10 Korean Beauty Brands Every K-Beauty Addict Needs to Try Out

By now, it is common knowledge that K-beauty trends have taken over the beauty world by storm. With that, it is no surprise that Korean cosmetics brands have infiltrated beauty junkies’ makeup arsenals and they are showing no sign of slowing down!  These Korean beauty brands are here to stay and you should get it on them too! Here, Beauty Insider has rounded up the best Korean beauty brands you need to keep a lookout for this 2020! 

Etude House

If there was a brand that screamed being pretty in pink, it would be Etude House. Inspired by its philosophy that ‘Life is Sweet’, the Korean makeup brand aims to take the usual makeup routine to the next level by introducing fun yet high-quality makeup products that are anything but dull. With its vision to celebrate the adventurous spirits of young women, Etude House offers a myriad of beauty products enveloped in whimsical packaging for that extra touch of cuteness! It is no wonder this Korean beauty brand has captured the hearts of many K-beauty junkies!

Dear My Blooming Lips Talk Chiffon

For kissable puckers, reach out for the fan favourite Dear My Blooming Lips Talk Chiffon! With its ultra-creamy formula, this brand staple glides onto the lips seamlessly and leaves the lips with an intense colour payoff in a single swipe! For those who need a visual, check out this product review by IHopeDiverseBeauty here!

Here is what we love about this product:

• Highly pigmented
• Long-lasting formula
• Non-drying

“This formula is a nice and creamy formula that glides smoothly on the lips without settling into all your lines. The color range is not huge but they do have some pretty options. It wears off pretty evenly and is about average lasting as most any bullet lipstick. As an added bonus the packaging is adorable and works perfectly as FUNCTIONING art on your vanity!” Says one Influenster review.

Price: $17.90, Etude House stores

Find out more about Etude House here.

EgLips

A makeup brand that has by well-loved by legendary beauty guru PONY, EgLips is the latest K-beauty brand that has been making its waves in Singapore! Known for its trendy and fun packaging, EgLips is set on delivering exciting products to help you achieve that Instagram-worthy Korean look! With K-beauty staples like the BB cushion and lip tints, the brand’s plethora of products might just give you a run for its money!

EgLips Blur Powder Pact

If your skin is dying for a perk-up, try out the brand’s bestselling Blur Powder Pact! Housed in a sleek, black compact, this setting powder smoothens out your skin by blurring out the appearance of large pores! Thanks to its amethyst and pear-infused powders, this setting powder also brightens up the skin’s complexion for radiant and glowing skin! Even celebrity makeup artist PONY approves of this powder pact!

Here is what we love about this product:

• Minimises the appearance of large pores
• Controls oil shine
• Locks makeup in place all-day long

“I have dry skin and this doesn’t catch on any of my dry patches. The colour is almost transparent but it does slightly brighten the areas you put it on.” One YesStyle review says.

Price: $10.90

Bbia

Bbia may be an under-the-radar brand in Singapore, but the brand has actually earned a spot as a pioneer in the K-beauty scene! As the very first online Korean cosmetics brand to make its debut in South Korea, Bbia has earned a loyal fanbase with its wide array of affordable and up-to-date makeup products! From eyeshadow compacts to dreamy blur lip tints, the brand is on a mission to provide functional makeup products that anyone can add to their beauty arsenal!

Bbia Last Auto Gel Eyeliner

For starters, check out the BBIA Last Auto Gel Eyeliner to get that sexy cat-winged eyeliner!  Made with an ultra-thin 2mm lead, this gel eyeliner guarantees fine and precise lines to create limitless eyeliner looks. What’s more, this eyeliner boasts a waterproof formula to stubbornly cling onto your eyes all day long! Even K-beauty guru Edward Avila had nothing but nice things to say about this eyeliner! Check out his review here.

Here is what we love about this product:

• Glides on smoothly without tugging the skin
• Highly-pigmented with one swipe
• Smudgeproof

“I have tried many different gel eyeliners and this one by far is the best one. I use it mostly to tight line my eyes and it stays on for the whole day,” says one Amazon review.

