SKINFOOD, the Korean brand: Black Sugar, carrot, honey… beauty through food

A jar of scrub that looks like brown sugar, a carrot cream, a honey toner: at SKINFOOD, the bathroom feels like a kitchen. SKINFOOD is a Korean brand launched in 2004 that built its whole identity on one simple idea: what is good on your plate can also be good for your skin.

Along the way, the brand had great years in the shops of Seoul, then a difficult period, before starting again with new owners. Today, its catalog with us includes dozens of products, sorted by ingredient. In this guide, we explain where it comes from, what each line contains and above all where to start for your skin.

SKINFOOD, the Korean brand: its story

SKINFOOD was created in October 2004 in South Korea. If you have seen its logo, you have probably noticed the words “Since 1957”. That is not the year SKINFOOD was born: it is the year of Peoris (피어리스), a Korean cosmetics house linked to the brand. That is why you sometimes read that SKINFOOD “has existed since 1957”: in reality, the brand itself is about twenty years old.

From the start, SKINFOOD grew with the “road shops”, the brand stores on Korean shopping streets where you test everything before you buy. Its first big hit was the Black Sugar Mask Wash Off, an exfoliating mask with black sugar, still the brand’s signature product today.

Like many Korean brands, SKINFOOD worked with actresses for its ads: Lee Min-jung from 2011, then Kim You-jung in 2015. The brand also opened stores abroad, notably in several countries in Asia and in the United States.

In the late 2010s, SKINFOOD hit a difficult period: the company went through court-supervised rehabilitation proceedings. It was taken over by the Korean investment fund Pine Tree Partners, which got it back on its feet. Then in 2025, a new chapter: SKINFOOD was bought by a consortium led by Goodai Global, the Korean group that also owns Beauty of Joseon. As of mid-October 2026, the brand’s official US website still puts forward the same promise: “Treat your skin with food”, taking care of your skin with food.

The SKINFOOD philosophy: feed your skin the way you feed yourself

SKINFOOD presents itself as the first cosmetics brand built around food. Its reasoning: a healthy diet shows on your skin, so you might as well put good food ingredients straight into skincare. In practice, that means three things:

• One ingredient = one line: carrot, honey, rice, black sugar, yuja, acorn, red bean… You pick your line the way you would pick a dish, based on what your skin needs.
• Names that are easy to remember: you don’t need to be a chemist to understand that a “Carrot Carotene” cream is all about carrot.
• Indulgent textures: grainy scrubs, thick masks, melting creams. Your routine becomes a pleasant moment, almost a little treat.

SKINFOOD’s key ingredients

Here are the ingredients that come up most often in the SKINFOOD lines we sell at Ma Petite Corée, and the products where you’ll find them.

Black sugar (Black Sugar)

This is the ingredient that launched the brand. Black sugar is a lightly refined brown sugar, like raw cane sugar. In Black Sugar products, its grains act as a gentle scrub: you massage, then rinse. The classic is the Black Sugar Mask Wash Off, a thick exfoliating mask you leave on for a few minutes before rinsing.

Honey and propolis (Royal Honey)

The Royal Honey line relies on the treasures of the hive: honey, royal jelly and propolis. According to the brand, the Royal Honey Propolis Enrich Essence combines propolis extract with royal jelly and hyaluronic acid, for hydrated, comfortable skin. It’s the line to go for if your skin feels tight.

Carrot (Carrot Carotene)

In the Carrot Carotene line, carrot is everywhere. The Carrot Carotene Relief Cream contains carrot root extract and carrot seed oil, rich in beta-carotene: the brand presents it as a light cream to soothe irritated skin. The Carrot Carotene Calming Water Pad cotton pads are the easiest way to discover this line.

Water parsley, or minari (Pantothenic Water Parsley)

“Water parsley” is minari (미나리), an herb used a lot in Korean cooking. SKINFOOD pairs it with pantothenic acid (vitamin B5) in a line designed for sensitive and combination skin, which helps keep the balance between water and sebum. The Pantothenic Water Parsley Toner is the ideal way in.

Acorn (Acorn Pore Peptide)

Yes, the oak acorn! In Korea, people even make an edible jelly from it, dotorimuk. The Acorn Pore Peptide line pairs it with peptides for clear skin with pores that look less visible. The Acorn Pore Peptide Ampoule is its most concentrated product.

Rice (Rice)

A staple ingredient of Korean beauty, rice is at the heart of the Rice line: rice extract, rice bran water, rice proteins… The brand designs it for dull skin, for a more radiant complexion. Start with the Rice Brightening Toner.

Yuja (Yuja C)

Yuja is a Korean citrus fruit close to yuzu, which people drink as tea in winter in Korea. The Yuja C line is designed for skin with an uneven tone, with little spots you’d like to see fade. Use the Yuja C Dark Spot Clear Serum in the morning, before your sunscreen.

The SKINFOOD lines to know

Which SKINFOOD for your skin?

Pick your need: we give you our favorite product, plus two others to complete your routine.

A complete SKINFOOD routine, morning and evening

Morning

1. CleanseA gentle cleanser like the Egg White Perfect Pore Cleansing Foam, or just lukewarm water if your skin is dry.
2. ToneThe Carrot Carotene Soothing Toner or the Pantothenic Water Parsley Toner, patted in with your hands.
3. SerumThe Yuja C Dark Spot Clear Serum for radiance.
4. MoisturizeThe Royal Honey 100 Hour Moisture Cream, in a thin layer.
5. ProtectThe Berry Moisturizing Sun Cream, and the Carrot Airy Soft Sun Stick for touch-ups during the day.

Evening

1. Remove makeupThe Black Sugar Perfect Cleansing Oil, massaged onto dry skin and then emulsified with a little water.
2. CleanseA gentle foaming cleanser, then rinse. Once or twice a week, swap it for the Black Sugar Scrub 2x.
3. ToneThe Royal Honey Propolis Enrich Toner, or the same toner as in the morning.
4. Targeted careThe Acorn Pore Peptide Ampoule if you have visible pores, or the Royal Honey essence if your skin is dry.
5. NourishThe Carrot Carotene Relief Cream or your usual cream.

Our tips for using SKINFOOD well

• Sugar scrubs go on damp skin, without rubbing hard: massage in small circles for one minute, avoiding the eye area, then rinse with lukewarm water.
• No more than once or twice a week for scrubs and exfoliating masks: beyond that, your skin can become sensitive.
• Don’t stack exfoliants: if you already use a cleanser or toner with acids (BHA, AHA), skip the sugar scrub that same evening.
• Cleansing oils go on dry skin, with dry hands, then emulsify with a little water before rinsing.
• Sunscreen every morning, all the more if you use brightening or exfoliating products.
• One new product at a time, tested first on a small area, so you know what really suits your skin.

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Jihyun, team Ma Petite Corée