I have a massive obsession with Korean beauty products, if you've ever tried them, you understand why. They have texture down, always lightweight, soft, and layer-able allowing for the amazing 10+ steps. While Korean beauty products are becoming more and more mainstream, there are so many amazing brands not yet over here, and a lot of times the prices are jacked up. Here are a few of my favorite places to purchase K-Beauty and what you should grab there.
Bisou Beauty Bar I found through Instagram, it's an amazing online boutique that contains a curated assortment from multiple brands, and is always adding fun new products. I discovered the brand illi here, a branch of the Amore Pacific Group, focuses on body products and has some of the most amazing sheet masks. I'm on my second bottle of the Total Aging Care Body Oil, it makes my skin so soft and firm, I apply it while still in the shower as soon as I turn the water off, and don't feel the need to apply a body cream afterwards. I just got the LeeJiham White-P Zyme Enzyme Powder Cleanser is a great less expensive alternative to the Amore Pacific Enzyme Peel I love. The Lindsay Rubber Masks are a really fun and bizarre treatment worth giving a try (and they're on sale right now!). They also carry a few of the Innisfree ranges. Free shipping for purchases over $65, so stock up! Shipments come from Canada, not Korean, so you get your products a bit sooner.
RoseRoseShop was the first Korean shop I ordered from after I client told me I needed to get the Innisfree Fermented Soybean Eye Cream (which I still have, it's huge, I can never finish this stuff). Shipping can take a little while, but they have a huge assortment of the lesser expensive Korean brands, and everything is always on sale. If you're in need of the oh so popular Mizon Snail Cream, get it here, all Mizon products ship for free! They have Dr Jart 20-40% less than you can buy over here, all the Laneige products you can't find here, Nature Republic, Petitfee (love the eye gels), SkinFood (many products at a discount wholesale cost of you feel like stocking up), TonyMoly (I'm Real Sheet Masks $0.72 each vs US $7.50x2), The History of Whoo (I don't know this history yet, it's a bit expensive, but I want some) and so many more. Definitely the largest assortment of any of the K-Beauty sites.
Peach and Lily is like the Neiman Marcus of K-Beauty sites, selling only select curated brands and products. They have become so successful they have even opened a shop inside of Macy's Herald Square. I met the founder at CosmoProf last year and she was just the most lovely person (and gave me samples of the Dr Dream cream which is quite dreamy). P&L is definitely a trend setter in the K-Beauty world, carrying brands before anyone else, I've seen retailers start carrying her brands after they're seen how successful they are. Now can someone please by me this $200 topical Botox? Kthanks
Jolse is another site with similar brands to RoseRoseShop, but they also carry the prestige Sulwhasoo (Koreas #1 brand, also part of Amore Pacific Group) with a nice discount on their hefty price tag. Sometimes I'll jump between them and RoseRoseShop to see who has the best price on items before making my purchase.
TonyMoly Hawaii store front
If you're in Hawaii like I just was, be are to swing by one of two TonyMoly stores, I go to the one near Ala Moana mall. It's legit product heaven. First time I went I spent $150 on sheets masks and random products. They always have free gifts when you spend over a certain amount, I got an essence and my current favorite sunscreen the first time, and a body wash this time when I spent $40. Most the prices are cheaper than what you will find in US stores, so stock up while you're there!
So where do you start? I recommend you order a bunch of sheet masks, an essence, and an eye cream, if you don't fall in love, well just blame me. You really can't go wrong with how affordable most of these products are and how quality their ingredients are. Pretty soon you'll be getting monthly packages from Korea you don't remember ordering from nights of too much wine and online shopping, or that could just be me...