Best 10 Korean Clean Beauty Brands: Skincare Trends

The clean beauty trend has taken the world by storm, and we can even say it originates from South Korea. Recently South Korea has been plagued by microdust pollution in major cities like Seoul, causing health hazards and a variety of skin problems such as acne and dryness. This is why more and more people are demanding products that uphold the clean beauty standard to limit what may be harmful ingredients being exposed to our skin. Clean beauty is choosing the right ingredients and being transparent about what is inside our skincare products. Here in this article, you can check our recommendations on the top 10 Korean Clean Beauty Brands and their Best-Selling Products.

What is Clean Beauty?

But what are clean beauty products? Well, the definition may vary from brand to brand. But it’s safe to say that, at the very least, it contains natural ingredients that are safe and dermatology-tested for all skin types. It should also be free of artificial fragrance, mineral oil, parabens, sulfates, artificial coloring, etc. Following clean beauty, the trend is not only about protecting our skin, but it’s also about embracing a healthier and cleaner lifestyle.

Top 10 Korean Clean Beauty Brands

Abib

Meaning ‘first moon,’ Abib’s goal is to help the skin look more natural and flawless starting from the very beginning of the skincare process. Their packaging reflects the minimalism theme they carry in their natural ingredients: simple and sleek.

Abib Quick Sunstick Protection Bar

One of their best-selling products is their sunscreen. Sunscreen is meant to be used frequently throughout the day to maximize UV protection. However, applying them can be quite messy when you’re outside.

The Abib Quick Sunstick Protection Bar is an easy way to re-apply your sunscreen with just one glide of their product. It’s hassle-free, and the thick bar consistency won’t drip all over your fingers. Therefore, you can avoid sticky sunscreen products that leave a white cast on the skin.

Key ingredients

It contains SPF 50 PA++++ and can be applied as often as possible. It also contains acacia peptide and ceramide to moisturize and increase skin protection.

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Other Abib Bestseller

Torriden

This is one of the representative Korean clean beauty brands that have been loved by Korean women in recent years. It is famous for its simple ingredients and powerful moisturizing properties. Torriden is safe, hypoallergenic, and free of any colorants and harmful ingredients. Their content is specifically tested to be non-irritable and suitable for sensitive and acne-prone skin. Plus, they’re cruelty-free!

Torriden DIVE-IN Low-Molecular Hyaluronic Acid Serum

The TORRIDEN DIVE-IN Low-Molecular Hyaluronic Acid Serum has 5D-Complex Hyaluronic Acid to provide instant moisture. A well-moistured skin will promote a healthier skin barrier to better strengthen your skin’s protection against pollutants and bacteria. This lightweight but powerful serum absorbs swiftly into the skin, leaving no sticky residue and a thick oily sensation. The blue color of the serum is naturally from malachite extract, which gives skin an extra fortifying boost. Definitely, I highly recommend it for dehydrate skin!

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Other Torriden Bestseller

The Lab By Blanc Doux

In 2018, THE LAB by blanc doux, one of the best Korean clean beauty brands, launched their 100% small-molecule hyaluronic acid toner and it instantly became a viral sensation! The LAB skincare products are very clean using the latest technology to minimize human contact.

Oligo Hyaluronic Acid Facial Toner

This toner is super popular to use as a cotton pad among Korean women to hydrate irritated skin because their popular technique is isolating the small hyaluronic acid and incorporating it into their products. The molecules retain moisture up to 1000x its own volume. Users have raved about this product: enjoying the easily absorbed watery consistency, no strong smell, and the award-winning clean ingredients. The Lab by Blanc Doux’s products are also vegan-friendly and cruelty-free with certificates from JOAHYE and PETA. So, no worries to use even if you have super sensitive skin like me.

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Other The Lab By Blanc Doux Bestseller

Round Lab

A rising star in Korean cosmetic brands that dominate worldwide, Round Lab uses fresh and high-quality raw materials to improve various skin conditions. They keep on launching new projects or skincare lines like the Dokdo Line, the 365 Line, and their newest, the Birch Line. What’s more, Round Lab has a balanced pH that suits our skin in its barest form, and its formula is free of toxins like alcohol and silicone. 

Birch Juice Moisturizing Cream 

The Round Lab Birch Juice Moisturizing Cream help revitalizes dry and sensitive skin, without clogging pores. Their main ingredient, the birch extract from the birch tree, contains anti-inflammatory and healing properties that can calm sensitive skin. It also helps stimulates collagen production to make your skin stays elastic and youth-looking.

Like many others on this list, the moisturizing cream is rich in hyaluronic acid, glycerine, and jojoba to promote long-lasting hydration.

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Other Round Lab Bestseller

BePlain

Quoted from Be Plain website, “We believe in and practice the value of sustainability. That is why we care not only about what ingredient goes in our product but also how those ingredients are harvested.” BePlain aims to achieve this sustainability goal by ensuring its products originate and come back to nature. Not only the formula are clean but their packing box also has biodegradable material which reduces plastic waste!

