Korean skincare technology has always been amazing. From natural botanicals, kombucha and yeast fermentation proprietary techniques there are many amazing reasons to add a Korean Beauty Essence to your beauty routine.
Let’s get right into it!
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SK-II Facial Treatment Essence
Overview
Best For: All Skin Types
KI-II’s Facial Treatment Essence is perhaps the “grail” of all Korean essences. It practically has its own cult following and is famous for selling a bottle every 2 seconds. It contains more than 90% PITERA which is a proprietary natural ingredient which transforms your skin in days. It uses a special yeast fermentation technique to transform its ingredients. It was discovered after they found sake makers hands always looked young and supple compared to their actual age.
Benefits
- PITERA make pores visibly smaller because it reduces excess sebum production
- PITERA also fights the appearance of uneven skin and dark spots
- Antioxidant effects help to fight free radicals that causes aging of the skin
SK-II Facial Treatment Essence: The Best Overall Toner for its price and breakthrough ingredients
COSRX – AHA/BHA Clarifying Toner
Overview
Best For: Acne Prone Skin
A Cult Favourite for Acne Prone Skin, this affordable korean skincare line always uses ingredients that combat acne and yet is gentle on the skin. It prevents, whiteheads, blackheads, blemishes and more.
Benefits
- Enriched with 10% apple water, it provides gentle exfoliation to get rid of dead skin cells and reduces scars
- Contains Betaine Salicylate which helps to clear congested pores
- Glycolic acid, exfoliates and smoothens the surface of the skin
The History of Whoo: Gongjinhyang Essential Moisturizing Balancer
Overview
Best For: Dry or Normal Skin
The History of Whoo uses traditional Korean herbal elements towards. It is a very prestigious Korean skincare brand, and it’s golden bottled Gongjinhyang line in particular works best for its anti-aging abilities.
Benefits
- Ultra-hydrating skin balancer/toner which deeply hydrates the skin
- Enriched with Korean herbal ingredients to improve firmness and elasticity of skin
- Reduces the appearance of wrinkles
Beauty of Joseon: Ginseng Essence Water
Overview
Best For:
Perfect for sensitive/dry skin. This cruelty-free and vegan essence helps to hydrate the skin. This essence water deeply hydrates the skin with ginseng ingredients.
Benefits
- It contains 2% niacinamide which helps skin turnover to provide anti-aging benefits
- Ginseng helps to slow the loss of collagen, in fact ginseng root helps to increase collagen production in the skin dermis
MISSHA – Time Revolution The First Essence 5X
Overview
Best For: All Skin Types
A Best Seller for MISSHA, Time Revolution The First Essence 5X uses MISSHAs own yeast fermentation absorption technology which ferments skincare ingredients into phospholipids that are similar to the structure of the skin. This greatly enhances absorption and effectiveness of the ingredients.
Benefits
- Improves skin brightness
- Improves skin moisture, improving the skin barrier
- Reduces wrinkles around the eyes
- Reduces pigmentation and evens the skin tone by removing yellow and black tones.
Some By Mi: AHA, BHA, PHA 30 Days Miracle Toner
Overview
Best For: Acne Prone, Sensitive Skin
Some By Mi uses many powerful ingredients such as AHA, BHA, PHA, tea tree and even papaya and witch hazel. Although powerful it has also been dermatologically tested for sensitive skin and it has a pH of 5.5.
Benefits
- The AHA, BHA PHA combination combats acne by reducing the causes that can combine together to cause a plug in the follicle that results in acne.
- AHAs lightly exfoliate the skin daily to prevent build up of dead skin
- BHA removes excess sebum
- PHA helps the skin to retain moisture and it also contains tea tree extract to treat acne spots.
Some By Mi Toner: Most Popular Toner for Acne Skin
Dri. Ceuracle: Vegan Kombucha Tea Essence
Overview
Best For: Combination, Sensitive Skin
Using the power of Kombucha Tea, this Vegan Essence by Dr. Ceuracle contains organic acids and natural probiotics. You’ll find this toner to be very soothing and healing as it improves the skin barrier, maintaining the natural balance of the skin.
Benefits
- Provides deep hydration and is hypoallergenic
- Vegan essense that balances oil-moisture levels to restore sensitive skin
- Rich in probiotics, it detoxifies and strengthens the skin’s immunity
Haruharu WONDER: Black Rice Hyaluronic Toner
Overview
Best For: Combination or Oily Skin
This toner uses Black Rice extract which can deeply penetrate the skin because of its tiny particles. It focuses on soothing and healing with the use of rejuvenating red ginseng and soothing primrose plus lavender oil to have a perfect skin-firming and hydrating properties.
Benefits
- Fermented Black Rice helps restore elasticity to the skin and skin’s resilience
- Formulated with enriched hyaluronic acid to strengthen skin barrier and maintain skin hydration
- Uses vegetable derived glycerin to draw moisture to the skin
Why Should I use a Toner?
Toning helps to remove any last traces of grime or dirt on the skin and ensure you have a clean base for the next steps of your skincare routine. Usually this means moisturizers or serums. It can greatly improve the appearance and tightness of the pores.
What is the difference between Toner vs Essences?
Toners have often been used to exfoliate the skin, and essences are used to enhance the absorption of the next skincare product. However both Toners and Essences now often have both properties, exfoliation ingredients as well as moisture retaining ingredients.
Ultimately
There are so many different captivating Korean skincare proprietary techniques that could enhance your skin to be its most vibrant self. Most importantly ensure to test each product on small area of your skin to see how you react to it, especially if you have sensitive skin.
Happy Journeys to Crystal Clear Skin!
