If 2024 was a breakout year for Korean skincare and makeup, 2025 kept that momentum going. It’s safe to say the Korean beauty craze is here to stay—and thank goodness for that. “What surprised me most in 2025 is just how much excitement there is around K-beauty,” Sarah Chung Park, founder and CEO of Landing International, tells Vogue. “There’s a real sense of fun and discovery that hasn’t gone away.”
The K-beauty expert constantly hears from everyone—from editors to consumers—sharing personal stories about how Korean skincare has become essential to their routines. “K-beauty is no longer just a trend or a niche category in the Western world; it’s deeply woven into daily life and passed down through generations.”
Fellow beauty industry expert Michelle Lee agrees, noting that what surprised her most about the past year was how quickly new products and trends hit the market. “So much was packed into just twelve months,” Lee says. “This year showed that the hunger for K-beauty in the U.S. is huge, and brands are more than ready to meet it. For example, salmon sperm facials in Korea sparked widespread curiosity here, then PDRN topicals began hitting the market—and suddenly there was a wide variety of PDRN products, sourced from both salmon and vegan alternatives.”
It’s almost uncanny how accurately Chung Park and Lee’s K-beauty trend predictions from January came true. With TikTok globalizing the category, Korean skincare brands once found mainly at specialty retailers like Soko Glam and YesStyle have become staples at North American beauty giants such as Ulta and Sephora.
With so many products to sort through—and so little attention span to take it all in—the experts break down this year’s leading K-beauty trends and standout products below to carry into 2026.
Overnight Collagen Masks
Chung Park previously predicted that turning serums into overnight masks would be huge in 2025—and she was absolutely right. It all started on TikTok, with countless videos of travelers wearing overnight hydrogel sheet masks and arriving at their destinations with glowing, glass-like skin.
“Biodance first went viral with their overnight collagen mask, and then people discovered other amazing ones like Sungboon Editor’s, which is my personal favorite,” Lee adds. “We’ve known the typical ‘soaked’ sheet masks for about a decade, but this was a new innovation—with the serum itself solidified, you get incredible results after wearing it overnight.” Medicube also offers a unique take: their mask doesn’t use a bio-cellulose or hydrogel sheet. Instead, it transforms from a topical gel into a peel-off layer after a few hours—so intriguing it was one of the year’s most buzzed-about beauty products.
Spicule Serums
Yet another spot-on prediction: Chung Park and Lee named micro-needle skincare as a space to watch in 2025, and spicule serums were indeed a smash hit. To recap, these microscopic, needle-like structures derived from sea sponges act as both a liquid exfoliant and a delivery system for other ingredients. They create micro-channels in your skin (somewhat similar to microneedling) so that other ingredients can penetrate more effectively.Ingredients can penetrate deeper into the skin’s dermis. “Spicules definitely captured widespread attention this year,” says Lee, who had a professional liquid microneedling treatment just before over-the-counter Korean spicule serums launched two years ago. “OTC products became popular with VT’s Reedle Shot offering a range of strengths, and then spicules became core ingredients in products like Mixsoon’s Peptide Cica Hyalshot.”
Milky Toners
As usual, the U.S. was behind on milky toners (though Vogue’s beauty editor Kiana Murden swears by them). “They’ve been around for years in Korea, but milky toners had a real moment in the U.S. this year. In fact, they were so popular that we’ve seen them crossing over into Western brands too,” says Lee. Her favorite is the OG milky toner, I’m From’s Rice Toner, which she still uses for its hydrating and gently brightening formula.
Lee adds that milky toners were often part of an adjacent TikTok trend that gained traction this year: “Skin flooding is a hydration stacking technique where you apply multiple layers of hydrating products onto damp skin to ‘flood’ it with moisture before sealing it in with a cream or gel moisturizer.” Another viral option is TirTir’s Milk Skin Rice Toner, which includes niacinamide for added brightening.
Flushed Blush
Blush was a major beauty trend everywhere, including among Seoul’s It girls—who put their own spin on it. In Korea, makeup leans toward a soft-matte, diffused look, and blush is no different. What sets it apart is the placement and unique textures, like bouncy, mousse-like formulas and roller-ball blushes.
“Blush had a real moment in 2025, with lots of cool girls in Korea wearing blush high on their cheeks, right below their eyes,” says Lee. “The result was a fresh, youthful look. We saw lots of great new textures and formats, whether it was bouncy Pudding Pots from FWEE or Dewy Roll Cheeks from Rom&nd.”
