As a Korean in her late twenties, I’m here to glow up with you with these 10 hyaluronic acid Korean skincare products!
My skin’s gotten less oily as I’ve gotten older. I’m not mad about it, but I also now see the importance of keeping my skin hydrated!
Adding hyaluronic acid products to your Korean skincare routine is one of the easiest ways to even out your skin tone & be kind to the largest organ in your body.
With that, let’s dive into the best hyaluronic acid Korean skincare!
What are the benefits of hyaluronic acid for your skin?
One of the fastest ways to achieve a more youthful appearance and address various skin concerns is through the deep hydration of dehydrated skin.
Applying hyaluronic acid can do just that for your skin hydration because it absorbs and retains a ton of water molecules. 1g of HA can actually absorb 1.6 gallons (6L) of water!
More specifically, hyaluronic acid serum has proven to have a plumping effect and improve smoothness, skin hydration, fine lines and wrinkles.
Why is hyaluronic acid important for skin health?
As the human body ages, skin health declines. One of the reasons for this is due to moisture loss, which can be attributed to lower levels of hyaluronic acid in the skin.
HA is a naturally occurring substance found in the extracellular matrix (ECM) which form the connective tissues between the skin’s surface (epidermis) and the inner layer of our skin (dermis). This ECM is what makes the layers of the skin strong and creates skin elasticity.
The issue is, sun damage caused by free radicals can actually damage the ECM and degrade HA. This leads to moisture loss due to these environmental stressors.
Since environmental damage is leading to the decrease in the ozone layer, resulting in more damaging UV rays from reaching our skin, there’s more reason for us to be interested in having a healthy skin barrier.
Key Ingredients to Look Out For
Here are key ingredients that have been clinically proven to help your skin.
Types of Hyaluronic Acid
When looking at the active ingredients of skin care products that incorporate hyaluronic acid, you’ll see some that say they include multiple weights of HA.
HA with a low molecular weight can penetrate deeper into the skin and has proven to be more hydrating than HA with a higher weight.
Specifically, HA 100 kDa and smaller penetrated into the skin at higher rates.
Larger HA penetrated through the outer layer (dermis) of the skin, but was less so deeper into the skin (epidermis).
| Molecular Weight | |
| Hyaluronic acid | 70 kDa – 600 kDa |
| Hydrolyzed sodium hyaluronate | 10 kDa |
| Sodium hyaluronate | Under 10 kDa (low molecular weight) – 1.8 mDa (high molecular weight) |
| Potassium hyaluronate | 5-1,800 kDa |
| Hydroxypropyltrimonium hyaluronate | 20-60 kDa |
| Sodium hyaluronate crosspolymer | 1,000 kDa |
| Sodium acetylated hyaluronate | 1-50 kDa |
Best Hyaluronic Acid Korean Skincare
Let’s go over the best hyaluronic acid Korean skincare in order of application.
⬇️ Jump to Hyaluronic Acid Serums
A. Korean Hyaluronic Acid Cleanser
1. ANUA Moisturizing Gentle Cleanser with Hyaluronic Acid & Squalane ($13.00)
Pros: This gentle cleanser has eight different weights of HA, including sodium acetylated hyaluronate, which is a smaller derivative of HA (and can penetrate into the skin more easily). It also contains moisturizing squalane and ceramides.
Cons: If you wear heavy makeup or have oily skin, you’ll want to use a stronger cleanser before using this one as the rinsing step.
Amazon Rating: 4.5 / 5.0 stars (91 reviews)
About the K-Beauty Brand: Anua’s products are frequently top-ranked by Olive Young, the Sephora of South Korea. (Olive Young awards are comparable to Allure’s awards, but in Korea.)
B. Korean Hyaluronic Acid Toner
2. Haruharu Wonder Black Rice Hyaluronic Toner for Sensitive Skin ($19.23)
Pros: This is the essential oil and fragrance-free version of vegan skincare brand Haruharu’s popular hyaluronic toner (it smells lightly of rice!). The formula is EWG Green as well. This toner’s a great fit for sensitive skin. The toner leaves your skin feeling moisturized and baby soft pretty quickly. It goes well under makeup, too.
Cons: Since this is a slightly weightier moisturizing toner, it’s going to be a better fit if you have dry skin.
