14 Korean Beauty Influencers You Should Follow
In recent years, Korea has become known for many things. Almost everyone has heard about Korea in some regard – perhaps because of Kdramas, K-pop or the delicious food. However, another aspect of Korea that has become wildly popular over the past few years is Korean beauty. Specifically the beauty and skincare products that come from the country.
Growing on the back of the Hallyu Wave, Korean cosmetics have become incredibly popular recently. No matter my country, I can visit a mall and expect to find Korean cosmetic chains such as Innisfree, Nature Republic or Olive Young. The influence of Korean cosmetics only appears to be growing, too.
Promoted primarily by idols and actors from famous K-pop groups and dramas, millions today use Korean cosmetics and skincare in their daily routines. Although I am not much of a cosmetics person, I know I have at least two Korean products I regularly use!
However, another aspect of Korea that you may or may not be aware of is the speed at which change occurs. Trends are BIG, and you’ll often see fashion trends on the streets of Seoul for one season before they disappear, never to be seen again. While some might see this as wasteful, it goes to show how dynamic and fast-paced the lifestyle in Korea is.
The same goes for cosmetics. New brands always appear, each with unique selling points and properties. One month, one brand or product will be trending; the next month, you might be hard-pressed to find that product again. With the incredible speed at which everything moves, how can you hope to keep up with the latest and best Korean beauty products?
That’s where influencers come in. Love them or hate them, influencers are the best way to keep up to date with the latest Korean beauty trends. Whether your favourite celebrity, a dermatologist influencer or even a small YouTuber, influencers are your best way to keep up to date regarding Korean beauty.
This thought inspired today’s post on the best Korean beauty influencers you should follow. If you’re interested at all in learning about new products or staying up to date with new and trendy K-beauty products, you’ll want to check out this curated list of the best influencers to follow.
Of course, if there’s anyone you believe is missing from this list, we would love to hear from you! If so, please feel free to comment on this post and let us know who we’re missing out on! With that said, let’s dive into the first influencer you should follow!
1. Wishtrend TV
Let’s start this list off with the obvious. If you’re already aware of Wishtrend TV (which is quite likely if you’re into K-beauty!), then feel free to skip this first entry. However, if you don’t yet follow Wishtrend or are unaware of the YouTube channel, keep reading because this channel is perhaps the most famous K-beauty channel on YouTube for a good reason!
Wishtrend TV is hosted by a fun and energetic team who love skincare and cosmetics. Their videos often revolve around tutorials, guides, and fun games such as ‘If You Could Choose Only One for a Lifetime’. On top of this, the channel often hosts giveaways for people all over the world.
Of course, what makes Wishtrend TV stand out is the vast library of videos they have. Whether you’re looking for the best Vitamin C facial serum or wonder how to use toner, Wishtrend has guides available for you. Being a Korean channel, these guides and tips revolve around Korean beauty brands and products.
However, even if you’re just interested in beauty products but not specifically in those from Korea, Wishtrend TV has videos you might find interesting. For example, I recently encountered one video when I was curious: ‘ Do you apply sunscreen even on cloud days or indoors?’ as I had been wondering about this earlier in the day.
If you aren’t already subscribed to Wishtrend TV, I recommend at least checking out their YouTube channel. You’ll be hard-pressed to find a vast library of tutorials and guides as thorough as this anywhere else, and the hosts are always entertaining to watch. Even if you aren’t interested in subscribing, the channel is worth searching as I almost guarantee you’ll find something to learn.
2. Beauty Within
Although the name might allude to the contrary, Beauty Within is a YouTube channel hosted by two women, Felicia and Rowena. While the channel isn’t strictly limited to Korean beauty products, the majority of videos feature at least some Korean skincare, and there is also a range of tutorials and guides discussing Korean beauty products.
Like Wishtrend TV, Beauty Within is a helpful YouTube channel because it covers products and gives valuable insights and tips into various health and beauty topics. These are fantastic if you want to create your own routine but need a few tips along the way.
On the other hand, if you prefer to have everything done for yourself, you can watch one of their many videos on complete routines. They have everything covered, from acne to hair care routines, and you can find almost any Korean beauty-related topic covered here.
What I appreciate the most about this channel is the depth to which the two are willing to dive into any given topic. Most of their videos are around 20 minutes, with some being significantly longer. Despite being long, the videos don’t have filler content, and there is so much valuable information to learn in each video.
