15 Best Korean Moisturizers for Dry, Oily, Combination & Acne-Prone Skin

If you are looking for the best Korean moisturizer that caters to your skin type, the K-beauty moisturizers we’ll mention in this post will be the ideal options for you.

Even better, they are hydrating, and you wouldn’t have to worry about spending a fortune on them as they are very cheap too!

Best Korean Moisturizer

These moisturizers will help your skin to stay hydrated and moisturize, as well as to keep it healthy and glowing

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Best Korean Moisturizer for Dry Skin

If you struggle with dry and dehydrated skin, you might need a hydrating moisturizer that moisturizes your dull skin.

Klairs Rich Moist Soothing cream

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Klairs Rich Moist Soothing Cream is an all-year cream that is designed for sensitive skin. It restores the hydration of your skin and repairs dry skin. It replenishes your skin and helps is become healthier.

It is a refreshing moisturizer for dry skin and is also very hydrating. It is lightweight, so you don’t feel like you are carrying a heavy, sticky moisturizer on your face.

Benefits

  • Lightweight consistency.
  • You can use it in all seasons.
  • Hydrates your skin.
  • Doesn’t have a scent.
  • Has ingredients that enhance moisture in your skin, like shea butter.
  • Cruelty-free, vegan-friendly, ethanol-free, artificial fragrance-free, artificial color-free, Paraben-free, Steroid-free.

How to Use? Use the cream after using toner and serum on your skin.

Mizon Snail Repair Cream

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This repair cream uses snail mucus extract as its main ingredient. It helps in rejuvenating your skin and also helps in reducing fine lines. The snail mucus extract restores damaged skin.

This moisturizer does its magic in about two weeks at the least. It repairs and hydrates your skin making it healthier, and you might notice your skin becoming brighter and glowing after using this cream over some time. It is also pocket-friendly.

Benefits

  • Consists of 92 percent of snail mucus extract, which helps rejuvenate your skin.
  • Not expensive.
  • Made with natural ingredients.
  • Collagen peptides in snail mucus help in the healing of the skin and reduce wrinkles.
  • Lightweight consistency.
  • Fragrance-free, paraben-free, artificial-color-free.

How to Use? Take an appropriate amount of the cream, apply to a cleansed face, and pat until the skin absorbs the cream.

Tony Moly Timeless Ferment Snail Cream

Tony Moly Timeless Ferment Snail Cream

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This cream is another moisturizer that has snail mucus extract as its main ingredient. Tony Moly uses gold fermented snail mucus, and hence it is considered one of the premium skincare products. Apart from snail mucus, the cream consists of allantoin, glycolic acid, collagen, and elastin.

You would think what exactly is Gold fermented snail mucus – well, the reared snails are fed gold-infused green tea, and then the snail mucus undergoes extraction, filtration, and fermentation process, which gives better results.

It gives one smooth, glowing, and healthy skin and drastically reduces fine lines and wrinkles.

You can be skeptical about using snail spit, but using Tony Moly’s snail cream would bring amazing results. What’s better? It is a popular K-skincare brand, making it a more reliable and safer option to choose from.

Benefits

  • Consists of 70 percent of gold fermented snail mucus.
  • Helps in reducing fine lines and wrinkles.
  • Hydrates skin.
  • Gives you healthier and radiant skin.

How to Use? Spread the cream evenly on your neck and face after cleansing your face. Pat until the cream gets absorbed in the skin.

Best Korean Moisturizer for Oily Skin

For oily skin, moisturizer is a must as the skin can still require hydration. So here are some of best picks:

ETUDE HOUSE Moistfull Collagen Cream

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Etude House Moistfull Collagen Cream claims to have collagen water particles and baobab oil that keep your skin hydrated for 12 hours, so you don’t have to apply it again and again. This cream is wholly based on giving your skin enough moisture that it looks glowing and healthy!

The moisturizer gets absorb in the skin well and is also lightweight while being super hydrating. This Korean moisturizer for oily skin also works for rosacea-prone skin since it isn’t greasy and non-irritating.

It has a strong citrus fragrance, which would go away quickly, so it is not that irritating. Beauty bloggers have been recommending Etude House actively, and it is worth it as the cream leaves your skin with amazing results.

Benefits

  • Contains Small Super Collagen Water.
  • Improves skin layers.
  • Provides hydration to the skin for 12 hours.
  • Watery texture, so it gets absorbed in the skin easily.
  • It has a new aqua complex stream, super collage water, and baobab oil as its three main ingredients. All know for providing moisture to the skin.

