2026 Top 20 Essence/Serum & Reviews
Essence/Serum Products Top 20
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1 No change in rank
AnuaPDRN Hyaluronic Capsule 100 Serum -
2 No change in rank
SKIN1004Madagascar Centella Ampoule -
3 No change in rank
SofinaiP Base Care Serum -
4 No change in rank
TorridenDive-In Low-Molecular Hyaluronic Acid Serum -
5 No change in rank
DecorteLiposome Advanced Repair Serum -
6 No change in rank
Sungboon EditorSilk Peptide Intensive Lifting Ampoule -
7 No change in rank
KoséSekkisei Brightening Essence Lotion -
8 No change in rank
AstaliftThe Serum Wrinkle Repair -
9 No change in rank
WellageReal Hyaluronic Blue 100 Ampoule -
10 No change in rank
VT CosmeticsReti-A Reedle Shot 300 -
11 No change in rank
NumbuzinNo.1 Pantothenic B5 Active Soothing Serum -
12 No change in rank
AstaliftWhite Jelly Aquarysta -
13 No change in rank
AbibHeartleaf Teca Capsule Serum Calming Drop -
14 No change in rank
ShiseidoUltimune Power Infusing Serum Concentrate -
15 No change in rank
Hada LaboMelano CC Vitamin C Premium Essence -
16 No change in rank
Derma FactoryNiacinamide 20% serum -
17 No change in rank
ONEOHOHJacho PDRN Herbal Decoction Essence -
18 No change in rank
OrbisAdvanced Brightening Serum -
19 No change in rank
ONE BY KOSÉSerum Veil Deep Repair -
20 No change in rank
Clé de Peau BeautéCorrecteur Essentiel N
Latest Essence/Serum Reviews
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COSRXThe Alpha-Arbutin 2 Discoloration Care SerumI use this around my period or when I get acne, and since I haven't gotten any noticeable acne scars since I started using it, I wonder if that's thanks to this? It seems to work on dark spots, freckles, and skin clarity too, but I don't use it every day, so I can't really say. Also, I use it specifically for its soothing effect, so it's not particularly moisturizing or anything. I think it's good to apply it to my skin as a precaution when my skin is acting up, then get moisture from other skincare products. I'll keep counting on its soothing effect!
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MediCubePDRN Pink Peptide SerumIt makes my skin feel plump when I use it. The texture is a loose, slightly thick liquid that absorbs right into the skin without feeling sticky. Rather than feeling moisturized and hydrated, it makes my skin feel bouncy, so I think it might be good for a lack of firmness or rough skin. It makes my skin feel nicer to the touch, so I recommend it♡
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COSRXThe Vitamin C 13 SerumI had been using COSRX C23 for a while, but this one is cheaper, so I thought I'd give C13 a try and see if it worked... and bought this one for now. It didn't feel very oily, and the stickiness wasn't enough to bother me. There were some days when it tingled a little, but the irritation was never so strong that I couldn't use it. The canned tuna smell hasn't bothered me since the reformulation either! It was lightweight and easy to use in the morning too. There were times when my dullness seemed to fade and my skin looked brighter, but I didn't notice anything like my pores getting smaller or less noticeable.
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DecorteLiposome Advanced Repair Serum
▶︎Decorte Liposome Advanced Repair Serum ✂ーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーー I've been using this pre-serum for about 3 years now💜 I'll never forget how amazed I was the first time I used it. It sinks right into my skin, and the more I use it, the softer and bouncier my skin gets✨ I mainly use it at night, and my skin is totally different! It smooths out my skin texture and helps my makeup go on better too🙌 The alcohol-free, oil-free formula was easy to use even on my sensitive skin and gave it a rich feeling of hydration. It blends into the skin well without feeling sticky, and feels gentle💙 I recommend it if hydration is your priority🌙
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COSRXThe Niacinamide 15 SerumRepurchasing again this year 🔁 A serum I use every summer. My pores start bothering me in the summer, but I noticed that my skin texture and pores look calmer when I use this serum, so I buy it every year right before summer. When I add it to my nighttime routine on days when I feel like my pores or excess oil are bothering me, by the next day it feels like the instability that was bothering me is no longer noticeable. A serum I can't live without for summer pore care ♡ However, if I use it several days in a row when dryness is bothering me, it feels like the dryness gets worse, so I only use it in the summer. This is the serum that made me love niacinamide ♡
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OoznaryVita 3 SerumRecommended when you want to use a vitamin serum✨ It was especially good before doing my makeup in the morning👍🏻🎀 It has a thick texture and feels moisturizing It didn't tingle or feel irritating, and I found it very easy to use! The citrus scent was so soothing, and I enjoyed using it🍊
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Dr. Reju-AllAdvanced PDRN Copper Peptide SerumA serum formulated with PDRN and copper peptides! I thought it might be a slightly heavy, viscous serum, but I love that it gives my skin a glow right after applying without feeling sticky! When I use it as part of my nighttime skincare routine🌙, my makeup goes on really nicely the next day too!!! Maybe because my skin feels firmer? Apparently it also has anti-aging benefits! I'm going to keep using it, and I'm excited to see the results😌 ⭐︎Points⭐︎ ✅Absorbs quickly ✅Bouncy, hydrated skin ✅Glowing skin
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De:MafHere-Oh My First SerumA product for dehydrated skin. It balances my skin, and layering it makes my skin feel soft and bouncy, plus the rest of my skincare absorbs differently, so I rely on it a lot. I like that it's a pump and you can apply it directly to your skin. It has a light, watery texture, so it absorbs into the skin right away. I got hooked after using it once and bought two backups during the Mega Sale! lol I'm almost done with my second bottle. It also made me realize the importance of taking my time with skincare by layering products, so I think it's a good product.
