Say goodbye to those acne scars thanks to these K-beauty products!

Introduction

Breaking out is probably one of the most frustrating things that happens. After all, your once clear and smooth skin riddled with acne isn’t exactly something that boosts your self-confidence.

When the acne finally disappears, you sigh in relief as you think that that was the end of your tortuous journey. To your horror, it was a fleeting moment of respite as you’re now left with a face full of acne scars.

If you’ve ever had acne, then you may have experience scarring one way or another. If your acne scars are pitted(icepick/box scars) or raised (keloids), unfortunately, the best solution is to go to your dermatologist for laser treatment. However, if all you are experiencing is red or brown spots that take months or years to heal( Post Inflammatory Hyperpigmentation (PIH) or Post Inflammatory Erythema (PIE)), you can use topical products to treat those acne scars.

Luckily for you, we’ve compiled a thorough list of the best Korean products that can specifically help you get rid of those annoying PIH/PIE scars.

1. COSRX Centella Blemish Cream

Key Features:

• Key Ingredient: Centella Asiatica Leaf Water
• Type: Spot Treatment Cream
• Cruelty Free: ✓
• Vegan: ✓
• Fights irritation and redness
• Acts as a spot treatment and prevents appearance of acne scars
• Contains minimal ingredients to avoid skin irritation

Featuring Centella Asiatica as its key ingredient, the COSRX Centella Blemish Cream promises to fade dark spots and prevent post-inflammatory hyperpigmentation (PIH) from existing acne.

Made with minimal ingredients, this product is suitable for acne-prone and sensitive skin. This cream is specifically formulated to exclude unnecessary ingredients that may irritate the skin or promote breakouts.

This cream is best used as a spot treatment, so it’s best used after cleansing, toning, and applying serums or ampoules. However, remember to use this before applying a moisturizer. Because it contains Zinc Oxide, a known ingredient for sun protection, this cream is best used at daytime.

Soothes the skin and fights redness

Centella Asiatica, also called cica, is a star ingredient used in Asian skincare to soothe and hydrate the skin.

This is because cica contains a compound called madecassoside—a compound with anti-inflammatory and wound-healing properties.

The COSRX Centella Blemish Cream utilizes these properties of cica and madecassoside to reduce redness and inflammation that come with acne breakouts. It also offers added hydration, which helps in calming the skin.

Reduces the appearance of blemishes and acne marks

Thanks to the healing properties of cica, this cream can immediately flatten pimples overnight. This helps prevent potential blemishes, scarring, or PIH that come with irritated acne.

What’s more, the hydrating properties of cica help in promoting skin brightening, which allows it to fade marks and blemishes after some time.

Madecassoside is also a known antioxidant – that is, it protects the skin against free radicals that damage the skin, allowing it to brighten and renew the skin.

Hydrates the skin

Cica is known to deliver hydration to the skin, thanks to its madecassoside component which increases the skin’s hyaluronic acid production. This helps in revitalizing the skin’s protective barrier, thereby saving the skin from potential irritation and inflammation caused by a compromised skin barrier.

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Drawbacks

Some users of this product have complained regarding the long time it takes for the cream to be absorbed into the skin. Due to its Zinc Oxide content, this cream can be too thick and therefore take some time to get fully absorbed. It also has a white cast due to the Zinc Oxide, making it difficult to use in the morning.

Additionally, its herbal scent may be off-putting to some users.

2. COSRX Advanced Snail 96 Mucin Power Essence

Key Features:

• Key Ingredient: 96% Snail Mucin
• Type: Essence
• Cruelty Free: ✓
• Vegan: ✗
• Formulated to protect the skin from losing moisture
• Repairs and revitalizes irritated skin
• Lightweight yet moisturizing texture

The COSRX Advanced Snail 96 Mucin Power Essence, formulated with 96% snail secretion filtrate, provides you with proper hydration while revitalizing your skin to help against dry patches and acne scars.