Price: $10.50

Rom&nd

If we had to name a Korean cosmetics brand that is taking over the beauty scene by storm, Rom&nd instantly comes to mind. The brainchild of celebrity makeup artist and YouTube beauty guru Gaeko, Rom&nd prides itself in its sleek offerings that have won over the hearts of many beauty junkies. Curated by the founder herself, the brand offers a multitude of affordable K-beauty staples that do not compromise quality.

Rom&nd Better Than Cheek

In need of a pop of colour to your cheeks? Reach out for the Rom&nd Better Than Cheek! Available in 5 universally flattering colours, this powder blush promises a buildable formula that can be layered on for that dreamy hue of colour. What’s more, this powder blush is also formulated with powerful sebum-controlling abilities to banish any midday shine! Check out this product demo and review by Korean YouTuber MINJ to see how well this blush fares!

Here is what we love about this product:

• Highly-pigmented
• Blends seamlessly into the skin
• Blurs the appearance of pores

“I bought the peachy colour recently and the colour pay off and colour stay is amazing! It blends beautifully and stays all day. You don’t need a special blush or anything to get a soft blurred look. I want more,” says one YesStyle review.

Price: $18.90 at Guardian

Find out more about Rom&nd here.

Espoir

For the unapologetically expressive K-beauty junkie, Espoir is the brand for you. Rooted in the belief of using the power of makeup to express yourself, this Korean cosmetics brand has garnered widespread attention by professional makeup artists globally for its unrivalled makeup products. Furthermore, the brand aims to deliver makeup products tailored for the modern Asian woman!

Espoir Pro Tailor Foundation Be Glow

Looking to achieve the coveted Korean glass skin? Look no further than the Espoir Pro Tailor Foundation Be Glow! With its lightweight texture, this award-winning foundation perfectly conceals all imperfections and leaves the skin with a natural skin-like finish. Plus, this foundation also works to boost the skin’s radiance, thanks to its brightening properties! For a visual, check out beauty YouTuber Becca M for this product review!

Here is what we love about this product:

• Extremely hydrating
• Brightens up the skin’s complexion
• Lightweight texture

“My new all-time favourite foundation. It has better coverage than I thought, a solid medium and it has an amazing finish. It is not drying and not too oily. Also, love the amount of SPF in this product. A little also goes a long way,” says one YesStyle review.

Price: $54, AMORE Store x Lazada

Find out more about Espoir here.

Easy Peasy

An indie Korean cosmetics brand that is on the rise, Easy Peasy is the latest addition to Korean makeup giant Amorepacific’s long line of K-beauty cult classics. As its name suggests, the brand is rooted in its concept of delivering easy-to-use yet adorable makeup products for the everyday woman. With that, fans can find a myriad of stick-shaped products for fuss-free application! So even makeup novices can get in on the fun!

Easy Peasy Aqua Calming Stick

This bestselling stick moisturiser is a must-have for a quick hydration boost on-the-go. Made with a water-in-oil formula, this moisturiser soothes the skin for an instant fix-me-up without leaving any sticky finish behind! What’s more, this moisturiser delivers up to eight hours of continuous hydration to quench the thirst of parched skin! 

Here is what we love about this product:

• Cooling sensation
• Easy-to-use
• Long-lasting moisture of up to 8 hours

“This has already been a constant in my bag and it’s not even summer. Quick blast of cool and good value for money,” says one Althea review.

Price: $21.70, AMORE Store x Lazada

Find out more about Easy Peasy here.

WakeMake

Playful makeup products are having their moment in the K-beauty scene. Enter WakeMake — the Korean makeup brand that believes in spicing up your makeup routine with its colourful slew of makeup products. On top of its impressive range of lip products, WakeMake also offers a horde of fun and innovative makeup essentials to help you achieve that K-drama worthy look! 

WakeMake Rouge Gun Zero

No beauty junkie is well-equipped without a handy bullet lipstick. With that, opt for the WakeMake Rouge Gun Zero lipstick! Highly-pigmented and lightweight, this lipstick dries down to a true matte finish that blurs the lip line to create the illusion of flawless puckers. Plus, this lipstick is formulated with patented Slip Melting System, which instantly melts onto your lips at skin temperature for smooth application!