Amazon Rating: 4.7 / 5.0 stars (574 reviews)
About the K-Beauty Brand: haruharu is a Korean vegan skincare brand founded by Jae won Jeong.
C. Korean Hyaluronic Acid Facial Masks
3. Dr. Jart Cryo Rubber Face Mask with Moisturizing Hyaluronic Acid ($16.00)
Pros: Hot and bothered? This mask cools your skin temp down by 11F (and reduces redness along the way). Post-mask, your skin is moisturized and brighter. Slather on the serum then apply this rubbery mask, which is two pieces and doesn’t slide down as much as typical sheet masks.
Cons: Be careful not to rip the rubbery mask. Some people have experienced redness and breakouts the day after wearing the mask. This mask is also on the pricier side, at $16.00.
Amazon Rating: 4.4 / 5.0 stars (398 reviews)
About the K-Beauty Brand: Dr. Jart is one of the OG Korean skincare brands focused on functionality (over just beautification). They’re well known for their sensitive skin solutions, like their best-selling Cicapair Tiger Grass CC Cream.
D. Hyaluronic Acid Korean Serum
4. Best Overall: Torriden DIVE IN Hyaluronic Acid Serum ($22.52)
Pros: If you’re looking for deep hydration, look no further. Torriden covers the bases well with 5 different weights of HA, including smaller derivatives that penetrate deeper into the skin. This serum can be easily layered on with other skincare products or makeup because it’s lightweight and not very tacky. It’s won 3 Olive Young awards (the Korean Sephora) and an Allure award in 2019.
Cons: While this serum doesn’t use artificial fragrances or other commonly avoided ingredients, some people have experienced rashes and small bumps. In addition, some people with drier or mature skin aren’t as satisfied with its moisturizing properties.
Amazon Rating: 4.5 / 5.0 stars (2,170 reviews)
About the K-Beauty Brand: Torriden is well-known for their popular hydrating and soothing skincare products.
5. Best for Combination & Oily Skin: SKIN&LAB Barrierderm Ringer Ampoule ($22.99)
Pros: Does your skin feel so hydrated after your night routine, only to feel dry the morning after? Not with this serum.
Notable is the use of sodium hyaluronate (a smaller HA derivative), as well as hydroxypropyltrimonium hyaluronate, an HA derivative that doesn’t rub off as easily since it’s positively charged (skin’s negatively charged!).
Panthenol, tocopherol (vitamin E) and sugars add to the hydration. Then chlorella vulgaris extract and lactobacillus ferment lysate soothe the skin.
This serum layers well without being tacky and is great for combination and oily skin.
Cons: If you have drier skin, you’ll enjoy the moisturizing effects of this serum best with two layers.
Olive Young Rating: 4.96 / 5 stars (6,706 reviews)
6. Best for Acne-Prone Skin: ISNTREE Onion Newpair B5 Ampoule ($18.58)
Pros: If you want to brighten your skin or address acne scars, this ampoule has got your back. It’s made from 85% onion extract (don’t worry, there’s no smell!), which reduces the appearance of acne scars and reduces inflammation. We love that it contains 3 weights of HA and a high concentration of hydrating panthenol (5%). In addition, niacinamide, tranexamic acid and ferulic acid work together to brighten the skin.
Cons: Since 5% is pretty much the maximum panthenol concentration you’ll find, spot test if you have sensitive skin!
Amazon Rating: 4.4 / 5.0 stars (23 ratings)
About the K-Beauty Brand: ISNTREE is an ingredients-focused skincare brand, with 2,000 ingredients they vow not to include, on top of 100 others on their proprietary list.
7. Best for Brightening: COSRX 23% Vitamin C Hyaluronic Acid Serum ($19.99)
Pros: If you’re a Korean beauty lover, chances are, you’re also concerned about protecting against the damaging effects of the sun.
This Korean serum has a high percentage of pure vitamin C, or ascorbic acid, so you can be rest assured you’re getting some of the most effective solutions out there at a reasonable price of $18.39.
In addition, since it contains hyaluronic acid, it keeps the skin moisturized. This is important since vitamin C can be irritating to the skin.
Cons: Since this serum uses pure ascorbic acid, it’s effective in brightening your skin but it’s stinky af. (This is the source of most of the bad reviews!)
