From innovative formulas to adorable packaging, it’s no wonder that beauty enthusiasts worldwide are constantly seeking out the latest and greatest from the Korean cosmetics scene. My last article in this series featured five viral K-Beauty products with my honest reviews, and I’ve come back with six more, all priced reasonably and widely accessible to customers in the West.
Many Korean makeup brands offer high-quality products at wallet-friendly prices, making them accessible to beauty enthusiasts of all budgets. With all the products featured in this article priced below $30, you won’t have to break the bank to elevate your beauty routine!
If you’ve been on the K-beauty side of TikTok, there’s no doubt that you’ve heard of this hydrating essence. Mixsoon is a Korean brand rising in popularity all around the world, known primarily for their vegan skincare products. The COSRX snail mucin essence may have been the most widely used before this product was introduced, but many customers have explained that Mixsoon’s vegan version renders similar, if not better, effects on the skin.
The essence is meant to gently exfoliate dead skin cells and sebum while moisturizing the skin. The key ingredient in this product is fermented beans, which offer far greater moisturizing, absorption, and longevity compared to other ingredients.
As someone with dry skin, this product immediately impressed me when I put it on. Texture-wise, the essence has a lightweight, watery consistency that absorbs quickly into the skin without leaving my face feeling sticky or greasy. I’ve used a couple of other mucin-type skincare products in the past, and my biggest problem was that it left a sticky residue that made it hard to use before makeup.
In terms of performance, the Mixsoon Bean Essence claims to hydrate, brighten, and revitalize the skin, with key ingredients such as bean extract, hyaluronic acid, and niacinamide. After using it consistently both morning and night for about a week, I did notice an improvement in my skin’s hydration levels and texture. Overall, I would highly recommend adding this product to your skincare regimen, particularly for its clean and effective ingredients.
The Torriden Dive-In Serum is another product you might have been noticing quite frequently among many beauty influencers across all platforms. This product is another vegan, low molecular hyaluronic acid serum that focuses on hydrating and soothing the skin from the inside. I saw many influencers use this as the first step in their skincare routine to prep the skin for other products. Torriden claims that this serum combats hydration not only on the surface but deep under the skin, making it ideal for dry and dehydrated skin types like mine.
The Torriden Dive-In Serum comes in a sleek glass bottle with a pipette-like dispenser—a practical choice that ensures product hygiene and convenience. The serum was fragrance-free and extremely light, featuring a far more watery texture than the Mixoon bean essence featured above.
Upon spreading it over my skin, I noticed that the product seeped into my skin fairly quickly and added a boost of hydration that seemed to last well throughout the day. One aspect that sets this serum apart is its versatility. Not only does it work well as a standalone hydrating serum, but it also layers seamlessly with other skincare products, making it easy to incorporate into existing routines.
Whether used as a pre-moisturizer step or mixed with foundation for an added boost of hydration, this serum proves to be a versatile product that was well worth the hype for me.
This all-in-one multi-balm was famously coined as a dupe for the Chanel Multi-Use Glow Stick, used by many makeup artists over base makeup to achieve the glowy glass-skin look. This product can be used as a lip balm, eye cream, neck cream, makeup base, and highlighter, and is also infused with salmon complex and collagen to target wrinkles and improve skin elasticity.
Personally, I was more excited to use this as a highlighter over a finished look to add shine on the highest points of my face, but it seems like its original purpose is more of a skincare product to improve wrinkles on the eyelids, laugh lines, and neck.
After putting it to the test in my daily routine, I found that it didn’t quite live up to my expectations. The balm itself has a luxurious texture, rich and creamy without feeling heavy or greasy on the skin. When applied, it did leave a radiant glow on my face that I was looking forward to integrating in my makeup routine.
However, applying it before makeup left my skin feeling overly slick and greasy, making it difficult for foundation and other products to adhere properly. Using it after makeup as a highlighter tended to smudge and disrupt the finish, resulting in a patchy and uneven appearance. Although I can see how the Kahi Multi Balm has its merits as a skincare product for targeting wrinkles, its performance unfortunately missed the mark when used with makeup.
I previously reviewed two Rom&nd products, with both the lip balm and blush living up to my expectations. I was particularly excited to try their eyeshadow palette as well, as I saw a lot of makeup artists across Korea reach for this product for K-Pop idols or celebrities.
There were 10 variations of the palette with different shade combinations, and as someone with more of a cool-toned complexion, I chose the shade range “Peony Nude Garden” with a mix of muted pink, nude, and glitter shades. As a makeup enthusiast always on the lookout for new eyeshadow palettes, I was particularly looking for the palette’s pigmentation, blendability, and overall versatility.
Let’s start with the color selection—this palette offers a beautiful array of pink and nude tones, ranging from soft, everyday neutrals to bolder, more statement-making shades. Whether you’re looking to create a subtle daytime look or amp up the glam for a night out, this palette has you covered with its versatile range of colors. While the colors weren’t as pigmented as some of its Western counterparts, its subtle shades allowed me to blend colors more easily and build layers of color on my eyelid.
I also noticed that shades generally remained crease-free and vibrant throughout the day, making it a reliable choice for extended wear or special occasions. Overall, I consider this a successful addition to my eye makeup routine and will definitely be reaching for this palette daily!
Unlike Western beauty standards, K-beauty focuses on enhancing a feature known as “aegyosal,” which refers to the puffy, slightly protruding area beneath the eyes that creates a youthful and innocent appearance. This trend reflects a broader cultural appreciation for natural, “baby-faced” beauty and has gained popularity not only in Korea but also internationally, with many makeup enthusiasts adopting aegyosal makeup techniques.
The Colorgram Under-Eye Highlighter Stick has been going viral on social media for this reason, as its dual-ended tips allow for easy application of both contouring and highlighting of the aegyosal.
Let’s start with the pro’s. This highlighter stick has a creamy formula that glides nicely onto your skin, both before and after makeup. The shade of the contour and highlighter was also perfect for accentuating the aegyosal without making it look too artificial or puffy. I was also pleasantly surprised at its longevity, as it stayed put without fading or creasing throughout the entire day.
My only criticism for this product was how fragile the tips were, as the pencil unfortunately broke off after using it a couple times. This product may also not be the best for those with darker complexions, as the shade range they had was fairly limited and tailored for Asian skin tones. Overall, my experience with this product was positive while it lasted, but disappointing in terms of its durability.
Muzigae Mansion, a vegan cosmetics company, is a relatively new brand that has been gaining the spotlight both Korea. The brand has particularly caught the eye of many makeup artists and celebrities for its unique and aesthetic packaging, coupled with clean ingredients meant to complement one’s natural beauty.
I’ve recently seen their Objet Liquid lip tint all over different social media platforms and was excited to test it out for myself. The color range is impressive, offering a variety of shades from subtle nudes to vibrant reds. With the help of some TikTok videos featuring color swatches and wear tests, I ended up purchasing the shade “Lavish (019),” a muted, rosy pink.
The lip tint comes in an aesthetically pleasing and sleek tube, with a minimalist design that feels both modern and luxurious. Upon testing the product, I noticed that it had a glossy application with a matte finish, resulting in a more blurred lip look than other shiny glosses. While the product wasn’t exactly drying, I’d recommend using a lip balm beforehand to ensure that there are no dry spots and that your lips have an even texture.
In terms of longevity, the original gloss was pretty quick to wear off but it left a long-lasting, matte stain that looked natural and rosy throughout the day. I had never used a matte lip product before but was thoroughly impressed by this product and would highly recommend it to anyone looking to expand their lip collection!
