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‘Natural beauty’ has been a big buzzword in the world of beauty over the last few years, and while we know K-Beauty for their fun rubber masks, intensive 10-step regime and trends like ‘glass skin’, we haven’t heard as much emphasis on all-natural skincare and beauty from that side of the pond – until now.
As some of the most fastidious consumers of beauty products in the world (if you’ve ever walked around Seoul’s shopping districts, you’ve probably been just as overwhelmed as we’ve been at the sheer amount of beauty and personal care stores), it comes as no surprise that there is a growing emphasis on stripping away nasty ingredients like parabens, fragrances and artificial preservatives from skincare. Korean women are demanding products that are not just completely safe for their skin, but are also eco-friendly. This demand has created not only beauty apps that meticulously lists and audits the safety of ingredients in every K-beauty product, but has also put a spotlight on lesser-known labels with a strong emphasis on natural, healthy beauty.
We don’t know about you, but we’re cleaning up our K-beauty shelves with these 5 lesser-known labels that are not just all-natural, but also effective for Asian skin.
https://www.herworld.com/style/beauty/skin/korean-skincare-brand-natural-gentle-skin-whamisa-benton-pyunkang-aromatica/
Korean skincare brands that are also natural and good for your skin
Aromatica
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Cruelty-free, paraben-free and vegan, Aromatica has garnered a huge following in Korea and in the United States for its use of natural oils that help to nourish and treat skin. Their ingredients are carefully sourced from producers all around the world, combining the goodness of the earth with legendary Korean skincare technology. Their entire line is inspired by alterative medicine, and they believe in integrating aroma and herbal therapy to produce products that deliver “safe healing”. Try their Natural Coconut Cleansing Oil, featuring a unique oil-to-water formulation that actually lathers up, unlike traditional oil cleansers, leaving skin soft, hydrated and deeply cleansed. Available here.
Whamisa
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Certified 100% natural and 95% organic, Whamisa’s brand name comes from the Chinese characters for flower and beauty and aptly includes botanicals in their ingredients. Boasting an impressive 10 years of research and development, the brand uses a natural, organic fermentation method to develop their products as fermentation in skincare increases ingredient absorption, making it more effective whilst still being gentle on the skin. We highly recommend their Organic Flowers Deep Rich Essence Toner, a bestseller in both Korean and international markets. Packed with skin-friendly ingredients like dandelion, argan oil and chrysanthemum extract, skin is moisturised, nourished and incredibly supple after use. Available on Lazada.
Pyunkang Yul
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Its name is quite a mouthful, but you’ll be spreading the gospel about this brand once you’ve given it a shot. This skincare brand was developed by one of Korea’s leading medical clinics, boasting an impressive 40 years of experience in treating all sorts of skin-related issues. All of their products contain less than 10 components, and is probably as clean as it gets when you’re talking natural beauty. One of their favourite ingredients, milkvetch root, is a superfood commonly found in traditional Korean and Chinese medicine, and is known to contain powerful antioxidant properties that protect against ageing while helping skin to heal naturally. Available on iHerb.com.
Make P:rem
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Basically Korean’s version of La Roche Posay, this label is all about safe, budget-friendly and natural skincare that is especially effective for sensitive skin types. The brand is well-known in Korea for its attention to detail when it comes to user experience, their products fitted with lids that are designed to be easily removed and even blank spaces for you to write the open date, so you know exactly when it expires. We love their Safe Me line for sensitive skin as it has been formulated to match skin’s pH levels, and is full of nourishing ingredients like squalane, sage oil, lavender extract and ceramide. Available here.
Benton
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Fun fact: this K-beauty label’s name is actually inspired by ‘The Curious Case of Benjamin Button’ (Ben-ton), and like its namesake of the man who ages backwards, is appropriately highly regarded in Korea for their effective anti-aging products. Their formulations feature exotic ingredients like bee venom and snail slime to eradicate the ravages of time, including age spots and fine lines. Their star product, the Snail Bee High Content Essence, has a cult following amongst Korean women as the effective formulation comes at pocket friendly prices. Ingredients like snail secretion, bee venom and various botanicals like hollyhock root work together to deliver a massive dose of hydration to skin, improving your complexion over time. Available on iHerb.com and Lazada.
ALSO READ: 9 affordable, lesser known skincare brands to try in 2018