Experts Recommend These Korean Hair Care Products For Thicker, Healthier Strands

Let’s start with the basics, which are good shampoos and conditioners. Dr. Park recommends this option from Ryo as it “uses ginseng and camellia oil to strengthen brittle strands while calming the scalp down.” Aside from cleansing the scalp of the day’s grime, it actually improves the scalp’s condition, enabling it to hold onto hair strands better. Let’s not forget that it smells absolutely delightful!

Size: 16 oz.

Key ingredients: Caffeine, Camellia Oil, Pomegranate, Hyaluronic Acid, Lactic Acid

Customer reviews: “I first used this shampoo during a trip to Seoul and have been searching for it ever since! It smells amazing—fresh and clean without being overpowering—and most importantly, it doesn’t irritate my sensitive scalp at all.”

This hair treatment by Daeng Gi Meo Ri is “another cult favorite, and it’s rich in ginseng, green tea, and chrysanthemum extracts to boost scalp vitality,” says Dr. Park. It does everything from deep conditioning your hair to controlling dandruff, leaving you with an overall improved appearance on your head. Perfect for damaged hair in need of a little TLC.

Size: 16.9 oz.

Key ingredients: Lactobacilli, Keratin, Ceramides

Customer reviews: “The treatment is the best I have ever used. I like how my hair looks and smells after using it. I will buy again for sure.”

Both Dr. Park and Dr. Lamm recommend this hair serum. It’s one of the most popular serums in Korea, says Dr. Park, and uses “argan oil and proteins to smooth, add shine, and repair damage to your hair strands,” she continues. Dr. Lamm chimes in that despite being an oil, it’s “rich yet lightweight, so it controls frizz and adds shine without leaving your hair looking greasy.”

Size: 2.71 oz.

Key ingredients: Argan Oil, Olive Oil, Coconut Oil, Jojoba, Camellia

Customer reviews: “Absolutely amazing! This serum transformed my hair—it’s now softer, shinier, and much easier to manage. It smells great, absorbs quickly, and doesn’t leave any greasy residue.”

If it’s one styling cream you use, let it be this one. It works double duty in smoothing and shaping, holding onto the carefully placed curls for an entire day. It even includes wheat proteins, which promote growth and keep damage at bay. So even if you use heating tools, this cream protects your hair while aiding in defining your curls.

Size: 4.2 oz.

Key ingredients: Wheat Protein, Trideceth-10, Algae Extracts, Panthenol

Customer reviews: “If you have thick hair that is hard to hold style this will be a game changer”

Dr. Park says that what sets Korean hair care apart from the West is a scalp-first philosophy. “Just like in skin care, the belief is that healthy, strong healthy hair begins with a balanced scalp,” she says, and it’s products like this scalp strengthening spray that boost skin health for optimal hair growth. It uses plant-derived probiotics to reinforce scalp barrier and strengthen hair roots. A mix of green tea extract, ginger extract, and hyaluronic acid work together in creating a strong base for your hair.

Size: 3.38 oz.

Key ingredients: Biotin, Peppermint Oil, Rosemary Leaf Oil, Hyaluronic Acid

Customer reviews: “So far by using this product, my hair has feels soft. I also like the fact that it’s easy to apply to your hair. And that they give you a good amount of product. The smell is not strong. I love the fact that this does not make my hair feel greasy at all.”

For a more budget-friendly option, Dr. Park recommends this Honey & Macadamia conditioner by Kundal. It’s “affordable yet deeply nourishing for restoring moisture balance,” she says. Natural ingredients like honey, argan oil, and macadamia oil all work together to give brittle, burnt-out hair strands a silky smooth texture again.

Size: 16.9 oz.

Key ingredients: Manuka Honey, Argan Oil, Macadamia Oil

Customer reviews: “I have color-treated hair which can be frizzy. This conditioner (along with the shampoo) seems to help. What I really love is the fragrance which lasts between washing.”

Color-treated hair and deeply damaged strands will benefit from this Rosy Night Repair Shampoo. A potent ceramide complex strengthens the hair at its roots while damask rose water moisturizes each strand, breathing new life into your hair. Even if you’ve been consistently dying your hair or putting it under intense heat treatments, this shampoo will bring back some of its natural soft texture.

Size: 15.22 oz.

Key ingredients: Camellia Seed Oil, Ceramides, Glycerin

Customer reviews: “This shampoo feels like it’s cleaning well but doesn’t strip the hair. My scalp feels refreshed after shampooing! The scent is a more powdery rose and smells like Moroccan oil.”

You can’t talk about Korean hair products without mentioning this Dr. Groot Scalp Relief Tonic. It’s recommended by both Dr. Park and Dr. Lamm, who, by the way, uses this as part of her reset routine in the shower. She says that it “strengthens your hair with biotin, salicylic acid, rosemary, and niacinamide.” As the name suggests, this is best used by people who have some type of inflammation or irritation on the scalp. The Scalp Relief Tonic “focuses on scalp barrier repair with panthenol and glycerin while fighting inflammation with cica and chamomile,” explains Dr. Park.

Size: 4.73 oz.

