So many of us are now looking to switch to an all-natural and organic skincare routine. And who can blame us? Do we really want to slather harsh chemicals all over our faces? The skin is the body's largest organ and it requires a lot of attention and delicate care.
As a movement, K-Beauty is focused on natural ingredients as a means to care and protect your skin. It doesn't look to patch over or cover skin issues; it aims to prevent those skin issues from ever developing in the first place.
Despite this focus, finding natural and organic K-Beauty products can be difficult. A lack of information online and unclear labelling has left many of us confused about what brands and products are actually natural and organic.
Admittedly, there are a handful of 100% natural Korean brands with some organic products. But, as yet, there are no fully organic Korean skincare brands at this moment in time. Although we’re confident, one will emerge soon.
In this post, we present the top three natural K-Beauty brands, along with their organic skincare products.
The 3 Best Natural Korean Skincare Brands with Organic Products
1. Innisfree
Many of you may have already heard of Innisfree or even tried some of their products. Innisfree claims to be the pioneer of K-Beauty and the first Korean skincare brand to sell 100% natural products.
Innisfree is deeply passionate about the island of Jeju, where it sources all its natural ingredients, and stresses importance over their social and environmental responsibility. At this moment in time, 80% of all Innisfree's products are natural.
The skincare range is focused on gentleness, efficacy and affordability. This top trio of benefits has led the brand to become one of the most recognisable and trusted Korean skincare brands globally.
Each high-quality ingredient is carefully selected by their procurement team, and the formulas carefully developed by industry-leading skincare experts.
You will also find that many of their products are cruelty-free and vegan-friendly, but not all of them. So be careful with your choice if you’re vegan or actively avoiding animal testing.
Top 3 Innisfree Natural Products
Jeju Volcanic Pore Cleansing Foam — £19.50
Korean skincare brands are big on volcanic ingredients and Innisfree is one of its biggest fans. This pore cleansing foam contains Jeju volcanic scoria, a rare ingredient from volcanic eruptions.
When used on the face as a foam, volcanic scoria effectively removes pore-clogging impurities, pollutants and blackheads for clear, radiant skin.
Green Tea Seed Cream — £22.00
Green tea is a staple ingredient in East Asian medicine and cosmetics. It's been used for millennia by various civilisations to help with anything, from improving overall health to fighting off disease.
This natural Green Tea Seed Cream is comfortable to wear, light and quickly absorbed by the skin. It will deeply moisturise and nourish even the most damaged skin.
Tone up No Sebum Sunscreen — £14.00
Tone up No Sebum Sunscreen is a high-quality, natural and lightweight sun cream that provides long-lasting UV protection in a refreshing, soft finish. You get super-strength SPF35 UV protection formulated with sunflower seed oil and Jeju green tea extract.
There's no stickiness or greasiness, and the formula allows for comfortable wear all day long. Enriched with natural green tea and tea tree extracts, this sun cream helps control sebum production and mattifies your skin without dehydrating.
You also benefit from natural witch hazel, which helps to soothe the skin, and Centella Asiatica, which protects against damages caused by environmental stressors. Your skin will stay smooth and shine-free all day.
2. Purito
A newcomer to the Korean Beauty industry, Purito have built their entire company on the philosophy that skincare should be safe, clean and sustainable.
Purito are 100% vegan, cruelty free and committed to sustainability. They use biodegradable, recyclable packaging for their products and donate the profits from this to the KFEM (Korean Federation For Environmental Movement).
Purito believe in keeping their formulas short and sweet, with a focus on safe, natural ingredients. The name “Purito” combines the words “Purify”, and “To” (meaning “Soil”). “Purify” refers to the purification of natural ingredients for skincare. “To” refers to the root of a plant. Purito believe that, like a healthy plant needs healthy roots, “health is the root of glowing skin”.
Top 3 Purito Natural Products
Centella Unscented Serum - £20.00
Formulated without fragrance, for those with the most sensitive skin. This serum is formulated with 49% anti-inflammatory centella extract, brightening niacinamide, and hyaluronic acid for a soothed, hydrated complexion.
Deep Sea Pure Water Cream - £16.50
Another completed unscented product from Purito, this cream is infused with some of the most beneficial marine ingredients, such as green caviar and seaweed extract, to hydrate and moisturise all skin types, from dry to oily.
Free from essential oils, fragrances and skin irritants, the Deep Sea Pure Water Cream is a gentle solution to dry skin that can be used even by those with sensitive skin-types.
Defence Barrier pH Cleanser - £15.00
This gentle foam cleanser works to protect and reinforce the skin’s natural barrier. This cleanser is formulated with tea tree leaf oil, centella asiatica extract, royal jelly extract and other naturally-sourced ingredients, and has a pH of only 5.5, so it is suitable for extremely sensitive and/or damaged skin.
3. Benton
Benton is another incredibly popular natural Korean skincare brand that pours a lot of money into research and development for its practical, but affordable natural skincare products.
The brand prides itself on its ability to add natural ingredients into their formulations to help hydrate the skin and fight off signs of ageing. These high-quality natural ingredients are added to innovative formulas, which are then delivered to their loyal customers worldwide at a reasonable price.
Benton has achieved phenomenal success for its nature-loving attitude and ability to provide highly-effective products at fair prices. The brand is creative and innovative, pushing boundaries within the global skincare industry and changing perceptions about natural ingredients' abilities. You won't be disappointed.
Top 3 Benton Natural Products
Aloe Propolis Soothing Gel — £17.50
This soothing gel embodies everything that Benton is about, all-natural skincare that delivers visible results. Suitable for all skin types, even those with sensitive skin, this gel is an excellent addition to anyone's skincare routine.
It is entirely synthetic-free and jam-packed with aloe leaf juice, propolis extract, camellia extract and cucumber. It will intensely moisturise your skin, leaving it plum and glass-like. Prepare to glow up!
Snail Bee Ultimate Serum — £8.50
This ultimate serum from Benton is another fine example of all-natural ingredients doing wonders for your skin. If you're new to K-Beauty, then the idea of snail mucin and bee venom might frighten you, but both have been found to provide intense hydration to the skin.
The result? Dark spots and acne scars will start to fade and your complexion will brighten. You will even benefit from some anti-ageing action with reduced signs of fine lines and wrinkles. Other ingredients like tea leaf water and plant extracts combine to soothe and restore brightness for that famous K-Beauty glow.
Honest Cleansing Foam — £12.00
Honest is a natural cleansing foam formulated for all skin types, but it’s especially useful for sensitive skin. This is an ultra-gentle solution for cleaning away dirt from even the most sensitive pores.
The foam is enriched with grape and sage extracts that help to protect the skin from environmental aggressors. The chamomile extract soothes irritation and calms skin that is susceptible to inflammation or blemishes.
The Honest Cleansing Foam is particularly popular with those suffering from eczema and acne-prone skin, offering a safe way to thoroughly clean pores. The foam leaves the skin feeling soft while providing essential moisture.
Is Korean Skincare Natural?
Many South Korean beauty brands use natural ingredients as standard. The K-Beauty industry was born out of the desire to create effective skin-loving beauty products using natural extracts. However, there’s no organic certification yet established in South Korea, and so finding brands and products that are natural and organic isn't always easy.