The 10 Best Korean Serums and Ampoules in 2026

The best Korean serums for most people are Beauty of Joseon Glow Serum: Propolis + Niacinamide, Torriden DIVE-IN Serum and SKIN1004 Madagascar Centella Ampoule. Beauty of Joseon is our top pick for oily and combination skin, Torriden is the best hydrating serum and SKIN1004 is the gentlest choice for sensitive skin. For dark spots, Anua Niacinamide 10 + TXA 4 Serum is the strongest pick on this list.

Before you buy, you can scan a serum's barcode or label with the ingredient scanner in Pori to check it against your skin type. Pori reads the label for you; it does not diagnose skin conditions.

Quick picks

• Best overall: Beauty of Joseon Glow Serum: Propolis + Niacinamide ($17 for 30 ml, beautyofjoseon.com): light, fragrance-free and good for oily skin and visible pores.
• Best budget: SKIN1004 Madagascar Centella Ampoule ($15 for 55 ml, skin1004.com): seven ingredients, built on centella, for sensitive skin.
• Best hydrating serum: Torriden DIVE-IN Serum ($24 for 50 ml, torriden.us): five forms of hyaluronic acid with panthenol and ceramide NP.
• Best for dark spots: Anua Niacinamide 10 + TXA 4 Serum ($28, anua.com): 10% niacinamide, 4% tranexamic acid and 2% arbutin.
• Best vitamin C for beginners: Beauty of Joseon Light On Serum: Centella + Vita C ($17 for 30 ml, beautyofjoseon.com): a stable vitamin C derivative in a soothing base.
• Best for redness: Anua Azelaic Acid 10 Hyaluron Redness Soothing Serum ($28, anua.com): azelaic acid with niacinamide, centella and zinc PCA.

We compared published ingredient lists, brand claims and listed prices; we did not test these products on skin. Prices are US list prices as of November 2026 with the retailer named; several brands were running sales this month. Korean brands use "serum," "ampoule" and "essence" loosely, so we judged each bottle by what is in it. Our guide to serum vs. moisturizer vs. essence explains the steps, and the K-beauty hub collects the rest of our Korean skincare coverage.

How do the best Korean serums compare?

The 10 best Korean serums

1. Beauty of Joseon Glow Serum: Propolis + Niacinamide

Price: $17 for 30 ml or $34 for 60 ml on beautyofjoseon.com ($13.60 for 30 ml in this month's sale), also sold on Amazon. Key ingredients: propolis extract, niacinamide, betaine salicylate (a mild BHA) and sodium hyaluronate, with small amounts of tea tree, turmeric and centella extracts. The brand lists it as fragrance-free and alcohol-free.

Who it suits: oily or combination skin with visible pores that wants a light, slightly cushiony layer. Who should skip it: people allergic to bee products, since propolis comes from bees, and anyone who reacts to niacinamide. The catch: the formula changed. Older bottles were sold as 60% propolis; the current list starts with water. Our Glow Serum review explains what that means.

2. Torriden DIVE-IN Low Molecular Hyaluronic Acid Serum

Price: $24 for 50 ml on torriden.us, also on Amazon. Key ingredients: five forms of hyaluronic acid, panthenol, allantoin, trehalose, betaine and small amounts of madecassoside, ceramide NP and cholesterol. No fragrance is listed.

Who it suits: nearly every skin type, especially skin that feels tight or looks flat in dry weather. Who should skip it: anyone who wants a serum that treats acne, spots or wrinkles. The catch: it is a hydrator and nothing more, and it contains a little witch hazel extract, which some sensitive skin dislikes. Seal it in with a moisturizer. See our Torriden DIVE-IN review and best hyaluronic acid serums.

3. SKIN1004 Madagascar Centella Ampoule

Price: $15 for 55 ml or $22 for 100 ml list on skin1004.com (10% off in November); Target carries it too. Key ingredients: centella asiatica extract, glycerin and butylene glycol, in a seven-ingredient list with no fragrance.

Who it suits: sensitive, dry or easily flushed skin that wants a calm, watery layer, and anyone simplifying a routine. Who should skip it: people looking for a visible change in spots or texture. The catch: with so few ingredients, it is mostly hydration plus centella. Evidence that centella extract calms skin comes mainly from lab and small studies. More options are in our best centella products.

4. Anua Niacinamide 10 + TXA 4 Serum

Price: $28 on anua.com; also sold on Amazon. Key ingredients: 10% niacinamide, 4% tranexamic acid and 2% arbutin per the brand, with alpha-arbutin, sodium hyaluronate, a little ceramide NP and several plant oils. Anua calls it fragrance-free.

Who it suits: people with dark spots, uneven tone or flat marks left after breakouts. Who should skip it: skin that stings with high-strength niacinamide, and very oily skin that dislikes the plant oils. The catch: brightening ingredients take weeks of daily use to show, and only if you also wear sunscreen every day. Our guides to tranexamic acid and the best dark spot serums go deeper.

