The Best Korean Skin Care at Ulta Beauty, From Beloved Classics to Your Favorite New Finds
1 min readThere are plenty of places to stock up on your favorite K-beauty products. But Ulta Beauty keeps a solid roster of beloved classics and newer, trending brands stocked, making that unplanned K-beauty haul a one-and-done—even if your cart says otherwise.
Even with a pretty curated selection, there’s a lot to scroll through. We narrowed the options even further, so whether you’re starting your K-beauty journey here or looking for a few additions to round out your existing lineup, you can spend less time mulling over choices and more time slathering and spritzing. You’ll be trying some of the best K-beauty Ulta Beauty has to offer, trust.
Pros
- Alcohol-free
- Fragrance-free
Cons
- Some users say it doesn’t cool skin as it claims to
No K-beauty routine is complete without an essence or toner. This one is best for pore refinement. A combo of AHAs and PHAs gently unclogs pores; an anti-sebum complex reduces oil production, and tea tree and cica calm and tighten pores.
Pros
- Affordable
- Has moisturizing and oil-control ingredients
Cons
- Can leave skin shinier than desired
If you’re here shopping for beauty products, then hopefully you’re well-versed enough to know how vital daily sunscreen use is for your skin. This one has all the favorable attributes of a sunscreen you’ll want to reach for every day: SPF 50, moisturizing, and blends easily into a range of skin tones.
Pros
- Non-drying
- Helps fade acne scars
Cons
- May be too strong for sensitive skin
One staple in K-beauty is sleeping masks. Banila Co’s version is packed with a specific kind of retinol called liposomal retinol that, alongside plant-based bakuchiol and moisture-sealing ceramides, slowly releases while you rest so that you wake up with glowy, moisturized, and smooth skin.
Pros
- Gentle enough to use twice a day
- Unscented
Cons
- Results may take some time to see
Traditional methods of treating hyperpigmentation and uneven tone use AHAs and BHAs to exfoliate the top layer of skin and dark spots along with it. This brightening cream uses a gentler but equally effective combination of tranexamic acid, niacinamide, and Melazero V2. So you can clear and get rid of rough spots without destroying your skin barrier.
Pros
- Users saw results quickly
- Sensitive skin users say its not irritating
Cons
- The tingle from the spicule can be uncomfortable
Understanding exosomes can be confusing. Medicube uses a bacteria-derived exosome called that carries peptides, amino acids, and vitamins through micro-sized spicules straight into the skin. The booster also has exfoliating AHAs, BHAs, and PHAs to smooth and brighten skin, and panthenol to keep skin calm while the actives do their thing.
Pros
- Non-greasy
- Some users say it calmed their rosacea
Cons
- May be too rich for acne-prone skin
Beyond brightening and smoothing, moisture is essential for keeping skin plump and youthful. Centellian24’s rich cream prioritizes moisture to help plump skin and restore elasticity lost when it’s dehydrated. There’s also a concentrated dose of centella asiatica to help bring down redness and calm inflammation.
Pros
- Available in four shades
- Buildable coverage
Cons
- Low SPF
Among the K-beauty cult favorites is Erborian’s BB Crème—a makeup-meets-skincare hybrid that’s equal parts moisturizer, sunscreen, and a lightweight foundation.
Pros
- A little goes a long way
- Wide color range
Cons
- Not very moisturizing
Skincare tends to dominate the K-beauty conversation, but there are makeup options that are praiseworthy, too. Case in point: this whipped lip and cheek pot comes in 35 highly pigmented shades and helps blur enlarged pores and fine lines.
Pros
- Prevents makeup transfer
- Sets makeup for up to 24 hours
Cons
- Some users say it didn’t hold in very warm environments
You already know that K-beauty’s version of a stay-all-day makeup setting spray will put skin first. This ultra-fine mist fixer not only locks in your look but also has calming cica and oil-control ingredients, so your skin looks blurred, dewy, and set even if you sweat or get wet.
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