How to read a Korean skincare label when you can't read Korean
Four spots on a Korean skincare label can be checked: the ingredient list, the numbers beside ingredients, the functional cosmetic line and the test details.
Read four spots on the back of the box: the full ingredient list, any number printed beside an ingredient, the functional cosmetic line, and the test details under a claim. Those are the parts you can check. Of 1,986 Korean products whose ingredient list we hold, 911 print at least one concentration inside it.
Where is the ingredient list?
Look for the word 전성분, which means full ingredient list. It's usually the longest block of small Korean text on the back or in the product details.
The list mostly runs from the most of something to the least. Small amounts near the end, and fragrance and colorants, don't always follow that order. So the front of the list is the most reliable part, and position one most of all. It's water (정제수) on 1,467 of the 1,986 lists we hold. A hero ingredient near the end is there in small amounts. How much of a moisturizer is water walks through reading the order.
Why is the list only in Korean?
Because the Korean list is the one on the pack. Of the 2,062 Korean products we've finished checking, we hold an English ingredient list, known as INCI, for 183. For the rest, the Korean list is the only full version.
Many Korean ingredient names are the English ones written out in Korean letters, so they're easier to match than they look.
| On the label | Say it roughly as | In English |
|---|---|---|
| 정제수 | jeongjesu | water |
| 글리세린 | geulliserin | glycerin |
| 나이아신아마이드 | naiasinamaideu | niacinamide |
| 병풀추출물 | byeongpul chuchulmul | centella asiatica extract |
| 세라마이드엔피 | seramaideu enpi | ceramide NP |
| 향료 | hyangnyo | fragrance |
Plant extracts are the exception. 병풀 is the Korean plant name for centella, so a translation app helps there.
What do ppm and ppb mean?
They're amounts printed beside an ingredient. 1% is 10,000ppm. A ppb, one part per billion, is a thousand times smaller than a ppm.
911 of the 1,986 lists we hold (45.9%) print at least one amount like this. That number is the most useful thing on the label, because it tells you how much is really there. 171 of those lists print a ppb figure somewhere, and ppb is where a tiny amount can read as a big one. The ppm the brand printed itself goes through five labels and that trap.
What does 기능성화장품 mean?
It means functional cosmetic. The product was filed for a named function and cleared review or reporting for it. The common ones are 미백 (brightening, literally whitening), 주름개선 (wrinkle improvement) and 자외선 차단 (UV protection). On the label it often reads 「화장품법에 따른 기능성 화장품 심사(또는 보고)를 필함」, which says the product cleared that review or report under the Cosmetics Act.
This line holds up well. On the label itself, 152 lines stated functional cosmetic status, and 118 of them (77.6%) were backed by evidence. Across all 15,373 ad lines we checked, the figure is 12.6%. Watch for 해당 없음 or 해당사항 없음 in the same spot, though. It means "not applicable": the product isn't a functional cosmetic. What a Korean functional cosmetic label certifies covers what the review does and doesn't mean.
Sunscreens have their own set of numbers and filters. How to read a sunscreen label covers those.
What about the claims on the front?
Treat them as things to check against the back. A claim that names a test should say who ran it, on how many people, and when. 인체적용시험 means human application test, and 피부과 테스트 완료 means dermatology tested. Both are only as useful as the details printed next to them. Who ran the test shows what those details look like.
Badges work the same way. A free-from list is checkable when it names what's missing. An EWG green badge is a score for single ingredients, not a test of the product, and the EWG rating piece found 1 of 64 such lines backed by evidence.
A few more words you'll see
| Korean | Meaning |
|---|---|
| 무향 | unscented |
| 저자극 | low irritation (a claim, check for a test) |
| 사용기한 | use by date |
| 약산성 | weakly acidic, low pH |
| 비건 | vegan |
Common questions
Is a short ingredient list always better?
No. A short list isn't automatically gentler, and a very short one can be missing things a formula needs. Minimalism, counted looks at how short a list can honestly get.
Does a higher position always mean a stronger effect?
Position tells you rank, not strength. An active that works at a low level can sit far down the list and still be able to do its job. That's why a printed amount beats position whenever the label gives one.
What if I can't find the list at all?
Some listings leave it out. Check the brand's own Korean page. If it isn't there either, that's worth knowing before you buy.
If you're holding a Korean box and can't make sense of the back, send us a photo of the label or the product name and we'll read it for you. For the rest of the basics, go back to Start here.
