The 20 Best Korean Makeup Brands You Likely Haven’t Heard Of

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One of my first introductions to makeup was watching my cousin paint her face with products from various Korean makeup brands. I gazed at her, mesmerized, as she applied a pale foundation to cover her blemishes and thick lines of gel eyeliner to accentuate her eyes. I kept those memories in the back of my head, and the next time I visited South Korea as a teenager, I hungrily visited all of the makeup shops I could, stocking up on all of the cushion foundations, user-friendly eyeshadows, and lip stains I couldn’t get back here in the states. However, one of the best things about 2024 is that we now have access to the best Korean skin care brands and Korean makeup brands, and they’re all just a click away.

If you haven’t ventured into the world of Korean makeup quite yet, you might wonder if it’s worth exploring. But as millions of other fans can tell you, Korean brands offer some of the most sophisticated formulas and beautiful shades on the market—often at unbeatable price points. Because the competition is fierce in South Korea, brands tend to innovate at lightning speed.

As a result, many of the types of products we’ve seen pop up in the West in the past few years have drawn inspiration from popular launches and trends born in that faraway peninsula. “This influence is evident in the popularity of achieving ‘glass skin’ for a luminous, dewy complexion, the adoption of Korean lip tint techniques, and the introduction of stick format and hybrid makeup products inspired by Korean innovations. These trends reflect a shift away from heavy, matte looks towards softer, more radiant appearances and a growing appreciation for skin care-centric approaches to beauty in Western beauty routines,” explains Joah brand director Hae Jin Chang. The clean girl aesthetic? Korean girls did it first.

Many of my favorite eye, lip, and cheek products hail from the Korean market. That said, I think it’s time everyone else gets to try them, too. I spoke to two experts, consulted my Korean friends, watched plenty of Korean beauty YouTube videos, and compiled my own favorite finds to create this master list of the 20 best Korean makeup brands to get your collection started.

Better Than Cheek

Powered by the expertise of popular beauty influencer Saeron Min, Rom&nd quickly won over Korean beauty lovers with quality formulas and trend-forward colorways at affordable price points. There are too many standout products to count, but the Better Than Cheek blushes are a cult favorite; the soft powders create a blurring effect on the skin, making your cheeks look porcelain and practically poreless.

Shades: 9

Amazon rating: 4.3/5 stars

An ELLE editor says: “I love this blush so much that I own it in three shades, and I always want more. There is a bit of kickback, but that’s only because the powder is so finely milled and blends effortlessly on your skin. It’s also so hard to mess up because it’s lightly pigmented and buildable. I hope that Rom&nd comes out with deeper shades in the future so all skin tones can enjoy this must-have formula.” —Carol Lee, ELLE.com associate beauty e-commerce writer

Ink the Velvet Lip Tint

You can’t talk about Korean makeup brands without mentioning Peripera. Although the brand has plenty of other hero products, including its sought-after blushes and eyeshadow palettes, Peripera’s lip tints are what put the brand on the map. The Ink the Velvet formula is a particular favorite because of its highly saturated and flattering shades, ability to smooth out any texture on the lips, and matte yet non-drying finish.

Shades: 39

Amazon rating: 4/5 stars

An ELLE editor says: “Lip tints have been en vogue in South Korea for ages, and this is one of the OGs. It has definitely withstood the test of time, and the formula has held onto its popularity despite the debut of dozens of other matte lip tints. Ink the Velvet feels a little wet and waxy when you first apply it, but I like to smudge out the outer edge for a blurred and slightly over-lined effect. I’m left with a fuller-looking pout that looks matte without feeling dry.” —Carol Lee

Sharp So Simple Waterproof Pencil Eye Liner

Founded in 1993, Clio has maintained relevance by constantly innovating with new lines and formulations. If you were to sift through a Korean makeup artist’s kit, you’d likely find a Clio product more often than not. The brand's mascaras and liners are particularly beloved, including this non-smudging yet smooth pencil eyeliner that glides on and stays put.

Shades: 6

Amazon rating: 4.3/5 stars

An ELLE editor says: “I have oily lids, so if I don’t powder my eye area until it’s dry to the touch, mascara and eyeliner will smudge without a doubt throughout the day. Because of this, I’m constantly wiping my outer corners and under-eyes with Q-Tips or my fingers. This is one pencil eyeliner that rarely smudges on me, even if I use it to tightline, and I’ve used it for years. I love the brown shade because it adds the right amount of definition without looking too harsh.” —Carol Lee

Mood Enhancer Matte

Hince is the ultimate “cool girl” brand—think Merit Beauty. The brand has everything you need to look effortless and gorgeous with a slight edge. The Mood Enhancer Matte feels like a progenitor of the many non-drying matte lipsticks on the market today, and the line is bursting with subdued, muted colors that are ready to be your new go-to for a my-lips-but-better vibe.

