10 Best Korean Foundations That Offer A Flawless Finish
These exceptional foundations make your skin look dewy, radiant, and oh-so-flawless.
shalini royMA (English Literature)
Experience: 2 yearsShalini Roy has a Master's degree in English literature from Pondicherry University. She is an ambivert whose expressions have found their way in writing. She channels her passion for all things fashi... more
krati darakMBA, Certified Skin Care Coach
Experience: 3 yearsKrati is an associate commerce editor, a certified skin care coach, and a beauty enthusiast. She has a master’s degree in advertising and publishing relations from DAVV University and three years of ... more
Image: Shutterstock
Korean products have created a storm in the beauty industry. Their statement-making foundations are best known for their smoothness, coverage, and blendability. The best Korean foundations are specially formulated with skin-friendly skincare ingredients offering high coverage and exceptional results. They provide a natural finish and make your skin appear healthy. Using this kind of foundation minimizes wrinkles and fine lines, offering a radiant glow. A natural Korean foundation is suitable for all skin types. Professional makeup artist Cha Cha Woska says, “Be sure to prep your skin with a primer before any foundation to create a long-lasting, flawless finish.”
In this article, we bring you everything you are looking for – matte, dewy, and semi-matte foundations. Check out our list of the 10 best Korean foundations. Scroll down and grab one for yourself!
In This Article
Top 10 Korean Foundations
1. Best SPF Formula: TOUCH IN SOL Advanced Real Moisture Liquid Foundation
TOUCH IN SOL Advanced Real Moisture Foundation has SPF 30 PA++ and can retain skin moisture and give a dewy finish, thanks to its water-holding formula. The foundation perfectly covers scars and pigmentation marks. This radiant Korean foundation for dry skin provides three-way care for your skin with its 3-in-1 lightweight formula that helps minimize wrinkles, offers sun protection, and works to improve glow, leaving you with healthy skin. Check out this video to learn more about a tester’s experience of using the popular Korean beauty industry product.
Pros
- Lightweight
- Retains skin moisture
- Creamy and smooth texture
- Provides excellent coverage
- Hides blemishes and scars
Cons
- Contains titanium dioxide, which may cause allergies in some people.
- Suits largely drier skin types
"This product is lightweight and offers good coverage. It works great to cover up skin imperfections without looking cakey. It adds a natural glow to the skin and is hydrating as well."
Pro Tip2. Best Moisturizing: Quicksand Air Cushion BB Cream Foundation
Do you want to avoid a greasy or cakey look? Then brighten your skin with this BB cream foundation from Quicksand. It covers blemishes, pores, small spots, and brightens the skin tone by providing a natural look. This long-lasting Korean foundation is ideal for very fair, fair, medium, and medium-dark skin tones. Plus, it also suits sensitive skin or acne-prone skin. It has a strong moisturizing base, made of 70% plant extracts that help retain moisture for long to reduce skin dryness. In addition, the liquid cream comes with waterproof properties and keeps the face fresh for long hours.
Pros
- Long-lasting
- Non-greasy
- Compact
- Travel-friendly
Cons
"This is a nice, lightweight foundation. It offers good coverage and hides imperfections well. It blends easily and even tones the skin. It is quite long-lasting as well."
Limited shades
3. Best Long-Lasting: Missha M Magic Cushion
Need a foundation that melts into the skin minutes after application? Then try the Missha M MAGIC cushion with a micro-pigment delivery system that helps cover pores and keeps your face from appearing cakey. It gives a smooth, dewy finish, and the soft silica bead powder absorbs sweat and sebum to provide a long-lasting effect even on dry skin. This SPF-infused Korean foundation has SPF 50+/PA+++ that gives you good sun protection. It is your best bet if you are looking for the best Korean cushion foundation. Watch this video for more information about the product. Multiple reviewers, after testing it, have raved about its great coverage and non-cakey finish.
Pros
- Keeps your skin sweat-free
- Lasts for hours
- Conceals discoloration, blemishes, and dark circles
Cons
None
Why We Think It's Worth Buying
The overwhelming 2,500 positive reviews on Amazon show how popular this product is with happy users.
4. Best Lightweight: Etude House Face Blur
Etude House Face Blur has a fantastic 3-in-1 formula that gives your face a glowing appearance sans the heaviness. This moisturizing Korean foundation covers the pores and bumpy skin and gives you flawless skin. It provides sun protection as well. Several reviews on trusted platforms state how a little product goes a long way.
