The 12 Best Korean Moisturizers of 2021 [Review & Buying Guide]

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We all know that finding the best moisturizer for your skin can be a pain. There are so many different types of moisturizers on the market, and it’s hard to find one that suits your needs. 

Some people need something light for their oily skin, while others need something heavy-duty with SPF protection. It’s also important to remember that not everyone has the same skin type!

Korean Moisturizers are perfect because they’re really effective and also similar to lotion. These products have been developed over centuries in Korea and China by using natural ingredients like rice water, green tea extract, and ginseng root extract. This means no harsh chemicals or synthetics!

Check out our list of the 12 best Korean moisturizers to find a product that suits your skin type and needs! Our comprehensive list includes reviews of each product, so you can make an intelligent decision.

Complete List of Best Korean Moisturizers

1. CeraVe Moisturizing Cream

CeraVe Moisturizing Cream is a moisturizer for dry skin which helps improve the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles while it softens and soothes your skin. This non-greasy, fast-absorbing moisturizing cream leaves skin feeling smooth with no sticky or greasy feel.

CeraVe moisturizing cream is a great choice for all types of dry skin because it helps restore and maintain your natural protective layer. This formula contains three essential ceramides, hyaluronic acid, and colloidal oatmeal to help restore the protective function of the skin barrier and lock in moisture.

CeraVe Moisturizing Cream can be used on both face and body, and it is fragrance-free, non-greasy, lightweight, and noncomedogenic. It contains ceramides, hyaluronic acid, and MVE technology to provide 24-hour hydration. It’s a rich, velvety texture that leaves skin feeling smooth, it is absorbed quickly for softened skin without the greasy, sticky feel.

A deficiency of ceramides in the skin can often be associated with dry skin, which can feel itchy and look flaky. CeraVe Moisturizing Cream was shown to increase the skin’s level of ceramides after 4 weeks.

CeraVe Moisturizing Cream is a skin moisturizer for dry skin relief. This face and body lotion hydrates your skin all day. CeraVe Face & Body Lotion contains ceramides, which are essential lipid components of the stratum corneum (the outermost layer of the epidermis) that help retain moisture in the skin.

If you have dry, rough, scaly, or itchy skin, CeraVe Moisturizing Cream can help relieve your symptoms. The result is healthy-looking skin with improved texture and tone.

2. Korean Skin Care Snail Repair Cream - Korean Moisturizer Night Cream

The Korean snail cream is an anti-aging, anti-wrinkle, brightening moisturizer. It helps to improve the overall appearance of your skin by evening out your complexion and helping to reduce wrinkles and fine lines.

The Korean snail cream can be used on all skin types including sensitive skin. It’s a great option for those suffering from eczema or psoriasis because it helps to soothe irritated dry skin.[1]

It also evens out your complexion and reduces wrinkles while providing 24-hour hydration with its fast-absorbing formula. It helps to improve your skin’s elasticity, making it more supple and healthy-looking.

The cream contains 97.5% snail mucin extract and helps to repair skin damage from environmental factors like sun exposure, pollution, wrinkles, fine lines, and acne scars. It also has 72% Organic Ingredients, shea butter, organic aloe, jojoba oil, vitamin E for extremely effective results. (Other brands use snail mucin extract that is only 10% naturally derived)

This cream is packed with super nutrients that are guaranteed to provide you with a brighter, more youthful complexion. It’s non-comedogenic, so no need to worry about clogged pores. 

The product has been featured in Vogue magazine as one of the top 10 beauty products for women in Korea. The cream contains snail secretion filtrate, which has been proven to promote healing in damaged skin cells and increase their regeneration rate.

As a result, this product can help to reduce acne scars, stretch marks, and other skin imperfections caused by aging or sun exposure.

3. COSRX Advanced Snail 92 All in One Repair Cream

COSRX Advanced Snail 92 All in One Repair Cream is a multi-purpose cream that repairs and soothes irritated sensitized skin. This everyday multi-solution cream glides into the skin and revives skin radiance.

This high-performance snail mucin moisturizer contains 92% of snail mucin (also called Snail Secretion Filtrate), which is proven to help repair damaged skin by strengthening the skin barrier while replenishing moisture.

