Ever wondered why your Instagram feed is flooded with 'glass skin' selfies and cute and colorful skincare bottles? It's not just a passing trend; it's the undeniable charm of Korean beauty, a global skincare revolution that's made a huge impact in India, especially among teens, college students, and young women.
But what exactly fuels this K-beauty craze in India? Before we dive into the 10 best Korean skincare and makeup products you absolutely need to try, let's first understand why K-beauty has captured so many hearts across the nation.
Why Are Korean Skincare & Makeup Products So Popular in India?
* It All Started With the 10-Step Routine
K-beauty first caught attention in India thanks to the buzz around the 10-step Korean skincare routine. Suddenly, people started hearing about toners, serums, essences, pimple patches, ampoules and sleeping masks! It sparked curiosity. Do I really need all that? What even is an ampoule?
Then came the glass skin trend. That smooth, poreless, dewy look — and everyone wanted to know how to get it. This led to a surge in interest in sheet masks, gentle exfoliators, serums and multi-layer moisturizers. Even if most people don’t follow all 10 steps, they have definitely picked a few, like double cleansing, using a serum and toner, or indulging in a sheet mask once a week.
* Natural Ingredients That Actually Work
Another big reason Korean skincare has clicked with Indian audiences is our shared love for skin-friendly, natural ingredients. Just like Indian households have always trusted DIY packs and products made with turmeric, aloe vera, lemon, honey, sandalwood, neem, and rose water, Korean skincare too embraces nature-powered ingredients, but in a more refined way and backed by skin-science.
You’ll often find green tea, snail mucin, centella asiatica (cica), ginseng, rice water, licorice root extract, and propolis in their products. When this natural approach is paired with gentle but effective layer-friendly formulas, Indian users find them easier to trust and adopt.
* The 3 Ps - Packaging, Pop Culture & Performance
Let’s be honest! K-beauty packaging is colorful and very cute. But beyond the aesthetics, the products actually deliver results. Add to that the massive influence of K-pop idols, K-dramas and their actors, and social media clips on Instagram and TikTok, and it’s hard not to get curious.
When you constantly see influencers talking about improvement in their skin after using a serum, sharing their skincare routine or raving about a sleeping mask, it becomes tempting to try it yourself. In short, it’s that mix of performance, eye-catching packaging, and social media popularity that makes K-beauty so addictive and always on trend.
Now that you know why Korean beauty is popular in India, let’s dive in and explore some of the most popular, reliable, and effective K-beauty products. The list below includes a mix of affordable and luxury options available on Amazon and/or Nykaa!
1. COSRX Advanced Snail 96 Mucin Power Essence
This essence is a cult favorite for a reason. Packed with 96% snail mucin, it deeply hydrates, repairs, revitalizes and brightens your skin. Its lightweight and slightly thick texture absorbs beautifully into the skin, leaving no sticky residue. If you’re after glowing, plump, and hydrated skin, then the COSRX Advanced Snail Mucin Essence is an essential addition to your skincare routine, helping you achieve that coveted K-beauty radiance with regular use.
2. Innisfree Green Tea Seed Hyaluronic Serum
Innisfree Green Tea Seed Hyaluronic Serum is a lightweight, watery-textured serum that delivers deep hydration without feeling heavy or sticky. It’s enriched with green tea extract and hyaluronic acid, which helps replenish moisture and strengthens the skin barrier.
This serum absorbs quickly and leaves your skin feeling soft, healthy, and glowing. It’s gentle, versatile, and works well for all skin types — but it’s especially helpful for skin that feels dull, dehydrated, oily, acne-prone, sensitive, or has an uneven texture. A great pick for both beginners and regular skincare users.
3. Laneige Lip Sleeping Mask (Berry)
The Laneige Lip Sleeping Mask is a K-beauty staple and truly lives up to the hype. This cult-favorite lipcare product is rich, nourishing, and provides intense overnight hydration for dry, flaky and chapped lips.
It is formulated with vitamin C, antioxidant-rich berry extracts, and moisture wrap technology that helps lock in hydration. The mask also gently exfoliates dead skin cells while you sleep, so your lips feel soft and look healthier by morning. It comes in multiple flavors like Berry (original), Gummy Bear, Sweet Candy, Vanilla, Watermelon and Mango.
4. The Face Shop Rice & Ceramides Moisturizing Cream
The Face Shop Rice & Ceramide Moisturizing Cream is a hydrating and nourishing face cream, enriched with rice extracts, rice bran oil, ceramide, and lecithin. These ingredients are known to add moisture, hydrate the deeper layers of the skin, strengthen the skin barrier, and soothe redness caused by dryness. It also helps your skin feel plump and can reduce early signs of ageing like dryness or fine lines.
