10 Best Drugstore Korean Cleansers That Suit Your Budget
Follow a skin care routine that keeps your skin clean, healthy, and glowing.
Hillary Clark is a third-generation beauty entrepreneur, celebrity makeup artist, and medical esthetician with 21 years of experience. Her stints as the youngest Beauty Director for Nordstrom and West Coast Beauty Editor for Sephora provided ample opportunities for her to collaborate with some of the most popular names in the beauty industry, such as Dr.
Read full bio of Hillary Clark
Experience: 4 yearsShiboli has a master’s degree in English literature from The English and Foreign Languages University, Hyderabad, and is a certified skincare coach with four years of experience. As a commerce editor, she guides her team members on the best practices to create crisp and authentic content.
Read full bio of Shiboli Chakraborti
Experience: 3 yearsKrati is an associate commerce editor, a certified skin care coach, and a beauty enthusiast. She has a master’s degree in advertising and publishing relations from DAVV University and three years of experience in writing and editing for different niches.
Read full bio of Krati Darak
Experience: 5 yearsMedha Deb is a commerce editor with a master's degree in applied linguistics from the University of Hyderabad, which has allowed her to develop a deep understanding of language and its application in various contexts. She specializes in the areas of beauty, health, and wellness and is committed to ensuring that the content on the website is of the highest quality.
Read full bio of Medha Deb
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Cleansing is an essential part of your skincare routine, and you want to make sure you choose the right cleanser for your skin. Korean beauty products are used by many today because they are easy and affordable. Hence, it comes as no surprise to us that you would want to opt for the best drugstore Korean cleanser for your skin care regime. They contain natural and innovative formulas that clean your skin well and leave it feeling smooth and soft. Hillary Clark, a medical esthetician, also agrees with us saying, “Korean skincare revolutionized the industry over a decade ago with double cleanses and superb formulas.” Here is our list of the top drugstore Korean cleansers you can take a look at!
In This Article
10 Best Drugstore Korean Cleansers
1. Best Overall:Ladykin Kiwi Twinklight Soft Foam Cleansing
The Ladykin Kiwi Twinklight Soft Foam Cleansing is designed to eliminate dead skin cells, deeply cleanse the pores, and minimize their appearance. It is infused with a blend of kiwi and pineapple extracts that contains essential vitamins and organic acids to target blackheads and large pores. It also nourishes and replenishes your skin with moisture and nutrients that keep it healthy.
Key ingredients: Kiwi extract and Pineapple extract
Pros
- Pleasant fragrance
- Non-irritating
- A little goes a long way
- Paraben-free
- Mineral oil-free
Cons
- None
"This facial cleanser efficiently tackles dirt, oil, and makeup, giving you that desirable clean feeling without dryness. A little goes a long way and it has a pleasant scent. Overall, a solid choice for daily skin care needs."
2. Best Against Environmental Damage:Oseque Silky Bright Enzyme Powder Facial Wash
This powder-based cleanser from Oseque gently cleanses your skin and makes it soft. It is made using naturally derived, skin-friendly ingredients like ginseng, green tea, rosemary, and chamomile that help strengthen the skin barrier and protect it from environmental damage in order to keep the skin healthy. The pore-refining cleanser formula is also enriched with Amino Acid Complex that nourishes the skin and minimizes skin damage. The natural dual enzyme complex in the cleanser consists of bromelain and papain that control sebum, tighten pores, and remove impurities and dead skin cells without any irritation.
Key ingredients: Amino Acid Complex, Panax ginseng extract, Camellia extract, Chamomile extract, and Rosmarinus officinalis extract
Pros
- Mild fragrance
- Non-drying
- Hypoallergenic
- Suitable for all skin types
Cons
- None
Pro Tip3. Best For Glowing Skin:Cosrx Low pH Good Morning Gel Cleanser
The Cosrx Low pH Good Morning Gel Cleanseris infused with betaine salicylate, a plant-derived beta hydroxy acid that clears deep-seated impurities and improves skin texture. It also contains tea tree oil that helps soothe irritated skin and redness and styrax japonicus branch/fruit/leaf extract that clarifies the skin. This brightening cleanser formula is ideal for all skin types and can be used to control excess sebum and restore the pH balance, making your skin glow. If you are an absolute beginner, this video review based on the reviewer’s experience might be useful.
