3 Best Korean Serums for Soft, Glowing Skin of 2025 (Aesthetician-Reviewed)
Want to make your skin glow? Korean serums are mild, lightweight, and contain a high concentration of active ingredients that can help all skin types. Some common skin-nourishing ingredients are ginseng, green tea, and aloe vera. Korean skincare also utilizes more unique ingredients, like snail mucin, placenta, and propolis!
Check out our buying guide, which we prepared with the help of aesthetician Devan Jesmer, where you'll find all the necessary information regarding Korean serums, and our top 3 highly recommended products. Innisfree's Green Tea Seed Serum is our top-ranking product because it absorbs quickly, soothes irritated skin, and prevents signs of aging. If you want to know more, don't forget to check out the rest products on our list!
Quick List - Top Korean Serums
As a beauty content creator & licensed aesthetician, I create content around all things beauty, with my main focus being skincare. Through my industry insight, honest reviews and educational content, my goal is to help my clients and others navigate the constant influx of products and information in the beauty industry, and achieve their skin goals.
mybest US' editing team consists of experienced members who have backgrounds in writing, editing, translation, and more. We are dedicated to researching what makes a product or service the best to users in the US in order to create top-quality articles. From skincare, to kitchen appliances, and to DIY supplies, our mission is to find the best ones for you.
The expert oversees the Buying Guide only, and does not determine the products and services featured.
Table of Contents
- More Great Korean Serums to Consider
- The Proper Way to Apply a Serum
- Frequently Asked Questions
- What Are the Steps of the Korean Skincare Routine, in Which Order Should They Be Followed, and How Is Your Skin Routine?
- Is the Korean skincare routine exclusive to women and, if not, how can it differ between genders?
- Is there a difference between US and Korean skincare formulations that makes it specific?
- Looking for Summer Skin Care Products?
- Amazon's Best Selling Facial Serums
How to Choose a Korean Serum
Here, we'll be introducing the following three important points to check when you choose a Korean serum. We also compiled specific advice from Devan that should be helpful when picking your next serum!
Choose a Serum According to Your Skin Type
Different skin types need different skin care products. Thus, it's important to know your skin concerns to find a perfect skin solution.
Look for Moisturizing Ingredients for Dry Skin
Snail mucin is one of the most popular ingredients in Korean skin care. It contains glycolic acid, glycoproteins, and hyaluronic acids, all off which can prevent dryness, improve collagen production, and promote dewy skin.
Although snail mucin can't penetrate deeply into the skin because of its large molecule size, it helps to improve overall skin texture and quality. Additionally, it helps to treat eczema by soothing itchy and inflamed skin, too!
Hyaluronic acid can draw and lock moisture into your skin, which results in firmer and healthy-looking skin. It also protects the skin from environmental damage, like sunlight, pollution, and harsh chemicals. Some studies have found that combing hyaluronic and vitamin C can create more effective results in skin elasticity.
Niacinamide is a form of vitamin B3 and is another ingredient that suits dry, flaky, or irritated skin. It helps to boost hydration, reduce redness, soothe inflammation, and improve skin texture or pigmentation.
People with dry skin should look for moisturizing and hydrating ingredients in a serum. Humectants are fantastic at holding water in the skin, to give a plump, bouncy appearance.
Hydrating ingredients to look for include hyaluronic acid, sodium hyaluronate, glycerin, beta-glucan, aloe, propolis, snail mucin, and centella asiatica. Moisturizing ingredients such as ceramides, urea, shea butter, and other plant oils also help to lock in the water.
Choose Collagen-Boosting Ingredients for Mature Skin
Aloe vera is a popular ingredient for Korean skincare because of its numerous benefits, including moisture-retention. Some studies have shown that aloe vera can improve skin elasticity and collagen production. It also helps to treat sunburn and prevent peeling skin.
Glycolic acid is an effective anti-aging agent as well! It helps to reduce dark spots, wrinkles, and scars, and it can even out your complexion while gently exfoliating skin. As a result, it leads to smoother, firmer, and younger-looking skin.
Peptides are a broken down form of collagen, and their small molecules can penetrate the skin. They help to reduce fine lines, wrinkles, and dryness. Moreover, they help to increase collagen production. Other anti-aging ingredients that you may look for in Korean serums are neuropeptide, matrixyl, and argireline.
