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K-beauty fans have a lot to rejoice about this year – beyond the usual brands that are well-established among local consumers, even more well-known and other indie K-beauty brands have just hit our shores!

Whether you are a fan of traditional herbal remedies, clinically-developed skincare, or makeup products that enhance your beauty, there’s surely a brand in this list that will catch your eye:

1. By Wishtrend

New K Beauty Brands By Wishtrend

Wishtrend started out as a K-beauty guide for skincare junkies, and eventually they went on to create a brand that their followers wanted: one which products that are formulated without any harmful ingredients.

By Wishtrend is well-known for using powerful and effective formulas to develop effective solutions for all kinds of skin concerns, and their specialty is in products high in Vitamin C with long-lasting moisturising properties to leave your face with a glowing and flawless complexion.

DV Tip: Mandelic Acid is great for de-clogging your pores, which is why this hydrating exfoliant has won the hearts of so many fans. Even people with sensitive skin can use this two to three times a week to improve skin tone and texture while prepping the skin to absorb other products!

By Wishtrend products are available at Guardian.

2. dear, Klairs

New K Beauty Brands Dear Klairs

dear, Klairs was developed as a high-quality skincare brand for sensitive skin, so their products contain no colorants, alcohol, parabens, or artificial fragrances. They have been touted as highly effective in not only improving the skin’s elasticity, but also soothing irritated skin for ultimately healthier and stronger skin.

In addition, the brand is fully committed to being vegan and cruelty-free, so they have never tested on animals since its foundation in 2010.

DV Tip: There’s no better way to fight the annual haze than with the Midnight Blue Calming Cream, a gentle spot treatment cream that provides comfort to rapidly calm & soothe sensitivity. Its star ingredients include Guaiazulene, a natural component extracted from chamomile oil, which carries powerful skin calming abilities, and Centella Asiatica (or cica), which hydrates and relieves redness.

dear, Klairs products are available at Guardian.

3. Wiggle Wiggle

New K Beauty Brands Wiggle Wiggle

We could all do with a cleansing device each to make sure that our faces are totally rid of the grime and dirt from everyday life, but the price tag on some famous brands may throw you off. Luckily, a Korean brand has innovated one that will save both your face and your wallet.

Made with skin-friendly silicone, Wiggle Wiggle is a gentle yet effective cleansing device vibrates at about 6000-9000 pulses per minute to remove 99.5% of impurities on the skin, as well as massage the face for better circulation.

Wiggle Wiggle products are available at Guardian.

4. Suntique

New K Beauty Brands Suntique

The Koreans are big on sun care (and you should be as well!), so we are hardly surprised that they have developed a brand that keeps your skin safe from the sun. From sunscreen for hair to all-natural sunburn treatments and extra-powerful sport sunscreen, Suntique has everything you need to stay protected from the sun on any daytime adventure.

Suntique Pure Cica Sunscreen

DV Tip: Take care of your skin and let it heal at the same with Suntique’s Pure Cica Sunscreen. This is a pure sun care solution for sensitive, delicate skin, thanks to its infusion of Centella Asiatica (which heals and protects inflamed skin) and Madecassoside (has anti-redness & anti-scaling effect). It also naturally brightens your face so that you can sport a healthy glow all day long!

Suntique products are available at Guardian.

5. Whal Myung

New K Beauty Brands Whal Myung

The 122-year-old brand has recently been launched in Singapore, the first Asian city after South Korea. Whal Myung originated from Whal Myung Su, which was used to tend to the stomach problems in Korea since 1897. The medicine’s healing 11-herb formula was later adapted and combined with Western medical technology to create a line of efficacious skincare products that are a well-kept secret among the locals!

DV Tip: Whal Myung’s Skin Elixir is the star product for a good reason: the multi-purpose product triples up as an anti-ageing serum, toner, and oil, so you can simplify your skincare routine and do away with the tedious 10-step routine. The watery-yet-milky consistency is said to feel refreshing and moisturising at the same time thanks to its formulation of five skin-healing herbs, and users have reported glowing skin with repeated usage – sweet!

Whal Myung products are available at Guardian.

6. rom&nd

Indie K Beauty Brands Romnd

Created in collaboration with celebrity makeup artist and YouTube star Saerom Min, rom&nd has exploded onto the K-beauty scene with its beautifully curated makeup products, all of which come in lust-worthy shades and irresistible packaging.

Romnd Zero Layer Lipstick

DV Tip: Zero Layer Lipstick is the latest addition to the brand’s lipstick offerings, and Singapore is the first country outside of Korea to be officially retailing these matte lippies! With a range of brick red shades that are perfect for the fall season and a creamy texture that actually looks glossy, this is sure to be your new makeup staple.

rom&nd products are available at Guardian.

7. Yungo

New K Beauty Brands Yungo

All of Yungo’s haircare products are formulated with concentrated Korean herbal medicines that are extracted through the ancient method of steaming.

The mix of beneficial herbs and traditional knowledge have been said to be the key to their products’ efficacies – they use premium herbal ingredients such as bird’s nest and Korean ginseng to target different hair concerns from hair fall to dandruff. These ingredients are not only good for your scalp but also penetrate deep in your hair follicles to deliver nutrients and boost moisture for those perfect tresses that the Koreans always sport.

Yungo Ampule Drop Essence

DV Tip: Ampule Drop Essence is a lightweight hair essence that will do wonders for even the most untamed hair. It is formulated with herbal ingredients such as peony and wild Tong Ye to nourish hair, leaving you with soft, supple and repaired locks every time you apply this on your mane. It also prevents tangles and increases hair manageability – perfect for us who struggle to keep our hair frizz-free in Singapore’s hot and humid weather!

