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The Beauty Wonk

June 12, 2020

13 Best Cruelty-Free Korean Skincare Products Skincare Bloggers Love

With the focus primarily on hydrating and protecting the skin at an early age, Korean skincare has made a place in every skincare lover’s heart (and beauty cabinet)!

For today’s post, I got in touch with some beauty geniuses from the blogging community to share their most favourite korean skincare products. 

If you’ve been wanting to kickstart your own 10-step routine or follow the latest skip-care trend, this post has the compilation of some of the best cruelty-free Korean skincare products that will give you great results! 

From hydrating toners to sleeping masks, let’s discover the world of cruelty-free K-Beauty!

Best Cruelty-Free Korean Skincare

Disclosure: Contains affiliate links. I receive a small commission for purchases made via them.

1. Heimish All Clean Balm

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Best korean cleansing balm by heimish

Beauty blogger Kanika (@theduskybeautyblog) loves the All Clean Balm! She says, “It is a solid balm which has a sorbet-like texture that turns into an oil on massaging and finally, emulsifies into a milky white liquid when you rinse.

“The Heimish cleansing balm removes even the most stubborn makeup and sunscreen in just a minute without stripping my skin’s natural oils. And the best part is that it does not sting my eyes.”

2. COSRX Low pH Good Morning Gel Cleanser

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COSRX Low pH Gel Cleanser korean skincare

“I have oily, dehydrated skin and the COSRX Low pH Good Morning Gel Cleanser is a very gentle and effective cleanser that cleanses my skin well without drying it out or making it feel ‘squeaky clean’.

“This cleanser does not remove makeup and hence is best used as a second cleanse or a morning cleanse. However, if you want something which is more targeted and has active ingredients, then this will not meet your needs,” tells Ishita who shares her love for beauty on her Instagram @thecoffeecanvas and she is also a Cosmetic Management student.

“I’ve been using this cleanser for close to 3 months now and I will definitely be repurchasing it!”

3. ROVECTIN Skin Essentials Activating Treatment Lotion

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Rovectin HA treatment korean serum

You can’t talk about Korean skincare without having the OG K-beauty blogger from India, Shelley, onboard.

“I have very dry, sensitive, and acne-prone skin. Currently, my major concern is acne-scarring and I very recently got rid of painful skin dehydration, all thanks to my Holy Grail ROVECTIN Skin Essentials Activating Treatment Lotion.

“I am obsessed with this Toner+Essence hybrid product because it is 100% fragrance-free, 100% Essential Oil-Free, super mild yet very effective in combating dehydration, redness, dullness, and helped in maintaining overall skin health,” says Shelley who talks skincare @shelleynayak and has a Youtube channel too!

She’s in love with this 7 Hyaluronic Acid packed product!

4. TIA’M My Signature Vita B5 Toner

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Tiam vita b5 korean hydrating toner

Shivani, an army wife and skincare blogger at Lace Your Beauty, was looking for something to strengthen her skin barrier as she uses high strength Vitamin C and Glycolic acid.

“My dry-combination skin was slightly dehydrated when I thought of starting it. I used two layers in both AM & PM routine and this toner actually quenches your skin’s thirst! I noticed a visible difference in just 5-6 days. My skin looked and felt healthy. 

“During the hotter days, I switch to just one layer. It’s got a perfect blend of skincare ingredients like Panthenol (for hydration), Peptides (anti-ageing benefits), Sodium Hyaluronate (extra hydration), etc. To me, this product is worth the price,” she says.

5. Benton Deep Green Tea Toner

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Benton deep green tea best korean toner

Green tea isn’t just beneficial for your gut, it’s an antioxidant with skin-soothing properties that also works well for irritated skin. Skincare blogger, Avni Babbar, loves the Benton Deep Green Tea Toner for her oily, acne-prone, sensitive skin.

“I have a hard time finding products that suit my skin. I tried Benton green tea toner for its minimal and impressive ingredient list. It promises to hydrate your skin well and mildly exfoliate it,” she says.

Avni adds, “The reason I love this toner is because it’s very gentle on my sensitive skin and never irritated any active acne. It gives quick hydration & softens the skin without any stickiness. It helps me on days I don’t feel like applying a lot of skincare products and completely calms my irritated skin”.