How to Use? Apply it gently on your face and massage from downwards the working upwards your face. Lightly pat until it absorbs in your skin. Use it after cleansing your face as the last step of your skincare routine.

Tony Moly The Chok Chok Green Tea Watery Cream

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Here we have another Tony Moly product to make your skin healthier. It has fermented green tea extracts as its main ingredient, also known as Chung Tae Jeon. This tea is fermented for a year in sunlight to provide the most moisture to your skin.

This product is one of the best options to choose from if you have oily skin. The cream has a creamy + jelly texture, so it is also lightweight to apply as well as it gets absorbed in your skin well and quickly. It is not greasy or sticky to apply and refreshing so that you can use it under makeup.

Green tea is considered a great ingredient for skincare as it has a lot of qualities and works as an antioxidant, and is also anti-aging.

Benefits

  • Consists of natural ingredients.
  • Gives intense hydration to your skin.
  • It is not greasy.
  • Light in weight to apply.
  • Has a watery texture and absorbs in your skin well.
  • Has a mild, non-irritating scent.

How to Use? Apply to your face and neck as required. You can use it in the day or the night.

Mizon Collagen Power Lifting Cream

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This cream reduces fine lines and wrinkles and maintains the elasticity of your skin. It controls the moisture balance of your skin and gives your skin complete hydration. The ingredients used to make this cream restores skin elasticity by providing natural collagen.

If you are someone with oily and mature skin, this cream might help you as it firms the skin while making the t-zone oil-free. This Korean moisturizer for oily skin adds moisture and a protective barrier without feeling greasy.

This cream works to reduce your fine lines and wrinkles and is also a great option for those who have oily skin. If you follow a Korean skin routine and add this cream to it, you would have amazing and satisfactory results.

Benefits

  • Reduces fine lines and wrinkles.
  • Collagen jelly cream.
  • No added color, fragrance, or parabens.
  • Dermatologically tested.
  • Lightweight consistency.
  • Absorbs in skin well and quickly.
  • Soothing to skin.

How to Use? Apply it on cleansed face and pat until it gets absorbed in your skin.

Best Korean Moisturizer for Combination Skin

Finding a moisturizer for combination skin types can be difficult as some areas of the face are dry, and some are oily. So, it is essential to pick a non-clogging, lightweight yet moisturizing.

COSRX Balancium Comfort Ceramide Cream

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The word COSRX comes from ‘cosmetic’ and ‘prescription’ (RX). You can use this cream in the morning as well as at night.

The ingredients such as Ceramides, Centella Asiatica Leaf Water, and medical-grade Centella Asiatica Extract used in this cream are skin-friendly for those who have sensitive skin. For those who look for it, it is EWG Verified as safe level, hypoallergenic, dermatologically-tested, cruelty-free, paraben-free, sulfate-free, phthalates-free.

It’s not greasy and gets absorbed quickly after applying to your skin and hence is perfect for combination skin types. This moisturizer for combination skin maintains a healthy moisturizer barrier while not stingy or heavy. It can give a dewy appearance due to the presence of natural but non-clogging oils. Some of the users claim it to be a düpe for Dr. Jart Ceramidin Cream.

This cream is lightweight and not greasy yet moisturizing and hydrating. This moisturizer doesn’t irritate your skin or break it off. It comes with a nice scent and gives your skin a refreshing and cooling sensation.

Benefits

  • Lightweight consistency.
  • Highly moisturizing.
  • Can be used as night cream or day cream.
  • Skin-friendly ingredients that are good for combination and sensitive skin.
  • Non-greasy.
  • Has a nice scent,

How to Use? Take around 2-3 pumps of the cream on your palm, spread evenly on your face and neck. Massage it until it gets absorbed in your skin. Leave for a few minutes to let it absorb in your skin itself.

Nature Republic Super Aqua Max Fresh Watery Cream

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One of the popular brands in the K-beauty field and used by many Korean idols, Nature Republic is one of the best options to choose if you are looking for a skincare product with amazing results for your combination skin with more oiliness.

Nature Republic’s Aqua Max Watery Cream has Kona Deep Sea Water as its main ingredient. This Kona Deep Sea Water is the best solution to keep your skin hydrated and is found 3000 feet below the seawater level and is also enriched with sea plants nutrients.

The product’s scent is strong at first but fades after a while, though it is not for sensitive noses. It is lightweight to apply as well. It is not greasy and irritating to apply.

