17 Best Korean Moisturizers

The popularity of Korean skincare products has exploded in recent years as the availability of Korean skincare has expanded throughout the globe.

Koreans are serious about their skincare, as evidenced by Korean skincare routines, known for layering several products, sometimes ten or more, to treat all skin types, including dry, oily, combination, normal, and even sensitive skin on a daily basis.

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The Best Korean Moisturizers

Korean beauty, or K-Beauty, is here to stay, and the quality of effectiveness of Korean moisturizers is a testament to advancements made in Korean skincare products.

Here are 17 of the best Korean moisturizers:

The high amount of snail secretion filtrate helps soothe skin irritation and evens skin tone.

Snail secretion filtrate also repairs and hydrates with ingredients including hyaluronic acid, copper peptides, proteoglycans, antimicrobial peptides, and trace elements.

This 2017 study from the New York Society of Cosmetic Chemists found that snail mucin even has antibiotic activity.

The gel-cream formula initially has a somewhat tacky texture due to the snail secretion filtrate, but your skin is left silky smooth without any greasiness or oiliness after it absorbs into your skin.

The brand name COSRX comes from the words “cosmetics” and “prescription (RX).” Their goal is to provide individually customized skin solutions for their customers.

For a complete review of this Korean skincare product, please see this post, and for more Korean snail mucin products, please see my post on the best snail mucin skincare products.

The moisturizer is ideal for normal to dry skin types and those concerned with the loss of elasticity and firmness.

Antioxidant oat kernel extract helps soothe dry, itchy skin, and marigold extract contains flavonoids that provide anti-inflammatory benefits.

The True Cream Moisturizing Bomb is a best-seller in Korea. It was the number one selling product in Korea’s beauty market across all categories.

This cream works best on dry, flaky, and dull skin with its supple cream format formulated to “burst” when applied to the skin.

It provides intense nourishing hydration leaving skin feeling soft and smooth.

For details on my experience with this moisturizer, please see my belif skincare review.

The green tea and green tea seed oil come from Innisfree’s USDA-certified organic fields on Jeju Island, South Korea.

Green tea seed oil is rich in 16 amino acids and antioxidants, which protect the skin from environmental aggressors.

The green tea used in this cream is chosen from 3,301 varieties specifically for its skincare benefits. This Korean face cream seals in moisture without feeling greasy or oily.

The lightweight formula sinks into the skin, providing nourishing antioxidant benefits.

Perfect for combo, dry, dehydrated, and even sensitive skin.

Related Post: Innisfree Green Tea Seed Serum Review

This unscented water cream is formulated with 60% deep seawater, ideal for dryness or other skin conditions such as atopic dermatitis.

A 2% concentration of niacinamide brightens, soothes, and balances your complexion.

Suitable for all skin types, even sensitive, this cream is rich in marine ingredients, such as green caviar and seaweed extract.

The cream supports water-oil balance and leaves your skin hydrated and soft without any thick sticky finish.

This Purito cream uses niacinamide to brighten and balance oil (sebum) in the skin and Salicornia herbacea extract, a plant extract to support the skin’s barrier.

Adenosine is wound healing and also supports the skin’s barrier.

Sodium hyaluronate, the salt form of hyaluronic acid, moisturizes and plumps the skin.

Related Post: Purito Deep Sea Pure Water Cream Review

It is formulated with yeast-derived beta-glucan to soothe and firm the skin, nourishing shea butter, and ceramide 3 to form a protective layer to help prevent moisture loss.

It also contains soothing jojoba seed oil, several plant extracts, and lipidure to help the skin retain moisture and protect it from irritants.

Ideal for dry skin and especially sensitive skin, your skin will feel soft and smooth, never sticky after applying this moisturizer, which has a pH of 7.11. It is free of dyes, fragrances, and animal-based components.

Related Post: Klairs Skincare Review

Glycerin, betaine, and glucose are humectants that lock in moisture.

This Korean moisturizer also contains Adansonia digitata (baobab) seed oil which contains antioxidants to support skin elasticity and collagen formation while helping to minimize the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles.

Moisturizing fatty acids protect the skin barrier. It also contains tocopherol (vitamin E) to protect and nourish the skin.

Its texture is similar to a gel cream, and it’s rich but not sticky, so you don’t need to apply a lot.

It absorbs quickly without any greasy or sticky feeling and leaves skin soft and moisturized.

Great for dry, normal, combination, and dehydrated oily skin.

Pure fermented green tea extract is high in antioxidants, has moisturizing properties, and makes up over 63% of the cream.

This lightweight cream also contains lemon seed oil for antibacterial and antifungal protection and rosewood oil that soothes the skin.

The star ingredient in this product is ChungTaeJeon, a fermented Korean green tea fermented for over 365 days in the sun to provide lasting hydration and moisture.

This cream can also be used as a 5-minute moisture mask to rescue dry, dehydrated skin.

It provides a stable delivery system of ingredients that penetrate deeper, leading to greater effectiveness of their products.