Here is what we love about this product:

• Highly-pigmented
• Ultra-lightweight texture
• Colour payoff spreads evenly onto the lips

With its high-clarity colour base and intense colour payoff, you can expect to amp up the glam with this lipstick!

Price: $23, Guardian

Find out more about WakeMake here.

I’m MEME

Making its foray into Singapore’s K-beauty scene recently, I’m MEME arrives with trendy makeup offerings that scream nothing but adorable! A playful and eclectic brand that offers products that do not fall short, I’m MEME is the perfect match for the sweetheart in all of us. Expect to find goodies like heart-stamp blushers and heart-shaped bullet lipsticks that are sure to win over your heart!

I’m MEME I’m Hidden Card Palette

If you are a sucker for oh-so-cute eyeshadow palettes, the I’m MEME I’m Hidden Card Palette is the perfect pick for you. Complete with 9 gorgeous eyeshadow pans as well as a blusher, these eyeshadow palettes feature a mix of matte and shimmer finishes that offer an intense colour payoff. Check out this product review by PopSquare to see the amazing colour swatches from this palette!

Here is what we love about this product:

• Adorable packaging
• Highly pigmented eyeshadows
• Creamy and butter texture

What we love about this palette is its super versatile eyeshadow shades, which is perfect for creating limitless eye looks for any occasion. Whether you are going for a sultry look or an innocent, doe-eyed look, this palette’s offerings have got you covered!

Price: $38, Zalora

Find out more about I’m MEME here.

Laneige

For resident K-beauty junkies, Laneige needs no introduction. Founded in 1994, Laneige has become a threshold of beauty in South Korean for its efficacious skincare products that are powered by patented Water Science™ technology. Besides its range of cult-favourite skincare products, Laneige aims to reinvent the definition of beauty with its innovative makeup products that harness the powers of its core technology. From cushion concealers to tinted lip balms, users can look forward to makeup products that leave the skin looking and feeling better than before! 

Laneige Two-Tone Tint Lip Bar

Created by K-drama darling and model Lee Sung Kyung, the Two-Tone Tint Lip Bar features a tint and a lip balm rolled out into one tube to deliver the coveted gradient lip in an instant! Besides its gorgeous colour payoff, this lip bar also contains moisturising properties to keep your lips feeling smooth and supple all day long! Head over to YouTuber CINDDIE‘s product review to see these lip bars at their finest.

Here is what we love about this product:

• Moisturising effect
• Fuss-free gradient lips on-the-go
• Highly pigmented

“It is very moisturizing on the lips, and it gives you that perfect gradient effect (which is a very popular beauty trend in East Asia) that is always frustrating to make. The packaging is easy to use and looks very unique as well.” One Amazon reviewer wrote.

Price: $32, Tangs

Find out more about Laneige here.

Innisfree

Another cult classic Korean cosmetics brand, Innisfree is all about delivering clean and healthy beauty! Combining the powers of nature and makeup, Innisfree has been touted for its eco-friendly makeup products that feature all-natural ingredients. Think volcanic clay, camellia oil and green tea for starters! The brand is also heavily endorsed by many beauty gurus and Korean celebrities — a testament to the brand’s fun yet effective makeup products that work like magic!

Innisfree No Sebum Mineral Pact

Hailed as a holy grail for setting powders, this setting powder pact is a potential holy grail for people with oily skin! With its powerful oil absorption abilities, this setting powder is everything you need to get rid of unflattering shine. Plus, it also works to lock your makeup in place to keep it looking #onpoint, no matter rain or shine. If you want to find out more, check out this product review by THE TEACOAST.

Here is what we love about this product:

• Controls oil shine
• Keeps the face matte all-day long
• Blurs the appearance of pores

“Very nice finely milled powder. It is a very nice size that comes with a very soft puff. The compact is small but it can last me a very long time. It keeps my face fairly matte for awhile after applying and leaves behind a very smooth finish. Before this, I was carrying around blotting sheets, but this has completely replaced that,” says one Influenster review.

Price: $17, Innisfree stores

Find out more about Innisfree here.