Get ready to shop Sephora with my guide to the best Asian and Korean beauty products at Sephora! This shopping guide includes both Korean beauty and skincare and Japanese beauty and skincare sold at Sephora. If you’re reading this in preparation for the spring VIB sale, these make great gifts for Mothers Day! *Disclaimer: This post contains affiliate links*
Best Korean Skincare Products at Sephora
You guys don’t realize that having Asian beauty products at Sephora is like a dream come true for me. When I was in high school and college, I literally had to go to Asia to get Kbeauty for a good price. But these days, it seems like everyone is obsessed with Kbeauty these days, and I AM HERE FOR IT!
However, I do want to clarify a few things before we get into the post. Sephora carries many lines that claim to be Korean beauty or Japanese beauty. BUT, many of these companies are only Asian inspired brands that are owned and operate in the US. For example, Tatcha is known as a “Japanese beauty” company, but it is owned by a Taiwanese American. Now, that’s not to say that these companies are any less good than the ones from Asia, but I do feel that I want to make a distinction between the two. For the purposes of this blog post, I will only be reporting on beauty brands that were founded and operate in Korea or Japan. For Korean beauty, Sephora carries two of my favorite lines: Innisfree and Laneige.
Best Innisfree Products at Sephora
Innisfree is one of the OG Kbeauty brands that I’ve been using since high school! One of their most viral products is their pore clearing clay mask. This is my absolute favorite clay mask in the entire world, and I’ve literally been using it for over a decade.
I also really enjoy the Innisfree toners. Their green tea toner and soybean firming essence are both super hydrating. The consistency is thinner than lotion, but more viscous than water. If you’re familiar with hyaluronic acid products, these two have a similar consistency.
Best Laneige Products at Sephora
Laneige is another Kbeauty line that I’ve been using for over a decade. My two most favorite products are their lip sleeping mask and water sleeping mask. They are SO. HYDRATING. With the lip sleeping mask, I NEVER wake up with chapped lips, even in the winter. It’s miraculous, honestly. The water sleeping mask very similarly keeps my skin so plump and moisturized, but without feeling thick or greasy.
Best Korean Makeup Products at Sephora
Like with the “Japanese” line I mentioned above, there really aren’t any true Korean makeup products sold at Sephora… with one exception: AmorePacific cushion concealer. AmorePacific is owned by the same parent company as Laneige, but is more high end. Their cushion concealer was considered one of the BEST cushion concealers out there, especially when cushions were first all the rage.
Other lines at Sephora claim to be Kbeauty, but they’re really Western companies that are Kbeauty-inspired. While their products look fun, I do think that their color ranges, opacity, and other features of the makeup trend more towards Western beauty standards than Asian, so I won’t be blogging about them on this post.
Best Japanese Beauty and Skincare Products at Sephora
Now onto Sephora’s Japanese beauty products. Did you know Sephora only carries two Japanese beauty brands? Shiseido and SKII are the only actual Japanese companies at Sephora. Luckily, both have great options for skincare.
Best SKII Products at Sephora
SKII is known for pretty much one thing: Pitera Essence. This is their viral facial treatment that’s mean to prevent signs of aging. It’s very pricy, but basically everyone in the Asian beauty world recognizes SKII Facial Treatment Essence as the height of anti-aging luxury. Does it work? I don’t really know. But it sure is nice.
Best Shiseido Skincare at Sephora
I love Shiseido skincare! I remember my mom introducing Shiseido to me as a teenager, saying it’s what her AND my grandma both use religiously. They still use Shiseido to this day! Which means it’s a great idea for a Mother’s Day gift (hint hint).
My favorite skincare line from Shiseido is their Benefiance line, which is specifically for mature skin and targets wrinkles. I have used this entire line before, and I loved every one. Just to note: Shiseido products are VERY gentle. That means they are great for sensitive skin, like mine. However, if you’re looking for intense, drastic changes to your skin in a short amount of time, this is maybe not the line for you.
I’ve also used Shiseido’s Ultimmune serums before. They feel so good on the skin and make my skin look and feel overall healthier.
Best Shiseido Makeup at Sephora
Alas… Sephora does NOT carry my favorite makeup products from Shiseido. I do love Shiseido’s SynchroSkin line, but the stick concealer I use isn’t carried there. You can, however, check out their liquid concealer in that line. It’s super smooth and has high coverage.
More Ways to Shop Kbeauty
If you really love Asian beauty and want more variety of Korean skincare and makeup to choose from, I highly recommend checking out my Best Korean Beauty at Ulta and Korean Beauty on Amazon posts!
What else do you want to know about Asian skincare and beauty? Let me know for future posts!