Sure, the Korean beauty industry may be losing a little ground these days, but there’s no doubt that there’s still a strong demand for it in Singapore.
Consider yourself to be a bit of a K-beauty expert? Well, pay attention, then, because Daily Vanity has found the 12 best indie Korean beauty brands that you have to try before they explode onto the scene. Don’t say we didn’t warn you!
Skincare:
1. Klairs
A no-frills K-Beauty brand that delivers on highly effective yet affordable products, there’s no doubt that Klairs is one of the best indie Korean beauty brands out there.
Everything from their Rich Moist Foaming Cleanser to their Illuminating Supple Blemish Cream has been garnering rave reviews, with users loving how gentle they feel on skin. It definitely helps that all products are supposedly formulated with 0 harsh ingredients, making it ideal for just about everyone.
DV Tip: Try out their cult products, such as the Midnight Blue Calming Cream or Gentle Black Deep Cleansing Oil if you’re looking to just dip your toes into the Klairs pool, first!
Klairs products are available at its boutique at Lucky Plaza, as well as on its site. It is also available on Althea.kr.
2. Neogen
You may have heard us mention Neogen in our best Korean beauty products list, and for good reason, of course! This skincare brand is quickly gaining a stellar reputation for its advanced and high-performance formulas, with their range of innovative exfoliating pads putting them on the map for one of the best indie Korean beauty brands out there.
DV Tip: Their revolutionary Bio-Peel Gauzes changed the game of exfoliating entirely. Be sure to try that out, along with their Real Ferment Micro Essence!
Neogen products are available on Lazada, Althea.kr, YesStyle, as well as Soko Glam.
3. Thank You Farmer
One of the best indie Korean beauty brands out there definitely has to be Thank You Farmer. With several notable skincare products under their belt already, Thank You Farmer is all about nourishing your skin with pure and honest ingredients.
DV Tip: Their True Water Light Gel Cream is perfect for our hot and humid shores.
Thank You Farmer products are available on YesStyle and Soko Glam.
4. Huxley
Expect the unexpected with Huxley, a Korean skincare brand that apparently uses cactus oils in their products. Nope, you’re not reading that wrong! Claiming that women in the Sahara Desert have been using it for years, Huxley is all about providing effective skincare solutions in aesthetically pleasing packaging. (Seriously, just check out their Instagram page!)
https://www.instagram.com/p/BkMOTB-nLN7/?hl=en&taken-by=huxley_korea)
DV Tip: Try out their star products, such as the Oil Essence and Scrub Mask! We have done a review of the Huxley Oil Essence and share with you how to receive complimentary samples from the brand.
Huxley Products are available on Lazada.
5. Pyunkang Yul
With no scents or textural enhancers in any of their products whatsoever, Pyunkang Yul is a dream come true for those with sensitive skin. Each product comes in their signature royal blue bottles and is also formulated with traditional Korean ingredients, which are known to give users radiant, luminous skin. Sign us up!
DV Tip: Their Hydrating Toner is known to be ultra-nourishing for skin, as is their Nutrition Cream!
Pyunkang Yul products are available on YesStyle.
6. Whamisa
A Korean skincare brand that makes their products out of 100% natural and organic ingredients?! That’s Whamisa for you. Their herbal formulations are often enhanced through fermentation as well, which supposedly helps boost skin absorption abilities. With all this, it’s no surprise that the brand is one of the best indie Korean beauty brands in the market, really.
DV Tip: Their Organic Flowers Toner and Organic Flowers Damask Rose Mist is our pick to give you a healthy, glowing complexion!
Whamisa products are available on Lazada, Cocomo, and on the Glow Recipe site.
Makeup:
7. A’Pieu
Known to be the sister brand of renowned K-Beauty brand MISSHA, A’Pieu is all about that amazingly adorable packaging. We’re talking Coffee Milk Sheet Masks that actually come in a carton, and eyeshadows stamped with Doraemon.
DV Tip: Their Juicy Pang Blusher looks too cute to miss, as are their Cushion Lip Mousses.
A’Pieu products are available on Althea.kr, YesStyle, and Soko Glam.
8. Son & Park
Sure, their Beauty Water may have put them on the map, but did you know that Son & Park has a great makeup range, too? Yup, this brand is definitely a top contender for one of the best indie Korean beauty brands in the market.
DV Tip: Their Highlighter Cubes gives skin a luminous, dewy glow that you just can’t get from any other product out there. Their Air Chou Foundation is also known to give users an even, flawless complexion without feeling greasy or sticky. Love it!
Son & Park products are available on YesStyle and Soko Glam.
9. Touch In Sol
Bright, bold, and energetic is what you’re going to get with Touch In Sol’s makeup products. Their wide range of eyeshadows, lip lacquers, and cheek tints means that even the most discerning of K-Beauty experts will find something that they love here. We know we’re fans, already!
DV Tip: Their Metallist Liquid Foil & Glitter Shadow Duos are super pretty and pigmented.
Touch In Sol products are available at selected Watsons outlets.
10. TPSY
A best indie Korean beauty brands list is incomplete without the addition of TPSY. As of late, they seem to be at the brink of exploding onto the K-Beauty scene, with numerous products such as their Dash Lip Marker and Brush Gel Eyeliner selling out continuously.
DV Tip: Make sure to try out a product that embodies TPSY’s bright and fun-loving spirit: their Whipstick, of course! A lipstick with a rich, creamy texture, it comes in a variety of bold shades that will get heads turning your way.
TPSY products are available on Avon and their Instagram page.
11. Beige Chuu
https://www.instagram.com/p/Bk_P9OFlQOc/?hl=en&taken-by=beige_chuu
Did you know that famed Korean clothing brand CHUU has expanded on to cosmetics? Well, they have, and it’s known as Beige CHUU. Adorable packaging aside, the brand also has all the makings of a breakout star in the K-Beauty industry. Think a wide range of products, an already existing cult-like following and a too-cute signature mascot.
https://www.instagram.com/p/BkbqffUl_SF/?hl=en&taken-by=beige_chuu
DV Tip: Their Newborn Cushion Foundation has been making waves as of late, as well as their FanFanChuu Eyeshadow Palette.
Beige Chuu products are available on its site ,Qoo10 and YesStyle.
12. Jungsaemmool
https://www.instagram.com/p/Bi1G4cLhit6/?taken-by=jsmbeauty_)
A makeup and skincare range helmed by one of Korea’s top makeup artists, Jungsaemmol is a definite star on the rise. As of now, it is still one of the best indie Korean beauty brands around, but we won’t be surprised if they reach new heights soon.
https://www.instagram.com/p/BigAZd-B5Uf/?taken-by=jsmbeauty_
DV Tip: Their Artist Kohl Pen Eyeliner is to-die-for, with it drawing the sharpest, most precise of lines in just one flick of the wrist.
Jungsaemmool products are available on Peach & Lily.
