Beauty Mecca: The ultimate guide to Korean beauty shopping in Seoul

K-Beauty Mecca: The ultimate guide to Korean beauty shopping in Seoul

Sarah Khan

17 Oct 2017

updated the 19 October 2017 à 11:39

1/5
#1 Myeongdong
Myeongdong is Seoul's bustling retail district and prime shopping destination, welcoming over a whooping 1 million visitors daily. It is also here that you'll find the mecca of K-beauty; most Korean beauty brands have at least one store in Myeongdong. It is home to popular K-beauty brands such as the likes of Holika Holika, Olive Young, Nature Republic and Tony Moly.

How to get here: Alight at Myeong-dong Station.

Brands to look out for: Olive Young, ARITAUM, Tony Moly

Photo: Getty Images
2/5
#2 Lotte Department Store
Lotte Department Store is arguably one of Korea's icons, with a total of 24 department stores across the country (and 8 branches in Seoul alone). It carries both popular Korean beauty labels to famous luxury brands. If you love a great discount, you'll appreciate the fact their skincare and cosmetic products go on sale pretty often. The department store lets you claim for a tax refund there itself too!

How to get here: Euljiro 1(il)-ga Station

Brands to look out for: Laneige, Sulwhasoo

Various outlets throughout Seoul.

Photo: Visit Korea
3/5
#3 Garosu-Gil
Nestled in between Sinsa-dong and Apgujeong, Garosu-gil - which aptly translates to "tree-lined streets" in Korean - is quickly becoming Seoul's hippest district. It has a fascinating mix of both old and new.

How to get here: Alight at Sinsa Station

Brands tolook Out For: Too Cool For School, VDL

Photo: Getty Images
4/5
#4 Ewha Woman’s University
Ewha Woman's University is one of the most popular shopping areas in Seoul, and is also known as Ewha Woman's University Fashion Street. As it caters to their undergraduates, you can expect the offerings here to be trendy and affordable. You'll be spoiled for choice with the seemingly infinite ongoing sales on both major fashion and beauty brands like The Face Shop and innisfree. The university campus itself is pretty impressive too and is definitely worth the visit.

How to get here: Ewha Woman's University Station

Brands to look out for: Holika Holika, Tony Moly

52 Ewhayeodae-gil, Daehyeon-dong, Seodaemun-gu, Seoul

Photo: Visit Korea
5/5
#5 Samcheong-dong
The ultra-hip hillside neighbourhood draws visitors with its art galleries, boutiques and slew of Instagram-worthy cafes. Spanning from the Gyeongbokgung Palace to Samcheong Tunnel, Samcheong-dong manages to straddle its hip and contemporary identity with the traditional Korean architecture that still characterises parts of its areas. It's one of the most culturally fascinating places in Seoul, and also a great spot to load up on your K-beauty goodies.

How to get here: The nearest station is Anguk

Brands to look out for: LYAnature, Moonshot

Photo: Getty Images

Our lowdown on the best places to get your hands on K-beauty goodies in Seoul.

Seoul is arguably the most exciting city for beauty junkies. From the minute you set foot at the Incheon, only to be greeted by striking cosmetic billboards across the airport, to the fact that the city has a town entirely dedicated to beauty, there is truly no beauty haven quite like Seoul.

That beauty has become so emblematic of South Korea is unsurprising. After all, Korean beauty is in the vanguard of beauty trends. Most of the most definitive beauty fads in recent years, like the cushion compacts and BB creams, all hail from Korea. Which is why getting your hands on K-beauty goodies when you’re in Seoul is an absolute must.

It can be overwhelming navigating the streets of Seoul for the best beauty products, so we’ve outlined the best areas for you to visit! For the mecca of all things K-beauty, Myeong-dong is definitely a must-visit; and for irresistible beauty steals from your favourite brands like innisfree, the Ewha Women’s University Fashion Street is a surprising rare gem.

P.S. Quick tip: Bring your passport along with you while shopping! Most stores will deduct the taxes on the spot, so you won’t have to bother with tax returns at the airport.

Sarah Khan

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