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The Korean Serums Experts Love for Smooth, Radiant Skin
Believe the hype.
The good thing about the skin care world is that there’s a formula to address your every concern. Skin looking dull and drab? Opt for a vitamin C serum to restore some brightness. And if fine lines and wrinkles are a pain point, it may be time to address them with a retinol serum. Truth be told, serums make the (skin care) world go round.
“Serums are lightweight skin care products that are applied after cleansing and toning and before moisturizing,” explains Dr. Y. Claire Chang, a board-certified dermatologist at UnionDerm in New York City. “Serums contain a high concentration of active ingredients that may address specific skin concerns, like pigmentation, hydration, uneven texture, or skin aging. They are easy to layer onto your skin care routine and allow you to customize your skin care routine to specifically suit your skin’s needs.” And sometimes, even with every type of cleanser, moisturizer, or sunscreen in our daily lineups, our skin could use an extra boost of hydration. This is where the best Korean serums come in.
Our top picks for the best Korean serums of 2024
Although Korean and Western formulas are increasingly more similar, there are still some vital differences. “The Korean skin care philosophy focuses on long-term benefits and being gentle to skin versus harsh, overnight results that can result in irritation,” says Alicia Yoon, the founder of Peach & Lily. Korean skin care brands are constantly innovating and improving upon their products at breakneck speed, thanks to the country’s extremely competitive market. While the formulas still contain actives, they also have other soothing and hydrating ingredients that prevent damage or irritation. Plus, there’s truly a Korean serum for every skin concern and typically always at an affordable price.
To build this list of the best Korean serums money can buy, we spoke to the above K-beauty experts for their top picks, tested some ourselves, and read through countless customer reviews. Clear, dewy skin, here you come!
Glow Recipe Prickly Pear Peptide Bouncy + Hydrating Skin Barrier Vegan Mucin Serum
Leave it to Glow Recipe to cull the most unassuming ingredients from your favorite fruits and turn them into skin care magic. Following its viral watermelon-infused collection, Glow Recipe has shifted its focus to prickly pear, which offers intense hydration and repair. Together with peptides, this mucin serum creates a dewy, bouncy visage.
Key ingredients: Prickly pear, peptides
Size: 1.35 fl. oz.
Sephora rating: 4.8/5 stars
An ELLE editor says: “I’ve used this alone and love how glowy and plumped my skin looks after each use. However, this works even better when used in conjunction with my red light therapy wand, which features vibrations that allow the conditioning formula to penetrate more deeply. My skin looks brighter and smoother, and has developed a nice boost in elasticity.”—Nerisha Penrose, beauty commerce editor
When chemical peel and laser facial season rolls around, this is the serum you’ll want to have on hand. All your nourishing skin care favorites—ceramides, hyaluronic acid, and niacinamide, to name a few—combine to supercharge the skin with long-lasting moisture and calmness.
Key ingredients: Ceramides, hyaluronic acid, niacinamide
Size: 1.01 fl. oz.
Amazon rating: 4.4/5 stars
An Amazon reviewer says: “I love this stuff. I just received my second bottle of this. It hydrates your skin but doesn’t make you oily or leave a film. I highly recommend this product. It’s very lightweight a little goes a long way.”
This is the OG snail mucin essence that kick-started the skin care world’s obsession with snail mucin. The lightweight formula hydrates and soothes while also speeding up the skin’s healing process. “I use it similar to a serum for an extra boost of hydration, especially in the winter months,” shares Dr. Chang.
Key ingredient: Snail mucin
Size: 3.38 fl. oz.
Amazon rating: 4.6/5 stars
Our expert says: “What can I say about this product that hasn’t already been said? When I press this serum into my skin, it feels like I’m giving it a drink of water; afterward, my face feels plumper, smoother, and happier. I also have sensitive skin, and it’s never caused a single flare-up. Instead, it helps to soothe my redness or any breakouts I may have at the time. If you still haven’t tried it yet, I think it’s time for you to take the leap.”—Carol Lee, beauty writer
“The Sulwhasoo Concentrated Ginseng Renewing Serum is formulated with two anti-aging ingredients, ginsenomics and ginseng retinol, which have antioxidant and anti-aging properties to improve fine lines and skin firmness,” says Dr. Chang. Reviewers report seeing smoother, softer skin after just a few weeks.
