14 Best Korean Face Masks for a Glass-Skin Glow, Tested by Beauty Editors

“Like all hydrogel sleeping masks, the material changes color as it dries,” says Wu. “For demonstration purposes, I left this one on for a shorter 15-minute session and still saw a visible brightening, moisturizing effect. I definitely notice more glow the longer I leave it on, so my favorite way to use this is to wear one for a few hours when I work from home. It’s glass skin in a mask.”

Best Korean Undereye Mask: Goodal Green Tangerine Vita-C Eye Gel Patch

If you want a targeted mask for undereyes, these hydrogel patches are your best bet. Goodal is famous in South Korea for its best-selling vitamin C serum, which uses the same hero ingredient you’ll find in these patches: green tangerine extract. “It’s a vitamin C derivative that supports collagen stabilization and targets hyperpigmentation around the eyes,” explains Dr. Hwang. The masks also contain niacinamide, a popular brightener that supports the skin barrier, as well as adenosine, an anti-inflammatory that “aids in reducing fine lines,” says Dr. Hwang. He recommends this treatment for patients who want to brighten and smooth undereyes but can’t tolerate stronger ingredients like topical retinoids. “I often suggest it to younger patients experiencing early signs of pigment accumulation,” he says. “With daily use over several days, I noted visible improvement in brightness and skin texture. The hydrogel format enhances absorption without causing milia.”

Wu is also a fan of the targeted brightening effect. “Like any topical eye product, it can’t do the heavy lifting of an undereye concealer, but it definitely helps,” she says. “Some eye patches can slip around, but these are cut so thin they’re almost invisible once they’re on my face. I leave them on for 10 minutes to help my dark circles look smoother and brighter before I do my makeup.”

Best Soothing Korean Face Mask: Abib Mild Acidic pH Sheet Mask Heartleaf Fit

Abib’s soothing heartleaf line is a steady seller at Olive Young; the Abib Mild Acidic pH Sheet Mask Heartleaf Fit is so popular, it won an Olive Young Award twice in a row in 2021 and 2022. Try this Korean sheet mask if you’re breaking out or need to rebalance your skin. It comes soaked in a full bottle of clear, watery essence (again, you should definitely consider repurposing the extra formula). The hero ingredient is heartleaf extract, which studies have shown to have powerful anti-inflammatory properties perfect for soothing, calming, and toning down redness.

“I love how gentle and calming this sheet mask feels,” says Wu. “I had a stray forehead pimple while testing this mask and the last thing I wanted to do was dry my skin out and further irritate it. I recommend this mask to friends who are acne-prone or experiencing active breakouts, but also have sensitive skin. It feels incredibly refreshing as soon as I put it on, and I douse my neck and arms in the leftover essence while I wait for it to do its job. This and a dab of spot treatment over breakouts is my magic formula.”

Best Retinol Korean Face Mask: PRMR Vitatinol Serum Gel Mask

Dr. Chang loves the hero ingredient behind this mask: Vitatinol, a “proprietary retinol ingredient fused with vitamin C, my two favorite antiaging ingredients,” she says. It’s “designed to deliver intense hydration and antiaging benefits.” Dr. Hwang says this mask is a useful pick “for those looking to address early signs of aging,” although anyone with especially sensitive skin may want to do a patch test first.

“I tested so many overnight gel masks recently, and this was one of the few that stood out,” says Wu. “I’m already a fan of PRMR’s Vitatinol Serum, and this mask feels like an even more concentrated treatment. I’m incapable of wearing sheet masks in my sleep, but I do love this for a shorter treatment during the day. I’m happy with the brightening effects even if I just leave it on for 30 to 40 minutes instead of the full three hours. My skin is so picky with retinol and can’t tolerate high concentrations, but I’ve never had any irritation with this formula.”

Best Gentle Korean Face Mask: Beauty of Joseon Ground Rice and Honey Glow Mask

Here’s another mask inspired by the Joseon dynasty practice of washing your face with rice water. Anyone who’s scrolled through KBeautyTok already knows this brand for its viral Beauty of Joseon Relief Sun Rice + Prebiotics sunscreen. If you’re already a fan (or if you’re new to the brand), we recommend adding the Beauty of Joseon Ground Rice and Honey Glow Mask to your collection. It’s infused with rice powder and extracts, along with makgeolli lees (upcycled ingredients from Korean rice wine). You’ll also find honey in the formula (a known anti-inflammatory), along with kaolin clay, a gentle ingredient for treating acne, pores, and sebum levels.

“This mask contains so many things I love, like honey, rice extracts, and clays,” says Wu. “It’s a do-it-all formula for days when I know my skin needs an extra boost but doesn’t have one specific concern. It feels like a thick paste, so I definitely scoop it out over my bathroom sink to avoid mess. I’ll leave it on for around 20 minutes—I personally recommend using a Korean cleanser to rinse it off because it’s so thick. It leaves my skin feeling smooth and balanced and never dries it out or causes irritation.”

Best Korean Sheet Mask: Numbuzin No.3 Tingle-Pore Softening Sheet Mask

Numbuzin’s No.3 Tingle-Pore Softening Sheet Mask is one of Olive Young’s bestsellers and also won a Hwahae 2024 midyear award, which is where we discovered it. “It’s formulated with bifida ferment lysate and galactomyces ferment filtrate to hydrate and brighten,” explains Dr. Chang, who also loves the inclusion of “other hydrating ingredients like glycerin and hyaluronic acid, brightening antioxidants like niacinamide, and anti-inflammatory ingredients like witch hazel and Camellia sinensis.” She recommends it for a range of skin types including “acne-prone skin.” Dr. Hwang is also familiar with the mask’s popularity in South Korea. “It offers a cooling sensation while targeting pore refinement,” he says. According to Dr. Hwang, the mask’s signature tingling sensation makes it “refreshing for some,” but he says it might not be the best pick for “sensitive” or “more reactive skin.”

“I definitely noticed the tingle right away, so I can confirm this mask lives up to its name,” says Wu. “I was worried it would be too much for my sensitive mid-face area, but it didn’t cause any irritation and I’d rank the tingling sensation as mild. If you compare it to something like an acid peel that actually stings, this is low on the scale. I did notice that the pores in my T-zone looked slightly less noticeable, but the more visible results for me were the overall smoothing, brightening effect.”

Best Korean Collagen Face Mask: Medicube Collagen Night Wrapping Mask

If you want to know how popular Medicube’s Collagen Night Wrapping Mask is, the brand says it’s been counterfeited so many times, they’ve recently updated the packaging from translucent to opaque to avoid fakes. (If you have an old version, don’t panic: Just check that it matches the brand’s official product images.) Dr. Hwang says this collagen-based mask is “suitable for dry or aging skin,” since it contains multiple hydrators. These “powerful” hydrating factors include hyaluronic acid, glycerin, and ceramides, as well as antioxidants like vitamin E and niacinamide, says Dr. Chang.