buy products from the streets of the city! I’ve tried to focus a little more on products not so easily available outside of Korea in this list. Let’s get stuck in!
1. Cosrx anything and everythaaaaang! Okay so I had to mention my fave brand, despite being available globally online. A-Land has an almost full Cosrx collection, only minus the acid products that aren’t allowed to be sold in Korea. The most accessible A-Land stores are in Myeongdong and Garosugil. My personal Cosrx must-haves are the Good Morning Gel Cleanser and Snail 96 Mucin Power Essence. But I haven’t tried a single product I’ve disliked!
2. Troiareuke Oil-Cut Gel Cleanser. If you’ve got a bit of dosh to splash around, this is a truly gentle product for a non-stripping cleanse. It looks like a small product, but a little goes a long way and it lasted me a surprisingly long time. Get it at their Myeongdong Troiareuke store.
3. SHEET MASKS. Just buy all the sheet masks. They’re way cheaper in Korea, and one of my favourite activities is going to a drugstore like LOHBs or Olive Young and picking a selection. Personal favourites are A by Bom, SkinRx Lab, I’m Sorry for My Skin, Bano, and Papa Recipe.
4. Shangpree Eye Masks. I’ve talked about these for years, and I was so pleased to see them appear in the Myeongdong Olive Young store. Grab ’em for de-puffing eyes and gently hydrating the area to plump out fine lines. The Marine Energy masks are my number one variety.
5. A by Bom Ultra Time Return Eye Serum & Masks. The eye serum is one of my unexpected favourite eye products. It’s got a gorgeous texture, absorbs well, and fully hydrates the area. Their sheet masks are fun and leave my skin fresh and glowy (particularly the Leaf version!). A by Bom products are available at Creemare, located by exit 3 of Sinnonhyeon subway station.
6. 107 Rose Vinegar Water Toner & Core Flex Cream. 107 are one of the most high quality Korean beauty brands out there, and you can get my two favourite products from them in the Lotte Duty Free in Myeongdong (top floor of the Lotte Department Store) or Galleria Department Store. Super luxurious and a fabulous brand.
7. 16 Brand Pink Collagen Oil. My god, I love this rose-scented oil/serum hybrid. My skin drinks it up and it’s so plumping. I use it at night and it adds an extra dose of noticeable glow the next morning. Available at the Chosungah Beauty store in Myeongdong.
8. Sampar Addict Soft N Protect Sun Cream SPF 50+ PA++++. I haven’t really spoken about this product, but it’s the best mineral sunscreen I’ve EVER tried, and, thank the lord, has no white cast. It has a strongly floral scent, so avoid if you don’t like that, but it’s a lightly moisturizing, fully-absorbent non-greasy sun cream. My skin has a velvety feel after use. It’s great!
9. Jung Saem Mool Essential Mool Cream. If you’re a dry skinned guy or gal, please buy this. It might be quite pricey, but with the luxe packaging and the super unique runny texture that turns to an intensely moisturizing creamy texture on skin, it’s fabulous. I love this in winter, and I only need a pump or two per use. The JSM store is located on Garosugil.
10. 7 Face Brushes! I know you can get plenty of makeup brushes outside of Korea, but I’d highly recommend picking up any extras you need here- they’re good quality, so affordable, and you support a family business by buying. Located in Hongdae- directions here.
11. A’Pieu Air Fit Cushion Blusher. No one does cushion products better than Korea, and this is by far one of the best cushion products I’ve ever tried. The blusher is well pigmented but spreads evenly and blends well. My shade choice is RD01. There’s an A’Pieu store in, you guessed it, Myeongdong. And bonus, it’s only about $6!
12. Moonshot Jelly Pots. Although these do dry-out a little too quickly for my liking, I think they’re a really fun eye makeup product and something a bit different with the jelly texture. There are matte, pearl, and glitter versions so you have some choice, but I’d only recommend the pearl and glitter as I’ve seen a few people have poor experiences with the mattes! Moonshot stores are on Garosugil and in Myeongdong.
13. Clio Kill Black Pen Liner. Not many words for this except that it’s been my HG pen eyeliner for about 4 years now, and probably always will be. This is quite easily available internationally but I just had to mention it. Available at Clio stores and drugstores.