Collagen provides structural support in our skin by creating a matrix-like string of fibers, that over time weakens, causing skin laxity. There are plenty of ingredients that help your skin to rebuild collagen. Retinoids (Vitamin A), is the most well-known and most studied when it comes to anti-aging and boosting collagen production.
Vitamin C and Vitamin E are also fantastic antioxidants, known for helping to preserve fibers by preventing damage from free radicals generated by oxidative stress. Peptides are also known for their collagen-boosting abilities, through signaling to the skin to build new collagen and elastin.
Pick Anti-Bacterial Ingredients for Oily and Acne-Prone Skin
Honey and propolis have anti-bacterial, anti-inflammation, and anti-fungal agents. Some studies have found that they can cure pimples, treat acne vulgaris, reduce inflammation, and improve collagen production. Although these ingredients can’t prevent hormonal acne, they help to speed up healing time.
Tea tree oil is a fantastic ingredient for oily and acne-prone skin because it helps to control oil, calm redness, reduce acne, and prevent breakouts.
Cica is a plant that has been used in many Korean skincare products, as it’s high in antioxidants that are great for acne-prone skin. It helps to treat acne as well as soothe irritated and inflamed skin.
Acne-causing bacteria is best kept at bay with anti-bacterial and anti-septic ingredients, such as AHAs and BHAs, snail mucin, and tea tree oil.
However, honey and propolis are two of my favorite anti-bacterial ingredients for the skin. In addition to killing acne-causing bacteria, they are also anti-inflammatory and hydrating, helping to speed up the healing process.
Consider Skin-Brightening Ingredients for Dull Skin
Green tea is rich in antioxidants, which can slow down the aging process, heal blemishes, and reduce scars while also improving skin complexion and texture. As a result, your skin becomes brighter, cleaner, and more radiant!
Vitamin E helps to regenerate new skin cells and reduce dark spots. It's also effective at hydrating and strengthening skin. Vitamin C is also idea for brightening skin, as it helps to restore collagen, repair damaged skin from sunlight and pollution, and improve skin tone.
There are so many well-studied ingredients when it comes to brightening dull skin and reducing hyperpigmentation. Beyond Vitamin A and Vitamin C, which also help brighten and even the skin tone, you want to look for a serum that contains kojic acid, licorice root extract, mandelic acid, azelaic acid, niacinamide, or arbutin.
These ingredients often work better when a few are combined together versus working alone.
Patch Testing is Highly Recommended for Sensitive Skin
Luckily, many Korean skincare products contain natural ingredients and can be used by most skin types. But allergic reactions can be very different from person to person, and you may not know which ingredients can irritate your skin. Thus, we recommend doing a patch test before using new products.
Another way to prevent skin trouble is to avoid common irritating ingredients, like alcohol, parabens, sulfates, essential oils, and fragrances, unless you know that your skin can handle these ingredients.
If you are someone who commonly reacts when trying a new product, make sure that you are doing a patch test on a small area of the face that can be easily covered - such as the underside of your jaw near your ear. Apply to clean skin, with no other products to properly test whether you have a reaction.
Look for Popular Korean Skincare Ingredients
Ginseng is known as a Korean superfood, thus, it’s used in many high-end beauty brands such as Sulwhasoo and The History of Whoo.
It’s rich in antioxidants, vitamins, and minerals that help to protect skin cells from damage while regenerating healthy new skin. Additionally, it helps to balance oil, reduce fine lines, brighten skin, eliminate puffiness and redness, as well as calm acne.
Sake is made from fermented rice and is rich in amino acids, fatty acids, and vitamins E and B. It also contains ferulic acid, which is known as a powerful anti-aging ingredient.
In addition to that, it helps to moisturize, tighten, and brighten skin. It can also minimize enlarged-pores and acne, control sebum production, and soothe inflammation, as well as reduce eczema symptoms.
It may sound gross to use a placenta serum, but it’s very common and has been used widely in Korea! The extract comes from an organ that is used to protect and nurture babies during pregnancy. The extract can come from sheep, pig, or horse placenta.
Placenta extract provides all-in-one benefits, like tightening and brightening skin, increasing collagen production, treating acne, and reducing the signs of aging. Since placenta extract is natural, it’s safe and can be used for all skin types.
