I’ve been a dedicated K-beauty fan since I moved to New York City nine years ago, so it’s my job to share the best Korean beauty gifts. The amount of Korean beauty—mostly skin care and makeup—I’ve tested has only grown year after year, and I’m so thankful and giddy about that. (Thank you, Soko Glam and Charlotte Cho, for making my introduction in late 2015.) Not only is Korean skin care at the forefront of innovation—um, hello, more advanced sunscreen filters that truly put the FDA to shame—but Korean beauty as a whole is equal parts efficacious and appropriately priced. That’s exactly what makes K-beauty a hotbed for incredible gifts.
My Top K-Beauty Gifts
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Looking for more gifting inspiration? https://www.allure.com/holiday-gift-guides
Best Korean Skin-Care Gifts
Beauty of Joseon Red Bean Duo
I cycle through moisturizers a lot. (I’m not loyal, and I’m not sorry about it.) However, Beauty of Joseon’s Red Water Bean Gel caught my attention and held it. It’s so satisfying and refreshing to apply, and even though it was perfect for my combination skin during the summer, I still find myself reaching for it as the temps drop for dewy skin goodness. The Red Bean Refreshing Pore Mask is a lovely weekly treat jam-packed with 30% Haenam red bean extract and kaolin clay and provides the gentle yet effective exfoliation my T-zone desperately needs.
Illiyoon Ceramide Ato Gift For You
Looking for gentle skin care the whole family can use? Illiyoon’s your girl. These fragrance-free and ultra-soothing creams can be used all over and not just on the face—talk about cocooning yourself (and your loved ones). Take it from former Allure beauty editor Devon Abelman: “My legs are a hot spot for eczema, so I have to be extremely careful about the body-care products I use or I will be up all night scratching at my skin,” she says. “Illiyoon’s Ceramide Ato Concentrate Cream is a no-brainer with its fragrance-free formula that blankets skin in comforting moisture and never annoyingly transfers onto clothes.”
Sulwhasoo First Care Activating Serum VI Bukchon Edition
I’ve been using Sulwhasoo’s First Care Activating Serum for years and don’t see myself stopping anytime soon. Here’s the lowdown: I always double-cleanse, whether I’ve worn makeup or not, and my skin sometimes feels a little dry afterward, but this toning serum (which is meant to be used post-cleanse, FYI) always fixes that and leaves my skin feeling baby-soft. It’s a little thicker than your usual toner or serum and really replenishes my skin’s moisture levels without feeling heavy or sticky—it’s not the cheapest, but in my opinion, it’s worth every dollar. Oh, and bonus: This set includes a cute phone charm.
Mixsoon Bean Essence & Bean Cream Set
If you haven’t heard of Mixsoon, where’ve you been? The Bean Essence might remind you of the Cosrx Snail Mucin Essence but it one-ups the latter because it has gentle exfoliation on its roster—it’s no wonder Korean makeup artists swear by it for pre-makeup prep. That’s right, fermented soybeans give you a smooth-as-heck canvas. And I’d be lying if the syrupy viscosity of it all (slightly less thick than Cosrx) isn’t fun to play with.
Cosrx Honey Glow Kit
Speaking of Cosrx, the brand’s propolis line is a dream for dry, dull, or irritated skin. All three travel-size products—Propolis Synergy Toner, Propolis Light Ampoule, and Propolis Light Cream—are packed with black bee propolis and honey extract to soothe bouts of redness, boost radiance, and heal aggravated skin during and after breakouts. I love the toner for the colder months and need to try out the ampoule and cream ASAP.
Hanyul Yuja Vitamin Sleeping Mask
To me, Hanyul is that chic older sister I would’ve been tailing growing up, had I had one. The brand harvests carefully selected ingredients, such as chestnut shells from South Korea’s Buyeo province, red rice from Yeoju province, and in the case of the Yuja Vitamin Sleeping Mask, yuja fruits from the Goheung area. In the clip above, you can see me mouthing the words “It smells so good,” because there are six yuja fruits (which are rich in vitamins B, C, E, and P, whew) in a single jar. Aromatherapy aside, this jelly leave-on mask immediately plumps my skin and I wake up looking a little more fresh-faced and less dull. (Nothing’s a miracle worker, considering my wonky sleep schedule.)
