We Tried the Best Korean Beauty Moisturizers, These Are Our Top Picks

A GH Beauty Award winner, this outstanding K-beauty sunscreen feels “lightweight and hydrating” on the skin, according to Wizemann. Providing broad-spectrum SPF 36 protection, it guards against UVA and UVB rays. The water-based formula leaves a glowy finish with no white cast, though some found it a little too shiny. It’s infused with green tea extract, sunflower seed oil, and cica to hydrate, nourish, and soothe, respectively.

A healthy skin barrier is key to happy, hydrated skin, and this moisturizer is designed to do just that. It contains five types of ceramides and panthenol to strengthen the skin barrier and hydrate, plus it improves elasticity. Though technically fragrance-free, it contains botanical oils such as Pelargonium graveolens, olive, bergamot, and sage, which give the formula a very faint, comforting scent that was polarizing among some reviewers.

“This cream lives in my makeup bag, my medicine cabinet, and on my nightstand—and it is the first thing I pack when I travel. I love its unassuming, easily gliding, lightweight texture that instantly calms and comforts my skin, and it makes my makeup feel gentler and look prettier on my face,” Wizemann says.

If your skin is looking red, this soothing cream—gentle enough for sensitive skin—can help. The hero ingredient is pH4.5CICA, a proprietary complex of centella asiatica, zinc, and PHA that calms and soothes skin. There’s also panthenol to support the moisture barrier, plus hyaluronic acid and glycerin to deeply moisturize. Note that one reviewer said the cap can be tricky to twist off.

“I have been really enjoying this facial moisturizer,” Wizemann says. “It is light and soothing, and over the weeks I have used it, my skin is much less reactive, with less redness and discomfort from dryness. It feels very light on the skin, and you do not need much to cover your entire face.”

As someone who suffers from major pigmentation issues, I consider this cream a go-to for fighting uneven patches and boosting overall brightness. Turmeric and kojic acid are the hero ingredients that help to even skin tone and minimize the appearance of dark spots. I also love the cream’s light-as-feather, gel-like texture, which instantly sinks into the skin, making it ideal for use with one of my favorite skincare gadgets, the Medicube Age-R Booster Pro. However, some reviewers found the texture sticky.

Dubbed a “chiffon cream” by the brand, that name is exactly right—its gel texture is super lightweight and fluffy, yet still feels decadent thanks to the natural rose scent. When I apply it before bed, I wake up with glowing, plumped skin.

Damask rosewater, rich in vitamins, helps improve skin health, while hyaluronic acid hydrates and Centella asiatica soothes. Given its airy texture, it functions more as a daily moisturizer than a mask.

Founded by esthetician Alicia Yoon, this Korean-American skincare brand is known for its effective formulas that are gentle enough for sensitive skin. This peptide-packed moisturizer (with 12, to be exact!) firms, hydrates, plumps, and strengthens the skin barrier, courtesy of four amino acids, vegan collagen, and a hyaluronic acid complex. Keep in mind that some reviewers didn’t find it hydrating enough.

Proof that you don’t need a heavy texture for a major dose of moisture, this lightweight gel really is a hydration bomb. The brand claims it only takes 10 seconds to feel a surge of moisture in your skin and delivers instant smoothing and plumping. Squalane strengthens the skin barrier, niacinamide gently exfoliates, and hyaluronic acid hydrates. But it may not be ideal for acne-prone skin, since some reviewers said it didn’t work for that skin type.

K-beauty is practically synonymous with glass skin, and this moisturizer is meant to get you that coveted glow. A ceramide complex strengthens the skin barrier, plus aloe vera and Centella asiatica calm and soothe skin. However, a reviewer with very dry skin found it wasn't moisturizing enough.