Greenful pH-Balanced Cleansing Foam

The Greenful pH-Balanced Cleansing Foam is a gentle choice for a daily facial cleaner you can use at any time and in every skin condition. Their 33% Mung bean extract helps cleanse impurities without leaving your freshly-washed face tight and dry. Other ingredients are authentic Korean Mung Bean Powder, which is a gentle exfoliator to eliminate dead skin cells.

The exfoliating particles are from finely processed powder and will not irritate your skin. They claim to be free of phthalate, SLS, mineral oil, and colorants. 

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Other Beplain Bestseller

Goodal

Goodal is a trendy skincare brand launched by Clio which is a well-known Korean makeup brand. They use plants grown in Korea are harvested and slowly brewed in cold water through modern technology as a key ingredient. Thus, their skincare products are not irritating and fully functional.

Green Tangerine Vitamin C Toner Pads

Seems like toner pads are becoming everyone’s favorite these days. The single pad is easy to use, transportable and serves both as an exfoliator from the pad’s surface and as a toner. The Goodal Green Tangerine Vitamin C Toner Pads is a 5-in-1 absolute must-have. The exfoliating pad surface clarifies the skin and delivers brightening results for a glowing and healthier skin barrier with the help of the green tangerine extract.

FYI, green tangerine has 10x Vitamin C concentrations than normal tangerine. It also contains natural acids from real fruits such as lemon and bilberry to further help the exfoliating process without irritating your skin from the harsh peeling of chemical exfoliants. Users have also been using the pad as a mask to fight hyperpigmentation. Just put a pad or two on the areas you want to focus on and leave it for 10 minutes like a normal sheet mask. 

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Other Goodal Bestseller

Make p:rem

Make p:rem, stands for Make Pragmatism Remedy, uses safe ingredients with minimal side effects, and affordable prices, and are formulated to help relieve various skin problems.

UVA UVB Defense Me Daily Sun Fluid

The Defense Me Daily Sun Fluid works for UV protection, moisturizing, and evens skin tone. It also contains calming ingredients like Centella Asiatica to help soothe skin after being sunburnt. This sunscreen uses a mixture of both mineral and organic (so-called “chemical”) UV filters. Here are the organic filters this product uses: Uvinul A plus, Uvasorb HEB, and Uvinul T. 

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Other Make prem Bestseller

Isntree

Isntree, a clean beauty brand, started as a skincare blog in the mid-2000s that grew to launch its very own skincare products in 2012. They focus on preserving one’s natural beauty by using natural, safe and healthy ingredients in their skincare products. They’re founded on the belief of their passion to bear good fruit, grow with their consumer, and use natural plant-based materials.

Green Tea Fresh Toner

The highlight ingredient for this Isntree Green Tea Fresh toner is its blend of plant extracts, including Anti-Sebum P(HD) for oil control and 80% Jeju green tea extract to protect and brighten the skin. There is also Centella Asiatica which is good for improving skin barrier, allantoin for skin soothing, blueberry extract to relieve skin stress, and the ultimate hydration, hyaluronic acid. This product is free of parabens, pigment, artificial fragrances, animal ingredients, surfactants, mineral oil, alcohol, and silicone.

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Other Isntree Bestseller

ISOI

ISOI, one of the top clean beauty brands, encourages beauty enthusiasts to say no to toxic and harmful chemicals used in skincare products. They embrace transparency to make sure the buyers know exactly what they buy. They’re also cruelty-free and non-toxic. 

Blemish Care Up Serum

This Bulgarian Rose Blemish Care Up Serum improves uneven pigmentation, clarifies blemishes, and reduces dark spots. Their two main highlight ingredients are the Bulgarian rose oil which revitalizes the skin and maintains firmness, protects and deeply nourishes skin, as well as the Olive Fruit Oil which leaves the skin feeling soft and silky. It’s recommended for sensitive and blemished skin types to soothe inflamed skin.

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Anua

Two of Anua’s brand cores are ingredients-focused products and simplicity. The clean beauty brand skincare line is vegan and excludes all unnecessary factors to maximize powerful yet natural effects. They also value simplicity, aiming to establish a simple formula of beauty to make skin healthy and to suggest a simple lifestyle.

HEARTLEAF 77% Soothing Toner

The Heartleaf 77% Soothing Toner has 77% houttuynia cordata extract along with eleven other natural ingredients to soothe and protect sensitive skin. Its mildly acidic pH also helps regulate skin’s oil-moisture levels. User reviews have proved it to be effective against redness and rashes and absorb well into the skin, leaving no strong scent or residue.

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These clean beauty brands’ products are available right now. Make sure to check and add them to your shopping cart!

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