25 Best Korean Skin-Care Black Friday Deals of 2024 for a Glowing Complexion

I could write a love letter to the Red Bean Water Gel. We’re like this. locks fingers The red bean- and peptide-infused formula is a clear gel with a slight cooling effect that wakes up my skin in the morning, gives me a touch of dewiness, and layers beautifully underneath my sunscreen and makeup.

Congested pores? Away with them. The key ingredient in this moist, Kaolin clay mask is 30% Haenam red bean extract. TL;DR The rich saponin in red beans helps suck up excess sebum and gently exfoliate your skin. True to its name, the Red Bean Refreshing Pore Mask also provides a cooling sensation upon contact.

Ginseng is bursting with anti-inflammatory properties which is ideal if you deal with puffiness. “I love the ultra-nourishing and soothing formula with the added (gentle) kick of retinal,” cosmetic chemist Ramón Pagán. As a refresher, retinal “only requires a one-step conversion to the active form of retinoid acid, unlike retinol which requires a two-step conversion,” board-certified dermatologist Hee Jin Koh, MD, a board-certified dermatologist based in New Jersey, explains. In other words, it’s more effective and less irritating.

Cosrx needs no introduction. This Korean skin-care brand is home to the TikTok-viral Snail Mucin 96 Power Essence, a terrific candidate for boosting moisture and tackling hyperpigmentation. The texture is so fun (and surprisingly not tacky seconds after applying) and it gives my skin lots of love, glow, and bounce.

Pair the beloved Repairing Essence with the just-as-adored Advanced Snail Peptide Eye Cream. Content director Kara McGrath enjoys how the silky, lightweight texture reflects light without any added sparkle. “It also plays super well with makeup: There’s none of that dreaded pilling when I layer my go-to concealer on top,” she says.

If you want a night cream that goes above and beyond, reach for the Cosrx Ultimate Nourishing Rice Overnight Spa Mask. With more than 68% rice extract, it effectively guarantees that you’ll wake up to smoother, softer skin.

Despite being formulated with four types of retinol (pure retinol, encapsulated retinol, granactive retinoid, and Bio-Seletinoid), Iope’s Retinol Super Bounce Serum is gentler than most.

These key ingredients promote a more lifted complexion, soften wrinkles, and minimize the look of pores—all without causing irritation. Plus, Lactobacillus ferment lysate strengthens your skin’s moisture barrier.

If you didn’t know: Salmons are good for the skin. Well, polydeoxyribonucleotide (PDRN), to be exact—which is a popular type of injectable in Korean clinics. Iope formulated a 38% plant-based Bio-PDRN for a vegan serum that firms and plumps skin. This one has no scent and is just overall very pleasant to apply—I sometimes even apply it morning and night. It also has 20,000 ppm of caffeine to boost cell regeneration—perfect to go along with my daily cup of coffee.

Allure editors are such big fans of the Aestura Atobarrier 365 Ceramide Lotion that it won a 2024 Best of Beauty Award for best light moisturizer. Yes, this deeply hydrating elixir placed in the face category, but it was formulated for use on every inch of your body—and on your baby’s, if you happen to have one. “It is gentle and great for those with dry, sensitive skin,” Claire Chang, MD, a board-certified dermatologist in New York City, says.

“This silky, milky formula absorbs at lightning speed and leaves my skin cashmere-soft,” attests former Allure editor Devon Abelman. “I love a pump for body-care products and appreciate that Aestura has one for quick, mess-free application.”

Mixsoon essences keep it really simple. Your skin doesn’t always need the fluff, especially when it’s irritated from said fluff (or the blistery winds outside). The Soondy Centella Asiatica Essence consists of just good’ ol, dependable cica.

Powder Room, one of Korea’s most popular beauty-specific platforms, deemed Ma:nyo’s Panthetoin Essence Toner as the best toner of 2024. An all-star moisturizing ingredient lineup of panthenol, sunflower seed oil, hyaluronic acid, squalane, ceramides, and macadamia nut oil cocoon skin with the toner’s silky lotion-like formula to make skin feel as soft as a baby’s, Abelman says.