This cream controls the shine of your face and leaves your skin soft and hydrated.

Benefits

  • Lightweight consistency.
  • Non-greasy.
  • Made of natural ingredients.
  • Gives moisture to your skin.
  • Makes your skin look healthier.

How to Use? Apply to your face and pat it until it gets absorbed.

Innisfree Green Tea Seed Cream

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Another product made with green tea seed extracts that help in restoring the moisture of your skin. It balances the hydration and oil levels in your skin. Apart from the green tea seed, it also has shea butter to provide hydration to oily and combination skin and nourishes your skin deeply.

This Korean moisturizer for acne-prone skin provides hydration and makes your skin feel refreshed.

It comes with a mild fragrance that complements the process and makes you feel more refreshed. It is not greasy and doesn’t feel heavy on the skin because of its quick absorption properties.

You can wear the moisturizer under makeup as it preps the skin well to avoid dry patches. A pea-sized amount goes a long way and is highly recommended as too much of the product can make your skin shinier.

Benefits

  • Consists of natural ingredients like green tea extracts and shea butter.
  • Lightweight.
  • Gives enough hydration and moisture to your skin.
  • Non-greasy.
  • Comes with a mild yet refreshing fragrance.
  • Makes your skin look healthier.
  • Balances oil and moisture levels.

How to Use? Use it at last after doing your skincare routine, apply all over your neck and face in the morning as well as in the night, pat to until it gets absorbed in your skin.

Best Korean Moisturizer for Acne-Prone Skin

Choosing moisturizers for acne-prone skin be tricky as not every non-comedogenic product might still not suit you. So, we have picked the ones that have given great results to the people troubled with acne:

Innisfree Green Tea Balancing Cream

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Another green tea extract skincare product to add to your cart next time you search for skincare products. This moisturizer is made from green tea seeds that come from Jeju Island.

It gives deep moisturizing while keeping oiliness and acne at bay and nourishes the skin. It has a watery texture, so it is easy to apply and gets absorbed by your skin very quickly and easily.

This product works great and is very light to apply. It gives enough moisture to your skin and keeps you hydrated. It gives a healthy glow to your skin and has a great, refreshing fragrance.

Benefits

  • Made from the best tea leave seeds from Jeju Island.
  • Has an amazing fragrance.
  • Easy to apply.
  • Leaves your skin glowing.
  • The watery texture of this product helps it to get absorbed in the skin well.
  • It is not sticky or greasy in texture.
  • Light in weight to apply.
  • Gives an ample amount of moisture to the skin.

How to Use? Squeeze 1-2 drops of the toner and spread evenly on your face as well as neck.

Bonajour Green Tea Water Bomb

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This moisturizer reduces fine lines and wrinkles due to the presence of different peptides while providing moisture to your acne-prone skin. It is vegan, on the plus side.

It comes in a lovely tube, and there is almost no scent to it though if you have a sensitive nose, you might find the smell weird. Along with softening the skin, the Bonajour moisturizer is raved by a user who is an esthetician.

This cream is safe for all skin types, especially the oily-sensitive ones with a tendency to break out. A user claimed that this moisturizer helped them clear cystic acne without breaking them out further.

This moisturizer is reasonable in price and very effective. However, it may not be hydrating enough for dehydrated skin. It gives your skin enough moisture without making it greasy and makes your skin look smooth.

Benefits

  • Made from natural and organic ingredients.
  • Good for all skin types.
  • Contains green tea.
  • Reduces fine lines and wrinkles.
  • Provides hydration to your skin.
  • Affordable
  • Offers a large quantity of moisturizer in the tube.
  • Easy to apply.
  • It is not greasy.
  • Has no or mild fragrance.

How to Use? You can apply it before applying makeup to make it look better. Apply it generously before going to bed. You can mix it with jojoba oil for better results.

Benton Aloe Propolis Soothing Gel

best korean moisturizer

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This product contains aloe vera gel as its main ingredient. Aloe vera gel is a great ingredient for making your skin look youthful and hydrated.

Benton is a soothing gel, so if you have acne-prone skin, it is the best option to go for. It soothes the irritation caused by acne, giving you a refreshing feeling and making your skin healthier. It is recommended to pat instead of slathering so that you don’t go overboard with gel.

This Korean moisturizer for acne-prone skin helps calm the flare-ups caused by the acne-prone skin. It is refreshing and provides moisture to your skin.

