5 Affordable Korean Skincare Products for a Beautiful Glow

Has it taken anyone else way too long to jump on the Korean skincare bandwagon? I truly thought my TikTok and Instagram algorithms were just pushing me more paid content for worthless products, but I’m not afraid to admit I made a mistake. They are onto something and it’s a shame that some of these options aren’t already available at drugstores. Here’s some of my favorite budget Korean skincare finds that are absolutely worth every penny!

1. Beauty of Joseon Ginseng Cleansing Oil: This stuff, and I swear I am not over-exaggerating, has absolutely changed my skin. Have you ever heard of oil pulling? It turns out the “whiteheads” all over my chin, and what I thought were blackheads on my nose, are actually sebaceous filaments. I’ve tried SO many products going back to middle school and could never figure out how to address them. I now will occasionally oil pull with this, but I mostly use it to double cleanse and follow up with a traditional AHA/BHA cleanser. This stuff sort of smells like you’re putting olive oil on your face, but it’s absolutely tolerable for the results you get. I cannot express how soft and clear my skin has been since I started using this!

Coming in often at under $20 the Beauty of Joseon Cleansing Oil is a tad on the pricier side, but worth every penny! If you’re comparing it to the prices of a traditional cleansing balm, this is a great affordable cleansing oil alternative, and you don’t even have to stick your dirty fingers in a jar to use it.

2. SOME BY MI AHA BHA PHA 30 Days Miracle Toner: I’ve been through the ringer with toners and truthfully the only ones I ever felt actually did anything for my skin came in BoxyCharm shipments and would have costed me $40-$60 if I were to re-purchase. Enter the Some by Mi AHA BHA toner! My skin loves AHAs / BHAs and don’t even get me started on my Niacinamide obsession. This stuff gives us a bit of both, is alcohol-free, and is often on sale for under $20. With Amazon discounts you can get it for $15.80 right now.

I absolutely agree that this stuff is gentle, but works – especially on breakout prone skin. I haven’t had any issues with my skin becoming dry like I’ve had with some other toners (and let’s be honest girls, we’ve all had our fair share of trying out Noxema and witch hazel so we KNOW what that drying irritation feels like). The tea tree is just some added fun for me. If you often struggle with your skin becoming a little red and irritated the added tea tree might help it calm down. This is a great budget skin toner to add to your Korean skincare collection that I’m genuinely shocked hasn’t gained more traction, or a higher price tag.

3. CosRX Snail Mucin 96% Power Repairing Essence: This is going to sound crazy, but Hyraulonic Acid causes my skin to break out in tiny little pimples a few hours after using it. It’s a huge bummer because it seems like EVERYTHING contains Hyraulonic Acid these days, including this CosRX Essence powered by…snails. That didn’t stop me from trying it though. If you have the same issue as me, unfortunately this stuff will probably break you out too, but I would be lying if I didn’t say that sometimes I will use the CosRX Snail Mucin Essence and just suffer through the mini breakout because it’s THAT good. I swear the lines on my forehead become smoother and, in general, my facial skin gets that baby-butt softness that I really have not been able to achieve with much else. If I wake up and it looks like my skin aged 10 years over night, I reach for this and it brings my skin back to life.

The CosRX Snail Mucin 96% Power Repairing Essence is a lovely affordable snail serum offered by a reliable K-beauty brand that gives you results some boujee folks would pay hundreds of dollars for even half the amount of product. And no, it doesn’t smell weird.

4. Medicube Deep Vita C Facial Pads: Did I mention I love Niacinimide? I also love Vitamin C for glowy skin and these facial pads do not disappoint in the affordable glowy skin department. They come with cute little tongs to prevent contamination and have never arrived dried out. After using you may literally need to mattify your skin a bit to get that glow to calm down.

You can find a big tub of the Deep Vita C Facial Pads almost always on sale for around $15. If not on sale, put them in your Amazon wishlist and just wait a few days or a couple weeks (max) for the discount notification – I’ve seriously never seen them full price. Medicube also offers several other toner pads that everyone seems to rave about. The only one I would personally never purchase is the PDRN Pink Collagen Toning Gel Toner Pad. Collagen on your skin isn’t going to do much outside of provide hydration so I generally think there are other ingredients better suited for toners, but I’ve tried their actual pink collagen gel for their Age-R booster device and I’ve simply never had an itchier or stickier face in my life!

Some of the other budget-friendly toner pads offered by Medicube include Zero Pore Pad, Zero Pore Pad – Mild, and the Turmeric Clarifying Toner Pad.

5. Beauty of Joseon Ground Rice and Honey Glow Mask: You really can’t go wrong with a lot of products from Beauty of Joseon. I will preface by saying I’m not much of a mask person, there’s just something about having to sit around with product sludged on my face that irks me. Nonetheless I purchased the Beauty of Joseon Ground Rice and Honey Glow Mask after deep diving into reviews on affordable Korean skincare masks and it did not disappoint. It’s great for exfoliating sensitive skin, smells lovely, and hydrates very nicely. If I have an event I’m getting ready for this is what I slap on my face before I prep my skin for makeup and I swear it makes a difference. On top of that you get a TON of product, making this an excellent budget-friendly Korean skincare mask.

Disclaimer: Article contains Amazon affiliate links.