The formula also contains hyaluronic acid, betaine,  allantoin, and panthenol which helps to soothe irritated skin. It instantly revitalizes the skin and helps to repair damaged skin tissue while providing deep hydration. 

The formula also contains ceramides, hyaluronic acid, and sodium hyaluronate for intense hydration and nourishment. This cream is formulated with natural ingredients that are safe and effective for all skin types including sensitive skin.

It is best suited for those with dry/sensitive skin types who experience redness from sensitive skin or rosacea, eczema, psoriasis, sunburns, etc. because it can help repair damaged cells while providing relief from inflammation and irritation.

This cream also contains natural anti-aging ingredients like adenosine (an anti-wrinkle ingredient) as well as snail mucin filtrate that shows significant improvement on wrinkles after just 28 days of use.

This product is a bestseller on Amazon Korea’s beauty page thanks to its outstanding formula that even includes ferments.

4. ETUDE HOUSE Moistfull Collagen Cream

ETUDE HOUSE Moistfull Collagen Cream is a moisturizing cream that helps to keep your skin hydrated and fresh. This makes it easier for the skin to absorb moisture and nutrients from the cream, making it ideal for daily use.

This Cream is made with SUPER COLLAGEN WATER, which is a powerful moisturizer that can be absorbed easily into the skin. With the small particles of SUPER COLLAGEN WATER, your skin is fully hydrated and feels bouncy after applying this cream.

The cream contains hydrolyzed collagen, which has smaller molecules than regular collagen.  It also contains apricot extract, which is rich in Vitamin A and antioxidants. It also contains ceramide 3, which helps to restore damaged skin cells while keeping moisture locked into the stratum corneum layer of the epidermis.

It also makes your skin full of firming moisture and feeling bouncy. The texture of this cream is soft and adhering so it leaves a non-sticky finish on your face after application. 

This product contains collagen, which is a main component of the human body. It also has ingredients such as apricot oil and shea butter that are moisturizing and nourishing for the skin.

I recommend this product as it is best suited for those with dry/sensitive skin types who experience redness from sensitive skin or rosacea, eczema, psoriasis, sunburns. 

5. COSRX Oil-Free Ultra-Moisturizing Lotion with Birch Sap

COSRX Oil-Free Ultra-Moisturizing Lotion with Birch Sap is a daily moisturizer that can be used by anyone with oily and combination skin. This lightweight lotion penetrates deeply to calm irritated skin while recharging it with antioxidants and vitamins.

It instantly penetrates the skin, leaving it fresh and soft. The formula also contains panthenol, allantoin, and bisabolol to help soothe and hydrate the skin. This lightweight formula contains no colorants or artificial fragrances for a gentle finish.

This oil-free lotion contains 70% birch sap to help keep your skin hydrated and healthy. This daily moisturizer can be used as a standalone product or in combination with COSRX BHA Blackhead Power Liquid for oily skin types.

The main ingredients such as betaine and sodium hyaluronate attract moisture to your skin by forming a film over the surface to seal in hydration. The formula has been dermatologist tested and does not contain artificial fragrance or colorants.

The lotion provides the right amount of moisture to keep your skin hydrated without feeling greasy. It contains birch sap, which is known for its anti-inflammatory properties to calm irritated skin.

This product is worth enough as It is beneficial with a non-greasy consistency, this daily moisturizer is perfect for use in the morning or at night.

6. MIZON Premium Snail Repair Cream

Mizon’s Premium Snail Repair Cream is a skincare product designed to give your face the hydration it needs. The Ultimate Anti-Aging Cream with the Power of Snail Mucus. The secret to youthful-looking skin is simple: hydration and repair.

This cream penetrates deep into your skin, delivering a powerful combination of 90% Black Snail Secretion Filtrate and 27 natural extracts that work synergistically to help repair damaged skin caused by free radicals, sun exposure, environmental stressors, and more.

This highly concentrated formula boosts elasticity for firmer, plumper skin while reducing the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles. This moisturizer has no artificial colors or fragrances so it won’t irritate sensitive skin.