The moisturizer also might stop the acne growth on the skin in some cases (there are always exceptions). It is great for your thirsty skin as it provides hydration.

You can also use it as a primer underneath your makeup because of its mini-pore-blurring effect. With time, there’s a visible improvement in skin texture, glow, and hydration.

Benefits

  • Keeps your skin hydrated.
  • Helps soothing irritation caused by acne.
  • Not heavy on your skin.
  • Refreshing and comes with a refreshing fragrance.
  • The new version of the gel contains 200 times more aloe vera.
  • Has a watery texture, so it is absorbed by the skin quickly.

How to Use? Apply to your skin after preparing your skin, spread it on your entire face, and pat until it is absorbed.

Best Korean Moisturizer for Sensitive Skin

Sensitive skin types need another level of care without making the skin break out or itch. Therefore, we have picked the following moisturizer for your skin needs:

Meebak Cica Cream

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Meebak Cica anti-aging cream combines traditional herbal remedies with modern science, and that is how their skincare products are designed. Meebak products help in revitalizing your skin and boosting radiant skin by strengthening it.

The moisturizer uses special skin-healing ingredients like Cica, which is amazing for super sensitive skin and aging skin in need of hydration. It firms out the eye area and fine lines around it.

The cream is light to apply and comes with a pleasant fragrance. A little amount goes a long way and gives your skin an ample amount of moisture and keeps it hydrated, making it look more youthful and giving it a healthy glow.

Benefits

  • Soothes your skin.
  • Works well even on super sensitive skin types.
  • Non-greasy.
  • Lightweight consistency.
  • Comes with a refreshing scent.
  • Quite affordable

How to Use? Apply it as the last step of your skincare routine, apply it on your face and gently pat until absorbed.

Etude House Soonjung Hydro Barrier Cream

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Another amazing product from Etude House is a hydro soothing cream for those who have sensitive skin. It gives moisture to the skin, keeps it hydrated, and soothes irritation caused by external factors such as pollutants and stress.

This cream is also made from organic ingredients, and hence, it is not harmful to the skin.

It is lightweight to apply and hydrates your skin. Your skin will feel smoother and look youthful and healthy. It makes your skin soft, and has no scent, and doesn’t irritate your skin either.

Benefits

  • Lightweight consistency.
  • Translucent, non-greasy texture.
  • Makes your skin smoother.
  • Made from organic ingredients.
  • Has a lot of moisturizer in it.
  • Keeps your skin hydrated.

How to Use? Apply after completing your skincare routine, apply it to your entire face and gently pat until absorbed.

Skin Food Royal Honey 100 Hour Moisture Cream

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This product is made from honey and doesn’t contain harmful chemicals. It is mild and hence is a great option for those who have sensitive skin.

This Korean moisturizer for sensitive skin keeps your skin hydrated and keeps it moisturized for a long time. It is also safe to use and works well on every skin type.

This moisturizer is not greasy and is also pocket-friendly. It keeps your skin hydrated for a long time and is lightweight, and gets absorbed in the skin easily. It also has the added benefit of being fragrance-free.

Benefits

  • Made from the best quality honey.
  • Doesn’t irritate your skin.
  • Non greasy.
  • Non-fragrant.
  • Light to apply.
  • Keeps your skin hydrated.
  • Makes your skin feel refreshed.

How to Use? Gently apply on your face or any dry area on your body.

What is so special about Korean skin moisturizers?

You must be wondering why you should go for a Korean skincare product rather than any other product. Here is the truth, Koreans love their skin, and hence they make their skincare products with care and with ingredients carefully chosen to help their skin look more healthy.

Here is another truth, Korean women spend twice more on their skincare products than any other country! Kids are taught proper skin care techniques at an early age in Korea, including exfoliating, moisturizing, and using SPF. You will find skincare stores at every corner in Korea. Koreans like to get to the root of their skin problem and treat it properly.

Coming to how K-beauty products are different than others. Here is what makes them different from other beauty products:

  • K-beauty has affordable as well as effective formulas. In Korea, people know about their skin problems, and they wouldn’t spend a lot on other skincare products. They know what they want.
  • They pick the best ingredients. The K-beauty products are made carefully by picking ingredients that are good for their skin. They mostly use natural ingredients, and since most of them have sensitive skin, they try to pick ingredients accordingly.
  • Design and packaging are eye-catching. Like any other beauty product, Korean beauty products try to grab the consumer’s attention, and hence you would find aesthetic designs on their packaging.