You can read the complete review of the toner here.

6. COSRX Advanced Snail 96 Mucin Power Essence

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Crueltyfree korean skincare cosrx snail mucin

“Once I finally got past the idea that I was going to be smearing snail mucus all over my face every night, I fell head over heels in love with the COSRX Advanced Snail 96 Mucin Power Essence,” Fareeha, an Ophthalmologist who moonlights as a skincare/beauty blogger on Instagram @freihaahierf, says.

She explains, “This essence has been instrumental in helping my combination, sensitive, hormonal-acne prone skin become accustomed to the use of powerhouse actives such as prescription retinoids and azelaic acid.

“Every time I use this essence in my night time routine, I know that I’m going to wake up with plump, hydrated skin.

“I am on my third bottle of this essence and I am proud to call it part of my “core team” of skincare products. As long as COSRX continues to make this essence, I shall continue to purchase and repurchase it!”

7. Klairs Rich Moist Soothing Serum

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Korean hydrating serum klairs rich moist

Fatima, a skincare blogger at The Merchant Post, loves the Klairs Rich Moist Soothing Serum as it hydrates her dry-combination skin perfectly!

She says, “My skin gets sensitive especially when it’s extra hot so gel-based serums are my savior and this one from Klairs really helps to soothe my skin. I prefer using the rich moist serum in the AM routine as it works great at keeping my skin cool throughout the day.

“The regular use of this serum keeps my redness and dry patches away. And it also makes my skin smooth – perfect prep for a makeup base!”

8. Krave Beauty Great Barrier Relief

Krave beauty great barrier relief korean serum

Krave Beauty‘s Great Barrier Relief Skin Barrier Repairing Serum has become a staple in @mrsbrinkmann’s nighttime routine rather quickly because of its excellent performance on her dry sensitive skin. 

German blogger Vanessa says, “This serum is specifically made for people with a weakened skin barrier, that’s why you won’t find any harsh or irritating ingredients in it. Because of my rosacea, I am really appreciative of every mildly formulated product and this one is definitely one of the best in the market.

“Not only does it help calm my redness and even out my complexion, it’s also soothing and very moisturizing. With its creamy consistency, it‘s quite a thick serum and I could totally see it working as a moisturizer for combination to oily skin types.

“This ceramide rich serum with 10% tamanu oil really helps to replenish my skin and seriously acts as a reset button for my damaged skin barrier. I don‘t want to miss it in my routine anymore!”

9. TIAM Hyaluronic Water Plumping Serum

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Best korean serum tiam hyaluronic acid

Asfa, a skincare and flatlay enthusiast, loves TIAM hyaluronic acid plumping serum for her combination skin.

“I first used the TIAM serum when I introduced Retinol last year. It has a viscous consistency and comprises 6 different molecular structures of HA for better penetration. It absorbs into the skin and instantly plumps and hydrates it.

“Since Hyaluronic acid is a humectant, I like to use it on damp skin after a toner followed by an active like retinol. It saved my skin from peeling and drying and also helped in reducing fine lines,” she says. You can read her complete review of the serum here.

10. COSRX Oil-Free Ultra-Moisturizing Lotion with Birch Sap

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cosrx birch sap lotion best korean skincare product

“I’m always on a lookout for a cream/moisturizer that will keep my skin hydrated throughout the day yet is lightweight,” says Neil (@thecookiecorner), the first Kbeauty male blogger from India.

“Initially when I started using the COSRX Oil-Free Lotion, the weather was still a bit chilly and it worked really well with my multi-step skincare routine. But when I started using it in summer, it was a whole other product. It just didn’t seem to work!

“I realized that this is not a standalone product. It works best if you have used toner or serum before applying it. It’s a basic moisturizer that provides hydration and sometimes that all we need.”