It contains tea tree oil, an antioxidant that has antibacterial and soothing properties, along with macadamia nut oil is an emollient that contains moisturizing fatty acids.

Sodium hyaluronate hydrates the skin, while cholesterol and ceramide NP work to support a healthy skin barrier.

The texture of this moisturizer is described as a pudding-like gel that is quickly absorbed into the skin without any greasy or oily feeling, improving elasticity, and creating bouncy skin and a hydrated glow.

This K-beauty moisturizer is suitable for all skin types and would be especially helpful for combo/oily skin, as the texture is lightweight but still highly moisturizing.

What does “Make P:rem” mean? It’s a combination of make, pragmatism, and remedy, i.e., make p:rem. The company’s goals for its products are functionality, effectiveness, reasonable cost, and convenience without excess packaging.

This cream is formulated for all skin types and lifts and hydrates with 51% Sahara cactus extract. Sahara cactus is a plant that survives in harsh desert climates and helps to lock in moisture while firming the skin.

The cream is also formulated with Moroccan prickly pear cactus oil, containing vitamins E and K and essential fatty acids for antioxidant protection.

Hyaluronic acid hydrates and plumps the skin, and SC-glucan supports collagen production and improves elasticity.

This antioxidant-packed K Beauty cream protects from environmental stressors such as pollution and heat and supports the skin’s barrier while improving skin texture.

The texture is that of a cream oil and should be warmed between your fingers before applying it to your skin. This rich cream sinks in quickly and is ideal for dry skin.

Midnight Blue Calming Cream helps strengthen the skin barrier and balance the skin.

Guaiazulene, a plant-based element extracted from camomile oil, is what makes this cream blue. The cream creates a protective layer over the skin.

This night cream also contains Centella asiatica extract, also known as tiger grass. Centella asiatica extract kick starts healing in damaged skin and also prevents scarring.

This cream is ideal for after the sun or if you have oily skin and want a soothing cream. Only a small amount is needed of this concentrated cream.

Nighttime is the best time to apply this cream to allow the skin to regenerate and to avoid having makeup break the protective layer.

Please see my complete review for more details on this soothing Korean Cream.

Birch sap is also high in amino acids, enzymes, antioxidants, and minerals.

The lotion is formulated at a skin-loving pH level of 5.5, making it ideal to use both in the morning and evening. This lotion is oil-free, making it perfect for acne-prone skin or combination/oily skin types.

If you have dry skin, you will also benefit from birch sap’s ability to maintain hydration and moisture. The lotion absorbs quickly without any greasiness.

You can use COSRX Oil-Free Ultra-Moisturizing Lotion after alpha-hydroxy acid or beta-hydroxy acid chemical exfoliating treatments or vitamin C treatments.

This concentrated lotion will hydrate and moisturize your skin after these exfoliating treatments.

Adenosine has anti-inflammatory benefits, supports a healthy skin barrier, and may even help to reduce the appearance of wrinkles and fine lines.

Dipotassium glycyrrhizate is an anti-inflammatory compound found in the licorice plant that helps balance sebum (oil) production in the skin.

Multiple antioxidants including Portulaca oleracea (purslane) extract, Rubus idaeus (raspberry) fruit extract, Camellia sinensis leaf (green tea) extract, Centella asiatica extract, copper tripeptide-1, madecassoside, and asiaticoside help to scavenge free radicals and protect skin from environmental damage.

It is a lightweight cream that absorbs quickly without feeling heavy or greasy. This snail cream is fragrance-free, which should appeal to those with sensitive skin.

This would be an ideal moisturizer for acne-prone, oily, and very oily skin types, as it helps to control sebum production while leaving a matte finish on the skin.

The ingredient list is chock full of anti-aging all-stars, including peptides and ceramides to support the skin barrier and nourishing shea butter.

It also contains Centella asiatica extract, which supports collagen formation and has anti-inflammatory benefits.

This study published in Advances in Dermatology and Allergology in 2013 determined that Centella Asiatica can even be used to treat photoaging in the skin.

Aesthetic Hydration Cosmetics (AHC) Essential Eye Cream for Face is so popular that per AHC, one tube is sold every three seconds in Korea.

You get all the benefits of specialized eye cream for your entire face in this lightweight formula.

AHC uses microemulsion technology that helps the cream sink into the skin easily and quickly. It contains plumping hyaluronic acid and improves the appearance of fine lines and dullness around the eyes and entire face.

The cream contains a host of plant extracts, niacinamide, squalane, ceramides, five peptides, and vitamins to reduce the appearance of the signs of aging.

Apply to the t-zone, along the undereye area, on laugh lines, along the jaw and your neck, and massage in using gentle pressure to reduce dullness and for dewy, glass-like skin.

The cream also contains all-star skincare ingredients like niacinamide to help balance oil production, calm the skin, reduce the appearance of pores, and brighten the skin.

