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Korean beauty brands are famous for their inexpensive, cutting-edge products that create ‘glass skin’ thanks to unique, advanced ingredients.
Seoul has become the beauty capital of the world as tourists flock to the city for innovative plastic surgery procedures and to pick up their favorite K-beauty products.
While many of these items were previously exclusively sold in Korea, now K-beauty lovers don’t have to leave the country for the best salmon sperm skincare and at-home skincare devices that are usually found in dermatologist offices.
Olive Young, Korea’s largest beauty retailer, made its highly-anticipated debut and opened its doors in the United States over the weekend as more than 6,000 people lined up around the block for their chance to shop at South Korea’s largest health and beauty retailer (affectionally nicknamed K-beauty Toys “R”Us).
The shop is located in Pasadena, California, with plans to open a second location in Century City, Los Angeles, and they also offer nationwide online shipping.
The 8,647-square-foot West Coast flagship boasts more than 5,000 products from 400 K-beauty brands.
It is not surprising that there was a large crowd ready to buy up the K-beauty products they had once only heard of, as the company is famously making skincare innovations unheard of stateside.
Beauty lovers often flock to social media to discover the latest products, techniques and secrets that promise to transform skin and make you look decades younger, just like their favorite K-pop stars.
Olive Young, Korea’s largest beauty retailer, made its highly-anticipated debut and is now open in the United States
Many K-beauty products have made their way to the shelves at Sephora, like the luxurious Sulwhasoo and the Gen Z-beloved brand Glow Recipe
On Reddit, women share ‘realistic Korean beauty routines’ and offer a peek into their often elaborate skincare routines, with one recently revealing that ‘the key difference lies in efficiency, tech-savviness, and knowing what works without spending excessive time on routines.’ That same beauty guru explained true K-beauty lovers use salmon DNA, which promotes skin elasticity.
PDRN is a regenerative compound made from DNA fragments that are typically extracted from salmon sperm and it is known for boosting collagen production and reducing inflammation.
Sephora offers plenty of wildly popular vegan options, like Glow Recipe PDRN Repair ($30). Glow Recipe founders Christine Chang and Sarah Lee, both born in South Korea, have also created skincare-infused makeup. The Niacinamide Dew Drops ($20) were specifically inspired by K-pop makeup artist hacks, because in Korea, they were mixing makeup with skincare for a natural glow as a beauty hack.
Ginseng is another massive K-beauty trend, renowned for its anti-aging and brightening properties. Beauty of Joseon Revive Retinol Firming Moisturizer ($24) is a favorite among Sephora reviewers, who describe it as the perfect light cream for glowing skin. K-pop trainees and idols (like BTS’s V) are fans of the brand’s affordable Revive Eye ($17) to fight dark circles.
The ultra-luxurious Sulwhasoo Concentrated Ginseng Rejuvenating Cream for Anti-Aging ($260) is another fan favorite, with reviewers calling it a ‘game-changing cream’ and praising it for leaving skin feeling ‘firmer and softer.’ The luxury K-beauty brand has tapped some of the biggest names in K-pop as global ambassadors, including Girls’ Generation member Im Yoona and Rosé of BLACKPINK.
Many of these skincare offerings took off on TikTok, making the once-niche obsession go mainstream. On a separate Reddit thread on the r/Korean Beauty forum, women in their thirties searched for ‘best practices’ to get ‘that much-coveted glass skin,’ asking for ‘skincare secrets.’
One beauty lover suggested Dr.Ceuracle Royal Vita Propolis 33 Ampoule ($34) for the glowing effect. Unlike American products, it is an ampoule, not a serum. An ampoule is a small container that preserves a single measured dose of a liquid, which is typically used for highly concentrated skincare.
The K-beauty obsession is not just about the products, it is also about unique techniques. On an r/Asian Beauty thread, beauty lovers shared skincare hacks that are popular in Korea, including soaking cotton pads in bottled water and placing them on the face after washing to refresh skin.
Another beloved trick was the seven-layer hydration method, which involves applying three to seven hydrating layers of toner or essence, followed by the rest of your skincare.
Kendall Jenner recently became an ambassador for Korean skincare brand Anua, which is famous for its PDRN Spray
Thome introduced the Glow Device Signature, which uses cutting-edge at-home technology to brighten, moisturize and firm skin
Beauty fanatics also flocked to Reddit to discuss Thome’s products, including their Korean med spa kit. Commenters claimed that they noticed their dark spots were two shades lighter and that skin felt softer and brighter.
The cult-favorite K-Beauty brand also recently introduced the Glow Device Signature ($299), which is exclusively available at Olive Young US. The cutting-edge at-home skincare device uses ultrasound technology to improve smoothness, bounce, and glow while helping skincare products dissolve and reach deeper layers. The device also brightens, moisturizes and firms.
These brands are also not sticking to skincare. Haircare has become an equally important field, with Mise En Scène Perfect Serum Original ($18.20) quickly becoming a go-to beauty buy in Korea and the United States. The serum quickly absorbs to help repair damaged hair without weighing locks down.
Celebrities are also getting in on the K-beauty obsession. Cardi B swears by slugging with BIOHEAL BOH’s Probioderm 3D Lifting Cream ($34), which boosts elasticity for firmer, more lifted skin.
Cardi, 33, says it is her go-to when she’s feeling stressed or in need of an instant ‘snatch.’ The hitmaker described it as ‘the best cream for your mother’ or ‘anybody who wants that nice lift on their face.’
She is not alone. Kendall Jenner recently became an ambassador for Korean skincare brand Anua. The Keeping Up With the Kardashians alum is a fan of PDRN Spray ($21) for hydrated, dewy skin.
Jenner shared the news on Instagram and fans were quick to describe her glass skin as ‘perfection’ with a ‘super glow.’