This product isn’t meant to replace your current moisturizers, rather it works best in tandem with them. After cleansing and toning, use about 2-3 pumps of the essence on your face and pat it all over with your fingertips until completely absorbed. For best results, use your choice of moisturizer right after. This essence is suitable for all skin types.

Supplements your moisturizers

Thanks to butylene glycol, a chemical compound that helps other active ingredients penetrate your skin more effectively, using moisturizer after applying this product will boost its overall effectiveness while actively retaining more moisture in the skin.

Soothes and repairs irritated skin

The healing properties of Snail Mucin provide intense moisture to your face while triggering the repair of damaged skin via the growth of new skin cells and collagen. In addition, this process of moisturization and repair will lessen the presence of surface lines and wrinkles.

Gentle enough for all skin types

Whether you have oily, dry, or sensitive skin, Snail Mucin is suitable for all skin types.

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Drawbacks

One of the most common complaints from users is about the COSRX Advanced Snail 96 Mucin Power Essence that they received being “fake”. However, this perception may be due to the manufacturer changing the outer package and labeling of the product while also not being as effective for some users.

The manufacturers made some changes to their packaging of the product back in 2019 which may have caused some users to believe that they received a knockoff/cheaper substitute product.

Additionally, some people find the texture of the product to be overly slimy and uncomfortable. Although this is mostly a matter of personal preference, it is still something worth taking note of.

3. SKINFOOD Royal Honey Propolis Enrich Essence

Key Features:

• Key Ingredient: 63% Black Bee Propolis
• Type: Essence
• Cruelty Free: ✓
• Vegan: ✗
• Strengthens and softens skin
• Formulated to strengthen skin immunity
• Purified water replaced with matured honey

Besides containing 63% black bee propolis extract, the SKINFOOD Royal Honey Propolis Enrich Essence also contains other nutritious ingredients like royal jelly and black honey extract that help moisten and firm damaged skin.

The antibacterial properties of propolis helps get rid of acne-causing bacteria on your skin, while the royal jelly extract contains nutrients (such as nucleic and decanoic acid) that supports skin renewal and collagen production. Having these two ingredients together form a very effective skin strengthening synergy.

This product has been upgraded to contain 13% more propolis extract and an additional 10% royal jelly extract than its previous version.

After applying toner, use the dropper to apply the product across your face in a circular motion. With your fingertips, pat the essence until it has been completely absorbed and apply your choice of moisturizer or serum afterwards.

Compatible with many skin types

Because of the moisturizing and revitalizing effects of propolis, this product is recommended for people with dry, sensitive, and rough skin. It’s also great for women who experience hormonal imbalances (due to menopause or seasonal changes) that affect the general health of their skin.

This can be attributed to the antioxidant properties of propolis and royal jelly being an effective hormonal tonic.

Effective skin barrier strengthening

The product boasts a more effective skin barrier strengthening effect in comparison to other essences in the market due to the penetrative properties of matured black bee propolis. This allows the skin to be moisturized more effectively while also improving its defenses thanks to the essence’s antiseptic properties.

Delivers concentrated natural effects

Most essences and skin-care products make use of purified water as one of its main ingredients because it is generally a part of cosmetics production. This dilutes and lessens the overall effectiveness of other ingredients.

The SKINFOOD Royal Honey Propolis Enrich Essence, on the other hand, aims to deliver the full concentrated natural effects of black bee propolis to your skin by replacing the purified water with matured honey.

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Drawbacks

The biggest complaint that most users have when it comes to this product is the packaging. Due to the dropper nozzle, which makes it so that the bottle can’t be sealed, the product comes unsealed and many people experience leakage when their package arrives. If not handled carefully during the delivery process, there is a high chance of spillage occurring.

Although the product has good moisturizing capabilities, some users complain that it doesn’t do anything else other than that.

4. COSRX AHA 7 Whitehead Power Liquid

Key Features:

• Key Ingredient: 7% AHA: Glycolic Acid; Niacinamide
• Type: Exfoliant
• Cruelty Free: ✓
• Vegan: ✓
• Formulated to resurface new skin
• Made with natural ingredients
• Hypoallergenic and dermatologically tested

The COSRX AHA 7 Whitehead Power Liquid promises to clean up your skin while renewing your complexion. It exfoliates without causing irritation thanks to its natural ingredients like apple fruit water.