Sometimes I need something a step up from my usual nighttime creams. Hanyul’s Yuja Vitamin Sleeping Mask is chock-full of—wait for it—yuja fruits harvested from the Goheung area. In the clip to the right, you can see me mouthing the words, “It smells so good,” because there are six yuja fruits (rich in vitamins B, C, E, and P, whew) in a single jar. Aromatherapy aside, this jelly leave-on mask immediately plumps my skin and I wake up looking a little more fresh-faced and less dull. (Nothing’s a miracle worker, considering my wonky sleep schedule.)

The Heartleaf Pore Control Cleansing Oil is by far one of the most popular cleansing oils on Amazon—the numbers, 80k in the past month alone, don’t lie. This one is good for congested skin, as it helps clear up blackheads while washing away makeup and a day’s worth of debris. Heartleaf is central to the formula, too, easing any irritation your skin might’ve run into.

Glass skin is within reach with Anua’s Niacinamide 4% Tranexamic Acid Serum. This pink juice uses ceramides and hyaluronic acid to soothe, hydrate, and brighten dark spots.

Haruharu Wonder’s most popular products are spiked with fermented black rice, which drives intense moisture into the skin. This Black Rice Hyaluronic Toner is super hydrating and cooling. Associate beauty director Sarah Kinonen said of the product: “I’m met with immediate hydration and dewiness—a perfect prep step for the rest of my routine.”

Another great retinol-alternative formula is the Haruharu Wonder Black Bakuchiol Eye Cream. It softens the look of fine lines and gently boosts elasticity around the extremely delicate under-eye area using gentle bakuchiol, a retinol alternative.

I know what you’re thinking, but this isn’t any run-of-the mill HA serum. No, it has a 5D Hyaluronic Acid Complex, which translates to five types of HA molecules that penetrate your skin at different levels for instant and long-lasting hydration. Panthenol and allantoin provide extra hydration and soothing benefits. It’s a serum I’d recommend to just about anyone—the silky textures dries down almost immediately and my skin always feels bouncier with each application.

Medicube is known for its hi-tech skin-care devices like the Age-R Booster Pro, but it also makes plentiful creams, moisturizers, and cleansers. The Collagen Jelly Cream is a good example, with firming and barrier-boosting benefits as well as brightening niacinamide.

If you’re looking for a dose of brightness, reach for Medicube’s Deep Vitamin C Golden Capsule Face Moisturizer, which contains pure, encapsulated vitamin C, 50% sea buckthorn extract, and 5 percent niacinamide. The result is improved texture and all the glowiness.

A Best of Beauty-winning lip tint for less than $10? Consider your wish granted. This is the Korean lip tint that started my all-out obsession. Touchups are very minimal even after heavy meals—the wear is super comfortable, despite how long-lasting the formulas are. I do usually prep my dry, crustry lips with a clear lip balm and wipes away the excess before applying the lip tint.

For a dewier, no-prep-needed finish, the Ink Mood Glowy Tints are so good. They’re spiked with glycerin and lily and witch hazel extracts for added hydration.

Ladies and gents, the TikTok hype is real. The TirTir Mask Fit cushion foundation is portable, mask-proof, long-wearing, transfer-resistant, and gives you a subtle glow—thanks to hibiscus and propolis extracts.

“This is the only foundation I regularly carry in my bag,” says Allure contributor Sarah Y. Wu. “You can definitely build this up to a medium-to-full coverage foundation and it still feels lightweight.”

Light, tinted coverage and SPF? We’re in. You can wear Etude’s Face Blur alone as a glowy skin tint or under fuller-coverage foundation as a radiance-boosting base.

A sparkly little number, Etude’s Eye Drop Liner is a nicely pigmented, pearlescent liquid liner for all-day, lid-flare. Fear not—no glitter transfer necessary. Commerce editor Sarah Han loves lining her waterline-ish area with this liner for a pop of sparkle.