For the week I just spent in Seoul, I took a small carry-on – but, I obviously had to check it in on the way back. The reason? I have two words for you: Olive Young. The Korean beauty chain, found on virtually every street in Seoul, and effectively the nation’s Boots, is the place to go for all your K-beauty essentials. From transformative face masks to snail mucin essences, hydrating rice toners to blurring concealers, it has absolutely everything you could possibly want.
Yes, most of these products are available to buy in the UK and elsewhere, but the reasons to get them from Korea, if the opportunity arises, are manifold. The Korean beauty market is incredibly competitive, meaning formulations are regularly updated and perfected – for the latest, most technologically advanced version of any given item, you should try to snag it here. Then, there’s the cost – I found many products to be around half or even a third of the price compared to back home. (As a foreign tourist, you can and should also claim back VAT on your purchases in store at Olive Young, knocking off another 10 per cent.)
But, entering an Olive Young can be overwhelming to say the least – the flurry of stylish Koreans flowing through the aisles, the various offers and sales, the sheer amount of brands and products to trawl through. My biggest tip would be to do your research ahead of time, and screenshot anything you’re after. Then, just show a member of staff and within seconds, they’ll be able to locate your items for you.
If you’re unsure about where to start, I’d recommend leaving with these seven products at the very least – Olive Young staples that you can’t go wrong with.
The face mask
Mediheal Madecassoside Essential Mask Sheet Blemish Repair
I tried quite a few face masks while in Seoul, but the effectiveness of this one – incidentally, one of Olive Young’s best-selling products within Korea – was off the charts. After a very long flight, many jet-lag induced late nights and the consumption of much fried chicken, my skin was feeling pretty worn out. But, after a few hours of wearing Mediheal’s Madecassoside face mask (with 98 per cent pure madecassoside, an anti-inflammatory compound found in cica), the redness, dryness and emerging blemishes were all, miraculously, gone. A godsend.