After cleansing, soak a cotton ball or pad with the product and apply a thin layer of the liquid on your face while making sure to avoid your eye and mouth area. When using the product during the daytime, follow it up with sunscreen (SPF 30 or higher). AHA works by thinning the surface layer of your skin which promotes new cell growth and even pigmentation. However, this also leaves your skin sensitive to the sun.

Initial use of the product may give you a stinging sensation, however, it is perfectly normal and should go away after continual usage as advised by the manufacturer. If it’s your first time using the product, use it only once a week.

However, if you have sensitive skin and are uncomfortable with the burning sensation, simply rinse your face with warm water after several minutes and continue with your skin care routine.

After your skin has adapted to the product with no irritant or allergic reactions, increase the usage up to 2 to 3 times a week.

Gentle yet effective cleansing

The product only contains a 7% concentration of glycolic acid (AHA) which is on the lower end of recommended strengths in most skin care products. As such, it provides you with a gentle and mild exfoliation experience that not only effectively cleanse your skin, but doing so without causing any irritation.

Get brighter and clearer skin

Because of the glycolic acid (AHA) concentration in the product, it whitens skin by encouraging faster cell turnover and lifts dead skin cells found on the outer layer of your skin. In addition, AHAs also improve blood flow to your face, thus reducing the appearance of wrinkles and surface lines.

Hydrate while you exfoliate

The mildness of the product removes the worry of over-exfoliation or drying out your skin. It effectively hydrates your face while you exfoliate thanks to the hyaluronic acid found within the product.

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Drawbacks

Despite having “whitehead” in its product title, some users have complaints towards this product’s inability to get rid of whiteheads on their face.

Although the product has no added artificial fragrance, some users complain about the distinct smell from the product, which is most likely due to the combination of its unique ingredients.

5. ISNTREE Clear Skin 8% AHA Essence

Key Features:

• Key Ingredient: 8% AHA: 4% Glycolic Acid and 4% Lactic Acid
• Type: Exfoliant
• Cruelty Free: ✓
• Vegan: ✓
• Exfoliation without washing or rinsing
• Contains no skin-irritating ingredients
• High concentration of AHA

The ISNTREE Clear Skin 8% AHA Essence is a mild keratin exfoliant that promises to improve overall skin texture by gently removing keratin on your face without the need for rinsing. The product is meant to be absorbed by the skin rather than washed off, which allows for deeper pore cleansing.

After applying a basic toner on your skin, take a moderate amount of the product and spread it across your face while making sure to avoid the eye and mouth areas. Wait for the product to be fully absorbed before applying your moisturizers or creams. If you’re planning to use the product during the day, it is highly advised to use UV blocking sunscreen in order to protect yourself.

If this is your first time using a high-content AHA product, then it is recommended that you use the product at night to avoid unnecessary exposure to the sun.

Effective keratin removal

The product has glycolic acid, one of the many types of AHAs that have fast dermal penetration due to their inherently small molecular size. This makes it the most effective ingredient in removing keratin from your skin.

In addition, because it is combined with lactic acid, an AHA with a slightly bigger molecular structure than glycolic acid, it removes keratin more mildly. The two ingredients work together to provide deep cleansing and the proper moisturizing effect while also avoiding over-exfoliation.

From rough and tough to light and bright

The exfoliation process naturally removes keratin and the outer layer of skin from your face, this basically tidies up the skin and improves its texture from being rough and dark to soft, smooth and light. This product also increases the absorption rate of other helpful ingredients found in moisturizers and beauty products in the next step of your skin care routine.

Makes irritated skin comfortable

Morus alba bark in combination with centella asiatica extract found in the product helps improve your skin’s complexion while also hydrating and giving off a soothing sensation for a more comfortable feeling. This is most useful especially after exfoliation when your skin is at its most sensitive.

