How To Build A K-Beauty Starter Kit

No one makes effective cleansing oils quite like Korean beauty brands. Perfect for buffing away blackheads and sloughing away dead skin cells, the key brands to know here include Anua and Beauty of Joseon. Foams and creams are also two things both brands do really well. The ANUA Heartleaf Quercetinol Pore Deep Cleansing Foam is particularly good at exfoliating and drawing out impurities. 

Thanks to their unique fabrication, these exfoliating pads are trending. One side has a gel-based texture, while the other is slightly more textured to buff away dead skin or raised bumps. They’re each infused with skin-boosting ingredients, too – be it niacinamide, collagen or centella asiatica. Use them like a toner or essence – post cleanse but pre-serums and moisturiser.

Serums and essences are an additional step – but they’re worth it if you want something a little more concentrated and targeted. Snail mucin is an ingredient K-beauty influencer credit for giving them that glass-skin effect and CosRx is the brand everyone raves about. For a vegan option, the Mixoon Bean Essence is also popular.

If you’re only picking up one thing, make it one of these moisturisers. The easiest thing to swap into your routine, they’re one of the things the K-beauty industry does particularly well. From gels to lightweight creams, each one is designed to drench skin in moisture, while also offering various other benefits. Laneige is a classic for all-round nourishment while Torriden’s Low Molecular Hyaluronic Acid Moisturiser deeply penetrates dry skin, leaving behind a more supple, hydrated complexion.