For people who just can’t read (like me), here’s a quick rundown:

Skin TypeFunction?Should I get it?
Oily/Dehydrated OilyAs your main moisturizerYES
CombinationAs your main moisturizerDuring Summers
Dry/Dehydrated DryAs your main moisturizerNO 

11. Dear Klairs Midnight Blue Calming Cream

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Best korean treatment klairs midnight blue cream

While struggling with sensitive/acne-prone skin, Yashwant came across Wishtrend’s youtube channel. “I remember I saw Eunice raving about the Klairs Midnight Blue Calming Cream and I was really intrigued by its blue colour. So I just had to get my hands on it and I’ve already finished 7-8 tubs of this gem!

“I mostly use this post exfoliation or whenever my skin freaks out. It is hands down the best soothing cream I’ve tried so far and would recommend to everyone whose skin easily gets irritated! Just use it whenever your skin is stressed out and it will calm down any irritation, redness like nobody’s business,” he says.

Yashwant is a k-beauty enthusiast who’s trying to remove the stigma attached to men’s grooming on his Instagram @yash_want_skincare.

12. Purito Dermide Cica Barrier Sleeping Pack

Kbeauty purito sleeping pack

“I have acne-prone skin which is very prone to inflammation and rashes. The Dermide Cica Barrier Sleeping Pack by Purito is excellent when it comes to calming down the inflammation and redness. I wake up with soft and supple skin whenever I use this,” says Arshneet, a cruelty-free blogger @arshneetnailedit and the owner of a hand and nail care brand “Araina”.

This sleeping pack also doubles up as a moisturiser and she loves using it under spot treatments which have a tendency to dry out the skin.

13. Purito Centella Green Level Unscented Sun SPF 50+ PA++++

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Best korean sunscreen purito centella unscented

If there’s one thing every skincare blogger and expert can agree on, it’s the religious usage of sunscreens. Personally, I am a huge fan of Korean sunscreens and Sara Fischer, a PhD in immunology and freelance medical editor and writer, is a part of the fandom too. 

“Purito Centella Green Level Unscented sunscreen has a lightweight lotion texture that spreads easily and doesn’t separate into a watery mess. It blends in easily and uniformly, leaving no white cast, and dries down to a soft satin finish.

“What I love about this sunscreen is that it gives me good hydration throughout the day without feeling overly heavy or suffocating. It has absolutely no scent and is very pleasant to wear,” she says.

Sara who blogs about skincare @saraskincares thinks that the Purito Centella Sunscreen should be the standard from which all others are judged! She also adds that oily skin types might find it a bit too heavy in warmer climates.

Related: Purito Centella Green Level Unscented Sunscreen Review

Conclusion

So these were the best cruelty-free Korean skincare products that even the skin bloggers love! If you found someone with a skin type similar to yours, it should be your clue to grab their recommendation right away. Make sure you check out their work too!

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best korean skincare products cruelty free

By: Rifat Yaseen · In: Skincare

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Comments

  1. RACHEL says

    November 26, 2020 at 12:21 pm

    Hello, I just wanna ask real quick questions. can i use The Ordinary Ascorbic Acid 8% + Alpha Arbutin 2% on my face?. I have oily and sensitive skin face type. large pores, blemishes and acne scars. Really need your help. Thankyou

    Reply
    • Rifat Yaseen says

      December 17, 2020 at 11:28 pm

      Hey, yes you can. Use it in the morning routine xx

      Reply
  2. Mimi says

    June 13, 2020 at 1:07 am

    These sound great, I need to the Purito sunscreen, it sounds amazing. Do you know that Purito in Italian means itch? Not the best name but it sounds lovely

    Reply
    • Rifat Yaseen says

      June 22, 2020 at 2:38 pm

      Hey! I didn’t know that at all but it definitely doesn’t “itch” like the other sunscreens haha 😀 I am sure you’ll love it!

      Reply

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Hello, it's Rifat! Welcome to my beauty space where I talk about cruelty-free makeup, skincare & haircare. My hobbies include hoarding skincare in the name of research!

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thebeautywonk

Rifat 🇮🇳 Skincare Blogger
There's a sudden wave of science and ingredient-ba There's a sudden wave of science and ingredient-backed skincare which I appreciate very much. But lately, it has made things way more complicated than they should be. A good contribution has been made by tiktok in general in screwing people's mind with blanket statements.😭

So I wanted to cancel the noise and give you some simplified tips that you can go back to when shopping for a new sunscreen.

