Best K-Beauty Skincare Brands For 2021

Entering the final stretch of 2020, there are more K-Beauty brands debuting and new products being released on a daily basis.

But there’s no need for confusion – these are our picks for the best K-Beauty skincare brands for 2021!

APLB

APLB is dedicated to creating gentle skincare products and cosmetics. The brand makes 7 core promises to its customers:

1. Creating products for all skin types

2. Continued research and innovation

3. Focusing on natural ingredients

4. Advancing the science of fermented skincare

5. The best quality control

6. Visible results

7. Science-backed formulas

One of APLB’s most popular 2020 releases was their Centella Cica Repair Cream. Featuring K-Beauty favourite Centella Asiatica (also known as Cica), this moisturiser provides deep moisturiser to boost your skin barrier. Using this cream can help to repair damaged skin and improves overall hydration levels.

Subi

Subi means ‘defence’ in Korean and that’s what this brand is all about – creating products that are a defence for your skin. This breakout brand uses the latest Korean skincare technology and combines it with Australia’s no fuss, minimalist approach to skincare and ingredients.

The runaway bestseller of 2020 for STYLE STORY, Subi Perfect Pimple Patch has changed the game for acne skincare and maintenance. Made with 100% medical-grade hydrocolloid, this luxury pimple patch is the thinnest, most invisible patch on the market. It’s also a favourite of the Body+Soul team. Particularly good for pimples in hard to reach places (like around your mouth or side of your nose), these patches will reduce the size of most pimples overnight.

COSRX

A long-time K-Beauty favourite, COSRX is famous for its commitment to using safe and natural ingredients to make practical and high performance cosmetics.

For fans of all things snail, you can’t go wrong with COSRX’s Advanced Snail 92 All In One Cream. This lightweight moisturiser is full of collagen, cruelty-free 92% snail secretion and nutrients to rejuvenate your complexion and hydrate.

Innisfree

As Korea’s first all-natural beauty brand, Innisfree stands by its organic bona fides. It uses ingredients certified by France’s ECOCERT and is committe to eco-friendly packaging. With many ingredients sourced from Jeju Island, Innisfree aims to offer quality skincare at affordable prices.

If you’re looking for a little extra moisture for oily skin, it’s hard to go past Innisfree’s best-selling Green Tea Seed Serum. Made with 100% Jeju Organic Green Tea Water, this serum locks in moisture to get your skin ready for the rest of your routine.

B-Lab I Am Sorry Just Cleansing

B-Lab (short for ‘Bathroom LABoratory’) has launched its specialist cleansing range ‘I Am Sorry Just Cleansing’. This range focuses solely on cleansing product (hence the “just cleansing). It is ECOCERT approved and perfect for those doing the two-step Korean double cleanse.

For step one (highly recommended if you wear makeup or sunscreen), try B-Lab’s Cleansing Oil. It gently draws out debris and pollutants without leaving your skin feeling greasy.

To finish off, B-Lab’s Natural Cleansing Foam is our go-to at Style Story HQ. This pure, mild cleansing foam causes no irritation and whips up into a luxuriously thick formula. Free from parabens, sulfates and alcohol, this cleanser is suitable for all skin types.

JJ Young

Do your pores give you grief? JJ Young’s products are all designed with one purpose in mind – treating pores by removing impurities and excess sebum.

To clear up your complexion, try out JJ Young’s Black Cleansing Stick. This pH 5.6 balanced exfoliating cleanser is made for oily and combination skin. Containing star ingredients charcoal, volcanic ash and kaolin, this cleanser will soak up oils, unclog blackheads and remove impurities to promote shine-free skin!

Jelly Ko

The newest kid on the block, Jelly Ko is the culmination of nearly 10 years of industry expertise by founder Lauren Lee. Working with Korea’s best cosmetic chemists, the brand combines clinically proven ingredients with deliciously decadent formulas. Don’t take our word for it though – one taste and we guarantee you’ll be back for seconds.

For a do-it-all moisturiser, look no further than Jelly Ko’s Bubble Tea Steam Cream. This cruelty free cream is perfect for barrier care, is suitable for oily and acne-prone skin and contains anti-ageing ingredients to even out dark spots and reduce the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles.

Brands To Watch In 2021;

What are YOUR picks for the best K-Beauty skincare brands for 2021? Let us know in the comments!

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