5. numbuzin No.5+ Glutathione Vitamin Concentrated Serum

Price: $26 on us.numbuzin.com (10% off with the brand's single-bottle offer), also on Amazon. Key ingredients: niacinamide, panthenol and tranexamic acid near the top, then a vitamin C derivative (3-O-ethyl ascorbic acid), alpha-arbutin, shea butter and a small amount of glutathione.

Who it suits: dull or uneven skin that wants several brightening ingredients in one bottle. Who should skip it: very sensitive skin, which may not like so many actives at once. The catch: the name sells glutathione, but it sits far down the list. The work here is mostly done by niacinamide and tranexamic acid. Numbuzin's own clinical claims (18.9% more even tone in four weeks) come from the brand, not independent studies.

6. Beauty of Joseon Light On Serum: Centella + Vita C

Price: $17 for 30 ml on beautyofjoseon.com. Key ingredients: 3-O-ethyl ascorbic acid (a stable vitamin C derivative) as the second ingredient, with glycerin, betaine, panthenol and centella. Listed as fragrance-free.

Who it suits: people who have found pure vitamin C serums sticky or stinging and want an easy morning brightener. Who should skip it: anyone who wants the strongest vitamin C evidence, which belongs to L-ascorbic acid. The catch: derivatives are gentler but less studied, so results are subtler. Our vitamin C serum guide compares the forms.

7. COSRX The Niacinamide 15 Serum

Price: $25 for 20 ml on cosrx.com. Key ingredients: 15% niacinamide, N-acetyl glucosamine, zinc PCA, trehalose and allantoin, in a short list with no fragrance.

Who it suits: oily, acne-prone skin with shine, enlarged-looking pores or post-acne marks. Who should skip it: sensitive or dry skin; 15% is a high dose, and lower strengths are easier to tolerate. The catch: start every other day. The bottle is small for the price. Our best niacinamide serums list includes gentler strengths.

8. Beauty of Joseon Revive Serum: Ginseng + Snail Mucin

Price: $17 for 30 ml or $34 for 60 ml on beautyofjoseon.com. Key ingredients: ginseng root water (63%), ginseng root extract, snail secretion filtrate (3%), niacinamide and centella. Listed as fragrance-free.

Who it suits: dry or normal skin that looks tired and wants a soft, hydrating layer. Who should skip it: vegans and anyone who avoids snail mucin. The catch: 3% snail mucin is far less than COSRX's 96% essence, so if snail is the point, see our best snail mucin products.

9. Purito Seoul Wonder Releaf Centella Serum Unscented

Price: $20 for 2.02 fl oz at Target. Key ingredients: centella extract (34,860 ppm), niacinamide, sodium hyaluronate, panthenol, four peptides and ceramide NP. Target lists no fragrance added.

Who it suits: sensitive, redness-prone skin that wants more than a plain hydrator. Who should skip it: anyone who reacts to niacinamide. The catch: Purito also sells a scented Wonder Releaf line, so check the word "Unscented."

10. Anua Azelaic Acid 10 Hyaluron Redness Soothing Serum

Price: $28 on anua.com. Key ingredients: azelaic acid (10% per the name) as the second ingredient, with betaine salicylate, panthenol, niacinamide, centella compounds, squalane and zinc PCA.

Who it suits: skin with redness, bumps or blemishes that wants an over-the-counter azelaic acid in a light texture. Who should skip it: anyone with a rosacea diagnosis who has not checked with a dermatologist; prescription azelaic acid comes in higher strengths. The catch: azelaic acid often tingles for the first weeks, and the formula includes propylene glycol, which bothers some people. Compare it in our best azelaic acid products.

How do you use a Korean serum in your routine?

Apply serums after cleansing and toner and before moisturizer, thinnest texture first. The American Academy of Dermatology (AAD) recommends a basic order of cleanser, treatment products, moisturizer and, in the morning, sunscreen. Use one active serum at a time when you start. Brightening serums (picks 4, 5 and 6) and acne serums (picks 7 and 10) need daily sunscreen to show results. The AAD also suggests testing a new product on a small area for a few days first. Our guide to how to layer serums covers combinations, and Korean skincare routine steps shows the full sequence.

Where can you buy Korean serums in the US?

All ten are sold to US buyers: through the brands' US stores (beautyofjoseon.com, torriden.us, skin1004.com, anua.com, us.numbuzin.com, cosrx.com), on Amazon, and at Target for SKIN1004 and Purito. Ulta carries a growing list of Korean brands. Importers such as YesStyle and Olive Young Global may ship versions made for other markets, so check the ingredient list on the box. Serums are cosmetics in the US and do not face the drug rules that keep many Korean sunscreens off US shelves; see our best Korean sunscreen guide for that story, and Korean skincare brands for who owns what.

How we chose

We started with the Korean serums and ampoules most sold in the US and kept those with a current US listing, a published ingredient list and a price we could confirm on a brand site or major US retailer in November 2026. We covered different needs (hydration, sensitivity, oil, dark spots, redness), favored fragrance-free formulas and flagged listed irritants. We did not wear-test any serum, and no brand paid to be included. For one pick per routine step, see our best Korean skincare products.