This depth makes me recommend Beauty Within to anyone looking for some K-beauty influencers to follow. If you’re more interested in learning as opposed to product recommendations (although they have many of these, too!), this is the channel you’ll want to check out.
3. A Coreana Beauty
A Coreana Beauty is a Korean beauty channel that Spanish speakers will appreciate as all videos are subtitled in Korean and Spanish (English is also available via the subtitle menu). This YouTube channel is run by a woman named Soyeon, and it’s one of the most established Korean beauty channels on the platform.
What makes A Coreana Beauty such a useful channel is that while Soyeon often focuses on skincare routines and products, she also has many videos that don’t involve purchasing new and trending products. Instead, she gives away a range of tips and ways that viewers can improve their skin without spending a penny.
Of course, she also has a range of videos that discuss products (more often than not, Korean beauty products) and routines. However, these are mixed in with a range of videos that only involve habitual and lifestyle changes. I appreciate this balance, as it means I do not want to go out and purchase new products after every video!
Since A Coreana Beauty is based in South America, you can also find a range of content aimed at locals. If you live in Brazil, Chile, or other nearby countries, you might find extra value in this channel as Soyeon discusses locally available products regularly.
While A Coreana Beauty clearly focuses on K-beauty primarily, you can also find some health and lifestyle content here. From time to time, Soyeon will upload a blog showing insights into her daily lifestyle or even health videos such as workout and massage vlogs. Whichever topic you find interesting, this channel is worth checking out if you are interested in Korean beauty.
4. IAMKARENO
IAMKORENO is a YouTube channel run by Karen Yeung, a woman from Hong Kong who now lives in Los Angeles. When you first open the IAMKARENO channel, you would be forgiven for thinking it’s a lifestyle channel, as Karen has begun diversifying her content in recent months. However, looking back past the most current videos, you will quickly find tons of K-beauty content.
Karen has a ton of content about K-beauty and even a range of content that covers cosmetics and skincare in general – not just that limited to Korean skincare. While she has a range of other content mixed in, a lot of it overlaps, and you’ll likely find some other content you like while searching through her K-beauty videos.
My favourite K-beauty videos on the IAMKARENO channel are the tutorials, especially those such as one of her recent videos about getting rid of acne. As someone who often deals with acne, I found the video extremely helpful, and after trying some of the steps and products recommended, I’ve found my acne quickly comes under much more control.
As a parent, Karen’s channel also has lots of content about living as a mother in Hong Kong. However, while her content is varied, there’s no denying that she is one of the largest K-beauty influencers on YouTube, with over 1.5 million subscribers!
5. Dica
Dica is a smaller influencer who has recently been on the rise. While she currently has just under 15,000 subscribers on YouTube, her content is some of the most interesting K-beauty content on YouTube – especially if you are into beauty haul videos, which she regularly uploads.
Dica is based in the Philippines, but posts haul videos on a monthly basis. Many of these are from Olive Young, but other stores and collections are mixed in. Regardless, whenever I watch her videos, I discover new products I wasn’t aware of beforehand. For this reason, I find Dica’s channel amazing for discovering new K-beauty products.
One note is that Dica’s channel clearly focuses more on the makeup and cosmetic side of K-beauty products than the skincare side. While she does have skincare products in some of her videos, there is a strong focus on beauty products, and therefore, this channel is ideal for anyone looking to learn more about the latest Korean makeup, lipsticks, and more.
One aspect I particularly appreciate about Dica’s channel is that many of the products are affordable and come from familiar stores. For example, Olive Young is one of the most well-known cosmetic chain stores in South Korea, and many of her hauls are products from there. This is fantastic because these stores are accessible and open to everyone.
Dica also releases other content from time to time, and it generally discusses either her life as a self-employed creator or her life in the Philippines. Both of these topics are rather interesting, and that’s yet another reason this K-beauty influencer is worth checking out!
6. Funskincare (Claudia Christin)
Funskincare is run by Claudia Christin, an Indonesian who moved to South Korea. While her Instagram page has a ton of interesting content, what makes her content truly unique is that she has a PhD in dermatology and, therefore, is an expert on skincare products and the ingredients used in skincare products.
This unique spin makes her channel very informative and useful and means that you can trust that she knows what she is talking about. Where most K-beauty influencers discuss the visible impacts of Korean beauty products, Claudia is able to dive into more depth and knows details about the ingredients and how they can impact us – even if the changes aren’t always visible.