PDRN and Vegan Alternatives
“PDRN has been a major trending ingredient in 2025. PDRN (also known as salmon DNA) has been incorporated into serums, mists, creams, and masks—and it all happened at record speed,” explains Lee. She notes that brands like Reju-all were completely sold out at many Seoul pharmacies when she visited over the summer. She suspected the ingredient would gain widespread attention given its social media buzz—even Kim Kardashian revealed she’d tried a professional PDRN treatment. “Today, we see PDRN in every category, from serums and mists to creams and even sunscreens.” One PDRN product that took over TikTok was Medicube’s bright pink serum.
And in keeping with rapid innovation, PDRN has since expanded into vegan alternatives. “PDRN is no longer limited to salmon-derived sources, thanks to advances in biotechnology that are unlocking non-animal ways to deliver the same regenerative benefits,” says Chung Park. For example, both she and Lee count Mixsoon’s plant-derived, rice-based PDRN among their favorites.
Blurred Lips
“Some version of blurred lips has been popular in Korea for years, but the twist in 2025 was a softer take on the look,” says Lee, noting that formulas like Peripera’s Ink Velvet reigned supreme.I still love them. Instead of a stark ombré look, blurry lips were created using a soft, chunky, rounded lip liner blended subtly. The effect is pretty and plump, fitting perfectly with the clean-girl aesthetic that was everywhere in 2025.
Chung Park notes that these rounded, crayon-like liners are a clear departure from the sharper, more precise liners traditionally popular in the U.S. This trend has since made its way to Western brands—like Refy Beauty’s Blur Liner. Among chunky liners, Unleashia’s lip pencil is a top choice. “It applies smoothly and blends easily to create that blurred lip look—no Botox or fillers needed,” says Chung Park.
Snail Mucin and Vegan Alternatives
Snail mucin has been a staple in Korean beauty for years, celebrated for its deep hydration, skin repair properties, and ability to improve texture and elasticity. Packed with natural humectants, it strengthens the skin barrier and has a unique, enjoyable texture.
While mucin is typically collected from snail excretions, some prefer to avoid animal-derived ingredients. That’s where vegan alternatives come in—another area where Korean beauty innovates. “CosRx’s Snail Mucin has been a favorite for a long time. This year, Mixsoon’s Bean Essence became a great vegan alternative with a similar viscous texture and hydrating benefits,” says Lee. “That slimy, stretchy consistency makes for engaging TikTok content and is also highly effective.”
How We Tested
Our testing and review process is comprehensive to ensure well-rounded recommendations. We start by consulting Vogue’s network of experts—including dermatologists, plastic surgeons, and K-beauty founders—to identify standout products professionals trust. We combine their insights with our editorial standards to create the curated selections you see.
For Korean skincare, we evaluated products based on ingredients, texture, finish, and the skin concerns they target. Our recommendations are based on personal testing, expert advice, and customer reviews.
Meet the Experts
Michelle Lee is a beauty industry adviser and former editor-in-chief of Allure.
Sarah Chung Park is a beauty industry veteran and founder and CEO of Landing International.
Frequently Asked Questions
Top Korean Beauty Trends for 2025 FAQs
Beginner General Questions
Q What are the biggest Korean beauty trends for 2025
A Experts point to Skinimalism Glass Hair Dewy Glow makeup and a focus on scalp health and barrierrepair skincare
Q What is Skinimalism
A Its a trend moving away from heavy makeup and complex routines The goal is minimalist healthy barelythere skin achieved through excellent skincare not foundation
Q What does Glass Hair mean
A It refers to hair that looks perfectly smooth ultrashiny and reflective like glass The focus is on supreme hair health deep conditioning and shine treatments
Q Is the nomakeup makeup look still popular
A Yes but its evolving The 2025 version is more about a luminous skin veilusing lightweight skinenhancing tints and creams for a hydrated dewy glow rather than full coverage
Q Are there any new skincare ingredients to watch
A Yes Experts highlight nextgeneration peptides for antiaging fermented ingredients for barrier support and lightweight ceramides that mimic the skins natural structure
SkincareFocused Questions
Q What is barrierrepair and why is it a trend
A Its skincare focused on strengthening your skins protective outer layer A healthy barrier keeps moisture in and irritants out leading to resilient calm and glowing skinthe core of Skinimalism
Q I have oily skin Can I still achieve the dewy glow
A Absolutely The trend is about hydration not oiliness Use lightweight waterbased hydrators and a dewy mist or serum Avoid heavy creams and focus on a controlled glow on your cheekbones
Q Whats a simple routine for the Skinimalism trend
A A consistent core routine a gentle cleanser a hydrating toneressence a barriersupporting serum and a moisturizing sunscreen Add treatments only as needed