I also love snail mucin for its hydrating, antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties, making it an ingredient that can benefit all skin types. Green tea is another antimicrobial and anti-inflammatory favorite, containing antioxidants called polyphenols to soothe irritated skin, reduce redness, and they can be used to treat blemishes.
Propolis is antibacterial, antifungal, anti-inflammatory, and an antioxidant, making it a fabulous ingredient to heal acne, soothe the skin, hydrate, and increase collagen production. Centella asiatica is similar to propolis in its ability to soothe and hydrate the skin, making it great for acne-prone and sensitive skin.
Decide Between Types of Packaging
Most Korean serums usually come in glass dropper bottles, but you may also find some products that come in plastic bottles, too!
Glass bottles can provide better protection for natural ingredients, which can increase the shelf life compared to plastic bottles. On the other hand, plastic bottles are lightweight, making them more convenient to carry.
In general, darker bottles are better than transparent bottles. They can provide better protection from light and heat. Heat and light can harm the effectiveness and potency of vitamins, so dark bottles are highly recommended for vitamin C and vitamin E serums.
When it comes to packaging for serums, I tend to prefer those that come in dark, airtight, pump packaging.
This is especially important for Vitamin C serums or other antioxidant serums that tend to be unstable and can oxidize when exposed to sunlight and air. But as long as they're kept out of the sunlight, the packaging isn't the most important thing to consider.
3 Best Korean Serums
Products | Image | Click to purchase | Key features | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | Innisfree Green Tea Seed Serum | | Our Top Choice - The Best-Selling Organic Green Tea Serum | |
2 | Sulwhasoo First Care Activating Serum | | Best Nutrient-Dense Serum to Improve Overall Skin Health | |
3 | SeoulCeuticals Day Glow Serum - Vitamin C Serum | | Potent Antioxidant Serum for a Brighter, Youthful Complexion |
Our Top Choice - The Best-Selling Organic Green Tea Serum
Features:
- formulated with organic green tea extract and green tea seed oils from Jeju island
- green tea is rich in antioxidants and amino acids, helps to improve skin hydration, soothe irritated skin, and prevent signs of aging
- water-based, gel formula
- easy to apply and suitable for all skin types
Recommended for:
- using right after cleansing and before moisturizer to hydrate and freshen skin
This serum is a fan favorite, and it's gotten a new update! Along with the original hydrating ingredients, it now is packed with five kinds of hyaluronic acid and an even more effective blend of green tea full of amino acids. to moisturize your skin.
Many reviewers love that the formula is highly moisturizing, lightweight, and has a light, pleasant scent. They also say that it helps smooth out skin and absorbs easily into the skin. It's also great for dry-skinned folks.
If you are sensitive to fragrance, however, the scent can be too much. Make sure to conduct a patch test in case! Overall, though, it's a gentle, calming serum that works well if you want to keep your skin feeling moisturized.
Best Nutrient-Dense Serum to Improve Overall Skin Health
Features:
- spicy, gingery scent
- contains various Korean herbal ingredients: peony, Solomon's Seal, and Rehmannia
- helps to hydrate skin, improve skin texture, even out skin tone, and improve blood flow
- honey has antibacterial properties that help to clear acne, remove dead cells, reduce redness, and promote healthy, glowing skin
Recommend for:
- must-have item to prepare skin for the rest of your skincare routine
Looking to get glowy, youthful skin? Then this might just be the anti-aging care serum for you. Sulwhasoo's First Care was created to effectively hydrate and brighten skin; plus, it reduces the appearance of wrinkles.
Some reviewers claim that it contains a high level of alcohol, which can cause irritation for some people. However, most say that it's lightweight and fully absorbs into their skin.
It also makes their skin smoother and firmer. Although it has a strong herbal scent, the smell goes away quickly. It comes in luxurious packaging and one bottle lasts for a few months.