Key ingredients: Betaine salicylate, Styrax japonicus branch/fruit/leaf extract, and Tea tree oil
Pros
- pH-balanced
- Brightens the skin
- Paraben-free
- Vegan
- Cruelty-free
- Artificial fragrance-free
Cons
- Not suitable for sensitive skin types.
Why We Think It's Worth Buying
This product has garnered over 2,466 positive reviews on Amazon, and the number continues to grow.
| Ladykin Kiwi Twinklight Soft Foam Cleansing Best Overall | Oseque Silky Bright Enzyme Powder Facial Wash Best Against Environmental Damage | Cosrx Low pH Good Morning Gel Cleanser Best For Glowing Skin | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Skin Type | Sensitive | Oily, Combination, Sensitive, Dry, Normal | Oily, Combination, Sensitive, Dry, Normal |
| Dimensions | - | 1.18 x 1.57 x 6.1 inches | 1.97 x 2.76 x 6.69 inches |
| Weight | - | 1.76 Ounces. | 6.35 Ounces |
| Rating | |||
| Reviews | 5 | 328 | 2,466 |
| Price | $6.69 | $16.63 | $11 |
4. Best Anti-Aging:Mizon Snail Repairing Foam Cleanser
The Mizon Snail Repairing Foam Cleanseris designed with a gentle skin-revitalizing formula containing the goodness of the Centella asiatica herb to suit mature skin. The exfoliating cleanser melts away impurities, reduces the appearance of blackheads, deeply hydrates the skin, and enhances your overall skin tone. This dermatologist-tested drugstore Korean cleanser is powered by snail secretion filtrate, enriched with protein and glycolic acid, to provide multiple anti-aging benefits, such as plumping wrinkles, enhancing elasticity, and boosting skin firmness. It also contains papaya extracts that gently exfoliate the skin and centella, portulaca, and green tea extracts that protect the skin and prevent damage. Always do a patch test on your neck, jawline, or inner arm and wait for at least 24 hours for any reactions.
Key ingredients: Snail secretion filtrate, Papaya fruit extract, and Green tea extract
Pros
- Gentle
- Suitable for sensitive skin
- Dermatologically tested
- Contains natural ingredients
Cons
- Strong scent
Pro Tip5. Best Hydrating:Lookatme Bubble Purifying Foaming Cleanser
The Lookatme Bubble Purifying Foaming Cleanser deeply hydrates and refreshes the skin and is ideal for all skin types. It helps enhance skin elasticity, control sebum production in oily skin type, and unclog pores, leaving you with radiant, younger-looking skin. This drugstore Korean anti-aging cleanser is infused with hydrolyzed collagen that intensely hydrates the skin, improves elasticity, and fights the signs of aging. Other active ingredients, like tea tree, chamomile, and mint extracts, soothe the skin and reduce redness to help you achieve brighter skin.
Key ingredients: Hydrolyzed collagen, Tea tree, Chamomile, and Peppermint extract
Pros
- Hydrating cleanser
- Reduces breakouts
- Pleasant fragrance
- Non-toxic
- Synthetic additive-free
- SLS-free
- Formaldehyde-free
- Triclosan-free
- Phthalate-free
- Vegan
Cons
- None
"This foams feels gentle yet effective. The cleanser leaves my skin fresh without any irritation. It's also quite adept at removing makeup, a boon for my dry skin. The results are noteworthy and with consistent use, it's made my complexion even toned."
