With the holidays just around the corner, the pressure is on to find the perfect gift for your loved ones. If you’re shopping for someone who’s very serious about caring for their skin, there is no better treat than the gift of Korean skincare.
In recent years, Korean skincare has been generating a lot of buzz in the beauty industry—and for good reason. Along with being highly innovative and affordable, Korean skincare products are packed with high-quality ingredients such as soothing rice water and healing snail mucin which make it possible to achieve not only a radiant glow, but also the Internet’s latest obsession: flawless, dewy “glass skin.”
With so many different products available and Korean skincare brands to choose from, it can be a little overwhelming trying to decide what sunscreens, serums, or toners might be the best option for the skincare lover in your life. That’s why we consulted two of the most trusted K-beauty experts in our industry—Alicia Yoon, founder of Peach & Lily (and the originator behind the “glass skin” trend), and Charlotte Cho, co-founder of Soko Glam and Then I Met You—to spill some of their best gift ideas. Along being skincare brand founders, both Yoon and Cho are also licensed estheticians so you can totally count on their product picks to be insanely good. From a glow-inducing sheet mask to a snail mucin-powered toner, these nine Korean skincare products are guaranteed to surprise and delight this holiday season.
Hanyul Yuju Sleeping Mask
“A brightening treat for the skin in the most luxe glass packaging from a top Korean beauty brand! It smells sweetly of yuzu since it contains five yuzus in one bottle, and is all-natural in coloring and fragrance!”—Charlotte Cho
Shop: Hanyul Yuju Sleeping Mask, $34.00
Peach & Lily Glass Skin Ginseng Collagen Mask
“Wow anyone this holiday season with the gift of glass skin! The TikTok viral collagen masks get a seriously elevated upgrade with Peach & Lily, the original creators of glass skin. An entire generously-sized 40-gram serum bottle of premium, clean ingredients—including 55,000 ppm of vegan collagen, 2% ginseng extract, nine different peptides, and 25 Korean botanical and herbal extracts—deliver ultimate glass skin goals, without film-forming acrylates that wash off like other collagen masks. Discover your most luminous, smooth clear skin with just one application. Get the set for a deal, and get seven masks you can gift separately, including to yourself.” —Alicia Yoon
Shop: Peach & Lily Glass Skin Ginseng Collagen Mask, $8.00 (for one single mask) ; Peach & Lily Glass Skin Ginseng Collagen Mask, $47.00 (for a seven-count set)
Then I Met You Essence Light Sunscreen SPF 50+
“A deeply hydrating moisturizer with essence ingredients and SPF 50 protection! It also serves as a great primer before makeup, and has a glowy finish” —Charlotte Cho
Shop: Then I Met You Essence Light Sunscreen SPF 50+, $36.00
Peach Slices Snail Rescue Blemish Busting Toner
“Purified, filtrated snail mucin is the game-changing ingredient you never knew your skin needed. The Peach Slices Snail Rescue Toner has a cult following for how rapidly it clears skin while delivering a radiant, supple glow. And they’re always clean and cruelty-free.” —Alicia Yoon
Shop: Peach Slices Snail Rescue Blemish Busting Toner, $13.99
IOPE PDRN Shot Serum
“If you want to give the latest cutting-edge Korean innovation, I recommend the PDRN Shot Serum which is made with a vegan version of the viral PDRN ingredient in Korea, and is high in caffeine.” —Charlotte Cho [Editor’s Note: PDRN, short for polydeoxyribonucleotide, is derived from salmon DNA and is renowned for its anti-inflammatory and tissue-repairing properties.]
Shop: IOPE PDRN Shot Serum, $50.00
Eco Your Skin Meso Ampoule
“The Meso Ampoule is the OG K-beauty product showcasing microspicules, the prickly ingredient that feels like microneeds in a bottle, to deliver skin that’s smoother and less textured. Not surprised as it’s been created by Eco Your Skin, the largest spa in Seoul that’s A-list celebrity-studded for their innovative treatments.” —Alicia Yoon
Shop: Eco Your Skin Meso Ampoule, $130.00
Comp’d Super Dewy Moisturizer
“A dupe for a highly coveted hydrating lightweight moisturizer that cocoons your skin with botanicals and green tea!”—Charlotte Cho
Shop: Comp’d Super Dewy Moisturizer, $28.00
Be the Skin Non Stimulus Face Polisher
“This iconic K-beauty brand has been celebrated for over a decade for its unique blend of proven Korean herbal extracts and western botanicals to deliver rich nutrient-dense formulas for maximum glow. This classic Korean exfoliator uses a gommage peel to resurface skin—it’s oh-so-satisfying as you can feel the dead skin cells roll off skin with the exfoliating fibers leaving behind baby soft skin.” —Alicia Yoon
Shop: Be the Skin Non Stimulus Face Polisher, $29.00
Acwell Licorice pH Balancing Toner Pads
“My favorite toner has now transformed into hydrating and brightening toning pads! They’re great for target sheet masking!” —Charlotte Cho
