25 Best Asian-Owned Skin-Care Brands to Support Now and Always

Charlotte Cho founded Soko Glam — which has become a bible of sorts for people curious about the vast market of Korean skin care — almost 10 years ago with her husband Dave Cho. Since then, they've also launched three in-house brands: Then I Met You, Good (Skin) Days, and The Klog. The former has picked up countless awards for its luxurious formulas that now encompass a cleansing balm, gel cleanser, exfoliating toner, hydrating essence, lightweight gel-cream, rich moisturizer, exfoliating mask, and lip mask. 

Star Product: The Living Cleansing Balm ($38) is no stranger to fanfare, especially after winning a 2019 Best of Beauty Award. Countless Allure editors can't live without this buttery, antioxidant-rich makeup remover, which melts away even the most stubborn, waterproof mascara with ease. It's a mainstay in any double-cleansing routine and leaves skin feeling extra soft and pampered — in fact, you may never pick up a makeup wipe again.

Rooted in traditional Chinese rituals, Mount Lai focuses on intentionally-made self-care tools to provide a holistic approach to skincare. Founded by Stephanie Zheng, the brand’s ethos is inspired by her grandmother, who has been incorporating tools like gua sha and jade rollers in her beauty routine for over 50 years.

In addition to tools, Mount Lai's current lineup includes skin-care products such as the Brightening Berry Vitamin C Facial Oil ($80), which includes goji berry, an ingredient historically mashed into a paste with other herbs to create a beautifying face mask — a.k.a. a beloved treatment for ancient Chinese royalty.

Star Product: Rest easy with the Jade Eye Mask ($48) that invigorates, soothes, and depuffs your delicate eye area. Especially after long hours of staring in front of a computer or phone, this tool comes in handy for a quick pick-me-up. Leave it on for anywhere from 1-15 minutes to enjoy the natural cooling properties of jade.

Starting with their appearance (which ended in a hefty investment that was eventually left on the table) on Shark Tank in 2015, cofounders Sarah Lee and Christine Chang have steadily transformed Glow Recipe from a site that originally curated an array of Korean beauty brands into a full-fledged namesake brand that's constantly innovating, selling out, and attracting lots of buzz on social media. 

Each product highlights a powerhouse ingredient, which so far includes watermelon, avocado, plum, pineapple, blueberry, banana, and papaya. In essence, Glow Recipe has made a product for every skin-care issue imaginable. The brand has also ventured into body care with the Watermelon Glow Pink Dream Body Cream, which picked up a 2022 Readers' Choice Award.

Glow Recipe's sister brand, Sweet Chef, also offers Korean-inspired skin care at even more affordable price points through a partnership with Target.

Star Product: If you're active on beauty or skin-care TikTok, chances are you've probably seen the above pink bottle pop onto your For You Page (FYP). For the uninitiated, Watermelon Glow Niacinamide Dew Drops ($34) reduce inflammation and redness, brighten dull-looking skin, and act as a serum, primer, and highlighter all in one. It's magic.

Ranavat is a luxury botanical skin-care line inspired by the beauty rituals of Indian royalty. As a first-generation Indian American who grew up in Wisconsin, Michelle Ranavat set out to reclaim her cultural identity and create a line of modern ayurvedic skin-care (and hair-care) treatments that celebrate her culture and pass on these traditions of elevated self-care. 

The brand also donates two percent of proceeds to Desai Foundation, a nonprofit organization in India dedicated to empowering women and children through health and community programs.

Star Product: Upgrade your daily cleansing routine with the Imperial Glow Facial Polish ($45), which is a balm-to cream formula made with finely milled rice powder, almond oil, and adaptogenic herbs (like inflammation-soothing ashwagandha) to gently exfoliate dead skin cells and enhance your glow. 