This formula uses 90% snail secretion filtrate, which has been proven to be effective in repairing damaged cells and reducing wrinkle formation as well as providing intense hydration for a plumper appearance.

It also contains niacinamide, which helps reduce redness and inflammation. This product will leave your face feeling refreshed and renewed after every use.

The best choice is MIZON Premium Snail Repair Cream due to its powerful ingredients that can help repair and rejuvenate your skin, restoring the elasticity of your face with continued use.

To get the most out of this product, apply it twice daily after cleansing for best results.

7. Rich Moist Soothing Cream, 60ml, Soothing And Hydrating

Rich Moist Soothing Cream is a moisturizing cream made for sensitive skin. It effectively restores the hydration balance to help stabilize the skin. For dry skin, it restores moisture and makes it supple.

It also has a cooling effect to lower your skin temperature and reduce redness and pores for comfortable use. Rich Moist Soothing Cream is made for battling sensitive skin through all seasons.

This Cream is made with intensive moisture care ingredients such as shea butter, ceramide 3, and lipidure. These ingredients help replenish the moisture in your skin while also protecting it from dryness.

It can soothe rough, upset skin from harsh winds and calm irritated reddened skin. It can comfort hypersensitive skin while providing long-lasting hydration to your face.

This cream contains a high concentration of moisturizing ingredients that is effective in replenishing your skin’s natural moisture barrier to protect it against dryness caused by wind or cold weather. 

This rich and creamy formula contains ceramides, hyaluronic acid, and collagen to hydrate the skin while also protecting it from external irritants. Rich Moist Soothing Cream can be used on any part of your body where you need extra hydration.

The best choice is Rich Moist Soothing Cream due to its effectiveness in moisturizing your skin and soothes sensitive irritated skin. Apply this cream twice a day for the best results.

8. Belief The True Cream Moisturizing Bomb

THE TRUE CREAM is a moisturizing cream that provides skin with intense hydration, leaving it supple, smooth, and deeply nourished. This luxurious cream contains the highest quality ingredients to give your skin the ultimate care.

It is a lightweight yet powerful formula enriched with hydrating ingredients such as ceramides and sodium hyaluronate to help restore the skin’s protective barrier function while preventing moisture loss for a healthy-looking complexion.

The addition of botanical extracts of aloe vera and licorice root leave skin feeling soft, supple, and deeply nourished.

It contains cylindrica root ferment extract, which attracts moisture from the air and keeps your skin hydrated all day. It also contains Cetearyl alcohol, which helps protect the skin against harmful environmental factors. This cream is suitable for people with dry and dehydrated skin.[2]

The True Cream contains no artificial coloring or fragrances and has been formulated without harmful chemicals such as parabens and mineral oil. It is also vegan-friendly.

It is Clinically tested to provide up to 26 hours of moisture, this uniquely indulgent formula leaves skin soft, supple, and deeply moisturized. This formula contains a blend of apothecary herbs, including comfrey leaf, a powerful hydrating agent

The True Cream Moisturizing Bomb relieves dryness caused by harsh weather conditions or air conditioning while providing protection from UV rays. It is suitable for all skin types.

9. Mamonde Floral Daily Face Moisturizer

Mamonde Floral Daily Face Moisturizer is a rich cream that hydrates and soothes dry skin. Mamonde Floral Daily Face Moisturizer, a daily moisturizer for dry skin, helps to balance and protect the skin’s barrier with the power of hibiscus flower extract and ceramides.

It is suitable for all skin types, this moisturizing cream helps balance moisture levels with a light, non-greasy texture. The formula is enriched with hydrating and antioxidant ingredients that help keep skin looking healthy, smooth, and dewy.

Mamonde Floral Daily Face Moisturizer is best suited for people with dry skin looking to balance their moisture levels while also adding antioxidants to protect against free radicals that can cause premature aging.

It contains fermented extracts and botanical ingredients. It helps to give a firm, revitalized look to the skin while protecting it from external factors such as pollution, stress, or ultraviolet rays from the sun.

