Shopping
Budget K-Beauty: What I Actually Paid for My Whole Routine in Korea
One of the best things about Korean skincare is that good products don’t have to be expensive. As a university student, I keep my budget to about ₩20,000 (around $15) per product, and almost my entire routine fits under that.
These aren’t list prices from a brand website. They’re the prices I actually paid, in Korea, including the bundle deals and sales that are everywhere here. Many Korean products are sold in 2-packs, so I’ve also worked out the price per item.
What I Paid (Per Item)
| Product | What I bought | I paid | Per item | Per item (USD) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Gillette ProGlide Sensitive shave gel | 2-pack | ₩12,300 | ₩6,150 | ~$4.60 |
| Stridex Sensitive Pads | 55 pads | ₩9,260 | ₩9,260 | ~$6.90 |
| Goodal Heartleaf Soothing Moisture Sun Cream | 2 × 50 ml | ₩18,900 | ₩9,450 | ~$7.10 |
| Bring Green Tea Tree Cica Soothing Cream | 2 × 100 ml | ₩19,800 | ₩9,900 | ~$7.40 |
| Anua Heartleaf Quercetinol Pore Deep Cleansing Foam | 2 × 150 ml | ₩23,900 | ₩11,950 | ~$8.90 |
| Round Lab 1025 Dokdo Toner | 2-pack | ₩25,840 | ₩12,920 | ~$9.70 |
| The Ordinary Niacinamide 10% + Zinc 1% | 60 ml | ₩15,400 | ₩15,400 | ~$11.50 |
| Make p:rem Safe Me. Relief Moisture Cleansing Milk | 200 ml + 100 ml refill | ₩21,000 | ₩21,000 | ~$15.70 |
| OBgE Natural Cover Lotion | 50 g + 10 g travel mini | ₩27,900 | ₩27,900 | ~$20.80 |
Prices are what I paid at the time, including sales. USD is approximate, at about ₩1,340 to the dollar (November 2026).
The quick takeaways
- 7 of 9 products cost under $15 each. The cleansing milk comes in just over because the bundle includes an extra 100 ml refill.
- The OBgE cover lotion is my one splurge. It’s the only product that clearly goes over my budget, though the set includes a travel mini.
- 2-packs are where the savings are. Five of my products came as 2-packs, which brought them under ₩13,000 each.
- Not on the list: my numbuzin B5 serum and my Anua cleansing oil. I bought both in a store and don’t remember what I paid.
Tips for Buying K-Beauty Cheaply in Korea
- Look for 2-packs and refill bundles. They’re extremely common, and the per-item price drops a lot.
- Wait for sales. Korean drugstores and online shops run sales constantly, so there’s rarely a reason to pay full price.
- Mix Korean and Western basics. Two of my products (Stridex and The Ordinary) aren’t Korean, but they’re easy to find in Korea at good prices.
- Tourists: check whether the store offers tax refunds.
Where I usually buy: Olive Young (Korea’s biggest drugstore chain) and Coupang (Korea’s biggest online shopping app). Coupang mainly ships within Korea, so if you’re abroad, Olive Young’s global site is the easier option.
FAQ
Is K-beauty cheaper in Korea than abroad? Often, yes, especially with local bundles and sales.
Are cheap products worse? Not in my experience. Everything in my routine costs about the same as a drugstore basic, and the routine still made a visible difference for me.
Want to see how I use all of these? Here’s my full routine, or the 4-step version for beginners.
Prices are what I personally paid and will change over time. This post is based on my personal experience and is not medical advice.
Source for exchange rate: Banque de France daily exchange rates, 4 Nov 2026