Etude Sunprise Milk Airy Finish Sun Milk
Korean sunscreen legitimately sold on Amazon? Your eyes aren’t deceiving you. I’m partial to chemical sunscreens, but Etude’s Sunprise Milk Airy Finish Sun Milk lives up to its name—it dries down so well that I can’t even feel it on my skin at all after a few minutes. (Just be sure to give the bottle a hearty shake before application!) And, of course, there’s zero white cast. There is a mild floral scent to it, but nothing too heavy or noticeable. If you have friends who complain about heavy, pore-clogging sunscreens and/or have sensitive skin, this one’s a great stocking stuffer.
Skin1004 Madagascar Centella Probio-Cica Glow Sun Ampoule SPF 50+
If you want to shop my absolute favorite Korean sunscreen of 2024, you’ll have to click out of Amazon. Skin1004’s Madagascar Centella Probio-Cica Glow Sun Ampoule SPF 50+ is the lightest, airiest sunscreen I’ve ever tried. It sinks into my skin without a darn trace—in fact, all I notice after the fact is a bump in radiance and plumpness. Unless you have ultra-sensitive skin or are pregnant/breastfeeding, I truly think this lightweight serum is a great choice for all skin types (I’m combination) and offers plenty of hydrating, soothing, and barrier-replenishing benefits— courtesy of cica, ceramide, panthenol, and betaine—without leaving anything (e.g. white/gray cast, residue, pilling) in its wake. I find myself wanting to reapply it all the time—the marker of a top-tier unscreen, in my opinion.
Belif Uncover Your Glow Set
Ok, we fully get the hype around Belif’s The True Cream. Multiple Allure editors (both past and present) adore this dryness-quenching-exploding-water-burst-of-hydration but why not pick up a set that includes two perhaps new-to-them products? Toners—whether in your traditional bottles or toner pads stacked in a tub—are a huge category in K-beauty and mainly focus on hydration. (Read: no astringent, irritating-inducing formulas to be found.) Chock-full of sodium hyaluronate, baobab, and oat extract to plump and soothe skin, the Aqua Bomb Hydrating Toner makes good on that promise.
Super Drops is a newer member of the Belif fam that delivers instant glow whether it’s worn alone, as a primer, or mixed in with your favorite skin tint or liquid foundation. To thank for this pore-blurring, illuminating finish are niacinamide, vitamin C, and gold pearls—it’s a true makeup-skin-care hybrid that I think would work for just about anyone.
Chasin’ Rabbits Bunny Line Smoother
Am I biased by the cute name, Chasin’ Rabbits Bunny Line Smoother? Absolutely, but anything that actually motivates me to treat my undereyes to a little TLC—in this case, a blend of green tea, sacha inchi oil, niacinamide, and probiotics to brighten and hydrate—is a feat. I don’t use eye cream every day, but when I do, I appreciate the cooling, depuffing effect of a metal rollerball applicator. (Remember how I said I had a wonky sleep schedule?) After attending to my eye area, I’ll use whatever’s left over and roll it over the center of my forehead and smile lines.
Cellect Beauty Beam Rejuvenating Red
Truthfully, I haven’t tried this LED device yet but I must, like, yesterday—it sounds so soothing with the added heat component (104 degrees). The aim of Cellect Beauty Beam is to target wrinkles and signs of aging—priorities of mine since I’m in my early 30s—via red LED lights to emit wavelengths ranging from 625 to 850 nanometers that penetrate your skin up to 8 to 10 millimeters deep. (As a reference point, UVA/UVB/UVC rays range from 100 to 400 nanometers.)