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Drawbacks

The only major complaint about the product is that some users with dry and sensitive skin experience a harsh burning sensation and breakouts. Other users experience little to no effects on their skin other than the slight burning sensation of the exfoliation process.

6. Mizon All in One Snail Repair Cream

Key Features:

• Key Ingredient: 92% Snail Mucin
• Type: Moisturizer
• Cruelty Free: ✓
• Vegan: ✗
• Provides skin regeneration and recovery
• Free from harmful ingredients
• Lightweight texture with fast absorption

The Mizon All in One Snail Repair Cream is an all-purpose cream that promises to provide you with intense skin repair and recovery by addressing most skin concerns like dryness, wrinkles, acne, and more.

After using cleanser and toner, apply an appropriate amount of the cream on your face. Use your fingers to evenly incorporate the product across your skin.

As advised by the manufacturers, in order to reap the most benefits of the product such as fading acne scars and blemishes, continuous daily usage is highly recommended.

Moisturizes and rejuvenates skin

Due to the high concentration of snail mucin, it effectively keeps moisture locked in the skin. Not only does this deliver proper hydration to the skin, but in combination with centella asiatica, it also soothes and rejuvenates.

Repairs and improves skin health

Snail mucin also contains growth factors that proliferate the growth of new skin cells, thus repairing and restoring the damaged outer layer of your skin while improving its overall health. The copper peptides found in the product also help with the healing and wrinkle repair.

Anti-aging properties for younger skin

Its anti-aging properties help lessen the appearance of surface lines, wrinkles, and acne scars by creating skin that is well-hydrated, elastic, bright, and healthy. This product is ideal for people with dry and sensitive skin as they can reap the most benefit from its skin moisturizing effects.

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Drawbacks

There are some very rare cases that users with dry and sensitive skin, despite being the main target audience of this product, experience breakouts after applying the cream to their face. Few people pointed out issues with the cream actually drying out their skin rather than providing moisture and hydration.

7. PURITO Centella Unscented Serum

Key Features:

• Key Ingredient: 49% Centella Asiatica Extract and Niacinamide
• Type: Serum
• Cruelty Free: ✓
• Vegan: ✓
• Strengthen and repair skin barrier
• No essential oils & no fragrance
• Anti-inflammatory effects

The PURITO Centella Unscented Serum promises to repair damaged skin while soothing acne scars. It does this through the synthesis of new collagen on your skin while regenerating it.

After using a pH balanced cleanser, sse about 1-2 pumps of the serum and apply it on the face. Once it has been properly absorbed, continue with the next steps of your skin care routine.

For best results, use more than once a day. Preferably in the morning and at night.

Helps recover your skin

Thanks to the highly-concentrated centella extract, this product boasts the ability to provide effective skin regeneration and recovery. The niacinamide in the product also helps by not only soothing damaged skin, but also improving your skin tone, keeping it radiant.

Safe for all skin types

Whether you have damaged, dry, or sensitive skin, this product is safe to use without fear of itching or redness. The removal of essential oils in this version of the product also removes the possibility of an allergic or irritant reaction from your skin.

Improves skin barrier

The ceramide, centella extract, and sodium hyaluronate found within the product helps in strengthening your skin barrier. It does this by directly penetrating the skin and strengthening the intercellular lipids that are key in keeping the outer skin healthy. This product is especially beneficial for those with sensitive and moisture-insufficient type skin.

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Drawbacks

The only real complaint from users is about the texture of the product with it having a sticky consistency that takes the skin longer than usual to fully absorb.

8. APLB Glutathione Ampoule Serum

Key Features:

• Key Ingredient: Niacinamide, Adenosine, Squalane
• Type: Ampoule
• Cruelty Free: ✓
• Vegan: ✓
• Evens out the complexion and brightens skin
• Controls sebum and fights acne
• Hydrates and soothes the skin

The APLB Glutathione Ampoule Serum is formulated with Niacinamide and Glutathione—brightening ingredients perfect for those struggling with blemishes and hyperpigmentation. It also contains Adenosine and Squalane, which hydrate and soothe the skin, keeping it clear and healthy.