Key ingredients: Ginseng, retinol, hyaluronic acid
Size: 1.69 fl. oz.
Sulwhasoo rating: 4.8/5 stars
A Sulwhasoo reviewer says: “This is a premium-quality serum that I use every other night. Just a dot on the forehead, a dot on both cheeks, and two dots on my neck. It has kept my Gen X skin feeling like I’m Gen Z. I’ve been mistaken for 20 years younger all the time. I don’t even wear makeup, and it’s because of this serum. It sinks in my skin—doesn’t just sit there. Although it is pricey, it is a really good value for your money because your face is worth it.”
According to Dr. Chang, this product was created “to help brighten dull skin and even out complexion.” The antioxidant-rich serum accomplishes its mission with brightening and hydrating ingredients like licorice root extract, niacinamide, and glutathione.
Key ingredients: Licorice water, niacinamide, glutathione, vitamin E
Size: 1.01 fl. oz.
Amazon rating: 4.4/5 stars
An Amazon reviewer says: “I have been using this product for several years now, and I absolutely love it! It keeps my skin hydrated, and I think it’s comparable to a lot of the expensive skin care out there! I have very sensitive skin, and this doesn’t irritate it.”
Yoon recommends this serum for combination skin or “anyone looking to visibly clear, brighten and hydrate skin without heaviness or irritation,” she says. The snail mucin, cica, and pine bark work hand in hand to hydrate and heal the skin, clearing hyperpigmentation, breakouts, and texture in the process.
Key ingredients: Cica, snail mucin
Size: 1.01 fl. oz.
Peach & Lily rating: 4.8/5 stars
A Peach & Lily reviewer says: “Purchased for my daughter after complaints of not being able to find a consistent routine or product that works for her allergy-prone skin and sensitivity. After making the switch, there has been no turning back. Her skin has never looked better. Even skin tone that is not affected when she has a flare up.”
Beauty of Joseon Revive Eye Serum is the ultimate product for warding off signs of aging around the eyes. The formula features a trifecta of powerful ingredients: Ginseng to protect against damaging free radicals, retinal to reduce the appearance of wrinkles, and niacinamide to brighten any darkness in the area. “It blends in nicely with the skin and keeps the skin looking smooth and hydrated,” says Dr. Chang.
Key ingredients: Retinal, ginseng extract, niacinamide
Size: 1 fl. oz.
Amazon rating: 4.3/5 stars
An Amazon reviewer says: “The Beauty of Joseon Revive Eye Serum has become a staple in my skin care routine. It’s lightweight, yet incredibly hydrating, and absorbs quickly without any greasiness. I’ve noticed my under-eye area looks brighter and feels much smoother after consistent use. I’ve seen a reduction in puffiness and fine lines. It works great under makeup too, without causing any creasing or heaviness.”
If you want to use a retinol serum but haven’t found a formula your skin tolerates, you might want to try a Korean one. “This is a gentle yet powerful retinol serum that contains four types of retinol and retinoid to help fight signs of aging,” explains Dr. Chang. “It also contains lactobacillus ferment lysate to strengthen the skin’s barrier.”
Key ingredients: Pure retinol, encapsulated retinol, granactive retinoid, bio-seletinoid (retinoid), lactobacillus ferment lysate
Size: 1.01 fl. oz.
Amazon rating: 4.3/5 stars
An Amazon reviewer says: “I recently purchased the Iope Retinol Serum on Amazon Prime Day, and I’m thrilled with the results! My skin feels smoother and more radiant after just a few weeks of use. The texture is lightweight and absorbs quickly without any irritation. I love how it targets fine lines and improves overall tone. Definitely a game-changer for my skin care routine. Highly recommend!”
“Some By Mi AHA-BHA-PHA 30 Days Miracle Serum is a powerful combination of three chemical exfoliants that help exfoliate, brighten the skin, and improve skin texture,” says Dr. Chang. Because it also contains centella asiatica, however, it’s less likely to lead to irritation and inflammation—two things that can cause even more acne and uneven texture.