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MediCubePDRN Pink Collagen Exosome ShotIt's not bad, but honestly, I kinda feel like I'd be fine with another reedle!
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ONEOHOHJacho PDRN Herbal Decoction Essence
My skin always feels more sensitive after a treatment, so I try to keep things as simple as possible and focus on skincare that helps maintain moisture. That's why I'm glad I tried ONEOHOH's Jacho line💜 The essence has a rich texture, but it doesn't feel too heavy and blends easily into the skin. If you're looking for skincare to use after a cosmetic treatment, or if you're looking for a moisturizing product for when your skin is feeling unstable, this is a line I want you to check out too🤍
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OrbisAdvanced Brightening Serum
This is a brightening serum I used and loved for about 5 years! I started using it when I began noticing dark spots, and although I sometimes strayed and tried other brightening serums along the way, I ended up using this one for a long time I used it for about 5 years, from age 33 to 38, and really felt like it kept my dark spots from getting worse. Rather than caring for existing dark spots, I used it because I felt like “I don’t want to get any more dark spots and want to keep preventing them.” It’s 4,950 yen for 36 mL. In my case, one bottle lasted about 1.5 months, so it came to around 3,300 yen per month. The relatively affordable price for a brightening serum was another reason I was able to keep using it for so long. I tried other products here and there, but this was ultimately a favorite that I kept using for about 5 years. I recommend it for preventive care if you don’t have many dark spots yet, or for anyone who wants to keep up with brightening care while prioritizing value for money! I wanted to take my skincare more seriously, so I doubled my budget and now use a different brightening serum.
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VT CosmeticsRed Booster Reedle Shot 300Starting my VT Cosmetics Red Booster Reedle Shot 300 challenge, which I bought during the Mega Sale~!!!👀🥀 Writing down my first impressions↓ I went from the 100 sample pouch to buying the full-size 300, but I feel like the needles in the 100 pouch hurt more, wonder why🤭Feels like I can keep using this no problem. It hurts way less than the regular Reedle Shot 100 or 300 (thank goodness) By the way, I guess it’s already been a year now. I’ve been using it this whole time! The best deal is getting the BOX during the Mega Sale👍🏻
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SKIN1004Madagascar Centella Teca AmpouleI love the Centella Ampoule, so I tried this one with high hopes... but unfortunately, I couldn't tell any difference other than how it felt to use. Compared to the Centella Ampoule's light, watery texture, this one is just slightly more viscous. It does feel a little sticky, so if that's the case, I'd rather choose the Centella Ampoule, which leaves absolutely no residue on my skin... that's pretty much where I landed. (Since I wouldn't finish my skincare routine with this alone) It's not unpleasant to use, so I'll use up the ones I have stocked alongside the Centella Ampoule.
