A Look Back on the Biggest K-Beauty Trends of 2025

“Spicules certainly captured widespread attention this year,” says Lee, who had gotten a professional liquid microneedling treatment done in-office just before over-the-counter (OTC) Korean spicule serums launched two years ago. “OTC products became popular with VT’s Reedle Shot coming in a range of strengths and then spicules being core ingredients in products like Mixsoon’s Peptide Cica Hyalshot.”

Milky Toners

Per usual, the U.S. was lagging behind when it came to the milky toners (though Vogue’s beauty editor Kiana Murden swears by them). “They’ve been around for many years in Korea, but milky toners had a real moment in the U.S. this year. In fact, milky toners were so popular that we’ve seen them crossing over into Western brands too,” says Lee. Her favorite is the OG milky toner, Im From’s Rice Toner, which she still uses for its hydrating and gently brightening formula.

Lee’s a fan of it too, adding that milky toners were a common addition for an adjacent TikTok trend that gained traction this year. “Skin flooding is a hydration stacking technique where you apply multiple layers of hydrating products onto damp skin to ‘flood’ it with moisture before sealing it in [with a cream or gel moisturizer].” Another viral option comes from TirTir, which adds niacinamide to its formula for added brightening.

Flushed Blush

Blush was a major beauty trend everywhere, including Seoul’s It girls—who, of course, put their own spin on it. In Korea, makeup leans toward a soft-matte, diffused look, and blush is no different. What sets it apart is the placement when applied and unique textures—think bouncy, mousse-like formulas and roller-ball blushes.

“Blush had a real moment in 2025, with lots of cool girls in Korea wearing blush high up on their cheeks, right below their eyes,” says Lee. “The result was a fresh, youthful look. We saw lots of great new textures and formats for blush, whether it was bouncy Pudding Pots from FWEE, Dewy Roll Cheeks from Rom & amp;.”

PDRN and Vegan Alternatives

“PDRN has been a major trending ingredient in 2025. PDRN (also known as salmon DNA) has been incorporated into serums, mists, creams, masks—and it all happened at record speed,” explains Lee, noting that brands like Reju-all were completely sold out at many pharmacies in Seoul when she visited over the summer. She suspected the ingredient would gain widespread attention given the buzz it was already generating on social media—even Kim Kardashian revealed that she’d tried a professional PDRN treatment. “Today, we see PDRN in every category, from serums and mists to creams and even sunscreens.” One PDRN product in particular that took over TikTok was Medicube’s bright pink serum.

And in keeping with that rapid pace of innovation, PDRN has since expanded into vegan alternatives. “PDRN is no longer limited to salmon-derived sources, thanks to advances in biotechnology that are unlocking non-animal ways to deliver the same regenerative benefits,” says Chung Park. Case in point: both she and Lee count Mixsoon’s plant-derived, rice-based PDRN among their favorites.

Blurred Lips

“Some iteration of blurred lips has been popular in Korea for years, but the twist in 2025 was a softer take on the look,” says Lee, noting that formulas like Peripera’s Ink Velvet reigned supreme—and still do. “Rather than a sharp ombré effect, blurry lips were defined with a chunky, rounded, soft lip liner and subtly blended.” The result, she explains, is pretty and plumped, aligning seamlessly with the clean-girl aesthetic that dominated 2025.