6. Best For Sensitive Skin:The Face Shop Rice Water Bright Foaming Cleanser
This rice water-based cleanserfrom The Face Shop is designed to help you get glass-like skin. It is enriched with rice water, which is rich in minerals, ceramides, and vitamins A, B and E. It helps brighten the skin, prevent cell aging, improve skin resistance, and nourish the epidermis. The rice extracts in this sensitive skin cleanser also help clear the skin and even out the skin tone over time. The Korean foam cleanser also has soapwort which gently cleanses the skin without drying it out. Check out the tester’s experience in this review for a thorough understanding of the Korean skin care product.
Key ingredients: Rice water and Soapwort
Pros
- Hydrating formula
- Mild fragrance
- Safe for sensitive skin
- Paraben-free
- Alcohol-free
- Paraffin-free
- Allergen-free
Cons
- Contains sulfates
"This product delivers a spa-like experience with its silky foam and pleasant scent. It's effective yet gentle enough to use alongside other skin care items. It's wonderfully creamy and lathers abundantly. A little goes a long way, which is a bonus, but keep in mind to avoid contact with the eyes during use."
7. Best Affordable:Care:Nel Egg White Pore Clinic Cleansing Foam
The Egg White Pore Clinic Cleansing Foam from Care:Nel is an all-in-one cleansing, moisturizing, purifying, and tightening formula. It helps melt away dirt, grime, makeup, and impurities from the skin surface while sealing in essential moisture to give you silky-smooth, healthy, and radiant skin. The egg yolk extracts in the facial cleanser help tighten the pores, control excess oil, reduce blackheads, and firm up the skin. The amino acid-enriched egg white seeps into the pores and provides deep cleansing without stripping the skin of its natural oils.
This blackhead-clearing cleanser formula also contains the patented BSASM formula that is made using the right ratio of seven exclusive botanical ingredients that prevent water loss after cleansing. These ingredients include licorice, green tea, rosemary, gotu kola, chamomile, Chinese skullcap, and Hu zhang extracts. The makeup-removing cleanserformula also includes cucumber, pumpkin, banana, neem, and grapefruit extracts that nourish and soothe the skin.
Key ingredients: Egg yolk extract, Egg whites extract, and MultiEx BSASM
Pros
- Mild fragrance
- Gentle
- A little goes a long way
- Value for money
Cons
- Not suitable for dry skin type.
Pro Tip8. Best Scent:TonyMoly Clean Dew Lemon Foam Cleanser
The TonyMoly Clean Dew Lemon Foam Cleanser has a refreshing formula that gives you healthy, dewy, and glowing skin. It is formulated using 96% aloe veraextract that hydrates, moisturizes, and soothes dry and sensitive skin. The aloe vera cleanser also contains lemon extract that targets uneven skin tone and makes your skin look brighter and more radiant. The blueberry extract is rich in vitamins and minerals that defend the skin against environmental aggressors, leaving it feeling softer and smoother. The red grapefruit extract in the formula boosts skin elasticity and fights the signs of aging. Patch testing is essential before using this Korean product to prevent any adverse effects.
Key ingredients: Aloe vera extract, Lemon extract, Red grapefruit extract, and Blueberry extract
Pros
- Hydrating formula
- Pleasant fragrance
- Value for money
- A little goes a long way
Cons
- May irritate the skin.
9. Best Lightweight:Etude House Soon Jung pH 6.5 Whip Cleanser
The Soon Jung Whip Cleanser is gentle and lightweight with a low pH level, leaving no chance for skin irritation. It is formulated using panthensoside, a combination of panthenol and madecassoside that heals damaged and irritated skin. While panthenol protects the skin’s natural barrier and hydrates the skin, madecassoside calms irritated skin. The hypoallergenic cream cleanser formula has a whipped cream-like texture to reduce friction with the skin.
Key ingredients: Panthenol and Madecassoside
Pros
- Hypoallergenic
- Non-comedogenic
- Non-irritating
- Low pH
- Safe for sensitive skin
- Mineral oil-free
- Paraben-free
- Cruelty-free
- Pigment-free
- Polyacrylamide-free
- Silicone-free
- No synthetic perfume
Cons
- Unpleasant scent
10. Best For Removing Excess Sebum:Innisfree Pore Clearing Facial Foam
The Innisfree Pore Clearing Facial Foam offers deep cleansing to your clogged pores and impurities while leaving the skin feeling super refreshed. It is a refreshing, lightweight foam cleanser with Jeju Volcanic Clusters – particles smaller than pores – that effectively whisks away excess oil and impurities for a refreshed and clear complexion. The oil-free cleanser contains lactic acid that helps exfoliate all the dead skin cells. It removes skin impurity and excess sebum and offers your skin a matte look.