Key ingredients: Chamomile, Niacinamide, Menthol

Customer reviews: “I started using this product 4× a week, for the last 2 weeks, and it made a drastic change on my dried out and cracked, flaky scalp!”

Another great product from the dermatologist-recommended brand, Mise En Scène, is this hair strengthening mask. It works by seeping deep into the inner layers of your hair strand and repairing its structure from the inside out. Use it once a week before a shower, and let it soak into the strands before thoroughly washing out. The result? Revitalized, bouncy, and healthy hair.

Size: 5.3 oz.

Key ingredients: Hyaluronic Acid, Panthenol, Centella Asiatica Extract, Ceramide, Niacinamide

Customer reviews: “I noticed soft lighter feeling hair after just 1 use. I could tell my hair was different as I was blow drying it so pretty much right away.”

This is Dr. Lamm’s “go-to for deeply conditioning and repairing strands after chemical processing.” It was formulated specifically for permed, dyed, and heat-damaged hair in an attempt to bring life back to your hair. Containing high concentrations of Keratin-PF, it penetrates the outer layers of your strands and sinks deep into the core to repair the damage done there. Use it as a post-shampoo treatment.

Size: 7 oz.

Key ingredients: Keratin-PF, Glycerin, Macadamia Integrifolia Seed Oil, Camellia Japonica Seed Oil

Customer reviews: “The product is great. I use this after the shampoo, and it always leaves my hair soft and easy to comb after showering. I also love the scent! Not too strong or overpowering.”

Taking it back to the roots, this scalp treatment works to make your hair thicker, fuller, and bouncier by improving moisture retention on the scalp. Using ingredients like biotin, saw palmetto extracts, and ceramide NP, the cream penetrates the skin to boost hydration and strengthen the skin barrier. As Dr. Park already mentioned, Korean hair care products “really focus on scalp health as the basic foundation of healthy hair,” and this option serves to calm and protect the irritated surface of your head.

Size: 10.14 oz.

Key ingredients: Ceramide NP, Palmetto Extracts, Biotin

Customer reviews: “I’ve been using this silk conditioning treatment with the shampoo and it’s made my hair feel amazing! I also have been experiencing a lot of hair fall and it feels like I have less hair on my head and consistently using the shampoo and conditioning treatment, I’ve had less hair fall than what I previously was experiencing.”

Another great repairing mask, but with no fragrance, is this option by Elizavecca. It restores some of that pre-treatment bounce you had in your hair using collagen ceramides, glycerin, and coating protein. Anyone sensitive to fragrances will appreciate the gentle formula, too. Leave it in your hair for five minutes before washing it out in the shower for optimal results.

Size: 3.38 oz.

Key ingredients: Glycerin, Ceramide NP

Customer reviews: “I almost gave up! My hair was so damage from bleach and colored, it was bad to the point I can’t even brush them with comb or even with my hand I try many expensive products and didn’t even work. I saw lots of reviews on this and I was like ok why not?! Is only $7. Omg that $7 tho!! This is the best product I have tried.”

This leave-in conditioner does it all: smoothes, shines, rebuilds, and protects against heat damage. The best part? It doesn’t even require you to rinse it out after. With a powerful blend of amino acids, jojoba oil, and keratin, the conditioner nourishes and breathes new life into each strand, making your hair look bouncier and healthier. It’s not heavy or greasy, either, making it a pleasant, hassle-free experience.

Size: 4.06 oz.

Key ingredients: Camellia oil, Glycerin, Ceramide NP, Seed Oil

Customer reviews: “I love this. I use it right after I shower, before I blow-dry. My hair looks hydrated, healthy, so much less frizzy. My waves get to exist. A single bottle lasts me through many showers while barely making a dent.”

Another product aimed for your scalp is this Rice Water Hair Spray. After cleansing your scalp, spritz this nutrient-heavy water onto the scalp and let the fermented rice water nourish each hair cuticle. The aim of this product is to relieve all the stress from the scalp and create an environment where the hair can grow and flourish. There’s no oily residue and the product can be left on the scalp.

Size: 6.8 oz.

Key ingredients: Biotin, Fermented Rice Water

Customer reviews: “I used this serum for about a month along with this brand’s hair vinegar. I noticed that the scalp stopped itching so much (I have seborrheic dermatitis of the scalp). The scalp looks healthier and much less hair falls out.”

This is an overnight leave in conditioner which works overtime to smooth, plump, and heal your hair. Don’t worry, it’s not greasy and it won’t transfer onto your pillow case. Instead, it works the graveyard shift to deeply moisturize your hair so you may wake up with a frizz-less appearance. It doesn’t require any rinsing in the morning either.

Size: 6.0 oz.

Key ingredients: Amino 18 Protein, Ceramide Complex, Camellia Seed Oil

Customer reviews: “I’ve been dying and bleaching my hair for years. I have tried everything and nothing worked to make my hair healthy again. But this product omg!!! it has done wonders for my hair. It no longer falling out; it does not look like a broom anymore; my hair is soft, my split ends are now manageable and the amount of compliments I get are awesome!”