This cream has a rich, creamy texture but absorbs well into the skin without feeling sticky. It’s great for daily use, especially if you want to rejuvenate dry to extremely dry skin.
5. Beauty of Joseon Relief Sun SPF50+ PA++++
The Beauty of Joseon Relief Sun is a lightweight, moisturizing sunscreen that offers broad-spectrum protection with SPF50+ PA++++. This Korean sunscreen is made with EWG green level certified and gentle ingredients, including rice extract and probiotics, which help calm, brighten, and nourish your skin. It also strengthens your skin’s natural barrier and protects it from sun damage while giving it a hydrated and healthy finish.
The Beauty of Joseon sunscreen has a cream-like texture that feels light on the skin and absorbs quickly. It doesn’t leave a white cast, making it a great option for all skin types, including those with sensitive skin.
6. Isntree Green Tea Fresh Toner
The Isntree Green Tea Fresh Toner is a gentle and hydrating toner made for oily, combination, sensitive and acne-prone skin. It is packed with 80% green tea extract from Jeju Island, which helps calm and soothe irritated skin. It also contains Anti-Sebum P ingredients to control excess oil and reduce the look of pores. The formula is boosted with cica and allantoin, which are known to strengthen the skin barrier and help keep your skin healthy, soft and balanced.
This toner is lightweight, absorbs quickly, and leaves your skin feeling clean and nourished, without feeling sticky. A great pick if you want something soothing and oil-controlling without being harsh.
7. Etude House Dear Darling Water Lip and Cheek Tint
Looking for a fuss-free Korean makeup essential? The ETUDE Dear Darling Water Tint is a lightweight, water-based lip and cheek tint that gives your cheeks and lips a fresh, luminous look with just a few dabs. This product is non-sticky, its weightless formula absorbs quickly, blends easily, and is smudge-proof. The color stays put for hours without the need for touch-ups, making it great for daily wear.
Whether you prefer a minimal dewy look or want to layer it with other products, this Korean tint is an easy way to brighten up your makeup routine. This cheek and lip tint is available in many fruity shades, like Red Grapefruit, Cherry, Pomegranate, Tomato, Orange, and Strawberry that is perfect for that natural, 'no-makeup' makeup look.
8. Tonymoly I’M Real Super Food Sheet Mask Set (Pack of 5)
The Tonymoly I’M Real Super Food Sheet Mask Set is a fun and easy way to give your skin a boost of hydration and care at home. This set includes different face masks, like Tomato, Red Wine, Avocado, Pomegranate, and Broccoli, each designed to target specific skin concerns such as dullness, dryness, enlarged pores and loss of elasticity.
Each sheet mask is filled with a 3-layer pulp material that helps your skin soak up the essence better. The essence comes in different types (like water-based, milky lotion, or micro-emulsion), so your skin gets the right kind of nourishment. Just leave it on for 15–20 minutes, and help refresh, moisturize, and revitalize your skin to leave it soft and healthy-looking. Perfect for your weekly pampering sessions.
9. Klairs Supple Preparation Facial Toner
The Klairs Supple Preparation Facial Toner is a gentle and hydrating toner that helps prep your skin after cleansing. It balances your skin’s pH, boosts hydration, and helps your other skincare products absorb better.
It contains calming ingredients like Centella Asiatica and Licorice Root Extract to soothe redness and irritation, along with Lipidure and Beta Glucan that provide deep hydration and help strengthen the skin barrier. It also nourishes and repairs tired or damaged skin over time. This facial toner is lightweight, non-sticky, and absorbs quickly, making it ideal for sensitive, dry, or acne-prone skin.
10. SKIN1004 Madagascar Centella Tone Brightening Capsule Ampoule
SKIN1004 Madagascar Centella Ampoule is a calming and hydrating serum that helps brighten your skin and fade dark spots. It contains niacinamide, tranexamic acid and MadeWhite capsules, which work together to reduce dullness, even out skin tone and give your skin a healthy glow.
Made with 100% Centella Asiatica extract from Madagascar, it also soothes redness and deeply hydrates and nourishes your skin. The ampoule is lightweight, absorbs quickly without any stickiness and helps balance your skin's pH level. It also strengthens the skin's protective barrier and improves radiance - making it a great pick for all skin types.
Final Thoughts:
K-beauty offers a wide variety of products that can truly transform your skin. Whether you're looking for hydration, gentle exfoliation, a healthy glow, or solutions for specific skin concerns, there's something for everyone. The best part? You can easily shop for these tried-and-tested K-beauty favorites online through Amazon, Nykaa, Beauty Barn and Maccaron. From budget-friendly picks to luxury splurges, there’s a perfect fit for every budget!
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