By the way, if you have sensitive skin – try COSRX’s 13% serum first.
You really should store the bottle in the fridge to prevent the vitamin C from oxidizing. If this sounds annoying to you, there’s more stable options out there, too.
This serum has a tackier texture, which is not uncommon in vitamin C serums. You’ll need to wait slightly longer for it to dry before applying other skincare products.
Amazon Rating: 4.1 / 5.0 stars (5,422 reviews)
About the K-Beauty Brand: COSRX is like The Ordinary but Korean. Their packaging is minimal and they’re focused on delivering ingredients known to improve the skin at reasonable prices.
E. Korean Hyaluronic Acid Facial Moisturizer
8. ROUND LAB 1025 Dokdo Face Moisturizer ($18.99)
Pros: Don’t sleep on this lightweight (and cost-effective!) cream – it’s super moisturizing! ROUND LAB uses hydrolyzed HA, which is smaller and penetrates deeper into the skin (as well as 2 other types of HA). Other active ingredients include hydrating macadamia integrifolia seed oil and anti-oxidative Irish moss.
Cons: If you’re looking for a thicker, creamy face butter, this won’t be it. This lotion is more suitable for oily skin and combination skin, or as a lighter summer moisturizer.
Amazon Rating: 4.6 / 5.0 stars (212 reviews)
About the K-Beauty Brand: ROUND LAB prides itself on using Korean ingredients. This line of products uses mineral water near Dokdo, which is an island whose ownership is claimed by both Korea and Japan. Another option containing HA is their TikTok viral Birch Juice Moisturizing Cream.
9. Torriden DIVE IN Hyaluronic Acid Soothing Cream ($26.28)
Pros: This gel moisturizer has been part of my skincare routine for over a year. With 5 different weights of HA and panthenol, it packs a punch.
I’ve found that half a pinky-amount works great as my first layer of moisturization, and then I top on a thicker cream moisturizer. My skin feels a lot more bouncy and elastic when I use this moisturizer.
Cons: I use this gel as my single moisturizer during the humid NYC summers. But during the winters (and if you have drier skin), you’ll probably want to layer on a thicker cream after this layer. Nonetheless, I think it’s still a great essential moisturizer.
Amazon Rating: 4.6 / 5 stars (882 ratings)
G. Korean Hyaluronic Acid Sun Protection
10. Isntree Hyaluronic Acid Watery Sun Gel ($19.99)
Pros: This sun protection HA gel is moisturizing but light enough to layer easily under makeup. It leaves no white cast and doesn’t sting your eyes. There’s no noticeable scent and has a nice dewy finish.
Cons: As is typical for gel sunscreens, there is a slightly greasy finish if that bothers you!
Amazon Rating: 4.6 / 5 stars (575 ratings)
Best Hyaluronic Acid Korean Skincare (Conclusion)
In this guide, we went over the best hyaluronic acid Korean skincare.
As a Korean who grew up in Seoul, South Korea, I’m so proud to share these incredible K-beauty products.
I’ve included Korean skincare products that include powerhouse ingredients so that you can quench your skin’s thirst and achieve long-lasting hydration.
These include the best Korean hyaluronic acid serums by Korean skin care companies.
- ANUA Moisturizing Gentle Cleanser with Hyaluronic Acid & Squalane ($13.00)
- Haruharu Wonder Black Rice Hyaluronic Toner for Sensitive Skin ($19.23)
- Dr. Jart Cryo Rubber Face Mask with Moisturizing Hyaluronic Acid ($16.00)
- Best Serum Overall: Torriden DIVE IN Hyaluronic Acid Serum ($22.52)
- Best Serum for Combination & Oily Skin: SKIN&LAB Barrierderm Ringer Ampoule ($22.99)
- Best Serum for Acne-Prone Skin: ISNTREE Onion Newpair B5 Ampoule ($18.58)
- Best Serum for Brightening: COSRX 23% Vitamin C Hyaluronic Acid Serum ($19.99)
- ROUND LAB 1025 Dokdo Face Moisturizer ($18.99)
- Torriden DIVE IN Hyaluronic Acid Soothing Cream ($26.28)
- Isntree Hyaluronic Acid Watery Sun Gel ($19.99)
Thanks for checking out my article about the best hyaluronic acid Korean skincare!
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