Shades: 10

Olive Young rating: 4.6/5 stars

An ELLE editor says: “While I discovered Hince during the pandemic, it only launched a couple of years ago. The colors, packaging, and vibe of the brand captivated me to the point where I ordered one of the lipsticks during a time when nobody in public would even be able to catch a glimpse of my lips. I’m still glad I snagged one because not only is the matte formula comfortable and non-drying, but the shades themselves are incredibly unique and gorgeous. Hince is a true pioneer in that sense.” —Carol Lee

Cover Perfection Tip Concealer

If you’re on a particularly tight budget, I would direct you to The Saem. The nature-inspired brand’s products give you plenty of bang for your buck, and the concealer camouflages blemishes, dark spots, and acne scars for less than your daily sweet treat.

Shades: 10

Amazon rating: 4.3/5 stars

An ELLE editor says: “Acne plagued my skin for about a decade of my life. Since I’m so pale, the redness bothered me more than anything. I would spend an hour each morning piling on layers of full-coverage foundation to cover it up, so imagine my surprise when I discovered one summer that a few swipes of this lightweight concealer could do the same thing. It’s also incredibly affordable, but I’d keep buying it even if it costs five times more than what The Saem charge—it’s that good.” —Carol Lee

Rouge Classy Lipstick

Hera enjoys the status of being a “department store brand,” which means that it’s often sold in the same places as designer brands in South Korea. Hera ambassador Jennie has helped it gain mass appeal worldwide, with the brand entering the U.S. market in 2019. The new Rouge Classy Lipstick comes in 10 Seoul-inspired hues and is housed in a luxurious black and gold case.

Shades: 10

Amazon rating: 4.2/5 stars

An ELLE editor says: “As a young girl, Hera was the peak of luxury makeup to me—I couldn’t wait to grow up and own a little Hera collection of my own. I still feel a bit of a thrill whenever I apply one of the brand’s products, and Hera’s latest lipstick launch is no exception. The smooth, creamy formula glides over the lips, and it’s so easy to reapply that I don’t mind doing so every few hours. I’ve also loved every single shade I’ve tried, which doesn’t happen often.” —Carol Lee

Artclass by Rodin Shading

Too Cool for School operates a little bit off the beaten bath. One of its most beloved offerings is the Egg Cream mask, which nourishes the skin using egg extracts. The K-beauty brand’s best-selling contour product was a pioneer, as bronzing and contouring products for fairer skin tones used to be few and far between. Many other Korean makeup companies have since imitated its signature hues and multiple-shade format.

Shades: 3

Amazon rating: 4.4/5 stars

An ELLE editor says: “In any given foundation shade range, I usually use the lightest neutral one. As a result, most bronzing or contouring products look bizarre on me, almost like I’ve applied a streak of dirt on my face. This palette from Too Cool for School is the first one that gave me the extra warmth and definition I had desperately wanted, and the price didn’t hurt my wallet too much. The lightest shade is perfect for contouring my nose, and I usually swirl my brush over all of the shades for the rest of my face.” —Carol Lee

Fixing Tint

Launched in 1985, Etude has thrived for decades as an affordable Korean makeup brand. The fun, whimsical packaging and trendy formulas are popular among younger demographics in South Korea, but the products are worthy of attention no matter your age. “The Fixing Tints are perfect for creating the most beautiful matte ombre lips, and they are truly smudge-proof!” Cho says. “Etude is not only known for their color products, but in recent years, they have become more well known for the viral SoonJung line for sensitive skin types,” she adds.

Shades: 5

Soko Glam rating: 4.3/5 stars

A Soko Glam reviewer says: “I love the softness of both the product and the color! I also love putting it on and blending it with my finger to make my lips look effortless. It’s just a little bit drying, but for the stain and overall effect, I truly don’t mind!”

M Perfect Cover BB Cream SPF 42 PA+++

Missha’s skin care deserves a round of applause (especially its viral Time Revolution The First Treatment Essence), but so do its makeup products. The YouTube-famous M Perfect Cover BB Cream SPF 42 PA+++ is where you can really see the intersection of skin care and makeup; this formula offers buildable medium-to-high coverage, soothes and intensely hydrates the skin, and protects against free radical damage by providing SPF protection to supplement any sunscreen you wear underneath.

Shades: 7

Target rating: 4.8/5 stars

A Target reviewer says: “I wish my skin always looked the way it does when I wear this. Absolutely foolproof 😊.”

Brow Pencil & Gel

Joah is a K-beauty-inspired brand that produces all of its formulas in South Korea. “Joah works with the best labs in Seoul to offer high-quality, innovative products—without a high price tag,” Chang says. Joah’s flagship brow product includes a soft, waxy pencil and a sculpting gel to help you define your eyebrows with ease. Because its customer base is in the West, its shade ranges are designed to be more inclusive than a typical Korean makeup brand.