This ampoule is best used at night after cleansing and toning.  

Fades blemishes, pigmentation, and discoloration

The APLB Glutathione Ampoule Serum contains many ingredients known to help with lightening dark spots on the skin.

Niacinamide, the ampoule’s key ingredient, has been found to reduce inflammation and alleviate redness from acne. Additionally, it’s also known to help in lightening dark spots and hyperpigmentation.

Other ingredients present in the ampoule, such as Glutathione and Sea Buckthorn Extract, are also known to brighten the skin and even out the complexion.

[note]Sea Buckthorn extract naturally contains Vitamin C, a known brightening ingredient and antioxidant.[/note]

Prevents acne

Thanks to the oil-regulating properties of niacinamide and squalane, this ampoule can help control sebum production, thereby preventing excess oil from clogging the pores. This helps prevent acne breakouts from occurring.

Additionally, this ampoule contains ingredients like witch hazel extract and tea tree leaf extract, which are known to prevent and reduce acne.

Improves skin elasticity

This ampoule contains adenosine and squalane—two ingredients known to hydrate the skin, and make it firmer and more elastic.

Adenosine is an anti-aging ingredient that helps stimulate collagen production, which makes the skin tighter and plumper. Ultimately, this leads to added skincare benefits such as a reduction in wrinkles and crow’s feet.

Squalane, meanwhile, boosts hydration and allows the skin to maintain moisture better. It’s also a known antioxidant, which helps protect the skin from damage that can ultimately lead to aging skin.

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Drawbacks

Because this product contains essential oils and fragrance, it may not be suitable for those with sensitive skin.

How to Pick the Best Korean Products For Acne Scars

With the vast amount of K-beauty products out there, it may be overwhelming to pick out the right one for you. That’s why we’ve listed some of the more important things you should keep in mind when choosing a product.

Below are some of the key factors you should take into consideration in order for you to get the most out of your product. We’ve also compiled a few questions that you can ask yourself so that you can make a well-informed choice:

• Does it promise intense hydration?
• What are the product’s key ingredients? What do they do?
• Is the product alcohol-free?
• Is the product actively anti-inflammatory? How can I tell if I’m sensitive to it?
• Is the product ethically made?

Intense Hydration

If there’s anything to look out for in a Korean product to reduce acne scars, it’s the ability to provide intense hydration to your skin. Hydration is a key factor as it helps improve your skin’s elasticity which reduces acne scars by keeping it firm and moisturized.

Products that hydrate and lock in moisture help repair your skin by preventing it from drying out again. It also protects your skin from the environment by strengthening the skin’s barrier. This prevents the outside elements from causing dryness or irritation and dehydration.

Using a product that keeps your skin well-hydrated and elastic not only helps eliminate acne scars, but it also gradually decreases the appearances of wrinkles over time.

Key Ingredients

There are many kinds of Korean products and each have their own unique mix of ingredients. However, there are certain key ingredients that are worth taking note of as they play an important role in fading acne scars and have different purposes.

Below is a table explaining what are some of the key ingredients found in Korean products and their main purpose in getting rid of acne scars.

Alcohol-free

A lot of Korean skin care products contain different kinds of alcohol such as ethanol or denatured alcohol. Because of this, it is easy to believe that alcohol plays an important part in repairing your skin and getting rid of all your acne problems. In reality, any beauty product with alcohol as its main ingredient can have negative effects on your skin.

There are two main reasons as to why alcohol is commonly found in skin care products:

• Gives the product a quick-drying sensation that makes it feel lighter on the skin.
• Allows other helpful ingredients (like vitamin C) to penetrate the skin, albeit in an intrusive and harmful manner.

That’s why it’s best to avoid products that contain alcohol, especially if you have dehydrated/dry skin or are acne-prone. This is because alcohol damages, dehydrates, and irritates your skin. As such, using products with alcohol in them tend to enlarge your pores, increase the appearance of wrinkles, and make your face produce more oil, thus worsening the situation.