‼️Don't obsess over UV filters and their stability because there's no way you could know how the different ingredients work together in the product. That being said, due to the loose and non-existent regulations we have here, shop from brands you trust!‼️
I've used the @drsheths Neem & BHA serum like an I've used the @drsheths Neem & BHA serum  like an emergency treatment whenever I could feel my skin was congested and it always reduced it with 2-3 uses. (gifted)

I also use it on my shoulder and upper arms, and it is taking care of the clogged pores.

But the texture is just not good, it sits on your skin and makes it impossible for you to layer any other product over it. Even in the morning, when I wash my face I can actually feel the layer coming off.

Decent in terms of results but the texture is very difficult to work with. I don't like it sorry😭 

‼️So far, TO Salicylic Acid is my fav SA treatment, the texture is much better (can't believe I'd say this for TO, LOL) I'll try Paula's Choice BHA next, unless you have any other suggestion? 👀 Shoot in the comment section.‼️
It's been months since I first got my hands on the It's been months since I first got my hands on the COSRX Snail Mucin Essence and I haven't put it down even once. Quantity wise, I have almost half of it left which makes this product super cost-effective.

Today, I want you to tell me who influenced you into trying this cult favourite essence? Let me know in the comment section below.

I also did a full blog review on this - the right way to use it, how it helps your skin, what to expect from it and so on. The link🔗 is in my bio.
What triggered me to do this post? All these comme What triggered me to do this post? All these comments, reddit threads, tweets where people would ask for alternatives to, say, CeraVe cuz they have rosacea and that's the only thing that keeps their skin sane.

Or the ones where people would spend 6x the amount they'd have spent just because the brand isn't cruelty-free. As someone who has done all of it😂 I'd say don't obsess.

Find alternatives only when the experiments aren't going to screw your skin or making you go broke because the testing situation has gotten much better and there's a lot to celebrate🎉

PS: Keep supporting cruelty-free brands whenever you can, especially the ones who could enter the market, but chose not to.

PPS: Was supposed to do a 3-part series but wrapping it up in 2 because ✨ feed aesthetics ✨

Source to verify the laws - Humane Society International
When I started reading about animal testing of cos When I started reading about animal testing of cosmetics, I would only see a very one-sided approach from renowned CF bloggers. After a lot of research, I want to give a balanced view of both sides and discuss this topic in a structured manner. Today I will be just going through the basics of this 3-part series.

Leave your questions below, I'll try to address them either in the comments or in the next posts.

Few points to note:

✨China isn't the only country that tests on animals. However, it's one of the fastest growing economy and hence, a very profitable place for businesses to expand.

✨ There's another criteria followed by some people where they don't consider cruelty-free brands owned by non cruelty-free parent companies as CF. For eg: CF NYX owned by non-CF parent company L'Oréal. As I said, the term is unregulated so it's open to varied definitions. Personally, this doesn't bother me at all and I consider it a reach.

✨Animal testing is banned in India so the brands made and sold here are cruelty-free by default unless they're sold in countries that have compulsory testing.

I'll be going a little deep in tomorrow's post and talk about conflicting information, blanket statements, and why you shouldn't obsess over a brand's CF status, given the new laws.
I have been using the @sulwhasoo.india FCA serum f I have been using the @sulwhasoo.india FCA serum for more than a month now (both AM&PM) and now that the bottle is over, I think it's the right time to share my experience. (gifted)

✨I didn't expect much but it was pretty nice in adding hydration and plumpness to my skin.

✨I have talked about how my barrier was damaged bcz of weather changes and everything stung (on the worst days, even the cosrx snail mucin did a little - yep it was THAT bad), but FCA didn't. Not even once. Unbelievable! It had everything that could "potentially" make things worse! I know formulation is king but still, this is a bit too much. Weird.

I had a bad reaction on my cheeks on my birthday bcz I used my cousin's random blush she got from Amazon. My cheeks were red and had white bumps right after I took off my makeup. Cleansed. Applied FCA. Moisturiser. Woke up. All reduced. Used again. Next day, all gone.

𝗛𝗼𝘄 𝘁𝗼 𝘂𝘀𝗲 𝗙𝗖𝗔?
You apply it right after cleansing on damp skin to hydrate and soothe it, and to prepare your skin for the next steps.