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ONE BY KOSÉSerum Veil Deep Repair
As I've gotten older, something that's started bothering me more than before is feeling like my skin is “dry even though I'm moisturizing.” My skin gets especially oily in the summer, so my whole face feels greasy, but just the area from under my nose to around my mouth gets dry easily… Sometimes it feels dry immediately after doing my skincare thoroughly. Even when I layer on a highly moisturizing cream, only that area stays dry, leaving me like, “What else am I supposed to put on?” 🥹 That's when I added ONE BY KOSÉ Serum Veil Deep Repair to my routine. It contains the active ingredient Rice Power® No.11, which improves the skin's moisture-retaining ability. I use it all over my face immediately after cleansing, before toner. After that, I use toner → serum → emulsion only on the areas where dryness bothers me. That's about it in summer. What I realized after I started using it is that maybe what I was missing was care that helps my skin hold on to and retain moisture. It leaves my skin moisturized without feeling heavy, and the stickiness doesn't bother me either 🤍 My skin gets oily, but it's also dry in certain areas. It works so well for my combination skin, and now it's an essential first step in my skincare routine. I definitely want to keep using this ☺️
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OgetPink Collagen Capsule AmpouleI was looking for a serum with a texture that would work well with my Medicube beauty device, and that's how I found this one. These are my thoughts after using it intensively for about a month over the summer. It's a serum with a pretty thick, viscous texture, so I barely felt any friction when using my beauty device, and it helped it glide smoothly, making them a perfect match. It smells really nice, and I also love how it lifts my mood while I'm doing my skincare. When I use it with my beauty device, I feel like my skin somehow looks glossier and firmer the next morning! I'm the type who likes to try and compare different serums, but this one was easy to use with my beauty device, so I might come back around and repurchase it someday.
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MediCubeExosome Cica AmpouleIt has a cooling feel and a thick texture. I liked how it was moisturizing without being too heavy & the soothing effect, so I repurchased it about four times. It wasn't sticky, so it was comfortable to use even in the summer. I liked how it felt kind of aloe-like? (even though it's cica) But by my fourth bottle, I also started thinking maybe I didn't really need to use it anymore... Since it mainly felt like lightweight hydration, it seems like something I could replace with other products. And since they were doing a farewell collab with Gayoung-chan, it looks like the current cica line is ending... Maybe they're going to revamp it? I liked the current cica line quite a bit, and besides the ampoule, I also used the toner pads, toner, and cream. I decided to take this opportunity to look for something new, so I haven't bought it since the farewell collab. If they revamp it, I think I might try buying it again.
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MediCubeAzelaic Acid Exosome Shot Serum 7500It's an azelaic acid exosome serum. I was disappointed that the azelaic acid was way too weak... I'd been regularly using around a 16% concentration, so I couldn't feel the azelaic acid in this at all... Since it has exosomes, it feels prickly. It might be good as a booster, but I feel like the product itself doesn't do much. I didn't notice any particular change in my pores or oiliness either... I probably won't repurchase.
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MediCubeAzelaic Acid 16 BB Calming SerumThis is a serum with 16% azelaic acid. I wonder how many bottles I've used... I've used so many I can't even count... Honestly, it's pretty quirky, so I think people will either love it or hate it. First off, it's quite irritating. Until I got used to it, I felt a prickly tingling sensation. It also gets really powdery and crystallizes. For some reason, it dries down to a smooth, matte finish. So it's best not to use it before makeup. It's like that, but it works for my skin, and when I apply it, it clearly keeps breakouts and comedones under control, so I use it regularly. I also like the oddly matte feel. Maybe I've been using it continuously for about a year? But recently I discovered DRX's azelaic acid cream, and that was the best one, so I might switch exclusively to DRX from now on... So that makes this my second-favorite azelaic acid product.
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AnuaAzelaic Acid 15+ Intense Calming SerumThis is a high-concentration serum with 15% azelaic acid + cica. Personally, this Anua serum wasn't that great for me. It feels a little sticky, and I like a smooth, non-sticky finish, so that was disappointing. You could call it moisturizing, but I apply a moisturizer afterward, so I'm not looking for hydration from azelaic acid.. What I expect from azelaic acid products is “dark spot prevention,” “acne prevention,” and “prevention of skin irritation (soothing).” Since it's highly concentrated, I expected it to be effective for those things, but the stickiness also felt a little itchy, so it didn't really suit me. It also contains cica ingredients, but I didn't notice anything in particular from them.. Honestly, I thought it would be fine without them. By the way, it didn't crystallize while I was using it. Medicube crystallizes pretty heavily, so it gets powdery. I actually like that powdery feel, so Medicube wins for me (maybe that's an unusual preference..).
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COSRXThe Alpha-Arbutin 2 Discoloration Care Serum
I tried it because it seemed like it might help with melasma and skin redness, but after one bottle, I couldn't really tell if it had any effect. In a good way, it barely feels like anything on the skin, so I think it works fine slotted into a routine like toner → this → other serums. It does feel a little sticky, but not enough to really bother me. It didn't irritate my skin, so it's not that it doesn't agree with me, but I guess I won't know unless I keep using it a little longer... I'd seen a lot of promos that made it seem like it would work quickly, so it was a bit of a letdown. There are other products I'm interested in too, so I'm not considering repurchasing for now.
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