Pros
- Softens the skin to give a smooth appearance
- Can be used solely as a base
- Lightweight
Cons
None
Pro Tip5. Best For Oil Control: CATKIN BB Cream Air Cushion Foundation
Balance your sebum levels by providing intense hydration with the Catkin Cream Air Cushion Foundation. This BB cream Korean long-wear foundation effectively moisturizes your skin deeply while making the upper layer smooth. This oil-controlling, hydrating foundation offers a breathable makeup base that offers medium coverage to blur blemishes and dark spots for flawless skin and a clear complexion. In addition, the presence of smooth silica bead powder absorbs excess oil and sweat for a semi-matte, shine-free look. Multiple reviewers state that it offers light to buildable coverage and is easy to apply.
Pros
- Lightweight
- Long-lasting wear
- Easy to apply
- Oil-control
- Comes with a free refill
Cons
- Some felt it bit greasy
- Limited shades
6. Best Chemical-Free: TOUCH IN SOL No Pore Blem Primer + Advanced Real Moisture Liquid Foundation
TOUCH IN SOL Advanced Real Moisture Liquid Foundation retains skin moisture for a longer time. This skin-perfecting Korean foundation is free of chemicals like parabens. It is also mineral oil-free, does not contain any ethanol, and tar-based pigments. Its sunblock properties offer UV protection. This product is not tested on animals and is a good choice for ethically conscious consumers.
Pros
- Gives you smooth skin
- Protects your skin from harsh sunlight
- Makes your skin glow with natural ingredients
Cons
None
"This foundation and primer duo works so well when used together. The foundation blends like a dream and the primer has a velvety texture. Both the products offer a smooth canvas and make the makeup last longer."
7. Best For All Skin Types: CLIO Kill Cover Glow Fitting Cushion
The CLIO Kill Cover Glow Fitting Cushion, with its lightweight texture, gives your face a radiant glow while moisturizing your skin. This cushion is enriched with calendula seed oil, babassu seed oil, and calendula officinalis flower extract adds brightness without the added stress of an oily finish. This foundation comes with a needle-perforated puff that blends the product flawlessly on your face without any patchiness.
Pros
- Long-lasting wear
- Lightweight
- Smudge-proof
- 6 shades
- Sheer finish
- Suitable for all skin types
Cons
- Not for mature skin
Pro Tip8. Best For 24-Hour Wear: ETUDE HOUSE New Double Lasting Foundation
The ETUDE HOUSE New Double Lasting Foundation is a long-wear foundation and comes in 12 different shades and three different undertones. The SPF 35 formula offers sun protection and full coverage with a semi-matte finish. This glow-enhancing Korean foundation also offers double shot technology and ensures a flawless finish with just one layer that can last up to 24 hours.
Pros
- High coverage
- Suitable for normal skin type
- Long-lasting
- Matte finish
- Lightweight
- SPF 35
Cons
- No shades available for darker skin
- Can be drying
9. Best Hydrating: Miba Big Cushion SEASON 2
Cover skin redness and blemishes with the Miba Big Cushion Season 2 foundation. This pore-blurring Korean foundation provides high-coverage to reduce the appearance of pores, dark spots, blemishes, and dark circles, targeting hyperpigmentation and leaving your skin glowing and flawless. It is ideal for oily skin and lasts through sweat, humidity, and heat. This airy-textured Korean foundation is effective in providing intense hydration with three types of hyaluronic acid, while rose water can effectively deal with redness and freckles. It comes in a large size, offers broad-spectrum UV protection, and claims to provide anti-aging benefits too.
Pros
- Long-lasting
- Contains SPF 50 and PA++++
- Intense hydration
- Easy application
Cons
- None
10. Best For Dry Skin: TROIAREUKE H+ Cushion Foundation
Troiareuke H+ Cushion Foundation is specially designed for dry skin. This everyday-wear Korean foundation hydrates your skin for a natural-looking, radiant, and dewy finish. It offers a light coverage with a slight satiny effect. The long-wear foundation also provides anti-wrinkle and UVA/UVB protection. Unlike other sponges, the Troiareuke sponge has a chewy texture and helps to use the foundation effectively until the last drop, with no wastage.
Pros
- Lightweight
- Moisturizing
- Long-lasting
Cons
- Limited shades
"This foundation feels like a second skin. It is lightweight and provides long-lasting coverage. It is easy to blend and offers a natural finish."
Before buying a perfect foundation shade for yourself, there are many factors that you must consider. If you apply the wrong foundation that does not match your skin type and tone, your purpose of using it would not be fulfilled. Do not worry, we have compiled a brief buying guide for your help.