It also contains hibiscus flower extract, ceramide, and botanical oil to help replenish the skin’s natural protective barrier for healthier-looking skin. It’s best used in the morning as it contains SPF30 PA+++, an important step in protecting your skin from UV rays during daylight hours.

This light cream helps hydrate and soothe dry skin without feeling heavy or greasy on the face. It absorbs quickly into your skin and leaves no greasy after-feel behind as other traditional moisturizers do.

Apply this moisturizing cream twice daily for best results. The cream also makes your face feel firmer making you look younger than ever.

10. Nature Republic Super Aqua Max Combination Watery Cream

Nature Republic Super Aqua Max Combination Watery Cream is a cream that is suitable for combination skin types. This cream contains 80ml of water and aqua, which makes your skin moist for 24 hours.

It also has a formula that is absorbed into the skin quickly without leaving any oily residue on the face. It has a lightweight texture, which is absorbed into the skin quickly.

It keeps your skin moisturized and healthy. This cream contains a high concentration of hyaluronic acid, which helps retain moisture in the skin for longer periods of time.

It contains a special blend of botanical extracts, which helps keep skin healthy. It has a calming effect that reduces redness and irritation.

In addition to that, it also contains fermented enzymes, which help heal damaged skin cells to make them more radiant and fresh-looking. It also includes ingredients such as beta-glucan from the apple tree bark extract, which helps promote natural cell turnover for smoother, healthier-looking skin over time.

This Cream is best for people with combination and oily skin types as it contains a light formula that absorbs quickly into the skin without making you feel greasy or heavy. It also provides moisture to dry patches on your face while keeping oil production under control.

This cream is best used at night before going to sleep or during daytime hours when your face needs an extra helping of hydration. The formula penetrates deeply into your skin tissue and provides long-lasting moisture to keep you healthy all day long.

11. Cica Face Moisturizer for Women Anti-Aging

Cica Face Moisturizer for Women Anti-Aging is a face moisturizer that provides essential hydration and nourishment to the skin. It features Centella Asiatica, which helps to heal irritated skin by soothing and rebuilding the skin barrier.

Cica Face Moisturizer helps to reduce fine lines and wrinkles, improve skin elasticity and firmness, and smooth out your skin texture. Cica Face has a high concentration of peptides that are proven to be effective in the reduction of fine lines and wrinkles.

Cica also contains retinol, peptides, and niacinamide that work together to smooth skin texture. Centella Asiatica is a plant that has been used for centuries in traditional medicine practices. The herb is known as an effective skin healer and has the ability to promote collagen production.

This helps with healing damaged skin tissue, and also improves the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles. It also helps your face moisturizer firm up your skin, which can help reduce sagging. Cica Face Cream is a gentle, non-greasy moisturizing cream that provides intense hydration and protection for sensitive skin. 

This anti-aging moisturizer contains Retinol (Vitamin A), Collagen, Hyaluronic Acid, and other essential ingredients to help improve the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles while reducing redness, puffiness, and inflammation.[3]

Overall,  Cica Face moisturizer is best for people with sensitive skin as it contains a lightweight formula that absorbs quickly and doesn’t contain any fragrances. It also provides intense hydration to the skin without leaving behind any greasy residue or oil buildup on your face.

12. TONYMOLY The Chok Chok Green Tea Watery Cream

TONYMOLY The Chok Chok Green Tea Watery Cream is best if you’re looking for deep, effective moisture during nighttime hours when your body’s natural repair process occurs at its highest rate.

Tony Moly’s Chok Chok Green Tea Watery Cream is a gel-based cream that provides intense hydration without being sticky or too heavy on the skin. This antioxidant-rich cream contains green tea extracts and hyaluronic acid to help protect the skin from harmful environmental factors while helping maintain moisture balance for a supple and healthy-looking complexion.

The lightweight, non-sticky texture of this moisturizer allows it to absorb quickly into the skin without leaving behind any residue. It is formulated with natural ingredients that are gentle enough for even sensitive skin types.

This cream helps improve the firmness of the skin while reducing the appearance of fine lines, wrinkles, and uneven texture from dry patches caused by aging. This watery cream is highly recommended for those who have oily or combination skin as it will not leave your face feeling greasy after application.

