Redness. There’s a good chance, if you’re a human of a particular shade, that you’ve been troubled by it. Redness can have a multitude of causes, and sometimes it feels impossible to know WHY you’re red, and target skin concerns accordingly. This is why I love k-beauty products: because of the focus, generally, on hydration and skin barrier support, all with gentle ingredients, it’s easy to layer on products to target a variety of skin concerns, including a variety of sources of redness. Fun fact: almost all of these were in my top products for 2021, or are currently in my routine. And if you’re curious about other ingredients for redness, and some non-k-beauty products for it, let me know in the comments!

Generalized Redness

When your skin’s just red and it seems like everything you throw at it doesn’t move the needle, try these out.

🍶 Missha First Treatment Essence

Galactomyces does not get enough credit for redness reduction, but it’s fabulous for it, and the Missha First Treatment Essence is, in my opinion, one of the best k-beauty options for it. Galactomyces is a fermented ingredient — supposedly discovered as a skincare ingredient when the scientists of SK-II noticed the young hands but old faces of sake brewers. Galactomyces is a frequently slept-on ingredient because it’s a bit expensive and it takes a while to see results, but after about a month you can tell there’s a difference. It hydrates, strengthens the skin barrier and provides antioxidant benefits. I personally refuse to go without galactomyces in my routine, because when I stop I notice an increase in redness and pore size. If you have generalized redness, particularly on your cheeks and chin, I highly recommend it.

🍃 COSRX Pure Fit Cica Toner

You’ll see cica as a theme in this post, and perhaps no one does it better than Cosrx with their cica line and its Cica-7 Complex. My favorite is the Cosrx Pure Fit Cica Toner, since it layers so nicely into any routine. This is an incredibly watery toner that basically uses every part of the centella asiatica plant, as well as pinus pinaster bark extract, or Pycnogenol, which is an anti-inflammatory antioxidant. I usually go for two to three layers AM and PM, and it really helps calm anything that might be upsetting my skin at the moment, while also tackling the dehydration that can cause my skin to go red.

🍀 Isntree Cica Relief Cream

For when you want something that will cosmetically reduce redness while also tackling some of the root causes of redness, look no further than the Isntree Cica Relief Cream. This is a light, buttery cream that’s actually green in color — since green is complementary to red, it immediately brings down redness. Then the cica extract, asiaticoside and panthenol get to work soothing. Finally, four peptides (sh-Oligopeptide-1, Acetyl Hexapeptide-8, Palmitoyl Tripeptide-1, Copper Tripeptide-1) trigger the skin to get to work on healing itself. I also love this for rashes and sudden flares of irritation from, say, pet scratches.

Weakened Skin Barrier

When you’ve potentially over-exfoliated, or you’re going through a retinol purge, or maybe winter weather’s just doing you a bamboozle, check out these.

🧱 RNW Der. Concentrate Ceramide Plus Serum

The RNW (a stylization of “Renew”) brand tends to focus on hero ingredients, and they’re starting to get some well-deserved hype for their ceramide line. The RNW Der. Ceramide Concentrate Serum is a fabulous, goopy, skin-barrier-supporting serum. Ceramides, of course, are basically the mortar that holds the brick walls of your skin barrier together. Ceramides, cholesterol and fatty acids are the trifecta for skin barrier support, and this is one of my favorite options for that, because it also includes niacinamide, a variety of antioxidant plant extracts, and a bunch of peptides, which will help soothe and rebuild the skin barrier.

🐝 Some By Mi Propolis B5 Glow Barrier Calming Serum

I am such a sucker for propolis for its glow factor, but the Some By Mi Propolis B5 Glow Barrier Calming Serum is firing on all cylinders. It has 73% propolis extract as well as panthenol (vitamin B5) to fulfill its name, but it also has honey extract, royal jelly extract, niacinamide, lactobacillus, saccharomyces, mugwort, tea leaf water, coptic japonica extract, ceramide NP and a bunch of variations on centella asiatica. The cica compounds, panthenol mugwort and ceramide NP all help soothe. Lactobacillus, saccharomyces and niacinamide can help rebuild the skin barrier. Tea leaf water and coptic japonica extract are both anti-inflammatory. And, of course, the propolis, honey and royal jelly all help nourish irritated skin.

💙 Pyunkang Yul Ato Cream Blue Label

Pyunkang Yul’s moisturizers can be a bit pricey, and it can be hard to find which one works for you. Luckily, their Ato Cream Blue Label is one of their cheapest options, and it’s brilliant. I consider it to almost be a k-beauty dupe for the CeraVe Moisturizing Cream. It’s got a nice cream texture without being too waxy, so it’s eminently spreadable and great if you want something nourishing but not heavy-feeling. Once again, ceramides and peptides help rebuild the skin barrier. It’s also got nourishing oils and plant extracts while still having a lovely bit of occlusivity from the shea butter and beeswax.

Reactive Skin

When you’ve gotten through your routine and you’re loving it but you’re flushing like you’ve been hitting the booze, give these a try.

🥛 Etude Soon Jung Centella 10-Free Moist Emulsion

Emulsions are a product category fairly unique to k-beauty and Asian beauty generally — they’re functionally a toner/moisturizer hybrid, which makes them great for folks who don’t like moisturizer, or as an extra layer for those who just need a little bit extra moisturizing support. The Soon Jung Centella 10-Free line is fairly new, and the Moist Emulsion from the line is great. It’s a very lightweight texture, and soaks in and calms heated skin quickly. Five cica compounds and panthenol soothe, while squalane, green tea extract and tocopherol give an extra layer of protection from oxidative stress.

🥵 A’pieu Madecassoside Sleeping Mask

If you have any irritation from your PM routine (hello, the occasionally stinging exfoliation), or your skin starts to feel warm and red from all of the increased circulation, the A’pieu Madecassoside Sleeping Mask eradicates it. The madecassoside — a cica compound — makes it super calming and almost cooling, and the value is pretty unbeatable. If you live in a very dry climate, popping this on as your last step (I still recommend using a moisturizer and full routine under this) in the PM will keep your skin from being tight and red when you wake up.

😎 Hyggee Vegan Sun Cream

Sun burn is a pretty obvious form of redness, but even the occasional, brief sun exposure can cause skin to flare red. You should be using a sunscreen generally, but one with beet extract can help give that redness an extra kick out the door. The Hyggee Vegan Sun Cream is considered a dupe of Krave Beauty Beet Shield. Same color, almost all of the same UV filters, and a bunch of antioxidants including said beet extract. This is a nice moisturizing, essence texture that wraps your skin in a layer of comfort, without being drying.

Honorable Mentions

The above are my favorites for reducing redness, but there are some other cult favorites that might help your redness:

I’m From Mugwort Essence

Mugwort, also known as artemisia, is considered a great redness reducing and soothing ingredient, and the I’m From Mugwort Essence is many folks’ first real introduction to the ingredient. I personally don’t find that it does much for my skin, but it’s incredible for others — a prime case of Your Mileage May Vary (YMMV) with skincare.

Purito Centella Unscented Serum

You’ve hopefully picked up on the themes of cica, peptides, ceramides and panthenol, and the Purito Centella Unscented Serum has all four. I don’t personally notice too much of a difference with this serum (it’s in my routine) but it’s actually a quite common pick for a designated k-beauty peptide serum.

Benton Aloe Propolis Soothing Gel

Aloe is a go-to all around the globe, and the Benton Aloe Propolis Soothing Gel is a great offering in that vein. It’s great for sunburns, of course, and the propolis gives an extra healing, soothing boost.