1. Cosrx

Forget Proactiv. This mid-level, low cost Korean beauty brand is best known for its acne treating solutions. The line was first developed by skincare expert, Mr. Rx, who had been conducting extensive research on finding solutions for skin worries. An AHA 7 Whitehead Power Liquid Toner can run between $13-15 on Amazon and can treat those nasty little whiteheads in no time. Some of my favorite products include the Advanced Snail 96 Mucin Power Essence and the BHA Blackhead Power Liquid Essence.

2. Foreo

Not a cheap buy but your $200 money will be thanking that clear and poreless skin of yours. This brand specializes in a face cleansing tool that claims to clean your face better than your own hands can. Unlike the Clarisonic, the Foreo is made out of silicone so there is no need to spend that extra money to replace the bristles every two months. My experience with the product has been phenomenal. My pores have instantly soaked up the products I put on my face, thanks to Foreo.

3. Belif

Another K-beauty product, I know. But the True Cream Aqua Bomb lotion truly is the bomb. I received a sample of this product and have loved it ever since. One important thing to remember when using moisturizers: water based is the way to go. This product is what dry and acne prone skin are made of and my skin has been a happy camper ever since I started using their products.

4. Son & Park

This is probably more of a “product” description than a “brand” description. Son & Park’s Beauty Water has been a K-beauty hype since earlier this year. This so called “Beauty Water” is actually a toner and an exfoliator that sweeps away your dead skin cells, revealing a smoother canvas to put on your remaining skincare products. My experience? It’s pretty amazing and my skin loves how bright it gets after wiping down the dead skin cells.

5. Bioelements

I actually didn’t know about this brand until I was given the Beyond Hydration Moisturizer as a gift. Similar to the lotion from Belif, my skin immediately drinks up the Bioelements moisturizer and leaves behind a matte-looking gel on my skin, ready for the next product to be put on. I haven’t gotten any additional acne on my face after using this product, definitely a thumps up!