Key ingredients: Jeju Volcanic Clusters and Lactic acid
Pros
- Cruelty-free
- Mineral oil-free
- Silicone oil-free
- Paraben-free
- Sulfate-free
- No synthetic colorants
Cons
- None
Infographic: How To Choose The Right Drugstore Korean Cleanser For Your Skin
Drugstore Korean cleansers are your best bet for cleansing your skin gently but thoroughly. They offer multiple benefits, from hydration to exfoliation, and give your skin a natural glow. Check out the below infographic to know how you can choose the right one for your skin type.
Illustration: StyleCraze Design Team
The Bottom Line
Drugstore Korean cleansers have been game-changers in the beauty industry. These cleansers make your skin feel softer, smoother, and radiant. The cleansers also help minimize larger pores and rejuvenate your skin with enough nutrients to make your skin cells healthier. The Ladykin Kiwi Twinklight Soft Foam Cleansing is a great choice as it deeply cleanses pores and helps eliminate blackheads, while Cosrx Low pH Good Morning Gel Cleanser helps maintain skin pH balance and soothes irritated skin. But if you are looking for a lightweight hypoallergenic creamy texture cleanser then try Etude House Soon Jung pH 6.5 Whip Cleanser. These cleansers tighten larger pores and remove dirt, oil, and impurities from your skin. Hypoallergenic and non-drying, some drugstore Korean cleansers are devoid of artificial fragrances. However, be careful to avoid Korean skin cleansers that are too harsh on the skin.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Korean cleanser good for oily skin?
Yes, Korean cleansers are ideal for oily and acne-prone skin. Oil cleansers are made to thoroughly exfoliate the face and clear the pores of debris to maintain it clear and rejuvenated.
Is Korean cleanser good for dry skin?
Yes. Although Korean cleansers are known for their exfoliating features, they are also effective for hydrating dry skin. The Lookatme Bubble Purifying Foaming Cleanser is the best Korean cleanser to try if you have dry skin.
Is Korean cleanser good for rosacea?
Yes, Korean cleansers like The Face Shop Rice Water Bright Foaming Cleanser are very effective for sensitive skin, especially for rosacea. They clean the skin well without triggering any further reaction.
Is Korean cleanser good for teenage skin?
Yes. Teenagers often have oily and dull skin with breakouts. Korean cleansers work perfectly to cleanse their skin gently without aggravating existing acne.
How often should you use a Korean drugstore cleanser?
You can use a Korean drugstore cleanser twice or thrice weekly to cleanse or exfoliate your facial skin.
Do drugstore Korean cleansers expire?
Yes, all Korean drugstore cleansers have a shelf life of 1-2 years.
Can I use a Korean cleanser while pregnant?
Yes, many Korean cleansers are safe to use during pregnancy. However, it will be wise to check out the ingredient list to avoid any harsh chemicals.
Which Korean cleanser is the best for acne?
The Innisfree Pore Clearing Facial Foam is the best Korean acne-fighting cleanser to remove excess sebum from your skin and prevent acne breakouts.
Why Trust StyleCraze?
The author, Shiboli Chakraborti, is a certified skin care coach and writes research-based product reviews for StyleCraze. She compiled this list of the best Korean drugstore cleansers keeping in mind their natural formulas and affordability. Besides researching a wide variety of Korean cleansers, she evaluated user feedback from trusted online forums. These cleansers are non-irritating and hypoallergenic and impart glow to your skin.
Read full bio of Hillary Clark
Read full bio of Shiboli Chakraborti
Read full bio of Krati Darak
Read full bio of Medha Deb
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