Original Article

Korea’s second wave of beauty is officially here, and it’s brought the best Korean retinol with it. Best known for its excellent sunscreens, extensive skin-care routines, and emphasis on luminous glass skin, Korea has only recently begun to embrace the vitamin-A derivative, which enjoys unwavering popularity stateside for its ability to brighten and tighten skin.

Retinol works by spurring skin cell turnover and stimulating collagen production, thereby delivering firmer skin—but it comes with the downside of potential irritation and dryness. It’s seemingly at odds with Korean skin care, which “has always been about hydration, barrier support, and prevention,” says licensed esthetician Charlotte Cho, who’s also the founder of Korean-beauty retailer Soko Glam.

But, as it turns out, there’s a happy medium. Rather than use aggressive, high-strength retinol, Korean beauty brands are beginning to develop formulations that harness lower concentrations of retinol alongside soothing ingredients to deliver results without compromising overall skin health. With that in mind, these are the best to have emerged so far.

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Best Fragrance-Free: Mediheal Retinol Collagen Lifting Pad

• Why We Love It: Not formulated for the faint of heart, these soft, fragrance-free pads comprise retinol to firm and resurface skin alongside collagen. Rather than your average collagen, which is typically too large to absorb into skin, the form here is at a very low-molecular size—giving it the ability to penetrate skin. Swipe it on for a quick treatment, or smooth a few pads onto skin to create a makeshift sheet mask.
• Key Ingredients: Retinol, hydrolyzed collagen, allantoin, ceramides
• Size: 100 pads

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