Although the light and pleasant feeling you get after using an alcohol-based skin care product is very appealing, it isn’t worth the long-term damage you’re doing to your skin.

Bottom line: Avoid skin care products with alcohol. Why should you settle for something that can potentially harm your skin when there are several skin-friendly alternatives available?

Anti-inflammatory / Sensitivities

If you’re someone with skin sensitivities, skin conditions (such as rosacea and eczema), or just want to prevent the possibility of an allergic reaction, then it might be a good idea to choose Korean products made from certain ingredients that have active anti-inflammatory properties.

Regardless if a product is anti-inflammatory or not, you should always patch test your skin care products before incorporating them to your routine or using it on your entire face.

A patch test is when you test out a new product in order to determine if it works well with your skin. This is a great way to find out which products you’re incompatible with.

Here’s how to do a simple patch test:

1. Apply a small amount of the product to a sensitive part of your face such as your cheek or chin. These areas are the most prone to breakouts due to the higher concentration of oil glands.
2. Continue to apply the product to the same area for a couple of days. Irritation usually occurs after about a day. On the other hand, breakouts would usually occur after about a week if your skin isn’t compatible with the product.
3. Determine if your skin has any allergic reactions.

It is important that you are able to differentiate an irritant from an allergic reaction.

An irritant reaction (mild itch, redness, stinging sensation) may occur when you are using a product for the first time but it often goes away after continued usage. An allergic reaction, however, involves other factors and usually concerns how your immune system reacts to certain ingredients found in your skin care products.

Although the symptoms of irritant and allergic reactions are similar (redness, itching, etc.), the former usually shows up almost immediately after putting on the product and eventually disappears over time, while the latter usually has a delayed onset and worsens after each consecutive use.

One ingredient that has the potential to irritate your skin is essential oils, which are common in many K-beauty products. Essential oils that are old or have not been stored properly are more likely to cause irritation to your skin because of all the oxidized limonene and pinene that are found within them.

The topic of using beauty products with essential oils is highly debatable, with many people claiming that it is safe to use when diluted properly and other sources saying that it is bad for your skin regardless.

When in doubt, it’s always best to err on the side of caution, especially if you’re wary of these ingredients affecting your skin.

Ethical Concerns

This particular factor boils down to your own personal beliefs on whether the way a product is manufactured affects your decision to buy it.

There are different labels that can affect what products you choose as a consumer. However, when it comes to beauty and skin care products, the main ones to look out for are the cruelty-free and vegan labels.

A cruelty-free Korean skin care product basically means that no animals were used for testing or manufacturing in the entirety of its development process. This means the products were tested on humans or through other alternate methods.

Cruelty-free products can still contain ingredients derived from animals such as milk, honey, excretions, etc.

Even though South Korea has outlawed animal testing since 2018, companies that sell in China are required to do animal testing. However K-beauty companies that sell to the Chinese market via Hong Kong do not require additional animal-testing to be conducted.

Vegan products are quite similar to cruelty-free products in a way that they do not involve harming any animals when making them. More importantly, they do not contain any animal/animal-derived ingredients or by-products.

Warning: Most popular Korean products will contain common non-vegan ingredients like:

• Bee products (propolis, beeswax, honey)
• Collagen
• Snail mucin

Conclusion

Now that you’ve been given the proper knowledge in what to look out for in Korean products to treat your acne scars, you should be more than capable of choosing one that fits your needs. Remember to always do a patch test! One user’s holy grail may be another’s poison. Most importantly, the product should be able to adhere to your current skin care routine without causing any irritation or allergic reactions.

The products we’ve listed in this article are a great place to start your K-beauty journey to having vibrant, young, and healthy skin free from acne scars. Even if you’re still unsure of making the leap and expanding your routine, at least you can use the information you learned here to be a more discerning consumer in the future.

Are you happy with the choice of products we’ve showcased? What was your favorite one? Please feel free to comment down below! Perhaps you want to discuss a secret product or solution to treat acne scars? Share it with us!