Four Killer K-Beauty Products Worth The Lip Service

The scrubs, oils, balms and inks earning a reputation for cool packaging and OTT payoff…

Politely tipping its hat to flash-in-the-pan beauty trends, the K-Beauty wave is not just staying strong, it’s reaching tidal proportions. And for good reason: Not only do the products work, they bring new life to the day-to-day.

When interviewing a hyper-famous makeup artist introduced to me as “the Pat McGrath of Korea,” I asked her what made K-Beauty products so inexplicably appealing. She told me, in so many words, that there’s a joy in our hearts that doesn’t have to fade away as we age, and that this eternal youth is captured in the movement’s formulas and packaging. Looking at lip staples through that ageless lens, there’s a certain magic to removing the teenagers-only association with rainbow tints, crystal clear casings, and playful color payoff that clearly keeps them adorned with the Best-Seller sashes they wear so well.

Below, four futuristic options that will never ask you to grow up:

The Scrub: SeoulScrub Sangria Lip Polish

Hydrating sugar and antioxidant-packed resveratrol work together as a sweet exfoliating treatment that can simply prep lips for color or leave behind a standalone sangria stain.

The Oil: Celebeau Superglam Tinted Lip Oil

These kaleidoscopic colors actually morph into a pH-balanced custom shade upon application, while natural oils and fruit and flower extracts deliver a non-stick, ultra-comfy formula with a sheer, watercolor tint.

The Balm: Keep Cool Double Sensation Lip

This clever combo of 60% balm and 40% vibrant pigment is the no-brainer trick to creating that popsicle-kissed ombre fade on lips which usually requires multiple products (and a dose of patience).

The Ink: Klavuu Pearlstation Longwear Moisture Lip

Somehow, inexplicably, the natural glossy finish of these longwear inks allows shades like Royal Red, Bright Orange, and Raspberry to look both born-with-it cool and otherworldy brilliant.