The product comes in a green tub container with a screw-top lid. There are two colors of the packaging, one is beige and the other is pink.

How Does a Moisturizer Work?

Moisturizers work best when applied to damp skin. Apply a small amount of your moisturizer onto the palm of your hand and rub it in circular motions on cleansed and moistened skin until absorbed.

It also works best when applied right after bathing, as the skin’s pores will be open and able to absorb more.

Do not apply moisturizer when your skin is wet from sweating or water because you want it to dry before applying another layer of moisture.

Also, keep in mind the best time to apply moisturizer is 15 minutes before you plan on putting any makeup or sunscreen on.

How to Pick the Best Korean Moisturizer for Your Skin Type

It’s best to find a moisturizer that is tailored made for your specific skin type.

If you have dry, sensitive skin: it would be best to try Cica Face Moisturizer for Women Anti-Aging which comes in watery cream or gel formulas and provides intense hydration without being sticky or too heavy on the skin.

For people with combination and oily skin: Tony Moly’s Chok Chok Green Tea Watery Cream is highly recommended. It has a lightweight, non-sticky texture that allows it to absorb quickly into the skin without leaving behind any residue while helping maintain moisture balance for a supple and healthy-looking complexion.

1. Understand Your Skin

It’s best to take a moment and understand your skin by looking at the texture, pores, coloring, etc.

If you suffer from acne-prone skin: look for products with soothing ingredients such as aloe vera gel and lavender essential oils. Avoid anything too oily since these will only make the breakouts worse.

For people who experience rosacea flare-ups: be careful when applying any heavy creams because this can worsen symptoms which include redness on the face in areas of broken capillaries. Apply light emulsions instead (such as one containing Almond Oil).

2. Check Ingredients

It’s best to know what ingredients are in the products you buy so that they can be best suited for your skin type.

If you have dry, sensitive skin: avoid anything too oily or greasy since these will only make your condition worse and try Cica Face Moisturizer which comes in watery cream or gel formulas

For people with acne-prone skin: look for products with soothing ingredients such as aloe vera gel and lavender essential oils. Avoid any heavy creams because this will worsen rosacea flare-ups that include redness on the face from broken capillaries.

Conclusion

I hope this list has helped you in your search for the perfect moisturizer that suits your needs. Each of these products offer something different and are worth a try, so don’t be afraid to explore them all! 

If you have any questions or feedback about what we’ve reviewed today, leave us a comment below or contact us through our social media channels. We’ll get back with you as soon as possible! 

One more thing – if you’re looking for an awesome eye cream, Mizon Cosmetics Snail Repair Eye Cream is one of my favorites. It’s gentle on sensitive skin but still provides great hydration and anti-aging benefits (plus it smells amazing). Give it a shot if you haven’t already 🙂

Frequently Asked Questions

1. Why Choose a Korean Moisturizer?

The best Korean moisturizers are lightweight and contain ingredients such as vitamins that help keep skin healthy. Korean Moisturizer has also been proven to be more effective in reducing fine lines and wrinkles.

It is best for people with dry, sensitive, acne-prone, or rosacea-prone skin types because it contains soothing ingredients like Aloe Vera Gel which provides intense hydration without being sticky or too heavy on the skin while helping maintain moisture balance for a supple and healthy-looking complexion.

2. Why You Should Moisturize Your Skin?

Applying regular moisturizing cream can improve your skin’s elasticity, reduce its thickness, lessen wrinkles/fine lines around the eyes (crow’s feet), plump up thin skin, and reduce the appearance of age spots.

It also works best when applied right after bathing because your skin’s pores will be open and able to absorb more moisture than before you bathed.

3. How to Apply a Moisturizer?

Always apply it in gentle, circular motions until absorbed into the skin. Don’t forget that the best time for applying is 15 minutes before putting any makeup or sunscreen on.

You can use anything from lotion to cream as long as they are lightweight (such as one made with Almond Oil). Make sure not to put too much product on at once since this may lead to an oily complexion which will clog up your pores causing breakouts or rosacea flare-ups.

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