The story of how Bloomeffects started sounds like a fairytale — but it's even better because the fantasy element is pretty real. Born and raised in Australia, cofounder of the brand Kim van Haaster (who is of Chinese/Vietnamese descent) moved to New York City in her 20s and worked in the beauty industry for years. It was during a trip to Europe that she met and fell in love with a Dutch tulip farmer. The two later married and van Haaster moved to the Netherlands, where she developed and launched Bloomeffects, the first brand to harness the power of tulips in skin care. And, of course, the tulips are harvested from her husband's tulip farm, H.M van Haaster, which was founded in 1905.

In celebration of AAPI Heritage Month, Bloomeffects partnered with fellow AAPI woman-owned brands, including Three Ships Beauty and Everyday Humans, to help spread awareness and celebrate Asian voices in the beauty space. In addition to an educational Instagram Live "Founder Friday" series on their Instagram, the skin-care brand will be donating 100 percent of sales of the Bloomeffects Tulip Dew Drops ($55) to Gold House, the Asian and Pacific Islander changemaker community.

Star Product: The new Tulip Dew Vitamin & Mineral Broad Spectrum SPF 50 Mineral Sunscreen Serum ($65) is a multi-use product that not only protects skin against UVA and UVB rays, but also helps defend skin against environmental aggressors, pollution, and even blue light. The 100-percent mineral-based formula has a light beige color that blends into your skin without leaving a trace of white cast. Also worth noting: the silky-smooth serum just feels nice on the skin and gives it a luminous glow.

Tatcha founder Vicky Tsai fell in love with Japanese beauty when she first visited Japan in 2008 and became determined to share that piece of global beauty culture with the western market, despite how "niche" she was initially told her brand would be. Together, she works hand-in-hand with Japanese chemists to create ultra-nourishing products that respect your skin barrier and minimize moisture loss. No wonder Meghan Markle's makeup artist Daniel Martin hopped onto the Tatcha train and became the brand's global director of artistry and education.

Star Product: It's hard to choose just one product when The Essence ($105) and The Deep Cleanse ($39) have won Allure Best of Beauty Awards, but The Water Cream ($69) is a formidable opponent, having won the vote of the people through our Readers' Choice Awards. The impossibly lightweight gel-cream moisturizer intensely hydrates skin without clogging pores or contributing to excess sebum production, thanks to ingredients like Japanese leopard lily. Antioxidant-rich green tea and red algae soothe redness and irritation, while Japanese wild rose helps minimize the appearance of large pores — making it the perfect hydrator to prep skin prior to makeup.

Blueland has a clear goal to reinvent home essentials to help end the production of single-use plastic. The origin of this mission comes from co-founder Sarah Paiji Yoo's own experience when she was transitioning from breastfeeding to formula-feeding her oldest son. After doing some research, she was horrified to learn just how many microplastics are in the water (both tap and bottled varieties).

Concerned about using this water to make her son's formula, she decided to personally reduce her use of plastic materials and later founded Blueland to help others do so, too. Blueland's products are designed in tablet or powder form and are meant to be mixed with household tap water. This saves you money, space, and helps out Mother Nature, too.

Star Product: Blueland recently expanded to the beauty and body-care space with options such as the Body Wash Starter Set ($16). Just mix the powder with water and repeat — the bottle is designed to be reused and refilled again. A creamy blend of nourishing ingredients (vitamin E, oat, kaolin clay, and coconut acids) are super gentle and hydrating for your skin. Scents come in Waterlily Dew, Sandalwood Sage, and Raspberry Hibiscus.

After struggling with severe eczema growing up and earning her aesthetician license, Alicia Yoon decided to dedicate her work to helping people (especially those with sensitized skin) find clinically proven skin-care solutions that would transform their skin. While Peach & Lily still curates a variety of Korean brands (check out its annual Best of K-Beauty Awards), the company's namesake Peach & Lily Collection shines the brightest. If you're looking to overhaul your routine, we highly recommend you check out this all-encompassing lineup.

Yoon is also the founder Peach Slices, a drugstore-friendly brand known for its affordable Acne Spot Dots.