14. Skin1004 Zombie Mask. I wouldn’t recommend this for sensitive skin types, but with so many people asking me where they can buy Hanacure (as far as I know, nowhere in Korea, it’s an internationally sold product and IMO, ridiculously priced), thought I’d mention it. The zombie masks are a complete dupe for Hanacure, and way more affordable. These are available in Butter in by exit 1 in Hongdae station. They have some unique beauty products in there so it’s worth checking out!
15. PACKage Monthly New Feet Mask. These are one of those peeling foot masks, and along with Tony Moly versions, one of the best I’ve tried. They’re also the cheapest (can’t remember the exact price but under $10), and leave my feet so soft! Definitely a must-buy, particularly in preparation for sandals this summer! Also available in A-Land stores.
That’s my Seoul shopping list ladies and gents!
If you’re into Japanese beauty products but not visiting Japan, I’d also suggest checking them out in the Korean drugstores- you can usually get pretty good deals and they’re often cheaper than buying online. Please also go in Daiso. They have a fun and insanely cheap beauty section that is always worth rifling through, particularly if you like nail products or beauty tools. I wanted to mention the Tony Moly Luminous Goddess Aura BB Cream too! Sadly they only have two shades, but if you fit in the shade range, get one. It’s one of my best ever BB creams and I’ve been repurchasing for 4 years.
Any best buys from Seoul you’d add to this list?! Happy shopping!
15 Comments
Hi! What do you think about luxury Korean cosmetics such as Sulwhasoo, The History of Whoo, O Hui and Hera?
Are they worth testing?
Thank you:)
Hi Anna! The brands you’ve mentioned I think have some gorgeous products, particularly Sulwhasoo. But I don’t think they’re they absolute necessities (for me) considering the super high price point. They’re products I would treat myself to, but don’t think I need for a great skincare routine.
Have you tried any products from hanyul? What are you thoughts on the brand? Also, between laneige or iope cushions, which do you think is better ?
I’ve tried their cleansing oil which was fine but nothing special. The only other product I’ve tried is their Nature in Life lip balm in Rice, which I adore (recently posted on IG about that!). It’s very moisturizing with a gorgeous pink tint!
I actually haven’t tried a Laneige cushion! I really like my Iope Cover Cushion. And my current favourite cushions are Moonshot Microfit Cushion & Sulwhasoo Perfecting Cushion Ex.
Thanks for the reply! I recently got my hands on the Blackpink moonshot cushion which is the one in the beige packaging and it’s quite nice! I’ll be sure to try the ones you recommended 😀
are hanacure face masks any cheaper in seoul than they are in usa? any idea how much thanks
Hi Damiana, thanks for reading! As I mention in the post, Hanacure masks are not actually sold in Korea. Although they’re made in Korea and marketed as a Korean beauty product, they’re produced primarily for US market (as far as I’m aware). Hence why I think they’re very expensive. The Zombie masks I feature here are pretty much exactly the same, and are sold in Korea for around $10 if I recall correctly!
What’s the difference between the Clio Pen liner and Brush liner?
The Pen is like a felt tip applicator, and the brush has bristles and is a brush applicator. Personally I way prefer pens!
Hey, sorry for commenting on an old post! I hope it’s not too much trouble replying to this ☺️ I was wondering if you had the ingredients list to the Sampar Sun Cream, or if you were considering reviewing it. It’s okay if they’re in Korean. You could just attach a pic on imgur or something. Also, where in Seoul did you buy it? Thank you so much!!
Hi! It’s from Olive Young in Korea. Please private message me on Instagram and I’ll send you a photo of the ingredients! Not sure how to attach an image here.
I’m just reading this fab post!! I’m going to Incheon this weekend (23 June 2019). Are the products you wrote about available there? If so, is there a chain store maybe you can recommend I get them? I know it’s like the same as asking about stores in Chicago when someone lives in NY, but I thought I’d ask… 🙂 Thanks in advance!!
Hey Sharon, thanks so much for reading! I’ve never actually been to Incheon, but some of these will definitely be available. For example in the drugstores like Olive Young, Lavalas,etc there are lots of sheet masks, Cosrx products…also there should be a Clio store and possibly an Apieu store. I have no idea on where but I defo think you’ll be able to find some of them, have fun!!
How can I order your products…. Thanks Sue
Hi Sue, I don’t sell products unfortunately. These are all products available in Seoul, or you may be able to find a retailer who sells them online depending where you live!