We Asked K-Beauty Experts for Their Favorite Korean Makeup Brands

Missha

Beloved for their iconic, probiotic skincare products, Missha creates some of the most solid-performing makeup straight out of Korea. Before being brought to market, every color product is paired with the biggest makeup trends and infused with cutting-edge skincare to deliver makeup that does so much more than the standard.

The brand, established in 2000, has earned a solid reputation for offering safe, clean ingredients that help improve skin health while remaining steadfastly committed to holistic beauty. The Perfect Eyebrow Styler is a favorite of Jia Kim's. "It easily fills in brows thanks to the angled tip," she says. "Plus, the soft color defines without any harsh lines, creating the look of naturally fuller eyebrows in just seconds."

TirTir

You've likely seen the viral TirTir Mask Fit Red Fit Cushion all over your FYP page. One of the fastest-growing K-beauty makeup brands, the now-famous cushion compact broke sales records and solidified the brand as a makeup must-have. "In makeup, TirTir is known best for its cushion compact, which has a variety of finishes," Lee says. "What I think is interesting about this brand is that they also make skin care. As with most companies that do both skin and color, there's a strong connection between the two and an emphasis on great-looking skin in their makeup."

Clio

One of the biggest Korean makeup hacks is to use a neutral shimmery shade under the eyes as a highlighter to make the eyes look bigger, Slater Ray says. And Clio's super shimmery eyeshadows, as well as all the brand's viral waterproof eyeliners and mascaras, have put the brand on the map as a makeup essential.

"The formulas are a great example of K-beauty's focus on smudge-free, long-wear practicality," says Jia Kim. Waterproof, smudge-proof makeup, especially eye makeup, is a must in Korea due to high humidity.

Lee adds that Clio has built a loyal following worldwide for its iconic mascara. "As an Asian person with short, straight lashes, I pretty much exclusively use Korean or Japanese mascaras since they are known to hold a curl and lengthen the best," she says.

Hera

Straight out of Seoul comes Hera, a luxury brand formulated for the modern woman. Offering innovative science-based skincare packed inside high-performance makeup, the sophisticated formulas are anything but basic. While Hera's well-known for its beautiful, high-shine lip balms, glosses, and lipsticks, Jia Kim points out the Eye Designer Pencil as a personal favorite. "I love that it glides on to the lash line like silk to create a clean, subtle wing that stays put all day long," she says.

Peripera

Peripera is the younger, trendier sister brand of Clio. Best known for lip tints that create a pretty, natural-looking blurred lip, Lee shares that she was first introduced to Peripera years ago through their Ink Airy Velvet Tints, which come in dropper-like bottles and feature a doe-foot applicator. One bottle of the popular lip tint is sold every 12 seconds globally, and the hero product was developed into a special shade (#17) specifically for U.S. customers.

"Korean lip products are just built differently," Lee says. "These are extremely airy, matte, almost mousse-like lip colors that give a cool, blurred edge effect. At the time I got them, all the cool Korean girls were using two shades to create an ombré lip, but they can be worn singularly, too."

3CE

Whereas some Korean makeup is about a subtle flush on the cheeks or a popsicle-stained lip, 3CE is the complete opposite. "When I think of 3CE, I think of glitter, highlight, and glow," says Slater Ray. A favorite among Gen Z and millennials globally, 3CE began as a fashion brand before expanding into makeup, with what Slater Ray calls a high-design aesthetic. "Their Eye Switch is a super thin glitter liquid eyeliner, and while it may be a niche product, for me it was love at first swipe," she says.

Rom&nd

Rom&nd is the number one lip brand in Korea for good reason. Lee calls them "the color experts." Even though Korean makeup colors are more muted than what's popular in the Western world, she says that Rom&nd really goes there with its shades. "In fact, they crowdsourced ideas for a new shade, and when people said they wanted a black lip color, they made it," Lee explains.

Jia Kim shares that the Juicy Lasting Tint, in particular, effortlessly captures the modern K-beauty aesthetic thanks to its unique gel texture and juicy shine, which enhances the lips rather than masking them.

Nature Republic

Nature Republic launched in 2009 during K-Beauty's "road shop era" in South Korea and quickly became one of the most recognizable beauty brands. With a core philosophy of bringing nature into beauty, the brand is renowned for its pigment-rich formulas and unmistakably original textures that also infuse skin-friendly ingredients. "Korean makeup is all about bringing life to the complexion, and not covering it, which is exactly what Nature Republic does, evident in their Flower Blusher with its soft, buildable pigment," Jia Kim says.

fwee

If bold color and playful makeup are your thing, then fwee is one Korean makeup brand you’ll want to add to your rotation. Beloved for its high-performance formulas and sensorial textures, Slatter Ray says the brand’s Blurry Pudding Pot is hands down one of her favorite lip products simply because it gives the exact effect to create the signature Korean lip look, which consists of a blurred gradient lip that still retains a bit of naturalness to it. Plus, the cult-favorite makeup line has won the hearts of Gen Z and beauty lovers worldwide thanks to unique packaging that blends makeup artistry with innovation for a one-two punch.

Kaja

According to Slater Ray, Kaja was among the first Korean makeup brands to enter the U.S. market successfully. The brand's name means "let's go," evident in the portability of its products. Lee has been using their easy-to-carry, fun-to-use Beauty Bentos for many years. "The brand is a true innovator when it comes to makeup, and their stackable Beauty Bento pans allow you to customize your own set," she says. "And I always loved their blush, which comes in an adorable heart-shaped stamper. How could you not love that?"

TonyMoly

TonyMoly makeup is fun, playful, and accessible for makeup lovers everywhere. Infusing top-notch ingredients into effective formulas that deliver, these cruelty-free products were part of the first wave of K-beauty products launched at Ulta Beauty nearly 10 years ago, Slater Ray says. "At that time, K-beauty was appealing because of its fun, cute packaging, and Tony Moly was best known for its animal masks," she says. "Today, they still have the cute, fun factor, and the brand has done some incredible collaborations."

Unleashia

Unleashia is the new Korean makeup it girl. According to Lee, the brand first became known for its glitter, which is vegan and cruelty-free. But what truly stops people in their tracks is the actual glitter payoff. "It goes on smoothly and is so eye-catching," she says.

The brand has also received rave reviews for its ultra-hydrating, tinted balms and lip pencils. "Korean lip pencils tend to be a bit softer, chunkier, and more rounded than Western ones," Lee adds. "They make it easier to create a soft, blurred edge. The Unleashia lip pencils are fantastic."