Apart from that, you could see visible results after you start using these products. Your skin would feel soft and healthy. These products naturally brighten your skin, and you could feel that your skin has started to feel different and glowing.

What is another best part of Korean beauty products is that they are fun. How? Well, you might have seen the sheet masks that Korea makes. They come with cutesy designs and animal faces, which make skincare routines more fun to follow.

Korean beauty products give what they promise. If you are using their anti-aging products, then you will, for sure, notice that you have reduced fine lines and wrinkles, as well as your skin looks more youthful.

After you start using these products, you would not want to use makeup. Why? Because your skin would look healthy and flawless naturally and hence you wouldn’t want to cover it up with anything else. It would give you a new confidence to go out without makeup and gain compliments on your natural face and skin!

Korean skincare routine has 10 steps, which take around 5-10 minutes and are listed below.

  1. Makeup remover and oil cleanser
  2. Water-based cleanser
  3. Exfoliation
  4. Toner
  5. Essence
  6. Serum
  7. Sheet Mask
  8. Eye Cream
  9. Moisturizer
  10. Sunscreen

If you follow these steps regularly, then your skin would become healthier, glowing, and flawless!

How to Apply a Moisturizer Perfectly?

Applying moisturizer can sound and does seem easy but applying it correctly is important for it to be effective on your skin.

Here are some steps/tips you should follow to apply a moisturizer perfectly:

  1. The first and most important step is finding a perfect and suitable moisturizer for your skin type.
  2. Wash your face thoroughly before applying moisturizer as it takes away all the pollutants and dirt that stays on your skin.
  3. Take the required amount of moisturizer in your hand.
  4. Dab it on some specific parts of your face.
  5. Spread the moisturizer around the rest of your face.
  6. Massage it a bit in a pattern of 8 on your face.
  7. Let it sit and absorb itself before you apply makeup.

If you follow these steps, then you could see visible results in no time!

Ingredients to Avoid in a Korean Moisturizer

Every skin type has its own pros and cons, and there are some ingredients that you should avoid according to your skin type. Some are listed below:

Dry skin

If you have dry skin, then these are some ingredients you should avoid using:

  • Isopropyl alcohol
  • Sodium chloride
  • Sodium lauryl/laureth sulfate
  • Ammonium lauryl sulfate
  • Soaps such as sodium tallowate
  • Salicylic acid
  • Willow bark (the natural version of salicylic acid)
  • AHA acids

Oily Skin

If you have oily skin, some of the ingredients that you should avoid are

    • Coconut oil
    • Hazelnut oil
    • Camellia oil
    • Sunflower oil
    • Mineral oil
    • Beeswax
    • Vegetable and other waxes
    • Paraffin
    • Lanolin

Combination Skin

For combination skin, the ingredients that You should avoid are:

  • Alcohol
  • Drying Cleansers
  • Oil-based moisturizers

Acne-prone skin

Acne-prone skin could turn out to be irritating and itchy, and hence here are some ingredients you should avoid using if you have this skin type.

  • Synthetic perfumes
  • Essential oils
  • Sodium Lauryl Sulfate
  • Isopropyl Myristate
  • Isopropyl Palmitate
  • SD Alcohol 40
  • Denatured Alcohol
  • Ethanol
  • Isopropyl Alcohol
  • Sodium Chloride
  • Coconut oil
  • Cocoa butter
  • Algae extracts

Sensitive Skin

People who have sensitive skin have to take extra care of their skin since very rare ingredients suit this skin type. Here are some ingredients you should avoid if you have a sensitive skin type:

  • Fragrance
  • Essential oils
  • Chemical sunscreens
  • Harsh exfoliants
  • Sodium Lauryl Sulfates
  • Alcohol

When you eliminate these ingredients from your skincare products, you wouldn’t have to worry about damaging your skin while applying skincare products.

Bottom Line

K-beauty products are becoming very popular around the world, and why shouldn’t they be? They are a great alternative to keep your skin healthy and rejuvenated and are also reasonable.

The K-beauty moisturizers are reaching great heights, and people love them as they provide noticeable results. Most of the K-beauty products have natural and organic ingredients; hence they cause no harm to your skin.

Different Korean brands make products for all skin types, making it easier for you to find a product that suits your skin and favorite brand.

Hope you liked our list of best Korean moisturizer for different skin types. Next time you look for skincare products, you know you would end up searching for Korean beauty products as they are cheap and effective as well as fun to use!

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