K-beauty is taking over the skincare industry. However, there is a misconception that K-beauty products only work for Asians. Much of the marketing around K-beauty products are tailored toward Asian women, and using words like “whitening” made many women of color hesitant to try it for themselves. Furthermore, most blogs, Instagram feeds, and YouTube videos don’t talk about Korean beauty for dark skin. The hidden secret is that K-beauty products are great for women of color.

These days, you can find a lot of information about the wonders of Korean beauty for dark skin from bloggers and YouTubers online. In addition, certain K-beauty brands are a perfect match for darker skin. We found one of these brands called Dr. GIO last year held an introduction event for their ULTRA 7 Brightening Foundation Cushion. 

Dr. GIO Brand Introduction

Dr. GIO is a K-beauty cosmetic brand dedicated to developing Korean beauty cushions for people of color. Their introduction event back in 2021 brought in 50 black women living in South Korea. They tested the brand’s new product, ULTRA 7 Brightening Foundation Cushion and gave critical feedback and reviews. There was even a lucky draw for makeovers and photoshoots.

Seoulz spoke with its CEO, Grace Okafor, who came to Korea to build a bridge between Africa and South Korea in the K-beauty space. She is considered the very first Black K-Beauty Startup founder in South Korea. Asian Boss also did a full feature on her and her company below!

In addition, she gave us some of her top recommendations on Korean beauty products and Korean beauty influencers that focus on Korean beauty for dark skin. 

Why Korean Beauty for Dark Skin is the way to go 

The rise of K-beauty can be attributed to how its products were designed to keep the skin looking and feeling healthy. It had nothing to do with your skin color but rather your skin type. All women, no matter what color, have issues related to oily skin, dry skin, hydration, ache, inflammation, and hyperpigmentation.

There are K-beauty products out there that can help with every single one of these issues. They focus a lot on hydration, exfoliation, and suncare. This makes K-beauty products a perfect match for people with dark skin because their skin is much more prone to hyperpigmentation. In addition, many Korean beauty brands are creating new shades and products that appeal to new mass markets. Therefore don’t be scared to try K-beauty products just because you have dark skin. 

To take full advantage of these K-beauty products is to use them correctly. This takes discipline and time, and you must treat it as a skincare regimen. You must do the entire K-beauty routine daily to get the full benefit. Those who wash their face with soap and water will see a major difference once they switch to the K-beauty skincare routine, and you will never go back. The good news is that most K-beauty products are very affordable so it won’t cost you an arm and a leg to test out new products to find the best fit.

Grace gave us her Korean beauty routine (6-steps compared to 10-steps) below but feel free to experiment on your own because every skincare routine should be personalized. 

The Korean Beauty Routine for Dark Skin + Product Recommendations

It is difficult to find the best Korean beauty products for dark skin. The good news is that Beauticial has done most of the research for you! Since they are based in Seoul, the center of K-beauty, they can access the latest K-beauty products before anyone else. They have instant access to many of the top Korean beauty brands. They look for products that focus mainly on cleansing, hydrating, and protecting the skin from harmful UV rays, which can cause wrinkles and hyperpigmentation. Grace shared with us her K-beauty skincare routine and some of her favorite Korean beauty products that work great for those with dark skin. 

Step 1 – Exfoliate 

Exfoliating helps to remove dead skin cells. Therefore this should always be your first step in your K-beauty routine. 

Recommendation – The Soon Soo Aromatherapy Sea Salt Body Scrub

Step 2 – Toner 

Toning is great for balancing the skin and its pH level. A toner is crucial because it will prepare your skin for the following steps. 

Recommendation – Pongdang Daily Clarifying Facial Toner

Step 3 – Moisturizers (Serum)

Serums are used to hydrate the skin. All it takes is a few pumps to leave your skin feeling fresh. Make sure you also use it on your neck, including the back of your neck. 

Recommendation – Puregen Multi Collagen Power Lifting Serum

Step 4 – Sheet Masks 

This is great for detoxing your skin and keeping it deeply hydrated. 

Recommendation – Dr. Skinica Centella Blemish Therapy Mask 

Step 5 – Eye Cream 

Eye creams are the best for helping reduce puffy eyes and dark circles. 

Recommendation – Salmon Vgene Hydro Active Eye Cream

Step 6 – Sunblock 

Many K-beauty moisturizers come with sunblock (SPF) because many K-beauty brands see the sun as the main factor in aging and drying out the skin. The key is to find moisturizers with SPF that don’t leave behind a white residue. 

Recommendation – Crema Caballo Age Away Premium Sun Serum

Influencers that focus on Korean Beauty for Dark Skin

Today, you will be able to find many influencers that focus on Korean beauty for dark skin. They offer great K-beauty product reviews and show you how to use the product. Those hesitant to try K-beauty should watch some of Grace’s favorite influencers on Youtube below. 

Cydnee Black 

Cydnee Black is a YouTube influencer who shares makeup reviews, tutorials, and hair hacks. She uses her channel to share her journey and inspire people through peace, love, and positivity. While she covers all beauty products, she also covers Korean ones that work well with dark skin.

Subscribers: 1.1 million

MissDarcei 

MissDarcei is considered a Beauty Guru. You can find many makeup tutorials, routines, and product reviews on her YouTube channel. She has been doing this for over ten years!

Subscribers: 1 million

SHAM HAE 

SHAM HAE has in-depth videos on Korean beauty products and fashion. She gets her inspiration from K-dramas! Her videos offer step-by-step tutorials on Korean beauty makeup products for dark skin.

Subscribers: 88,000

Timaloveslemons 

For those looking for Korean beauty tips, this is the channel to follow. She goes over how to incorporate the glass skin routine for those with dark skin. She also gives tips on darkening Korean foundations using shade adjuster drops.

Subscribers: 73,000

ThatIsKei

While she covers all types of beauty and fashion, she showcases her 10-step Korean Skincare Routine.

Subscribers: 38,000

Tabitha 

There are many videos on “Black girl tries Korean makeup.” She has a wide selection of videos for all things related to Korean makeup products.

Subscribers: 7,000