These 9 beauty products will reveal why Korean skincare is what everyone is talking about

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Many of the most coveted beauty products come from South Korea, where innovative skin care that uses a freezer — and sometimes a little too much — is the norm. These nine highlights do more than just make your skin look good. They also help treat underlying problems and prevent new ones from starting.

Beauty of Joseon Red Bean Water Gel

(Image credit: Joseon Beauty)

The berry gels “hydrate without feeling heavy,” said Allure, and the Red Bean Water Gel is “specially” “packed with red beans” and peptides “to provide moisture while absorbing sebum.” It feels “cool” and “refreshing” and features “amazingly” under other skin products and cosmetics. ($18, The beauty of Joseon)

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CosRx Advanced Snail 96 Mucin Power Essence

(Image credit: CosRx)

The secret to glowing “glass skin” is in this bottle, said Vogue. Made with 96% snail secretion filtrate (yes, that’s what snails produce). The filtrate can “help repair the skin’s barrier,” along with hyaluronic acid to hydrate and allantoin to soothe. While every skin type can benefit from using the mixture, it works wonders to nourish dry skin. ($25, CosRx)

Etude SoonJung pH 6.5 Whip Cleanser

(Image credit: Etude)

Etude’s skincare products are “beautiful,” especially this “cloudy” cleanser that’s “suitable for all skin types,” Allure said. Because of its low pH, the product is “less likely” to interfere with your skin’s “natural barrier function,” and contains no “potential ingredients” that could “irritate or break out.” The cleanser does. it contains “soothing” ingredients like madecassoside and panthenol, so it “dehydrates while removing impurities.” ($16, Ulta)

Gemi Hand Sanitizer + Serum

(Image credit: gemi)

This is not your average hand sanitizer. Gemi rethought what the formula should be, introducing the company’s top-grossing, skin-enhancing formula with Centella asiatica and propanediol. Choose from five top-notch fragrances, including Elysium, a beautifully layered vanilla, peony and amber fragrance, said Marie Claire (sister site of The Week). Can’t pick just one? Discover the full collection and try them all. ($12 per bottle, $55 for the full collection, A boat)

Medicube Zero Pore Pad

(Image credit: Medicube)

Zero Pore pads are infused with salicylic acid, lactic acid and, it would seem, “magic,” said InStyle. That’s because this method “not only hydrates but soothes and smoothes” the skin and can “significantly” improve acne scars. One side of the pad is textured, for exfoliating, and the other side is smooth for pore tightening. ($21, Ulta)

Purito Centella unscented eye cream

(Image credit: Purito)

A few dabs of Purito’s favorite eye cream is all you need. The “cult” trend works “quickly” to undermine and “offend silence,” said Harper’s Bazaar. It’s made with Centella asiatica and peptides and instantly “sinks into the under-eye area,” leaving skin feeling “moisturized and refreshed.” ($13, Amazon)

Round Lab 1025 Dokdo Toner

(Image credit: Round Lab)

There’s a lot to like about this “soft and light” toner, says Glamour. It works on all skin types, including “sensitive and acne-prone”, and contains “mineral-enriched” seawater, panthenol and betaine to “deeply hydrate and support the skin barrier.” Use it after cleansing and be prepared to be amazed at how smooth your skin feels. ($17, Ulta)

TimeSavvy sealing with a moisture mask

(Image credit: TimeSavvy)

Multitasking has never felt better. TimeSavvy’s Moisture Sealing Mask is designed to be used on the go, with an upper and lower mask that “stays put,” Elle said. The delicious formula delivers on its promise that it won’t slip or drip, and the “expert-approved” ingredients — niacinamide, adenosine and collagen — are a “triple threat,” helping to firm, smooth and hydrate skin. Keep the mask for 15 minutes, then prepare to light up. ($12 per mask, $54 for a group of five, Time Savvy)

Tocobo lip mask

(Image credit: Tocobo)

Dry lips are associated with it. Tocobo lip masks are made with antioxidant-rich plant oil ingredients and melt on contact, leaving your pout plump and refreshed. Choose from four masks, and each one offers its own benefits. Mint Cooling refreshes lips, Collagen Boosting reduces the appearance of fine lines, Vita Glazed moisturizes and Lemon Sugar Scrub removes dead skin cells. ($19, Tocobo)