The 5 Korean Skincare Lessons I Took From A Masterclass In Glow
I’m a certified fence-sitter. Chemical or mineral sunscreen? I can’t choose. Matte or dewy makeup? Still deliberating. But there’s one beauty opinion I hold with complete conviction: Korean skincare is superior.
Beyond buzzy ingredients like spicules — tiny, dissolvable microneedles designed to deliver skincare ingredients deeper into the skin — and PDRN, a regenerative ingredient derived from salmon DNA, Korean skincare has always put the skin barrier first. While many products popular in the West have traditionally focused on exfoliating or stripping the skin, K-beauty aims to repair, strengthen, and protect.
Always overdoing it on retinol, I, for one, need the help. But it seems I’m not the only one. Google search queries show that many of us are currently dealing with dryness due to warm weather, air conditioning, and dehydration from increased UV exposure and long summer evenings spent outdoors. Can Korean skincare get us back on track? I’d argue yes.
After spending an hour at a skincare masterclass with K-beauty favorite Medicube (the brand behind those viral Pore Pads) and skincare expert Dr. Kemi Fabusiwa, I came away with plenty of tips for achieving hydrated, glowing skin. Here are the 5 takeaways worth knowing.
You’re missing out on hypochlorous acid
I’ve watched hypochlorous acid go from an ingredient known mainly to dermatologists and surgeons to a skincare staple embraced by brands like Tower 28, e.l.f. Cosmetics, and Bubble. If you ask me, it’s one of the few skincare ingredients that pretty much everyone could benefit from. It’s an antibacterial and anti-inflammatory molecule that reduces bacteria on the skin, helping to prevent breakouts while calming redness and irritation. People with acne-prone skin and eczema often swear by it, as do those with bug bites, cuts, and grazes, thanks to its soothing, skin-calming properties.
Dr. Fabusiwa swears by a spritz of hypochlorous acid after cleansing and before moisturizer, throughout the day on bare skin, and post-workout to help prevent bacteria from mixing with sweat and triggering body breakouts on the back and chest. Medicube’s Hypochlorous Acid Daily Facial Spray is also packed with moisturizing allantoin and panthenol, so skin feels hydrated and dewy, not stripped.
Another smart use for hypochlorous acid is sanitizing your skincare devices. A quick spritz on LED masks, red-light wands, and facial massage tools can help keep bacteria at bay, reducing the risk of transferring it back onto your skin, where it can contribute to breakouts and irritation. Also try Bubble Clean Landing Daily Purifying Spray and e.l.f. Save Your E.L.F. Hypochlorous Mist.
How to sheet mask like a pro
Sheet masks are an indulgent part of a skincare routine, especially when stored in the fridge on hot days (don’t knock it until you’ve tried it). But while some of the essence absorbs into the skin, much of it stays in the mask itself, which ultimately gets tossed in the trash. If you’re serious about masking — and even more focused on boosting hydration — consider investing in a microcurrent device and using it over the top.
Medicube’s AGE-R Booster Pro X2 — the latest version of its beloved microcurrent wand — now features a Mask mode, which allows it to be used over sheet masks or paired with moisturizers and serums to help enhance absorption and deliver hydration deeper into the skin.
While this step is by no means necessary, it is certainly effective. If you’re thinking about picking up a device for Prime Day, the Booster Pro X2 is currently $60 off. In reality, any facial massage tool can help, but few offer as many modes — including microcurrent, electric muscle stimulation, LED therapy, and sonic vibration — as this one does.
Why hydration is all about lightweight layers
When my skin is dry and dehydrated, I’m notorious for reaching for the most unctuous moisturizer, hoping it will fix everything. But I’ve learned that long-lasting hydration is rarely achieved that way. Instead, it’s all about strategically layering lighter products, rather than relying on one thick, heavy cream that risks being occlusive or pore-clogging.
Post-cleanse, your best bet for meaningful hydration is a milky essence or toner, followed by a lightweight moisturizer, and, in the morning, sunscreen. The key is that milky textures sit somewhere between an essence and a serum, so you can skip the serum step if you want to. Right now, I can’t get enough of Medicube’s PDRN Pink Niacinamide Milky Toner, which is ever so slightly richer than others thanks to ceramides, which act like glue between skin cells to keep skin soft and smooth, skin-strengthening peptides, and, of course, PDRN — an ingredient derived from salmon DNA that helps support the skin barrier for a plumper, dewier complexion. Rather than pouring it onto a cotton pad, I apply it with my hands to avoid wasting a drop.
Also worth trying are Anua’s Rice 70 Glow Milky Toner, which pairs hydrating niacinamide with ceramides, and TIRTIR’s Milk Skin Toner, which combines niacinamide, ceramides, and deeply moisturizing provitamin B5. If you’re looking for a more affordable option, Refinery29’s senior beauty writer Karina Hoshikawa swears by The Ordinary’s Saccharomyces Ferment 30% Milky Toner, which gently exfoliates while it hydrates.
Why PDRN deserves your attention
“Polydeoxyribonucleotide — aka PDRN — is an ingredient we’re seeing in clinic treatments,” says Dr. Fabusiwa. “So it’s great that we’re now seeing it enter at-home products.” And it really is everywhere. K-beauty brands from Anua to Dr. Reju-All were among the first to adopt the ingredient — commonly derived from salmon DNA — in skincare, but brands like The Inkey List and U Beauty have also since come on board. What makes PDRN interesting is that it closely resembles human DNA, and when applied topically and consistently, it’s thought to support skin repair, improve hydration, and may help encourage collagen production over time.
It’s especially useful when applied under the eyes, where the delicate skin is more prone to fine lines caused by dryness and dehydration, says Dr. Fabusiwa. Happily, it’s now being incorporated across a wide range of skincare, from serums to moisturizers. Dr. Fabusiwa’s pick is Medicube’s PDRN Pink Collagen Capsule Cream, which contains rich cream capsules suspended in a hydrating gel base for an extra boost of moisture on application.
In fact, capsule creams are very much du jour among Korea’s skincare enthusiasts. Also worth trying are VT Cosmetics’ PDRN Capsule Cream 100, which combines PDRN with hydrating niacinamide and squalane, and P.CALM’s PDRN Caffeine Blue Capsule Cream, which pairs PDRN with hyaluronic acid and panthenol for an extra hit of moisture.
Lastly, if PDRN isn’t for you, volufiline is worth knowing
Besides PDRN, volufiline is another ingredient popular in Korean skincare that’s likely already on your radar — especially if you’ve ever googled filler alternatives. The plant-derived extract, often sourced from asparagus root, has been touted as a non-surgical option for subtly improving the appearance of facial volume in areas prone to hollowing, such as the cheeks and under the eyes.
The Ordinary’s Volufiline 92% + Pal-Isoleucine 1% facial oil has gone viral for its claims to help plump, hydrate, and smooth the skin, with reviewers even likening its line-softening effects to Botox, and if TikTok is anything to go by, Medicube’s PDRN Pink Collagen Volume Multi Balm — also with volufiline — is gaining just as much attention.
I can report that the stick is particularly effective on lips prone to dryness and, as a result, more pronounced lines. It also makes an excellent base underneath concealer around the under-eye area as it combines volufiline with hydrating hyaluronic acid, puffiness-reducing caffeine, and vitamin E for an added moisture boost. What’s also pretty great is that this is currently the most affordable skincare volufiline product right now, even cheaper than The Ordinary. It’s become a staple in my routine, and I keep it in my bag for lips and eyelids when they’re feeling dry in the city heat.
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