Star Product: We're willing to bet that more than a handful of people were introduced to the concept of "glass skin" through the Glass Skin Refining Serum ($39). The niacinamide- and madecassoside-rich formula instantly plumps dry skin, soothes stress- and acne-induced redness, and leaves skin looking extra luminous and healthy. It's so popular that the Glass Skin family has grown to include a water-gel moisturizer and mist that brings you even closer to your glossy skin-care goals.

In October 2019, Naturium was launched by Ben Bennett's beauty brand incubator, The Center. The intention behind the brand is to address the need for ingredient-led, efficacious skincare products that are also affordable. The range of high-tech formulas is plant-powered, produced in the United States, and partners with change-making communities including One Tree Planted and Plastic Bank. In June 2020, social media personality Susan Yara (known for her beauty YouTube videos) joined The Center as a co-owner of Naturium. 

Since then, the business has been booming and recently launched a range of body-care goods.

Star Product: Open up The Purple Ginseng Cleansing Balm ($19) and you'll find a lavender-colored sorbet-like balm that melts into your skin. This vegan, fragrance-free formula works like a dream to dissolve dirt, oil, makeup, sunscreen, and other impurities, leaving you feeling refreshed. Cleanse and repeat to soften, smooth, and nourish your skin.

Topicals cofounders Olamide Olowe and Claudia Teng are well on their way to collecting more entrepreneurial milestones than most 20-somethings would even dream about. Launched in August 2020 (during a pandemic, no less), they set out to create an unfiltered brand that champions inclusivity, "flaws," and the strength of their community (and all the straightforward feedback that comes with it).

Star Product: While Faded (a gel-serum) and Like Butter (a rich moisturizer that soothes dry, eczema-prone skin) work in harmony with one another, Faded ($38) has quickly become an editor favorite for its ability to minimize the appearance of hyperpigmentation and post-acne dark spots. 

A team of pigmentation-fading tranexamic acid, bacteria-killing azelaic acid, and tone-evening niacinamide ensure scars don't hang around for too long. Senior commerce writer Angela Trakoshis says that this treatment "helps bring down the darkness without bleaching the skin, so it works not only for my olive skin tone but for all skin tones."

Fun fact: Clean K-beauty skin-care brand Schwanen Garten was inspired by Hans Christian Andersen's literary tale The Ugly Duckling. The brand's name means swan's garden in English and celebrates the transformational journey of self-acceptance and innate beauty. Back in 1994, cofounders of the brand Sung Hyun Kim (who also holds the CEO position) and Suan Hwang, PhD, met in Saint Petersburg, Russia, while studying engineering and biochemistry, respectively. 

Over the course of 20 years, the pair developed the antioxidant research that led them to create Schwanen Garten. The collection focuses on the power of antioxidants to defend the skin against signs of premature aging and protect it from free radicals. Your skin will surely thank you down the road.

Star Product: Consider the Antioxidant Eye Cream ($50) your savior for dullness around the eye area. Created to hydrate, smooth, and brighten, this good-for-all-skin-types eye cream gives you a more revitalized look with consistent use morning and night. Key ingredients include sodium hyaluronate, glycerin, and niacinamide. P.S. It can be mixed in or used with the Multi-Active Antioxidant Ampoule ($52) to level up the antioxidant power.

Cofounders Angela Ubias and Cary Lin have built Common Heir out of the desire to create plastic-free skin care that doesn't compromise on high performance, cutting-edge innovation, and thoughtful design. If you think that's a pretty tall order, you're not wrong. But as members of the inaugural class for the Credo for Change program who are about to debut their first product, the future's looking pretty darn sustainable.

Star Product: Instead of relying on a typical bottle and pump situation, the duo's first launch, the 10% Vitamin C Serum ($88 for a two-month supply of 60 capsules) is housed inside biodegradable, plant-based capsules (that can be either melted down in hot water or simply tossed out). The vegan, fragrance-free liquid is also less likely to oxidize in this format and comes packaged inside a gorgeous and recyclable botanical-inspired tube. 

