KOREAN SKINCARE

If you're looking to buy skincare online, you might feel overwhelmed by all the options out there. There are so many brands, products, and trends to choose from, especially when it comes to Korean skincare! But don't worry, we've got you covered. Let us be your tour guide when it comes to navigating the world of Korean Skincare!

Not to toot our own horn, but Kanvas Beauty is the best place for K-beauty in Australia (and New Zealand, because we never forget about our Kiwi mates). And here’s just some of the reasons why.

Our curated list of K-Beauty brands consists of only their most high-performing and popular products.

K-Beauty refers to any cosmetic that hails from the Asian beauty mecca of Korea. All those incredibly popular products from brands like Cosrx, Beauty of Joseon, Anua, Axis-Y and more, it's no wonder the beauty industry over there is large and competitive. This also means a tonne of new brands every year, high levels of beauty innovation, and early adoption of soon-to-be buzz ingredients or techniques. But not everything that glitters is gold! There are also plenty of sub-par products, or those that are merely poor imitations of others. There are also some brands that have a couple of standout hero products, but not much else worth trying. That’s where Kanvas Beauty comes in: we sift through the good and weed out the average. Whatever you see on Kanvas Beauty is tried, tested, feted, and recommended.

We’ve created a Korean Skincare collection as diverse as you are.

The target audience for Korean brands naturally tends to be Koreans. Unfortunately, what this can also mean is that K-Beauty products or ingredients don’t always suit skin tones and conditions prevalent in the rest of the world. This can be the key barrier to trying K-Beauty for some, particularly within makeup. You won’t find those limitations here. Our Korean skincare curation has something for everyone, whether its invisible sunscreens, 4C-friendly haircare, or dark-tinted BB creams. And if it’s made it on Kanvas Beauty, then it’s high performance!

Our descriptions are clear (no copy and pasted Korean translations) and include links to brands’ Buying Guides as well as individual product reviews so that you can make the right purchasing decision.

If you look at the standard description of Korean skincare products on some websites, you might find it reads rather mysteriously. This is likely because of direct translation errors. Kinda cute, yes, but also kinda unhelpful. At best, you have a vague idea of what the product’s about. At worst, it’s completely misleading. At Kanvas Beauty, our product write-ups are original, honest, and contain as much useful information as possible. Also, our badge guide summarises each product’s key features in a single glance.

Plus, we’re not just K-Beauty – we stock brands from all over the world so you can make Kanvas Beauty your complete one-stop shop for the very best in skincare and beauty!

Couldn’t find your jam in our K Beauty section or looking for something a little bit different? No problem! Check out our French, American, Japanese and rest-of-the-world beauty. Whether it’s a popular vegan deodorant from Amsterdam, a best-selling mineral foundation from London or a cult retinol product from France, you’ll find it all at Kanvas Beauty.

Some of the best Korean Skincare products:

Some of Kanvas Beauty’s best-selling K Beauty products are:

Beauty of Joseon Sunscreen: Probiotics Relief Sun Essence: An instant hit as soon as it launched, this brightening and hydrating sun lotion from the clean Hanbang brand Beauty of Joseon offers SPF50+ PA++++ protection. It’s lightweight, dries invisible, and contains lovely ingredients to unify your complexion, such as rice extracts and niacinamide.
COSRX Acne Pimple Master Patch: The original and the best pimple patches! These cult hydrocolloid patches come in various sizes, and are essentially little band-aids for leaky zits, whiteheads and pustules. Not only do they magically suck all the gunk out, but they also decrease post-acne scarring and help the area heal quicker.
Heimish All Clean Balm: A hot favourite of makeup artists, this popular cleansing balm from vegan Korean skincare brand Heimish has a lemony, sherbet-like texture that melts into a silky oil upon contact with your skin. It removes every trace of makeup (including waterproof mascara), and leaves skin clean and primed for your second cleanse.
Purito Centella Green Level Recovery Cream: This lightweight, redness-fighting moisturizer packed with 50% tiger grass calms and sooths irritated skin in a jiffy. It’s the product you reach for when you’ve over-exfoliated or just feeling a little sensitive. Plus, it’s clean, cruelty-free and vegan.
Etude House My Lash Serum: Loved for both its affordability and efficacy, this gentle eyelash serum dispels the myth that these things have to be ridiculously expensive to work! My Lash Serum is specially formulated to target the health of your eyelashes for length and strength.
Some By Mi AHA BHA PHA 30 Days Miracle Toner: A bonafide miracle at kicking acne to the curb, this exfoliating toner enhanced with papaya enzymes and niacinamide reduces texture, whiteheads and the appearance of pores.
Acwell Licorice pH Balancing Cleansing Toner: One of Soko Glam founder Charlotte Cho’s favourite products, this astringent toner uses a 10% concentration of licorice root extract to naturally brighten and even out the skin tone. It’s a pro at extracting dirt and debris, even after cleansing (you’ll be surprised and how much the cotton pad picks up!). And because of its skin-matching pH, it won’t dry you out, either.
Innisfree No Sebum Mineral Powder: The oil-soaking finishing powder of your mattifying dreams, innisfree’s holy grail No Sebum Mineral Powder use a natural mineral base for a soft-focus, airbrushed finish.
Laneige Lip Sleeping Mask: This is Laneige’s product extraordinaire - and worth the hype! An Allure Best of Beauty award winner, this leave-on lip mask soothes and hydrates. Its patented Moisture Wrap™ forms a protective film to lock in moisture and active ingredients.
Pyunkang Yul Essence Toner: Just 7 ingredients are in this minimalist, apothecary-style Korean brand – but it still delivers spectacular results. This viscous, silky and slightly acidic toner is a Godsend for dry and dehydrated skin. It literally coats your dermis in moisture, and can be used in layers or between steps in your skincare routine.
Anua Heartleaf Toner: People have called it the best toner in Korea, and in a country with a TONNE of high-performing skincare products, that is a massive compliment! And we weren't disappointed. This mildly acidic toner made of 77% Houttuynia Cordata extract (aka Heartleaf) works best on rosacea, redness-prone skin or skin with acne. While it feels quite watery, the high concentration of Heartleaf gets straight to work, and helps improves skin tone in a matter of days.

