My skin, bare and unedited, after using Round Lab products for two months.
(Image credit: @kaitlyn_mclintock)
It’s no secret I’m a fan of Korean skincare. In fact, I’d say 80% of my routine is composed of K-beauty products. They not only have the most innovative ingredients and effective formulas, but they also have the most incredible textures—think lightweight serums, melting moisturizers, and cooling, gel-like masks.
Recently, I’ve added not one, but five new Korean skincare products to my lineup. They’re all from the same, affordable brand, called Round Lab. Drawing inspiration from the natural landscape of the Korean Peninsula, Round Lab uses pure, clean ingredients to create products that are equally as effective as they are affordable. The best part? They’re now available to shop Stateside at Target.
I’ve been using the products for two months, and my skin is happier than ever. My chronic redness has diminished. My irritation is gone. Even the fine lines around my eyes and mouth have plumped up to become barely visible. Keep scrolling!
Round Lab
1025 Dokdo Cleansing Oil
I start my nightly skincare routine with this cleansing oil. Made with deep-sea water, 90+ minerals, and plant-based oils (meadowfoam, grape seed, evening primrose, and avocado), it removes sunscreen, makeup, and excess oil like a charm. I like that it doesn’t feel thick or leave residue behind. Instead, the lightweight, hydrating oil emulsifies impurities away and leaves my skin feeling clean and plump.
Round Lab
1025 Dokdo Cleanser
I always double cleanse to thoroughly remove sweat, oil, sunscreen, and makeup (and keep blackheads at bay). So, this cleanser is next. It lathers up into a dense and luxurious foam to remove any excess impurities from my skin.
Usually, foaming cleansers strip moisture from the skin and leave it feeling dry and tight, but this one is different. It’s formulated with panthenol, allantoin, and ceramides to soothe the skin and strengthen themoisture barrier. Plus, it has a low pH to rebalance the skin and encourage a healthy equilibrium of moisture and oil.
Round Lab
1025 Dokdo Toner
This toner might be my favorite product from the entire line. Why? Unlike other toners that exfoliate but don’t hydrate, or hydrate but don’t exfoliate, this one does both perfectly, thanks to a unique combination of skin-soothing and strengthening ingredients (plus a naturally derived exfoliating complex). It splashes my skin with hydration, while gently refining surface texture for a smooth, glowy appearance. Oh, and even though I have dry skin, I know oily skin types will love it just as much as I do because the formula actually controls sebum production for a balanced complexion. (Are we sensing a theme, here?)
Round Lab
Birch Juice Moisturizing Cream
A lightweight gel-like moisturizer that works for both oily and dry skin types? It does exist, and it comes in the form of Round Lab’s Birch Juice Moisturizing Cream. The most obvious ingredient is, well…birch tree sap. It’s anti-inflammatory and chock full of antioxidants. Then, there are amino acids, minerals, and something called glyceryl glucoside, which is an ingredient that increases moisture absorption in the skin, allowing the moisturizer to penetrate deeper and work more effectively. My skin drinks it up.
Round Lab
Birch Juice Moisturizing UV Lock Korean Sunscreen SPF45
Last but certainly not least, I’ve been using (and loving) Round Lab’s Birch Juice Moisturizing UV Lock Sunscreen. This is a chemical sunscreen that works for all skin types—dry, oily, and sensitive included. It provides SPF45 with blue light protection, while intensely hydrating the skin and offering antioxidant and anti-inflammatory benefits. It’s lightweight and cooling, like a moisturizer, and it never leaves a white cast…in fact, this might be one of the most transparent, skin-suiting sunscreens I’ve ever tried.
3 More Korean Skincare Products I Love
COSRX
Advanced Snail 96 Mucin Power Essence
ICYMI, snail mucin has a ton of benefits for dry, dull skin.
Biodance
Radiant Vita Niacinamide Real Deep Mask – 4 Pack for Brightening Dull & Dark Spot Care
While I love the original, I use this Biodance mask to tackle dark spots.
MEDIHEAL
Collagen Ampoule Pad