The same idea goes for the 0.2% Retinol Serum ($88 for a two-month supply of 60 capsules), which is the perfect beginner-friendly option for the retinol-curious, as the gentle concentrate of retinol is padded with soothing ingredients like squalane and algae.

Tina Chen Craig launched U Beauty in November 2019 to streamline complicated skin-care routines (including her own) with potent, multitasking formulas that simply work. The brand even developed, as Allure senior beauty editor Dianna Mazzone described it, a "first-of-its-kind technology [that] delivers active ingredients only to the areas of your face that need them." So far, the brand has launched seven products, including The Super Hydrator ($168) and The Barrier Bioactive Treatment ($198).

Star Product: The powerful yet gentle U Beauty Resurfacing Compound ($228) is game-changing for people who are uneasy about testing retinol on sensitive skin. It's basically an all-in-one treatment that's spiked with brightening vitamin C, exfoliating alpha hydroxy acids, clarifying witch hazel, and hydrating vitamin E. Consider this bottle as a one-way ticket to the land of glass skin.

After lots of tanning as a teen, Charlotte Chen Pienaar (now in her 30s) is seeing the first signs of aging. "I wish someone had told me earlier the importance of taking care of my skin by using the most vital weapon against wrinkles — SPF," says Pienaar, who created Everyday Humans, a conscious and inclusive sun-led skin-care brand that helps inspire Gen Z and millennials of all skin tones and types to wear SPF every day.

From the packaging to the products, the brand finds inspo from the creative energy and intersection of street fashion, urban culture, nature conservation, and experimental art. "We aim to elevate and uplift our community in all ways possible," she adds.

Star Product: Say hello to Everyday Human's Rose From Above ($26), a tinted SPF 35 mineral sunscreen base. "We decided to develop a primer-like mineral SPF specifically for our AAPI community — humans with medium to olive skin tones," says Pienaar. The unique combo of plant squalane, ceramides, and yucca root extract supports the skin barrier and minimizes redness. "We know that not everyone looks like us. And as a small business, we are able to open up our product development process by asking, listening to, and collaborating with our fans and loyal customers." Expect an air-brushed-like, semi-matte finish with no white cast, and then finish off your routine with a swipe of Big Mood SPF 30 Milk Lip Balm ($9) to protect your lips from the sun, too.

Add Eadem to your list of "beauty companies to watch" right now. As a company dedicated to caring for melanin-rich skin through science-backed products, Eadem has already generated plenty of chatter with its two notable launches: a dark spot serum and cloud-like moisturzier. As a member of Sephora Accelerate and winner of Glossier's Grant Initiative for Black-Owned Businesses, the best is definitely yet to come — but in the meantime, their website serves as an inclusive space that shares the stories of inspiring women of color.

Cofounders Alice Lin Glover and Marie Kouadio Amouzame met while working at Google and bonded through their mutual love for and knowledge of skin care — as well as the adjustments and struggles they faced navigating that world. They banded together with the common mission of creating thoughtfully researched skin care for melanated complexions, and the rest is beauty startup history.

Star Product: The brand's very first product, the Milk Marvel Dark Spot Serum ($68), quickly stole our hearts. This fragrance-free, gel-like serum is powered by a brightening team of amber algae, niacinamide, and encapsulated Vitamin C, as well as gently exfoliating pineapple and papaya enzymes. Stubborn dark spots don't even stand a chance. 

Priscilla Tsai set out to create a skin-care line that would be the antidote to the harsh topicals and antibiotics she had been relying on to heal her extremely sensitive, acne-prone skin. Cocokind's mission revolves around simple, high-quality, and sustainably-focused ingredients with affordable prices. Case in point: The One-for-All Balm, which won a 2020 Best of Beauty Award in the "Clean" category, is super accessible at just $11.