𝗛𝗼𝘄'𝘀 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝘁𝗲𝘅𝘁𝘂𝗿𝗲 & 𝘀𝗺𝗲𝗹𝗹?
The texture is very liquidy (has a dull orange colour) and the serum gets absorbed really fast. It has a very nice earthy smell and as I say, if you're adding fragrance, at least make it smell nice.

𝗜𝗻𝗰𝗶 𝗹𝗶𝘀𝘁: 𝗪𝗵𝘆 𝗜 𝘄𝗮𝘀 𝗵𝗲𝘀𝗶𝘁𝗮𝗻𝘁?
I saw two red flags quite up in the list:
🚩 Alcohol (My skin in winters turn dry-combo from very oily and I didn't want to dry it further)

🚩 Fragrance (It usually triggers redness but very rarely, lets me walk away scot-free)

But I took the chance because I was really intrigued by their products and especially, the packaging 🙈 and things went well. Have you tried anything from the brand?
Not y'all in my DMs defending mineral sunscreens o Not y'all in my DMs defending mineral sunscreens over this story just like you defend your toxic exes.😂 Anyway, I had another post planned for today but chuck it. I'll tell you why I think using mineral sunscreens is equivalent to being in a toxic relationship.

Mineral/Physical/Inorganic sunscreens leave a white cast and/or pill really bad. You have to pat, wait for centuries for it to settle and brush off the crumbles from your brows and hairline. Re-applying is another trouble and I don't even want to get into it. Imagine doing all the work to still look like Casper the ghost👻 at the end of the day. (Especially when you're a POC)

How is it different than being in a toxic relationship where you're putting in so much work, it's mentally draining you and you still end up heartbroken?

If you find that a lot of Western sunscreens (*coughs* Neutrogena) sting or make eyes watery, try Korean sunscreens. (Or Japanese). If they're not easily accessible, considering most of my subscribers are Indian, try Re'equil or all the Indian pharma brands.

PS: Please use what works for you, it's between you and your brow hair. When you have certain skin conditions or when you're pregnant, mineral sunscreens are generally recommended so yeah ignore me I'm just being an 🍑.
𝗗𝗘𝗖𝗘𝗠𝗕𝗘𝗥 𝗘𝗠𝗣𝗧𝗜𝗘𝗦 - Happy 32nd Dec, 2020 (we're not moving to next year, I said what I said) This month, I mostly had haircare empties with one face product. Here are my thoughts on them:

✨@thebodyshopindia 𝗚𝗶𝗻𝗴𝗲𝗿 𝗦𝗵𝗮𝗺𝗽𝗼𝗼 - If you have itchy scalp and mild seasonal dandruff, this works very well. On my oily scalp it was okay but I think it can be drying for others.

✨@theearthrhythm 𝗖𝗼𝗰𝗼𝗻𝘂𝘁 𝗦𝗵𝗮𝗺𝗽𝗼𝗼 - My first time using a shampoo bar and the experience was perfect. Cut it in 4 parts and it lasted a very long time too. Always left my hair suuuper soft post shampoo.

✨@blenditrawbeauty 𝗛𝗲𝗺𝗽 𝗦𝗲𝗲𝗱 𝗢𝗶𝗹 - I used it as a hair serum and it always left my strands soft and bouncy. I even skipped conditioner, just shampoo and move straight to this oil on damp hair. Don't sleep on hemp seed oil for your hair. (gifted)

✨@feelrawbotanicals 𝗣𝗛𝗔 𝗧𝗼𝗻𝗲𝗿 - It was a 2-in-1 product, mildly exfoliating and super hydrating. For face, 100% loved it but for body it's too mild, I need stronger acids cuz PHA doesn't cut it. Shelf life is short & quantity is large to be used just on face. I wish it came in 75ml or something bottle.

✨@wellaindia 𝗗𝗿𝘆 𝗦𝗵𝗮𝗺𝗽𝗼𝗼 - I'm not an avid dry shampoo user but I like to have one just in case. This was super old and got the job done, provided you know how to use it. It also gave a very nice volume to my limp hair.
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