Shades: 6

Joah Beauty rating: 4.5/5 stars

A Joah Beauty reviewer says: “This eyebrow pencil makes it easy to fill in my brows. Its soft, crayon-like material means that it doesn’t scratch my skin, and the color matches perfectly with my brow color. Also, the pencil is tough enough not to snap or break in use. The gel holds the hairs in place really well. It also lasts a long time.”

Dewy Moon Natural Glow Highlighter

As its name suggests, Glint by VDIVOV has one goal: to make you shimmer and shine. The Korean makeup brand’s inaugural product is a powder highlighter you can use everywhere, from the inner corner of your eyes to the tops of your collarbones. The final result? An eye-catching glow that’s always dewy, never glittery.

Shades: 5

Amazon rating: 4.3/5 stars

An Amazon reviewer says: “This Glint Korean highlighter has a smooth and creamy texture that blends easily on the skin without leaving any harsh lines. Also, it has a long-lasting formula that stays put for hours without fading or smudging.”

Dew Tint

Amuse, which focuses on color cosmetics, has gained a following in recent years, in part thanks to its commitment to sustainability and producing vegan-friendly products. “Their most viral product is the Dew Tint, which is known for its weightless but juicy texture due to its 35 percent water-coating finish,” Cho says. The comfy tint leaves lips as shiny as a diamond.

Shades: 16

Soko Glam rating: 4.6/5 stars

A Soko Glam reviewer says: “This does a good job of leaving your lips stained after the gloss wears off, so your lips have color for a long time. It has a sweet taste that goes away pretty quickly. I got the Sunday color and liked it enough that I'm going to order the other colors.”

My Fave Eyeshadow Palette

Holika Holika is a classic “road shop” brand—that is, an affordable brand that’s sold in an individual store on the street rather than a department store, where higher-end lines are peddled. The My Fave Eyeshadow Palette quads feature blendable matte and glittery eyeshadows and neutral shades to give your lids natural-looking color and definition.

Shades: 4

Yesstyle rating: 4.6/5 stars

A Yesstyle reviewer says: “The eyeshadow palette is definitely what I was looking for. The colors aren’t very pigmented, which makes it easy to create a soft makeup look, and the glittery part is so beautiful, very shiny, and long-lasting. Totally recommend it!”

Objet Liquid

Muzigae (the Korean word for rainbow) Mansion is a vegan makeup brand, a relatively new and growing category in the Korean beauty world. The brand’s velvety lip tint is like a filter for the lips; the gel-powder hybrid blurs and hides textures as it melts into your pout. And who can resist that chic, paint tube-like packaging?

Shades: 4

Amazon rating: 3.6/5 stars

An Amazon reviewer says: “I love the formula of this lipstick. It always feels nice and hydrating on my lips. I like that it doesn’t fade weird like my other liquid lipsticks, and I don’t have to wear lip liner.”

Face Blush

3 CONCEPT EYES, or 3CE, has been an industry darling for 15 years. The visually appealing brand mostly relies on pink, beige, and orange hues, whether it’s designing an eyeshadow palette or a collection of liquid lipsticks. 3CE’s famous Face Blush is formulated to both imbue cheekbones with a subtle flush and soak up any excess sebum, creating a soft-matte finish with minimal fading.

Shades: 5

Yesstyle rating: 4.8/5 stars

A Yesstyle reviewer says: “This blush is the perfect color for a natural cheek flush. It obviously isn’t as pigmented as Western blushes but still provides enough pigment to show up on the cheeks as actual color rather than just brightening.”

Long-Lasting Tip Concealer

Luna’s most lauded product is the concealer. In fact, the brand claims it to be Korea’s number-one concealer. The creamy formula is infused with vitamin E and camomile extracts that work overtime to soothe and moisturize while the product sits on your skin. We’re all just waiting for the shade range to expand so that more people can experience the formula.

Shades: 6

Amazon rating: 4.2/5 stars

An Amazon reviewer says: “I didn’t expect much from this concealer, and maybe that was good, because it has become my holy grail! I am an old woman who still likes to wear enough makeup to just look polished. A dab of concealer, just a touch of eyeshadow, bronzer, and lipgloss. The only problem is my skin has some wrinkles and discoloration. This concealer stays on the skin and doesn’t go into the wrinkles. Just to be clear, I don’t use primer. This glides on easily, and a primer might make it too slippery. A little goes a LONG way too. I am not into full coverage, but this concealer offers medium-to-full coverage, which really helped in covering my age spots.”

Essential Skin Nuder Cushion

Jung Saem Mool, one of South Korea’s leading celebrity makeup artists, has long mastered the art of producing flawless, glowing skin on her famous clients. Her dewy cushion foundation lets you recreate her signature look at home—just press the formula onto your skin and watch the magic happen.