The brand also values transparency and breaks down the percentages of all of its products' ingredients (by categories like hero ingredients, carriers, humectants, preservatives, etc.) — for instance, the cleanser photographed above only contains 0.10 percent essential oils. Cocokind also recently announced new "Sustainability Facts" labels on all of its packaging, which addresses carbon emissions emitted during every step of a product's life, ethical labor, and packaging recyclability.

Star Product: Infused with a blend of sunflower, grapeseed, baobab, and oat kernel oils, Cocokind's Oil-To-Milk Cleanser ($19) melts into dry skin to break down makeup and blackhead-clogging dirt on the spot, while fermented oat (aka Lactobacillus ferment) supports a healthy microbiome. Once you add water, it emulsifies into a milky wash that deeply hydrates and leaves skin feeling soft. 

Also noteworthy: the brand's second sunscreen, Silk SPF 30 ($25), a hybrid sunscreen you'll look forward to slathering on every day.

Since 2016 David Yi has sat at the helm of Very Good Light, a media platform that champions inclusivity in the beauty industry. And now he's taking that same ethos and proving that everyone (especially those who don't necessarily identify as masc or femme) deserves to feel powerful in their skin with his own product line, Good Light. 

All three initial products, the Cosmic Dew Water Cleanser, Moon Glow Milky Toning Lotion, and We Come In Peace Probiotics Serum, are focused on strengthing the skin's moisture barrier for a healthier complexion. And they all range between $18 and $24, making them accessible to a wide array of people and backgrounds.

Star Product: It's no surprise that probiotics are popping up just about everywhere in the skin-care world. The We Come in Peace Probiotics Serum ($24) capitalizes on the growing trend of microbiome care by infusing this milky formula with Lactococcus ferment lysate. Board-certified dermatologist Claire Chang, MD, previously told Allure that this probiotic "may help restore the skin’s balance and renew the skin barrier." 

Adding to the mix is the popular retinol alternative, bakuchiol, which boosts cell turnover and in turn stimulates collagen production and diminishes overall photodamage. It's also less irritating for sensitive skin, to boot. Combine those two powerhouse ingredients with anti-inflammatory carrot seed oil and blue tansy, and you've got yourself one out-of-this-world treatment.

If you're known for your incredibly smooth skin, why not make a skin-care brand that helps others achieve the same? At least that's what we like to believe was the thinking behind Erica Choi's (former vice president of digital design at Barneys New York and New York-licensed aesthetician) decision to bring Superegg to life. 

The super-chic brand launched with two core products, the Gentle Elements Cleanser and Sound Renewal Moisturizer, which feature different parts of the egg (yolk, white, and membrane) for a plethora of nourishing and skin-healing properties. However, what you won't find are over 2,700 ingredients linked to health or environmental issues.

Star Product: The Gentle Elements Cleanser ($34) has a rich, foaming cream formula that employs micro-encapsulated beads made up of plant cellulose, sugars, clays, amino acids, and vitamin C for supremely gentle exfoliation. Not only does it remove every ounce of makeup and dirt, but a blend of hydrating moringa oil, mushroom, and hydrolyzed soy protein ensures skin feels balanced and soft.

Blume dabbles in a little bit of everything, including period care (hello, organic pads and tampons). Sisters Taran and Bunny Ghatrora started Blume to empower people of all ages to feel confident in their own bodies and embrace the natural processes that come along with it — be it puberty, adult acne, etc. The brand's anti-inflammatory Meltdown Acne Oil ($28) alone puts a halt to impending breakouts without being obvious (you can even wear it under makeup).

Star Product: While we know natural, aluminum-free deodorants can be hit-or-miss, consider Blume's Hug Me Deodorant ($14) to be a clear-cut winner. This vegan formula contains coconut oil, cornstarch, baking soda, jojoba seed oil, and bacteria-balancing probiotics to keep your underarms smelling fresh and feeling soft and moisturized all day long.