Points To Remember While Choosing An Ideal Korean Foundation
- Undertone
You should buy a foundation that matches your skin’s natural undertone. Undertones can be divided into three categories – warm, cool, and neutral. If you have a warm undertone, you can choose foundation shades with yellow, peachy, or golden hues. For people with cool undertones, foundation shades of pink, red and blue undertones work wonders. People with neutral undertones can go for foundation shades with a peachy hue.
- Shade
Usually, makeup enthusiasts test the shade of foundation on their hands but the skin of your hands might be a lot darker than your face. To match the shade with your skin tone, find a point in the center of your face and slowly fade the foundation out towards your hairline. In this way, you can find the perfect foundation shade as per your skin tone and undertone.
- Skin Type
The most common skin types are oily, dry, normal, and combination. If you have oily skin, you should select the foundation that mattifies the skin as well as manages excessive oil production. For dry skin, choose creamy foundations that add hydration to the skin without looking greasy. For combination skin, you can select satin or satin-matte foundations that leave the skin glowing and flawless. For sensitive skin types, opt for dermatologist-tested products with expertly-crafted formulas.
- SPF Level
SPF level is another important thing that you must consider before buying a foundation. Adding a foundation with at least SPF 30 will help your skin to achieve the right UV protection. Always choose cosmetics with spf specially foundation, to keep your skin protected from sunburns, redness, and inflammations. You do not need to apply an added sunscreen if your foundation offers the best sun protection.
- Season
As seasons change, the condition of our skin changes. You cannot stick to one foundation for the entire year. Opt for hydrating Korean foundations in winter to keep your skin safe from dry patches. Purchase sweat-proof and waterproof foundations for the summer to keep your foundation intact during extremely hot days. You have to inspect your current skin situation and the environmental conditions while purchasing a K-beauty foundation.
- Coverage
Broadly, there are three coverage levels in foundations – light, medium, and full. If you only want to even out your skin tone and go for a “no-makeup” look, opt for a light coverage foundation that has a dense double layer and remains all day to prevent fading and oxidation. If you are dealing with spots, blemishes, and hyperpigmentation, and want to go for a heavy makeup, choose a high coverage Korean foundation. Medium-coverage foundations offer a natural finish. Some medium-coverage foundations with buildable formulas can also be used as full-coverage shades.
Infographic: The Ultimate Guide To Korean Foundations
Korean foundations are a blessing in the makeup world. They come in a variety of shades and add a youthful glow to your skin with their enriching formulas. In the infographic below, we have listed some useful tips that you can keep in mind while choosing a Korean makeup foundation as per your preferences. You may also learn a thing or two about how to make your foundation stay longer on your skin. Take a look! Illustration: StyleCraze Design Team
The Bottom Line
Foundations are a boon for any makeup enthusiast as they enhance your makeup look and provide a smooth canvas for other products to glide on smoothly. Besides acting as a uniform base, the foundation helps hide imperfections like fine lines and spots. To get a natural and healthy glow, opt for the TOUCH IN SOL Advanced Real Moisture Liquid Foundation, for a smooth finish, the Missha M Magic Cushion is the best option, while for long-lasting coverage and enhancing glow, opt for the ETUDE HOUSE New Double Lasting Foundation. In addition, these lightweight foundations are formulated with skin-friendly ingredients to offer a luminous finish and minimize the appearance of aging signs. Thus, investing in a lightweight Korean foundation that offers a smooth texture and retains skin moisture is the right move for you. However, you should avoid foundations that give a greasy or cakey look.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is a Korean foundation?
A Korean foundation is a makeup product formulated to provide you with a lightweight, radiant, and dewy finish, and flawless coverage.
What is a Korean cushion foundation?
A Korean cushion foundation combines a liquid foundation in an easy-to-carry compact.
How long does a cushion foundation last?
A cushion foundation lasts in a good condition for up to six months, after which you need to replace it with a new one.
Why do Koreans wear cushion foundations?
Koreans wear cushion foundations because it is a fusion of skin care and makeup. They smoothen your skin and also improve its look, feel, and health.
Is the cushion foundation better than other foundations?
No. All types of foundations have their pros and cons. The cushion foundations are lightweight and suitable for everyday use. They offer the best of a liquid foundation and compact and are packaged conveniently.
Why Trust StyleCraze?
Shalini Roy, the author of this post, is a makeup enthusiast who enjoys writing and reviewing makeup products to provide her readers with some of the best suggestions. After evaluating many products and reading user reviews on various websites, she has narrowed down this list of the best Korean foundations. Shalini also added product specifications and the pros and cons of each listed item to assist you in picking the best.