Potent Antioxidant Serum for a Brighter, Youthful Complexion
Features:
- contains 20% vitamin C, hyaluronic acid, witch hazel, ferulic acid, and citrus stem cells
- boosts collagen production, shrinks pores, and brightens up skin by fading discoloration
- guarantees that you'll see the result within 3 weeks when used daily
- light citrusy scent
Recommended for:
- quick results, with a fast-absorbing formula that evens skin tone and works on most skin types
SeoulCeuticals Day Glow Serum, featuring 20% Vitamin C, combines with Ferulic Acid, Vitamin E, and Hyaluronic Acid to deliver a robust antioxidant protection, helping to combat free radical damage and reverse the signs of aging and sun damage. This serum is designed to reduce the appearance of wrinkles, fine lines, and crow’s feet, while also shrinking pores, clearing up acne, preventing breakouts, and minimizing acne scars. The formulation is composed of 98% naturally derived and 72% organic ingredients, including organic aloe, Korean ginseng, and citrus stem cells, ensuring a gentle yet effective treatment for all skin types.
When applied daily in the morning after cleansing, toning, and exfoliating, the serum promises visible results within three weeks. Users are advised to dispense 2-3 drops into the palm of their hand and massage into the face and neck until fully absorbed. This non-greasy, fast-absorbing serum is particularly suited for those looking to achieve a brighter, more youthful complexion, making it an ideal addition to any skincare routine.
More Great Korean Serums to Consider
While our top three picks are great all around, these seven other choices are good picks for more specific skincare concerns. Take a look if you want to treat acne, look for anti-aging serums, or find something invigorating!
The Proper Way to Apply a Serum
Although some people tend to think more is best, you actually don't need to use a ton of serum every day to reap the benefits! Make sure to wash your face first, dry off, then apply a small drop of serum to your cheeks, forehead, nose, and chin. Use gentle motions to incorporate the serum into your skin.
You want to apply about three to five drops of serum, or about a pea sized amount onto clean hands and gently pat into damp skin, to maximise absorption. Never touch a dropper to your face!
Frequently Asked Questions
Are you wondering more specifically about how Korean skincare products can benefit you or how the Korean skincare routine works? We asked Devan to give us her insights about the famous routine and to answer a few commonly asked questions about it.
What Are the Steps of the Korean Skincare Routine, in Which Order Should They Be Followed, and How Is Your Skin Routine?
Devan explained that the 10 steps are as follows:
- Makeup Remover or Oil Cleanser
- Water-Based Cleanser
- Exfoliator
- Toner
- Essence
- Treatments or Ampoules
- Sheet Masks
- Eye Cream
- Moisturizer
- Sun Protection
"You should try to always layer products from thinnest to thickest, but in the end, it won't have a major impact on your skin if you decide to switch a few steps. The steps that should never be skipped are a cleanse, moisturizer, and sun protection, and sun protection should always be the last step in your routine in the morning, before makeup," she says.
Does the Korean skincare routine have to use Korean products?
Devan says, "The Korean skincare routine is really focused around light layers of hydration. While it isn't necessary to use only Korean products if following the steps of the Korean skincare routine, Korean brands often have some of the most advanced skincare formulas, and many at an affordable price, making them a fantastic option."
Is the Korean skincare routine exclusive to women and, if not, how can it differ between genders?
"Skincare has no gender! Anyone can do the Korean skincare routine," Devan points out. "I believe that everyone deserves to have hydrated, smooth, happy, and healthy skin. At a minimum, both men and women need to properly cleanse the skin, moisturize the skin, and wear sun protection. The sun's UV rays and the damage they cause do not discriminate."
Is there a difference between US and Korean skincare formulations that makes it specific?
Devan told us, "Typically, Korean skincare focuses on hydrating, moisturizing, and brightening the skin, whereas US skincare focuses more on clarifying, exfoliating, and balancing the skin. Also, Korean formulations tend to be quite gentle on the skin, compared to many US formulations.
Korean formulations also tend to be ahead of the curve; coming out with many of the newest innovations in skincare before they reach the rest of the world. Most of the world really looks to Korea to see what is next in skincare."
Looking for Summer Skin Care Products?
With summer approaching, you may want to switch to lightweight skin care products. Besides serums, there are other types of skin care products that suit hot and humid climates. Check out our other suggestions for lightweight moisturizers, face mists, and sunscreens!
Top 3 Korean Serums
No. 1: Innisfree｜Green Tea Seed Serum
No. 2: Sulwhasoo｜First Care Activating Serum
No. 3: SeoulCeuticals｜Day Glow Serum - Vitamin C Serum
View Full RankingThe descriptions of each product are referenced from content available on manufacturer, brand, and e-commerce sites.
Most ViewedFeatured Rankings Similar to Korean Serums
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