At the heart of each 107 product, you'll find seven-year-aged Hanega vinegar straight from one of the oldest vinegar breweries in Korea (owned by cofounder Seyong Shin). Traditionally used in Asian medicine, the vinegar's fermentation process results in robust postbiotics (including 17 amino acids, lactic acid, and malic acid) to exfoliate skin and provide antibacterial, antioxidant, and anti-inflammatory protection. 

This magical elixir is what cofounder Chloe Kwak credits for healing her eczema-prone skin, so she naturally infused it into a cleanser, cream, toner mist, and sheet masks. You can even buy bottles of vinegar straight off of the brand's website to add to your food and drinks. 

Star Product: What's the easiest way to awaken dull-looking skin? Mist yourself. 107's Dewy Glow Serum Mist ($58) provides long-lasting hydration and plumping any time you need it — even post-sunscreen and makeup. It's spiked with 60 percent probiotic-rich rice and soybean ferment filtrates and vitamin E-charged safflower extract for radiance you simply can't fake.

Sabrina Tan was ahead of the skin-care customization agenda back in 2008 when she started Skin Inc. She worked with scientists and labs in Japan in order to crack the code on mixing actives through capsule technologies. The results? For one, there's the My Daily Dose, which is a pre-blended serum spiked with brightening chlorella extract, rejuvenating vitamin A, and moisturizing hyaluronic acid. No need to cocktail multiple serums yourself, since this does it all for you and leaves your skin looking glowy and healthy.

Star Product: The NASA-inspired Tri-Light +SABI AI LED Light Therapy Device ($345) is an LED device powered by five different lights (red, blue, yellow, orange, and purple) that address a wide range of skin-care concerns — like fine lines, acne, and hyperpigmentation. For example, the blue light combats acne-causing bacteria, while the red light promotes collagen production and reduces inflammation.

All you need is a water-based serum or mask, your light of choice, and 10 minutes of gentle, circular massaging motions, and you'll start witnessing smoother, clearer, and calmer skin.

As someone who studied biomedical and pharmaceutical science and international business, Nicholas Travis had a deep understanding of skin-care formulations and the entrepreneurial hustle prior to launching Allies of Skin in 2016. The editor-favorite brand prides itself on formulating clinically-proven actives — like alpha hydroxy acids, peptides, prebiotics, and vitamin C — at supercharged concentrations that are still gentle enough to use daily (and on sensitive skin). What they keep out are potential irritants, including silicones, sulfates, drying alcohol, mineral oil, and fragrances.

More recently, Travis also launched another brand called PSA Skin, which offers a more affordable (but no less potent) lineup of skin-care products under $40.

Star Product: The 35% Vitamin C+ Perfecting Serum ($139) is completely waterless and supercharged with two stabilized, fast-absorbing derivatives of vitamin C: 25 percent ethylated L-ascorbic acid and 10 percent tetrahexyldecyl ascorbate (THD ascorbate for short; oil-soluble and deeply-penetrating). Rounding out the ingredients list (which consists of only 10 total components) is a powerful blend of antioxidants to prevent free radical damage, brighten skin tone, and support the skin's natural reparative processes.

After stints in New York and Silicon Valley as a corporate attorney, Venn cofounder Brian Oh made the unconventional switch over to skin care. Needless to say, it's paid off. Along with his cofounder (who is also Venn's chief scientific officer), the science-backed company creates concentrated, efficient, and effective skin-care products for the face and body (and even hair) — supported by over 20 years of skin-care research and innovation from South Korea and a proprietary research and development center.

Star Product: The Synbiotic Defense Mist ($37) is packed with an 80-percent concentration of probiotics and prebiotics to maintain a balanced, healthy microbiome. If that wasn't impressive enough, free-radical-fighting antioxidants, including niacinamide, panthenol (provitamin B5), glutathione, and arginine are hard at work repairing skin damage. This lightweight mist is the perfect reset button to all of the mask-wearing we've grown accustomed to.