Her background also adds validity to many of her videos, which we don’t see so frequently with other K-beauty influencers. For example, regarding her Reels on how to treat acne scars, we know that we can trust her as she’s an expert in this field.
Claudia also recommends products on her Funskincare page if you’re interested in product recommendations. While most of her videos are tutorials and guides, she does have a range of product recommendations and reviews on her page. These aren’t limited to Korean beauty products either, so expect to find many suggestions you didn’t know about here!
7. SokoBeauty
SokoBeauty is an Instagram page run by Elisa Lee, a mother based in the Netherlands. While some of her recent content focuses more on motherhood, she has been a Korean beauty influencer for many years and has ample experience testing and sharing her thoughts on different K-beauty products.
Now, while not all of her content is about Korean brands and products specifically, most are – especially if you review her previous content library. Almost all of her content is in the form of Reels, which I appreciate as I always find Reels much easier to interact with than image posts.
Where some channels and pages focus more on the makeup side, SokoBeauty is the opposite, as it focuses almost exclusively on skincare products. This makes it the perfect choice for anyone who only wants to discover new skincare products and routines and perhaps isn’t so interested in the makeup side of things.
Elisa posts frequently, and you can always expect her page to have the latest products and the most up-to-date information and content. Where some other K-beauty influencers only upload every week or a couple of times a month, Elisa is very frequent, and you can always rely on her page to share trending and hot products.
8. Yayayayoung
So far, all the K-beauty influencers we’ve discussed have focused entirely or partly on women’s beauty. However, there is a different side to K-beauty for men, and the next influencer on this list focuses on K-beauty products, routines, and guides for this audience.
Yayayayoung is an Instagram page with over 100k followers. Run by an extremely entertaining and fun host, this page focuses on men’s K-beauty and shares a range of products ideal for different skin types and conditions. The page is also very active, and you can find a new post every day or two.
This Instagram page has a range of valuable content, but it’s also mixed in with some funny and light-hearted memes and entertaining posts about skincare and cosmetics. This balance makes the Yayayayoung page always entertaining and, for many, very relatable. I know I laughed out loud at some of the memes!
With this combination of entertaining and useful content, Yayayayoung is a great page to follow if you’re interested in men’s skincare routines, products, and brands. While it isn’t entirely limited to K-beauty products, you will certainly find a lot of them mixed in with other international brands.
9. Inghwa
If you’re interested in Korean beauty but also want to learn more about the latest Korean fashion trends and styles, then Inghwa is the channel you’ll want to follow. While she has a range of beauty tutorials, guides, and product reviews, she also focuses heavily on fashion, making this a great channel for anyone wanting to complete their look from makeup to clothes.
Ingwha’s YouTube channel is in Korean, and the titles of the videos are in the language, too. However, the majority of her videos have English subtitles, and the thumbnails are often in English, making it easy to understand the topic of each video and the content within. While many of the videos have English subtitles, which can be turned on, they aren’t always listed. If you want something specifically with English subtitles, look for the videos with (ENG) in the title.
Inghwa’s channel has a very calm vibe, and the videos are easy to watch and take in while not being too much. She has a great style that makes her videos easy to watch, no matter where you are or what your mood is. Interestingly, this might make the channel a good one to practice your Korean listening on, but that is beside the point of this article!
Inghwa used to produce a lot of K-beauty content, but her YouTube is more focused on fashion these days. Luckily, all of her older content is still available, and her new content still has beauty tips mixed in. If you want a well-rounded channel that will give you all you need to know to keep up with the latest Korean trends, Inghwa’s channel is perfect for you.
10. Suesasha
Another YouTube channel to make this list is Suesasha, which offers a range of Korean beauty tips and product recommendations. Similarly to Inghwa, this channel is primarily in Korean, but most videos have subtitles that can be enabled so more viewers can understand what’s happening.
Suesasha makes a lot of product recommendations in her content, and this makes her channel perfect for anyone who is looking for specific product recommendations. Where many other channels won’t or rarely mention specifics, Suesasha makes specific recommendations regarding brands and products, so if you want specifics, check out her channel!
Suesasha’s channel also has a range of lifestyle and travel content mixed in, but there’s no denying that the major focus of the channel is Korean beauty, as you will find she frequently uploads different content regarding makeup and skincare routines, product recommendations, and more.
What I appreciate the most about this YouTube channel is how relatable and real it feels. Where some channels feel over-curated or edited, this channel feels rawer and, in a way, authentic. For that reason, many who are interested in Korean beauty have flocked to it to watch Suesasha’s uploads.
