10 Best Korean Serums for Healthy, Balanced Skin

Eyebrows are life but skincare is lifer. Beauty enthusiasts know that a clean complexion doesn’t start with makeup, it starts with skincare and the right products that complement your skin type. To find fail-safe ingredients, we often turn to Korean skincare products that always deliver satisfying results. If you still don’t know much about Korean skincare and its step-by-step process, I wrote about its benefits here. This time though, we’re going to talk about a specific product — Korean serums for healthy and balanced skin. 

What are skincare serums?

I know skincare products have a tendency to confuse and overwhelm beginners, especially with so many innovative products in the market. But here’s everything simplified: Once you’re done washing your face and applying toner, the serum must come next before you seal everything with moisturiser. What makes the serum very important is its ability to treat the main concerns of ageing skin, such as dark spots, hyperpigmentation, and wrinkles. Serums penetrate the skin deeper than other products as they’re made up of smaller molecules; and so, your skin receives all the tender loving nutrients it needs. 

Now, if you’re looking to treat sensitive skin and fight signs of ageing as efficiently as the Koreans do, here are the Korean serums that are worth every penny. 

1. Green Tea Seed Serum by Innisfree

If you struggle with flakey or patchy skin, Innisfree’s Green Tea Seed Serum should be your go-to Korean serum. As the name suggests, this holy grail is made up of green tea extracts which hydrate, plump, and make your skin look dewy. This serum is friendly to all skin types. Yes, even those who have sensitive and oily skin can be confident that the Green Tea Seed Serum won’t irritate their skin while it restores the balance of healthy pH level.

Also read: 15 Korean Beauty Tips We Can Learn from Our Favourite K-Drama and K-Pop Stars

2. Yehwadam Pure Brightening Serum by The Face Shop

Want to get rid of that pesky sunspot that popped up out of nowhere? Yehwadam Pure Brightening consists of a silky serum that hydrates and reduces age spots or pigmentation through the use of pearl powder. With the help of Korean herbs, ginseng, and flowers, this Korean serum is able to combat everything that might make your skin look dull and tired. 

Its other star ingredients include niacinamide that evens out skin tone, honeysuckle which detoxifies the skin, and peony which promotes blood circulation. This is surely one of those skincare products that will make you feel like you took a trip to the spa!

To know more about this Korean serum, check it out on The Face Shop website here. 

3. White Seed Brightening Serum by The Face Shop

In case the Yehwadam serum is too pricey for you, a more affordable alternative is this White Seed Brightening Serum, also from The Face Shop. Like the previous serum, it effectively penetrates the skin to make you look more radiant and corrects uneven skin tone.

Its key ingredients include White Lupine Seed that improves your skin while giving you a brighter complexion; another component is the White Daisy which controls melanin production. And no worries, the White Seed serum is suitable for all skin types!

To know more about this Korean serum, check it out on The Face Shop website here. 

4. Dear, Klairs Freshly Juiced Vitamin C Serum

A multi-award-winning serum, Freshly Juiced Vitamin C by Dear, Klairs is a holy grail for many skincare aficionados. True to its name, this Korean serum packs 5% Vitamin C and revitalises the skin. This is also just the right amount of Vitamin C that won’t irritate your skin but still strong enough to even out skin tone, tighten your pores, and fade pigmentation. 

Think 5% isn’t enough Vitamin C for you? You’ll be glad to know that there are studies that say that anything from 1% to 20% Vitamin C is effective. So you can rest assured that this formula is the most flexible for any skin type out there!

To know more about this Korean serum, check it out on the Dear, Klairs website here. 

5. Dear, Klairs Rich Moist Soothing Serum

This Korean serum is suitable for all skin types, but it’s especially useful for those with oily skin. A lot of oily-skinned people are scared to moisturise because they think it will only make them oiler. But we know that this isn’t true, because when you achieve well-moisturised skin, your skin secretes less oil. 

The Rich Moist Soothing Serum by Dear, Klairs will help you balance and hydrate your skin, and it will also lower the surface temperature to calm and cool it. Apply this every night to build even moisture levels and achieve a healthy glow that doesn’t look like you’ve run a marathon!

To know more about this Korean serum, check it out on the Dear, Klairs website here. 

6. Dear, Klairs Midnight Blue Youth Activating Drop

The old saying “Age is just a number” will deeply resonate with you if you use the Midnight Blue Youth Activating Drop. This Korean serum rewinds time to improve the appearance of wrinkles and replenish collagen. It does this by using a dual peptide formula strengthened by EGF and bFGF; both are natural substances our bodies produce to keep the outer and inner parts of the skin smooth and firm. 

Our bodies lose these components in our mid-20s. But now, you can reinvigorate your skin with these ingredients using the Midnight Blue serum. All you need to do is religiously apply this every night to delay the loss of elasticity. Sagging cheeks? We don’t know her. 

To know more about this Korean serum, check it out on the Dear, Klairs website here. 

7. Neogen Dermalogy White Truffle Serum in Oil Drop

Of course Neogen would have one of the best Korean serums in the world. The White Truffle Serum in Oil Drop combines the hydrating effects of an oil and the moisturising effects of an ampoule with a super unique formula that consists of white truffle. 

Considering that a drop of this will help brighten, hydrate, and set your skin aglow, you ought to prepare yourself for repurchases starting now. This product is also hypoallergenic and suits all skin types, which explains the rave reviews it continues to receive. 

To know more about this Korean serum, check it out on the Neogen Lab website here. 

8. By Wishtrend Pure Vitamin C 21.5% Advanced Serum

Think of the Pure Vitamin C 21.5% serum as an exfoliator minus the microbeads. This Korean serum can remove dead skin cells, even out skin tone, and brighten your complexion. How? Well, it’s packed with nutrients like 70% Vitamin Tree Water and 21.5% Pure Vitamin C to deliver the best results that Vitamin C can produce. So, say goodbye to dark spots and delay those fine lines. You’re only one to two drops away from a smooth and youthful glow!

To know more about this Korean serum, check it out on the Wishtrend website here. 

9. AHA BHA PHA 30 Days Miracle Serum by Some By Mi

Among the best Korean serums is this moderate-sized bottle that has everything you need. AHA, BHA, and PHA — three types of chemical exfoliants with added papaya and hazel extracts for efficient cell turnover. To top it off, this Korean serum contains tea tree water extract, adenosine, and niacinamide. The results? Smooth and healthy skin that’s resistant to wrinkles and dull skin tone. 

Though these ingredients pack a punch, the 30 Days Miracle Serum can also cater to those with sensitive skin. The best part is that it’s true to its name — you will see your skin improve in 30 days!

To know more about this Korean serum, check it out on the Some By Mi website here. 

10. Glass Skin Refining Serum by Peach & Lily

If its name isn’t enough to convince you to buy a bottle, here’s the lowdown on why the product is called Glass Skin Refining Serum: This bottle represents the best of Korean serums as it contains a cocktail of effective and luxurious ingredients, such as peach extract, niacinamide, East Asian mountain yam, and hyaluronic acid, to name a few. 

The peach extract alone is already a powerhouse of vitamins and fatty acid; the niacinamide brightens uneven complexion, while the East Asian mountain yam helps to create supple skin and ultimately achieve the glass skin effect. This Korean serum is the solution to pressing concerns like acne, oiliness, flakiness, and wrinkles. But you might be asking, what did it take to create such a holy grail? You’ll be pleased to know that this product is cruelty-free, vegan, and gluten-free. It’s a win-win scenario!

Also read: 19 Japanese Beauty Brands for Your Makeup and Skincare Needs! [UPDATED 2021]

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