How to read a Korean skincare label

The forty words that appear on almost every Korean box, what they mean, and the three claims Korea regulates so you know which ones are real.

By the Dew Select editors · Updated September 14, 2026

Start with the product type

Korean packaging usually names the product type in Korean on the front, even when the brand name is in English. Once you can spot these eight words you can tell a toner from an essence from across the room.

On the box	Say it	It means
토너	toneo	toner. A watery first layer after cleansing; hydrating, not astringent.
스킨	seukin	literally "skin", the older Korean word for toner. Laneige Cream Skin is a toner.
에센스	esenseu	essence. Between toner and serum in texture; a hydrating treatment you can use generously.
세럼	seleom	serum. Concentrated, used in a few drops.
앰플	aempeul	ampoule. A serum with a higher concentration, often sold for a short course.
크림	keulim	cream. The moisturizer.
로션 / 에멀전	losyeon / emeoljeon	lotion or emulsion. A lighter moisturizer, the step Korean routines use instead of cream in summer.
패드	paedeu	pad. Toner pads: cotton rounds pre-soaked with toner or exfoliating acids.
클렌징 오일 / 폼	keullenjing oil / pom	cleansing oil / foam. Oil is the first cleanse, foam the second.
선크림 / 선스틱	seonkeulim / seonseutik	sun cream / sun stick. Sunscreen; see the sunscreen guide for SPF and PA.

The claim words

The second group of words tells you what the product is for. These are the ones brands put in large type.

On the box	Say it	It means
수분	subun	moisture, hydration. The most common word on any Korean box.
보습	boseup	moisturizing, in the sense of sealing moisture in. Creams say 보습, toners say 수분.
진정	jinjeong	soothing, calming. Usually centella, heartleaf or mugwort inside.
저자극	jeojageuk	low irritation. Marketing, not a regulated claim, but a good sign for sensitive skin.
약산성	yaksanseong	mildly acidic, pH 5 to 6. Common on cleansers; kinder to the skin barrier than alkaline foam.
무향 / 무향료	muhyang	fragrance-free.
모공	mogong	pores. Pore products are usually BHA, niacinamide or clay.
탄력	tallyeok	elasticity, firmness. The anti-aging word that is not regulated.
미백	mibaek	literally whitening; in practice brightening, fading dark spots. A regulated claim, see below.
주름 개선	jureum gaeseon	wrinkle improvement. Also regulated.
자외선 차단	jaoeseon chadan	UV blocking. Sunscreen; regulated.
피부 장벽	pibu jangbyeok	skin barrier. Ceramide and panthenol products.
각질	gakjil	dead skin cells. 각질 케어 means exfoliation.
속건조	sokgeonjo	"inner dryness": skin that is oily on top and dehydrated underneath. A very Korean concept, and a real one.

The three claims Korea actually regulates

Korean law treats three claims differently from everything else. A product that promises brightening (미백), wrinkle improvement (주름 개선) or UV protection (자외선 차단) has to be filed with the Ministry of Food and Drug Safety and carry the words 기능성 화장품 (gineungseong hwajangpum, "functional cosmetic") on the box. The brand has to show the ingredient is present at an approved level: niacinamide at 2 to 5 percent for brightening, adenosine at 0.04 percent for wrinkles, and so on.

That is why so many Korean serums list exactly 2 percent niacinamide or 0.04 percent adenosine: it is the amount that earns the label. When you see 기능성 화장품, the claim next to it has been checked. When a box says 탄력 (firmness) or 진정 (soothing) with no 기능성 mark, it is ordinary marketing.

Ingredient words worth learning

The heroes of Korean skincare are usually written in Korean on the front and in English in the ingredient list on the back.

On the box	Say it	It means
병풀 / 시카	byeongpul / sika	centella asiatica / cica. Soothing; the most common calming ingredient.
어성초	eoseongcho	heartleaf (houttuynia cordata). Soothing, used for oily and acne-prone skin.
쑥	ssuk	mugwort (artemisia). Calming, for redness.
달팽이	dalpaengi	snail. Snail mucin, for hydration and healing.
쌀	ssal	rice. Brightening and softening; rice toner, rice mask.
인삼 / 홍삼	insam / hongsam	ginseng / red ginseng. Firming, energizing.
프로폴리스	peuropolliseu	propolis. Glow and barrier support.
녹차	nokcha	green tea. Antioxidant, oil control.
히알루론산	hialluronsan	hyaluronic acid.
나이아신아마이드	naiasinamaideu	niacinamide.
판테놀	pantenol	panthenol (vitamin B5).
세라마이드	seramaideu	ceramide.
레티놀	retinol	retinol.
비타민C	bitamin C	vitamin C.

KR−34%

Skin1004

Dates: the two you will see

Korean boxes print two kinds of date, and mixing them up is the most common reason people think a product is expired. 제조 (jejo) or 제조일자 is the manufacture date. 까지 (kkaji, "until") after a date means use by. Many products print only the manufacture date plus a period-after-opening symbol (the little open jar with 12M or 6M inside), so a bottle "made" two years ago that is still sealed is normally fine.

Dates are written year-month-day: 2026.09.14 is 14 September 2026.

A worked example

Take the front of the Anua Heartleaf 77% Soothing Toner. 어성초 is heartleaf, 77% is the percentage of heartleaf extract, 진정 is soothing, and 토너 is the type. So without reading a word of English you know: a soothing toner that is mostly heartleaf, aimed at redness and oily, reactive skin. That is exactly what it is.

Every product page on Dew Select does this for you: the Korean or Japanese on the label is translated in the "Decode the label" box, and the product is explained in one sentence. Point the app's camera at any box and it reads it aloud.

Anua