The K-beauty ingredient glossary: centella to PDRN

The soothers

• Centella asiatica (cica, 병풀). A herb whose extracts (madecassoside, asiaticoside) calm redness and support repair. The single most common soothing ingredient in K-beauty and the safest first pick for sensitive skin. Skin1004 Madagascar Centella Ampoule, Purito Wonder Releaf.
• Heartleaf (houttuynia cordata, 어성초). Anti-inflammatory; loved by oily, acne-prone skin because it soothes without adding richness. Anua Heartleaf 77% Toner, Abib Heartleaf Spot Pad.
• Mugwort (artemisia, 쑥). Calming and antioxidant, traditionally used in Korean baths. I'm From Mugwort Essence is the reference.
• Green tea (녹차). Antioxidant and mildly astringent; a natural fit for oily skin. Isntree Green Tea Fresh Toner, Innisfree Green Tea Seed Serum.
• Panthenol (vitamin B5, 판테놀). Humectant and barrier helper; often paired with centella in "cica" products.

KR−34%

Skin1004

Madagascar Centella Ampoule

$14.50 $22★ 4.7 (19,943)

KR

Anua

Heartleaf 77% Soothing Toner

$19.69

KR

I'm From

Mugwort Essence

$36★ 4.7 (3,483)

KR

Isntree

Green Tea Fresh Toner

$14.90★ 4.6 (3,521)

KR

Purito

Wonder Releaf Centella Unscented Serum

$17.46★ 4.6 (7,349)

The hydrators

• Hyaluronic acid (히알루론산). Holds water in the skin. Korean formulas layer several molecular sizes so it hydrates deeper than the surface; Torriden Dive-In is built on five. Look for it in toners and serums, and apply to damp skin.
• Snail mucin (달팽이). Snail secretion filtrate: glycoproteins and hyaluronic acid that hydrate and support healing. COSRX Advanced Snail 96 Mucin Power Essence is the product that introduced K-beauty to the world.
• Ceramides (세라마이드). The lipids that hold the skin barrier together. For dry, tight or eczema-prone skin: Illiyoon Ceramide Ato, Dr. Jart+ Ceramidin.
• Birch sap (자작나무 수액). Mineral-rich water used in place of plain water in Round Lab's Birch Juice line.
• Beta-glucan. An oat- or mushroom-derived humectant that is gentler than hyaluronic acid; common in barrier creams.

KR

Torriden

Dive-In Low Molecular Hyaluronic Acid Serum

$21.49★ 4.7 (4,700)

KR

COSRX

Advanced Snail 96 Mucin Power Essence

$18.50★ 4.6 (30,471)

KR

Illiyoon

Ceramide Ato Concentrate Cream

$21.24★ 4.6 (2,390)

KR

Round Lab

Birch Juice Moisturizing Sunscreen SPF50+

$19.60★ 4.8 (11,340)

KR

Dr. Jart+

Ceramidin Skin Barrier Moisturizing Cream

$31.57★ 4.7 (280)

The brighteners

• Niacinamide (나이아신아마이드). Vitamin B3: fades dark spots, evens tone, tightens the look of pores, and at 2 to 5 percent earns Korea's regulated brightening claim. In half the serums on this site. Anua Peach 70 Niacin, Beauty of Joseon Glow Serum.
• Vitamin C (비타민C). Antioxidant and brightener. Korean products favor gentler derivatives or fresh-juice formats; Klairs Freshly Juiced Vitamin Drop is the low-strength entry, Goodal Green Tangerine the dark-spot pick.
• Rice (쌀). Rice bran and rice water: mild brightening and softening, part of Korean beauty for centuries. I'm From Rice Toner, Beauty of Joseon Relief Sun.
• Tranexamic acid. Targets stubborn dark spots and melasma; often paired with niacinamide in "dark spot" serums.
• Azelaic acid. For redness and post-acne marks at once; Anua Azelaic Acid 10.

KR

Anua

Peach 70 Niacin Serum

$20★ 4.6 (3,929)

KR

Beauty of Joseon

Glow Serum: Propolis + Niacinamide

$13.60★ 4.5 (11,849)

KR

Goodal

Green Tangerine Vita C Dark Spot Serum

$21.90★ 4.5 (187)

KR

I'm From

Rice Toner

$12.32★ 4.7 (13,407)

KR

Anua

Azelaic Acid 10 Hyaluron Redness Soothing Serum

$19.80★ 4.7 (11,363)

KR−41%

Axis-Y

Dark Spot Correcting Glow Serum

$13.50 $23★ 4.5 (13,362)

The renewers

• Ginseng (인삼). The traditional Korean firming ingredient, the base of Sulwhasoo's whole line and of Beauty of Joseon's ginseng products.
• Propolis (프로폴리스). Bee resin: glow, antioxidant, mild antibacterial. Beauty of Joseon Glow Serum.
• PDRN. Polydeoxyribonucleotide, a DNA fragment originally from salmon, now the buzz ingredient in "skin booster" creams for repair and elasticity. Abib PDRN Volume Fill-it.
• Retinol / retinal (레티놀). Vitamin A, the proven wrinkle ingredient. Korean retinols start low (0.1 percent) with soothers built in. COSRX The Retinol 0.1, Beauty of Joseon Revive Eye Serum (retinal).
• Peptides. Signal molecules for firmness; usually in creams and eye products.
• Fermented ingredients (발효). Bifida, galactomyces and fermented soybean (Mixsoon Bean Essence): the "first essence" category, which softens and preps skin.

KR

Sulwhasoo

First Care Activating Serum

$110★ 4.7 (300)

KR

Beauty of Joseon

Ginseng Essence Water

$13.50★ 4.6 (5,585)

KR

Abib

PDRN Volume Fill-it Booster Crème

$17★ 4.9 (878)

KR

COSRX

The Retinol 0.1 Cream

$18.90★ 4.6 (1,330)

KR

Beauty of Joseon

Revive Eye Serum: Ginseng + Retinal

$13.60★ 4.6 (16,159)

KR

Mixsoon

Bean Essence

$22★ 4.6 (11,932)

Combining them

Soothers and hydrators go with anything. Niacinamide plays well with everything, including vitamin C (the old warning was wrong). Keep retinol away from strong acids on the same night, and put sunscreen on in the morning when you use any brightener or retinoid, because they make skin more reactive to sun. When in doubt: one active, one soother, one moisturizer.

Every product page lists the key ingredients, and you can browse by concern on the shop page: redness, dark spots, dehydration and more.