11. Ririsglow
Ririsglow is an Instagram page run by Rina, a Korean woman living in Australia. Her channel is unlike many of the K-beauty influencers on this list because it focuses exclusively on beauty products without a mix of any other content, whether it be lifestyle, travel, or otherwise.
While Rina is Korean, her page doesn’t focus exclusively on Korean beauty products. Instead, you will find a mix of popular Western makeup products and brands such as Dior, Bobby Brown, Clio and more. However, amongst these products you will also find a range of products from the country.
The Reels on Ririsglow focus mostly on unboxings and reviews of different products, making this a fantastic Instagram page to follow if you’re looking for specific product recommendations and suggestions. Rina also does some makeup tutorials showing how to achieve her look, but these videos are less frequent.
Rina consistently posts Reels and is always up to date with the latest beauty trends – not just from Korea but worldwide. Her page also has a consistent theme, making it stand out among all the other Korean beauty influencers on the channel. It’s a very nice-looking Instagram page!
12. Maccaron Beauty
Maccaron_beauty is an Indian K-beauty Instagram page run by India’s biggest K-beauty store. While this might not seem to be an ‘influencer’, Maccaron_beauty has a similar approach to Wishtrend TV, where the Instagram page promotes the store and informs users with tutorials and product reviews.
As Maccaron_beauty is based in India, the posts take this perspective. Since makeup and skincare work differently for different skin shades and types, many readers will be able to find valuable content here more suited to their own skin type. For that reason alone, it was worth including!
However, Maccaron_beauty is an exciting Instagram page beyond that because the team is very active and regularly posts Korean beauty tutorials, guides, product reviews, and more. I’ve even seen them host some Instagram Lives, answering frequently asked questions! It’s quickly obvious that they care about informing their potential customers, making this an Instagram page worth checking out.
Of course, if you are in India, you can also find all of the discussed products on their linked store, making it the perfect one-stop shop for anyone interested in Korean beauty in India. However, even if you’re not located in India, you can find valuable content on the Maccaron_beauty Korean beauty Instagram page!
13. Beauty and Seoul
Another Korean beauty Instagram page which promotes its store through its Instagram page, Beauty and Seoul, is a UK-based Korean beauty website. However, their Instagram page has also made them big Korean beauty influencers as they have a ton of content detailing to users how to use their products and more.
Maree is the woman behind Beauty and Seoul and runs the business’s Instagram page. Currently, the page mostly focuses on Reels, which are posted frequently, and there is never a lack of content. If you want to keep up to date with the latest Korean beauty releases and products (especially if you’re in the UK), this is the K-beauty influencer you’ll want to check out!
While much of the page focuses on product reviews, Maree also hosts a range of Reels describing her daily routines. This is fantastic for anyone looking to learn more about nightly routines, morning routines, and everything in between. There is a ton of information here, and if you’re unsure where to get started with Korean beauty, Maree has you covered.
Of course, if you are based in the UK you can also purchase any product you come across on this Instagram page at the store. All of the products shown are stocked, making it an even better page to follow for anyone in the country. In this way, Beauty and Seoul is a one-stop-shop for any British who is interested in Korean beauty!
14. Jenny Lee
This Instagram page, run by Jenny, is a fantastic resource for anyone looking into Korean beauty or wanting to learn more about trending products and styles. Jenny regularly uploads Reels to her 125,000 followers, and she has a range of content from shopping guides (not just in Korea, but in other countries too!) to tutorials and hauls.
Jenny’s Instagram page is useful because she posts guides on topics such as ‘choosing the right moisturiser for your skin type’ and ‘how to apply sunscreen’. While you might already know the answers to some of these guides, they’re fantastic for anyone just getting into Korean beauty, and this makes Jenny a beauty influencer worth following!
Alongside her in-depth and detailed guides, Jenny has more fun videos, such as haul videos and shopping guides. While these videos are still informative, and you can certainly learn a lot, they’re also fun to watch because who doesn’t want to see what items she decided to purchase and why? Shopping guides are always interesting to follow because you never know what you will find.
If you have acne or acne-prone skin, you will find Jenny’s page particularly useful as she often focuses on this topic. Scrolling through her page, I found at least five Reels discussing Korean beauty products for acne-prone skin, making the page even more valuable for those suffering from this frustrating skin condition!