Yungo products are available at Guardian.

8. Frudia

New K Beauty Brands Frudia

Frudia is a high-tech Korean skincare brand that is well-known even among Western consumers for being the go-to for fruity skincare concoctions. The brand invented and patented a brand-new fruit extraction process that allows it to gather nutrients from entire fruits — not just juices and essences!

While the brand has other products such as toners and serums in their repertoire, we will only be able to purchase their hand creams in Singapore. These are not just any hand creams though – they contain actual extracts of the seeds and fruits, so you can indulge in the true fragrances and enjoy the real natural benefits!

DV Tip: Even if you are not a big fan of fruity fragrances, you can still experience the luxurious hand cream when you opt for the Shea Butter flavour. It gently protects and softens dried and sensitive hands, which will be particularly useful when you are traveling to colder climates.

Frudia products are available at Guardian.

9. Cremorlab

Underrated Korean Brands Cremorlab

What makes Cremorlab products so special is the fact that they are formulated with Geumjin thermal water (which they call T.E.N. water) as a key ingredient.

Derived from water sources 1,100 meters underground in the Geumjin province, the ingredient is said to contain up to 300 times the mineral concentration of thermal waters elsewhere. Minerals include calcium, magnesium, selenium, and potassium, to help prevent inflammation and breakouts by maintaining the pH balance of skin cells.

Underrated Korean Brands Cremorlab Mineral Treatment Essence

Source: Susan Wu

DV Tip: The Mineral Treatment Essence is Cremorlab’s best-seller – it is well-known for helping with hydrating, brightening, and smoothing skin. The best part? It’s also paraben-free, artificial colour-free, fragrance-free, and denatured alcohol-free, making this suitable for all skin types!

Cremorlab products are available at Net-A-Porter.

10. Femmue

New K Beauty Brands Femmue

FEMMUE is a luxury skincare brand founded by Korean beauty retailer Peach & Lily. It is inspired by the energy of flowers and has developed its ingredients into what it calls “flower therapy” for the skin – not only does the brand harness flowers’ antioxidant and healing properties, but also their colours, scent, and texture.

Some flowers that they commonly use include roses, camellia, jasmine, and lavender. These are carefully extracted in their most potent forms to create a totally indulgent experience, beautiful packaging, gorgeous colours, lovely textures, and most importantly, visible results.

Femmue Extraordniary Cleansing Balm

DV Tip: If there is just one item you have to pick, it will definitely be the Extraordinary Beauty Cleansing Balm. This cleansing balm is a luxurious cleanser that transforms from jelly to oil to milk to melt away every trace of dirt and makeup. Its non-greasy and lightweight formula, coupled with the refreshing scent of ylang-ylang, citrus, and bergamot will make this an instant favourite.

FEMMUE products are available at Net-A-Porter.

11. Neogen

Neogen may already be familiar with many, thanks to its innovative skincare solutions based on the latest dermaceutical research. Each clinical skincare product is powered by the brand’s patented technologies and formulated natural ingredients, most notably Green Tea and Calendula.

DV Tip: Deemed “one of the coolest creations to come out of Korea,” the award-winning Real Fresh Green Tea Cleansing Stick is a travel-friendly, all-in-one cleanser that you have to try. Formulated with 13 natural oils to breakdown makeup, natural green tea leaves to exfoliate and a low pH to gently cleanse your skin, this cleanser will lead the way to brighter, clearer skin.

Neogen products are available at Net-A-Porter.

12. Not Just A*

New K Beauty Brands Not Just A

Not Just A* is made from 100% Konjac vegetable unique to South Korea’s Jeju Island and is 100% natural, eco-friendly, and completely chemical-free. This volcanic compound is used to gently exfoliate the skin so that you are left with a natural and clean glow.

Not Just A Volcanic Power Puff

DV Tip: The Volcanic Power Puff is infused with volcanic scoria, which is very useful for calming skin conditions like eczema, psoriasis, etc. due to its redness reduction properties. We highly encourage you to give this a shot especially if you have skin problems or just sensitive skin!

Not Just A* products are available at Net-A-Porter.

13. The Oozoo

New K Beauty Brands The Ooozoo

Chances are, you may have seen a mask that comes in a syringe making its way around the Internet, and it is the best-selling product from skincare brand The Oozoo! The ‘In-Shot’ sheet mask is packaged with an ampoule-loaded syringe to keep the skin-enhancing ingredients fresh and potent, and makes for a fun way to do your skincare.

DV Tip: Not sure which variation of the In-shot mask to get? The Face In-Shot Mask Hydrolift will be the perfect pampering you need if your skin needs a (literal) shot of hydration, thanks to it being chock-full of skin-loving ingredients such as beta-glucan, ceramide, and Ectoin-rich essence.

The Oozoo products are available at Net-A-Porter.

14. VENN

New K Beauty Brands Venn

VENN believes that less is more when it comes to skincare. Backed by over 20 years of skincare research and innovation, the brand uses only clean, high-performance ingredients to develop products that aim to streamline skincare routines instead of adding more steps than necessary.

All products from VENN are also clinically-tested to be safe for even the most sensitive of skin types, so you will find that every product is formulated without irritants and allergens such as fragrance, parabens, silicone, phthalates, mineral oil, and sulfates.

Venn Age Reversing All In One Concentrate

DV Tip: You can’t say that you have tried VENN if you haven’t given their Age-Reversing All-In-One Concentrate a go. This concentrate is scientifically formulated with VENN’s proprietary technology using naturally-derived antioxidants and high-performance peptides to deeply hydrate and effectively improve the skin’s complexion – all in just one step!

VENN products are available at Net-A-Porter.


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