These K-Beauty Brands Will Rebuild Your Skincare Routine With 3 Secret Ingredients

It’s no secret the skincare world is crowded. From brands to products to ingredients, there’s an overload of information out there, and choosing the ones for you can feel like overwhelming decisions. What makes one formula different or better than another?

Luckily, when it comes to K-beauty brands LANEIGE, Mamonde, and primera, the answer lies in the ingredients — the most fundamental part of any skincare product. And, much like their Korean roots, these special ingredients share one thing: they all come from the earth. Ahead, we're introducing you to the key notes of difference that define each brand. Just click the buttons below each image to discover what they are.

Much like our bodies need water to live and function, our skin needs it to truly thrive. LANEIGE is an expert in that topic. With products that range from masks and eye creams to lip balms, supreme hydration is at the center of every formula. But what truly puts it on the map is the patented Hydro Ionized Mineral Water found in its staple Water Sleeping Mask, Water Bank Moisture Cream, and Water Bank Hydrating Gel.

A combination of essential minerals like zinc, potassium, and calcium, the unique water helps formulas absorb quickly and deeply into the skin. What you’re left with is intense moisture. Other hydrating ingredients like hyaluronic acid and shea and murumuru butters can be found in the popular Lip Sleeping Mask and Lip Glowy Balms for a well-rounded hydration lineup.

It turns out that flowers aren’t just good for smelling, admiring, and gifting to loved ones. Thanks to Mamonde, they have a place in your skincare routine, too. In a garden just outside of Seoul, this K-beauty brand cultivates and analyzes a variety of gorgeous floral species to maximize the benefits of their petals and aromas.

From hibiscus to honeysuckle to lotus, each flower offers something completely unique. Take roses, for example. Gorgeous shape and incredible smell aside, roses have hydrating and soothing properties for your skin. Mamonde favors the Bulgarian Damask Rose in particular, which produces a pure rose water extract more hydrating than water itself. This can be found in the Rose Water Toner (used for prepping skin) and Rose Water Gel Cream (perfect for a soft, fresh, and dewy glow). And in the Petal Spa Oil to Foam Cleanser, which is basically a K-beauty double cleanse in one bottle, you'll find a luxurious rose oil.

No ingredients better embody the term “from the ground up” than seeds. Stateside newcomer primera has built its entire brand on the power these tiny seeds hold and uses the process of germination — when an organism grows from a seed — to create truly effective skincare products. It believes that prime energy is created when a seed sprouts (aka when germination takes place) and creates its unique formulas by capturing this very energy.

The brand favors seed species from berries and lotus flowers, among others. These can be found in products like the Alpine Berry Water Cream, Clean Berry Lip Mask, and the Miracle Seed Essence. Whether you're in need of major hydration, firming, or plumping, these effective K-beauty formulas have you covered.