ONGREDIENTS

Ongredients is a Korean skincare brand. It was launched by Kim Yu-jae, who now heads Powerplayer (주식회사 파워플레이어), the Seoul company behind the brand. For Ongredients, good skin starts with good ingredients: the brand defines itself as high-performance clean beauty that studies each raw material to use it where it truly makes a difference.

In Korea, the brand sells online and at Olive Young. According to the brand, it also exports a large share of its products to around 40 countries, with a strong presence in Japan and China, and it's now focusing on North America, with Europe and the Middle East next on its list.

The Skin Barrier line is the heart of the brand. Its pale-yellow packaging spells out the key ingredients: panthenol, multi-peptides and centella asiatica extract for the lotion, and glutathione for the glow mist and serum. The line also includes a toner, a tone-evening cream, an SPF50+ sunscreen, sheet masks, a foaming cleanser, a lip essence and a cushion.

Ongredients also develops its own ingredients. CeraDeep™ is at the core of the Derma Ceradeep Boosting Serum and the Ceradeep Glow Wave device. BakuGlow™ gives its name to the Bakuglow lotion, with blue capsules, which combines bakuchiol, niacinamide and panthenol. For cleansing, the Cleansing Ball range offers solid cleansers with Jeju green tea, Jeju centella or butterfly pea.

• Sensitive skin: Skin Barrier Calming Softener then Skin Barrier Calming Lotion EX.
• Dry skin: the lotion followed by the Deep Calming Cream.
• Combination to oily skin: the lighter Fresh Soothing Cream and the Deep Foaming Gel Cleanser.
• Dull skin: the Skin Barrier Glow Serum, the Skin Barrier Glow Mist or the Bakuglow Capsule Lotion.
• Uneven texture: the Black Greedy Peel Shot Stick, once or twice a week.
• The odd breakout: the AC Balancing PDRN Shot Patch, placed right on the spot.

Introduce one new product at a time if your skin reacts easily, and always finish your morning routine with sunscreen. Cosmetic advice, not medical advice.

To compare with other Korean skincare, browse our essences and lotions, moisturizers, toners, cleansers and sets, or our sensitive skin and dry skin picks.

Ongredients first made a name for itself with what it calls ingredient minimalism: only a few actives per product, but well-chosen ones. According to the brand, clean and vegan formulas are part of its foundation. Today its focus is "sokgwang" (속광), the glow that comes from within, paired with a strong skin barrier: well-hydrated, calm skin simply looks brighter.

Its hero lotion built its reputation in the makeup salons of Cheongdam, Seoul, where artists use it before foundation because makeup sits and lasts better. According to the brand, it sold over 5 million units before being upgraded to the EX version.

Start with the Skin Barrier Calming Lotion EX, the product the brand puts front and center, or its version with a built-in gua sha massage head, the Skin Barrier Calming Lotion EX Gua Sha Edition. Add the Skin Barrier Glow Mist for a midday glow boost and the Skin Barrier Glow Serum before the lotion. In the morning, the Skin Barrier Moisture Sun Cream protects your skin, while the Skin Barrier Radiant Cream evens out your tone on no-foundation days. For dry skin, the Deep Calming Cream adds lasting comfort. To try the brand, the Calming Lotion EX, Glow Mist & Moisture Deep Cleanser Mini Trio Set brings three steps together in mini sizes.