Key ingredients: Tea tree water extract, centella asiatica, AHAs, BHAs, PHAs
Size: 1.69 fl. oz.
Amazon rating: 4.6/5 stars
An Amazon reviewer says: “Definitely a holy grail for me. I have dry, sensitive skin, and this doesn’t irritate me or cause me to break out. It lasts well over a month for me, and I wash my face and use it twice a day. It’s helped with my breakouts, dryness, and redness.”
“The HaruHaru Black Rice Hyaluronic Ampoule leverages the visibly brightening, renewing and hydrating properties of black rice to rejuvenate skin and leave a radiant glow,” says Yoon. Other notable ingredients include fine line-reducing adenosine and hydrating hyaluronic acid.
Key ingredients: Rice 2GF, adenosine, hyaluronic acid
Size: 1 fl. oz.
Amazon rating: 4.3/5 stars
An Amazon reviewer says: “I have been using this serum for a few weeks, and the results I have seen have been wonderful. The serum is thicker than most watery serums, moist and not tacky. I use it on a face that has been spritzed with a moisturizing toner, and the glow is real. Give it a go if you are looking for a serum that delivers moisture, comfort, and visible results. I’m a registered esthetician, and I would recommend this product to my friends and clients.”
When you have extremely sensitive skin, even vitamin Cs can sting and irritate. Klairs Freshly Juiced Vitamin C Drop contains enough of the brightening antioxidant to fade and prevent hyperpigmentation, but it also boasts centella asiatica, an anti-inflammatory ingredient I love because it always manages to soothe my skin.
Key ingredients: Ascorbic acid (vitamin C), centella asiatica extract, yuja fruit extract
Size: 1.18 fl. oz.
Soko Glam rating: 4.2/5 stars
A Soko Glam reviewer says: “I’ve tried many vitamin C serums and I always, always end up going back to this amazing potion in a bottle. I get so many compliments, and people always assume I just had a facial. It’s lightweight, absorbs into your skin well, and does not leave a greasy feel.”
This serum is bursting with a whopping 73 percent concentration of centella asiatica, an herb used to calm irritation and fade scars. Calamine, another major player in this formula, also helps to gently soothe the skin.
Key ingredients: Calamine, cica, centella asiatica, damask rose
Size: 1 fl. oz.
Amazon rating: 3.9/5 stars
An Amazon reviewer says: “This ampoule helps to calm my skin when it’s red or sensitive. It’s kind of thick, but it goes on smoothly, and it makes my skin feel much better and hydrated.”
Meet the Experts
Dr. Y. Claire Chang is a board-certified dermatologist at UnionDerm in New York City.
Alicia Yoon is the founder of Peach & Lily.
Can you apply serums both morning and night?
Dr. Chang says yes, and Yoon says that “typically, serums are for at least once daily use, and often for morning and evening use every day.” But there are some caveats—it all depends on the formula and the ingredients in it. For example, you might want to keep retinol use to evenings, since the ingredient can make you more sensitive to the sun. On the other hand, vitamin C is best suited for mornings, since applying that ingredient in conjunction with your SPF can actually bolster sun protection.
How should you apply serums?
First, make sure your skin is clean but not completely dry. “Serums tend to absorb better on damp skin,” Yoon says. You can also apply “a hydrating essence before your serum to help your treatment serums work harder for your skin. Only caveat is for retinoids and other active ingredients where more may not be more for your skin,” she adds.
After applying the serum, Dr. Chang emphasizes that you should let it dry down for about a minute before going in with the next steps of your routine. Additionally, “be consistent and patient as it takes time (up to six to 12 weeks) to see results,” she says.
Why Trust ELLE Beauty?
As a leading publisher of fashion, lifestyle, and beauty content, ELLE.com is committed to highlighting the best products in various categories by personally testing the latest and most innovative products, interviewing countless experts, and vetting customer-loved items. For this piece, beauty writer Carol Lee consulted a trusted K-beauty expert to learn about the best Korean serums. Lee and ELLE beauty editor Nerisha Penrose also read through countless customer reviews and evaluated each product on its various features.
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