Notably, niacinamide is listed as ingredient #3 in this cream, which means it is in higher concentrations than many other ingredients in the product.

This moisturizer is a true multi-tasker, as it helps with healing blemishes and damaged skin, soothes and lifts dry, crepey skin while moisturizing and plumping the skin.

While you can apply this cream both AM and PM since it is a richer, more concentrated formula, you may want to save it for evenings, so you don’t have to be concerned with applying makeup on top.

Cica in the name stands for cicatrizing or healing through scar formation. This cream is, therefore, ideal for damaged, sensitive, or irritated skin.

This moisturizer also contains wrinkle-smoothing retinol and peptide 8 complex to improve skin elasticity.

Niacinamide reduces the appearance of fine lines, wrinkles, and crow’s feet around the eyes, stimulates collagen formation, improves elasticity and brightens dull and uneven skin tone.

Hyaluronic acid hydrates and plumps the skin, shea butter nourishes, and Dioscorea japonica root maintains moisture levels in the skin.

This rich yet non-greasy cream not only repairs but also protects the skin against environmental factors. Perfect for mature or dry skin but ideal for all skin types. Free of parabens, sulfates, and phthalates.

The top layer of the product is in gel form. The gel is formulated with lemon extract and vitamin C, both antioxidants that brighten the skin.

Lemon extract will help to reduce the appearance of imperfections and target the signs of aging, while vitamin C will even out skin tone and protect against environmental stressors such as free radicals and pollution.

The bottom layer of the product is in cream form formulated with banana extract, which helps skin to retain moisture.

Use the spatula provided to mix the gel and the cream to create a hybrid gel-cream for application to the face and neck.

K-Beauty at its most fun, this sunny yellow moisturizer will hydrate your skin and help reduce the appearance of the signs of aging.

This vegan formula is formulated without harmful ingredients such as parabens, sulfates, phthalates, and formaldehyde.

Related Post: The Best Korean Cleansing Balms and Oils

Sodium hyaluronate is a form of hyaluronic acid that helps hydrate and plump the skin for lasting hydration. Glycerin, trehalose, and sucrose are natural humectants that draw and retain moisture in the skin.

The gel cream helps soothe, hydrate, and protect skin from environmental aggressors. If you love the scent of rose, then this is the moisturizer for you!

This cream is lightweight, absorbs quickly, and does not leave a greasy residue. Formulated for all skin types, those with oily skin will especially appreciate how light this gel-cream feels on the skin.

Why Use Korean Moisturizers and Korean Skincare Products?

Korean skincare is where many trends begin and innovative products are birthed, i.e., sheet masks, BB cream, or glass skin.

Seoul, South Korea, leads the way and is the center of the K-Beauty world, so to speak. This is where innovations in Korean skincare routinely occur.

Korean skin products are always at the forefront of innovation, whether your goal is jelly skin with a springy, bouncy texture or achieving cream skin with nourishing toner-moisturizer hybrids.

There is a Korean moisturizer for everyone in the above list of products. These K-Beauty moisturizers are best-sellers for a reason: they work by moisturizing and protecting the skin.

Why You Should Moisturize Your Skin

Whether your skin is dry, oily, combo, normal or sensitive, everyone’s skin needs moisture. Moisturizing lotions and creams hydrate the skin and protect the skin barrier from environmental stressors and pollutants.

Be sure not to over-moisturize. Use about a nickel-sized amount, as too much product can clog pores and lead to breakouts.

How to Incorporate A Korean Moisturizer Into Your Skincare Routine

Be sure to wash your face before applying a moisturizer. If you are only applying moisturizer, apply after cleansing while your skin is still damp.

This will help to seal in the hydration from your moisturizer. Be sure to use a moisturizer both in the morning (followed by sunscreen) and in the evening.

Depending on your skincare routine, you may have additional steps before applying a moisturizer, such as using a toner, essence, or serum. Using a moisturizer will be one of the last steps in your skincare routine.

For a basic skincare routine, follow these steps in order:

1. Cleanse
2. Toner
3. Essence/Serum
4. Moisturizer
5. Sunscreen (AM only)

TIP: Don’t forget the skin on your body! Please see my post on the best Korean body lotions for some fantastic Korean body moisturizers.

How to Apply A Moisturizer to Your Face

Apply a small amount to the palm of your hand and rub your hands together to warm the product. Apply with your fingers to your cheeks in a circular motion and your forehead and chin in upward and outward strokes.

Use your ring finger to pat moisturizer into delicate areas.

Never tug or pull at your skin, and don’t forget your neck! Use gentle upward strokes on your neck.

Final Thoughts on The Best Korean Moisturizers for All Skin Types

Korean brands produce some of the best moisturizers in the world.

Korean moisturizers are formulated for serious skincare concerns and address issues such as dryness, oiliness, acne/blemishes, aging, hyperpigmentation and dark spots, irritation, aging skin, and more.

Best of all, most are very reasonably priced and easy to find online.

Thanks for reading, and until next time, here’s to your good skin health!