Popular K-Beauty ingredients to try

01.

Birch Sap.
What is it: Naturally rich in niacinamide and amino acids, this tree-extract is being increasingly employed in skincare for its ability to reduce inflammation, improve hydration and even prevent hyperpigmentation
Best for: Dull, sensitive and sallow skin.
Suggested products: COSRX’ Oil-Free Ultra Moisturizing Lotion with Birch Sap for oily and sensitized skin, Neogen’s Dermalogy Real Ferment Micro Essence for hyperpigmentation and ISNTREE’s Hyaluronic Acid Toner for dehydration.
02.

Tiger Grass
Best for: Sensitized skin, redness, atopic skin and any irritations.
Suggested products: Dr. Jart+ Cicapair Sleepair Ampoule-In Mask for sensitive, acne-prone skin, Purito’s Centella Green Level Buffet Serum for irritation and allergies and Etude House’s Soon Jung 5-Panthensoside Cica Balm for dryness and dehydration.
03.

Mugwort (i.e. Artemisia)
What is it: A medicinal, vitamin E-rich herb that offers both antibacterial and anti-fungal properties
Best for: Redness-prone acne, hormonal acne and mild irritation on sensitive skin.
Suggested products: I’m From’s Mugwort Essence for acne and rosacea, Missha’s Time Revolution Artemisia Treatment Essence for sensitivity and ISNTREE’s Real Mugwort Clay Mask for oily, blackhead-prone skin.
04.

Galactomyces Ferment Filtrate
What is it: This nutrient-dense yeast is a by-product of sake, initially popularized in the West by Japanese brand SKI-II. However, it’s just as prevalent in Korean skincare, thanks to its ability to strengthen your skin’s natural microbiome, brighten and even reduce the appearance of fine lines.
Best for: Mature skin, sensitivity and dullness.
Suggested products: COSRX’ Galactomyces 95 Tone Balancing Essence for sallow skin, Some By Mi’s Galactomyces Pure Vitamin C Glow Serum for hyperpigmentation and iUNIK’s- Rose Galactomyces Essential Toner for fine lines and dehydration.
05.

Snail Mucin
What is it: Made ubiquitous by K-Beauty, this popular ingredient promotes collagen production and increases moisture retention. It also contains naturally occurring substances such as glycolic acid and allantoin, both of which can improve skin health and deliver radiance.
Best for: Dry skin with sensitivity and fine lines.
Suggested products: COSRX Advanced Snail Peptide Eye Cream, the COSRX Advanced Snail 96 Mucin Power Essence and Benton’s Snail Bee High Content Essence.

Frequently Asked Questions

What are some uniquely Korean creations?

Did you know BB Creams were a K-Beauty brand? That’s right, they are originally a creation of Dr Jart+. So are CC Creams, Essences and Cushion Foundations (the latter first brought to the market by IOPE).

What is the number one skincare brand in Korea?

It changes every year, and it depends if we’re going by the value or number of products sold, but some of the most consistently popular K Beauty brands year in, year out are innisfree, Missha, Dr Jart+, Purito, Some By Mi, COSRX and Laneige.

What is a good Korean oil cleanser?

Which Korean oil cleanser is the best for you is subjective. It depends on the needs of your skin and what your key concerns are. A good all-rounder is something like Purito’s From Green Cleansing Oil. Those preferring a balm consistency and something that can remove makeup easily will love Heimish’s All Clean Balm. A good Korean cleansing oil for oily skin would be innisfree’s Super Volcanic Pore Cleansing Oil. And those who want a touch of luxe and natural exfoliating properties should try I’m From’s Fig Cleansing Balm.

Where can I buy Korean skincare online?

From Sydney, to Perth, to Auckland, you can find all the best K Beauty brands at Kanvas Beauty (I mean, no brainer). Forget the long wait times from ordering from overseas websites! We source directly from the brands themselves and accredited suppliers, and dispatch your order within 24 hours from our Melbourne warehouse so you can get it in your hot little hands ASAP.