Shades: 7

Amazon rating: 4.2/5 stars

An Amazon reviewer says: “I was impressed by the lightweight and buildable coverage it provided. The foundation cushion effortlessly glided over my skin, leaving a natural and flawless finish. It beautifully concealed imperfections while still allowing my skin to breathe, which is a huge plus for me. I also love the convenience factor of the cushion format. The sponge applicator provided an even distribution of product, making it easy to blend and achieve a seamless finish. It was perfect for on-the-go touch-ups, allowing me to effortlessly refresh my makeup throughout the day.”

CC Red Correct

BB cream may have been invented in Germany, but Korean brand Erborian helped popularize it in Europe during the early 2000s. Erborian concentrates on calming and healing the skin; the CC Red Correct has a green hue that counteracts redness and is made with centella asiatica, an ingredient renowned for its soothing abilities.

Shades: 1

Dermstore rating: 4.8/5 stars

A Dermstore reviewer says: “I don’t normally leave product reviews—but this one was a must. If you suffer from redness, this is the best product I’ve found to cover it up that doesn’t pill under my skin tint and sunscreen. I struggle with redness daily, but also tend to have lingering redness after certain triggers (exercise, alcohol, etc.), and this tackles both of those. My skin has never looked more even-toned and clear than when I’m using this! It is green—so if your redness is super mild, this might not be the product for you, but if you have moderate to severe redness, this is it.”

Real Eye Palette

Espoir’s cushion and liquid foundations have received a lot of love, but its lip products and eyeshadows have garnered a following of their own. This product includes eyeshadows, blushes, and even contour or bronzer, depending on the colorway you opt for, to create a look with a cohesive color palette.

Shades: 8

Amazon rating: 4.2/5 stars

An Amazon reviewer says: “The eyeshadow is really soft. It’s more pigmented than I expected. Great for traveling.”

Soft Blurring Eye Palette

You can use this brand’s products to curate the barely-there, clean girl makeup look of your dreams. However, the brand promotes playing with color—after all, its tagline is “Wake your color, make your scene.” This line of eyeshadow palettes offers 16 (and counting) variations, so you’re bound to find one that suits you and the effect you’re going for.

Shades: 16

Yesstyle rating: 4.8/5 stars

A Yesstyle reviewer says: “I already had one Wakemake palette, and I absolutely loved the formula, so I got this one as well. Those shadows somehow stay on your eyes all day even without any concealer or primer. Also, the shades are universal and pigmented and perfect for cool-toned complexions like mine. It’s universal, and with it, you can do everyday makeup as well as for occasions.”

Meet the Experts

Charlotte Cho is the founder of Soko Glam.

Hae Jin Chang is the brand director of Joah.

What sets Korean makeup brands apart from Western ones?

The Korean makeup industry isn’t a monolith, but the brands do share some general characteristics. “They focus on hydrated and glowing skin, i.e. the ‘no makeup makeup’ look,” Cho explains. “Other popular categories are ‘point makeup,’ which is a bright lip or ombre lip that pops against your clear, dewy skin. Over the years, there have been more influences coming from the West when it comes to vegan formulations and sustainability packaging,” she adds.

According to Chang, Korean makeup brands also tend to produce products that are lighter in both pigmentation and color intensity. “For instance, blushes tend to have a softer hue, offering a more subtle enhancement of the cheeks. This approach emphasizes enhancing one’s features without overwhelming them, contributing to the overall understated elegance of Korean makeup,” she says. In other words, they often take a less is more approach.

What are some characteristics that are specific to Korean makeup?

South Korea has its own trend cycles, but generally, Korean brands have been focused on a lighter, more subtle vibe overall. “K-beauty formulations prioritize light coverage, easy retouching throughout the day, natural lashes, and subtly tinted brows with a gentle arch, reflecting a cultural aspiration for youthfulness,” says Chang.

Korean brands have also pioneered products that blur the lines between makeup and skin care. “BB creams were about treating the skin first and foremost with skin-benefiting ingredients, and secondly providing coverage for makeup. Cushion compacts rose in popularity as a way to apply lightweight foundation but also have SPF coverage. Creams that offer a ‘tone up’ or subtle shimmer for that ‘glowy and dewy’ effect are also popular and considered a fusion of makeup and skin care,” explains Cho. A natural development, considering the emphasis on skin health in South Korea.

Why Trust Elle Beauty

As a leading publisher of fashion, lifestyle, and beauty content, ELLE.com is committed to highlighting the best products in various categories by personally testing the latest and most innovative products, interviewing countless experts, and vetting customer-loved items. For this piece, beauty writer Carol Lee spoke with trusted Korean makeup experts about Korean makeup brands. Lee also searched the internet for top-rated Korean makeup products and brands, tested many herself, perused reviews for dozens of popular options, and evaluated each on their features and customer reviews.

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