We’ve been catching up with the red carpet lately. The glitz and glam of it was such a treat for the eye, but to us, the crowning moment was seeing the K-drama novice crowd of our friends dropping jaws at how far their guess missed the actual age of the Korean actors and actresses.

Besides beauty and talent, these stars seemed to also be blessed with the fountain of youth within their veins. The closest thing to that magic water in Western skincare is Retinoids.

But those who heard of it know, Retinoids aren’t the most pleasant ingredient for sensitive skin to work with.

Lucky for you, the Korean way of anti-aging snugly fits your bill of sensitivity. And we’re letting you in on the top list of anti-aging ingredients that make up the youthful glow of the K-drama leads. Some of them are the signature hotcakes in the Korean market that you might have missed.

Just because you have sensitive skin doesn’t mean you are destined for the leather-boot-skin life. Read on, and let us show you the best Korean anti-aging ingredients for radiant, youthful skin.

Top 7 Korean Anti-aging Ingredients

Korean Ginseng (Panax Ginseng)

Recognized by the Korean FDA for its potent anti-aging properties, Panax ginseng is the pride of Koreans for good reasons.

Korean ginseng is packed with a remarkable amount of saponins, which helps address numerous skin aging problems.

Improving fine lines appearance and hyperpigmentation being two of the most exciting benefits.

Studies of Panax ginseng (one in 2015 using topical ginseng and another in 2009 using oral red ginseng) have shown positive results that ginseng extract can aid collagen synthesis, reduce the appearance of wrinkles and boost skin elasticity. Ginseng can also brighten dark spots by helping to inhibit melanin production.

This miraculous herb even protects, strengthens the skin barrier, and calms irritations. It’s an overachiever that other botanicals would love to hate.

Snail Mucin

Just as we saw in glowing reviews from those who have experienced snail mucin, indeed, GLOW is what snail mucin skincare promises and delivers.

This slimy substance is full of Hyaluronic Acid and Glycolic Acid components, together they plump and smooth out the skin texture to give your complexion a supple, soft touch. While diminishing roughness, Glycolic Acid in snail mucin also helps to stimulate collagen production and even out your complexion.

You might have seen the healing magic of snail mucin on Tiktok lately with compromised skin barriers. And that’s all thanks to the Allantoin and Zinc in snail slime, which woosh away the reddish irritation with soothing and anti-inflammatory properties.

If you’re dreaming of filter-like skin glow? Snail mucin will make it your reality.

Bee Propolis

Bee propolis is like honey on steroids. You might like honey now, but you’re about to switch stan once you add bee propolis to your skincare routine, especially if you have acne-prone skin.

Bee propolis is widely favored by doctors and derms for its mighty antibacterial and anti-inflammatory power.

How does that translate to effects on your skin?

Bee propolis helps reduce acne by fighting against acne-causing bacteria - P.acnes. Plus, it’s a fantastic ingredient to speed up wound healing as it can promote collagen production. It’s also rich with antioxidant agents to protect your skin from photoaging damage.

Bee propolis does its diligence to keep your redness, irritations, and skin damage in check so that you’ll have less mess to clean after breakouts and down the line as your skin matures.

Galactomyces Ferment Filtrate

For us skincare enthusiasts, when talking about the sweetness of Sake, we mean Galactomyces (Galactomyces Ferment Filtrate) - a type of yeast from the sake fermentation process.

It contains an abundance of skin-loving vitamins, amino acids, and minerals, making it one of the most jam-packed yet underrated anti-aging ingredients in Western beauty.

If you’re looking for an ingredient to rocket you to youthful, radiant skin, Galactomyces is your answer to the stars. Not only it dispels dullness and brightens your complexion, Galactomyces is also an excellent addition to your pore-care arsenal as it helps oil control and reduces pore appearance.

Adenosine

For those who are conscious of fine lines yet helpless with their skin sensitivity, Adenosine is a great place to start. The ingredient is included in many beloved Korean skincare products for age-defying newbies to help with worn and irritated skin.

Brilliant with its work to enhance skin hydration and promote the skin-repairing process, Adenosine possesses a wonderful ability to refine wrinkled skin texture and suppleness. It’s also known for being non-irritating and has soothing factors to diminish redness and irritations.

If there’s one ingredient we’d recommend to our friends with sensitive skin, Adenosine would definitely be IT!

Peptides

One of the most sought-after name in recent years of anti-aging skincare, the buzz and the claims about Peptides are only growing sensational by the minute. But what should you truly expect from Peptides?

Here are the Peptides facts that are worthy of your time and trust.

• Peptides are crucial components in building proteins like collagen, in turn, enhance skin firmness and elasticity.
• Different Peptides bring different benefits to the skin. Still it’s safe to say you can count on the claims about the ingredient’s skin-restoring power.
• When you spot early signs of fine lines and wrinkles, enlist Peptides-infused skincare in your routine, and your skin will thank you later.

Ceramides

The one to call for youth maintenance, aging prevention, and repair is