Where to buy South Korean skincare and cosmetics
South Korean skincare companies and cosmetics brands have become quite popular in recent years. Famous for their focus on skincare, these cosmetics come with a range of benefits for the skin, including high SPF and moisturizing elements. There are a number of beauty boutiques in the Greater Vancouver area that carry various different South Korean skincare products from affordable and high end brands.
SEPHORA
769 Main Street, West Vancouver, BC V7T 0A5If you’re already familiar with makeup and skincare products, there’s a good chance you know about Sephora. With the rising popularity in South Korean beauty companies, this big box cosmetics retailer has started carrying a larger selection of international brands such as Laniege, Tonymoly, Dr. Jart+ and AMOREPACIFIC. This is a great place to start for those who may not be familiar with South Korean brands.
The Face Shop
1167-4700 Kingsway, Burnaby, BC V5H 4M1If you’ve visited any major malls around Vancouver lately – Pacific Centre, Metrotown or Richmond Centre – you might have seen the Face Shop, with it’s life-sized cardboard cutouts of Korean celebrities at the entrance. It’s a great retail space for those who enjoy browsing and the store carries a large selection of skincare products for all skin types and ages. The staff are quite friendly and helpful, and they’ll often provide small free samples when you purchase products in store. The pricing is also relatively affordable depending on what you buy.
TONYMOLY
2460-4151 Hazelbridge Way, Richmond, BC V6X 4J7There are two words that come to mind at TONYMOLY: affordable and cute! Seriously, the product packaging is absolutely adorable; if you’re the type of person who can’t resist cute things, you’re bound to leave this store with something. Some notable products include fruit-shaped containers for hand creams and face masks. And who could say “no” to a cat-shaped compact? It’s also a great place to go for affordable skincare as most products are priced under $30.
H-Mart
200-550 Robson St, Vancouver, BC V6B 2B7Of course you’ll find South Korean skincare products at this popular Korean grocery store. If you stop by the H-mart downtown you’ll see an entire section dedicated to skincare on the first floor. They carry mostly TONYMOLY products (which are eco-conscious and really cute!) as well as smaller selection of other brands such as Missha and Cloud 9. Products are generally quite affordable but you will find some more expensive high-end items as well.
T&T Supermarket
147-4800 Kingsway, Burnaby, BC V5H 4J2There’s a huge cosmetics and skincare section at the Metrotown location of T&T. The shop carries a large selection of various Asian cosmetics brands including South Korean favourites such as Etude House and The Face Shop. Do note that they while they carry a diverse range of labels, they only have a small selection of items from each company. The pricing at T&T really depends on the brand; you’ll find affordable and pricier products.
MQ Cosmetics
3400-4151 Hazelbridge Way, Richmond, BC V6X 4J7For those of you who are familiar with South Korean brands already, MQ Cosmetics in Aberdeen Centre is a great place to check out. They carry an extremely diverse range of Korean brands such as Skinfood, IOPE and Innisfree to name a few. They tend to only carry a small selection of each brand, generally stocking what’s most popular in South Korea at the moment. So if you know what you’re after then this is the place to go. On a side note: they don’t display the prices in store, so remember to ask for the pricing before purchasing!
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