Primark Korean skincare range reviewed by doctor based on skin type

Primark has launched an affordable Korean skincare collaboration with famous K-beauty brands, making it more accessible than ever, and a doctor has highlighted the standouts

Primark is well known for taking amazing trends and making them affordable for the masses. And it turns out that it’s no different when it comes to skincare. Korean skincare may be above your budget, but not anymore, as many products in the range are just £9, which makes a delightful change from paying upwards of £50 per product.

Primark has collaborated with Pureseoul to make K-beauty “more accessible than ever,” and a doctor has revealed the products you “need to buy” from the range, based on your skin type.

“So the interesting thing about this collaboration is that you have really famous K-beauty brands, and they’ve basically designed a cheaper, more accessible brand for sale in here,” Dr Christine Hall, a fully qualified, GMC-registered General Practitioner specialising in medical aesthetics, explained.

Cerabase by Realbarrier

“First example, Realbarrier, super famous in Korea, especially for dry and sensitive skin; they’ve created a line called Cerabase. So, a replacement for their extreme cream in Korea, [they’re selling, in Primark, a] calming, moisturising cream, packed full of ceramides”.

They’ve also got a “firming booster cream with ceramides and peptides”, an “incredible toner”, and a “moisturising cream”.

Dr Hall added: “So if you’re somebody with very dry skin, this is the range you need to look out for.”

She was stunned that you could pick up 50ml of cream for only £9, describing it as “such good value”.

First Edition by Sungboon Editor

Dr Hall explained that you don’t “see much of [Sungboon Editor] here, but it’s very authentic”.

At Primark, the range includes wash-off pot masks and toner pads priced at just £4, but if she were going to spend her money on anything from the line, she’d point customers towards the “Muscat Grape Vita C Brightening Cream Plain”, thanks to its impressive “antioxidant” qualities.

The Essential by Ariul

Known for their 7-day masks, Ariul has developed a diffusion line for Primark, featuring a “vitamin C with niacinamide and lemon, so if you’re somebody who’s worried about pigmentation, that’s a great one to look into”.

They also stock moisturisers, and she noted that “you’re talking £9 for a serum”, which is remarkably good value.

Dermablock by CMS

Dr Hall admitted she’s “most excited” about this range landing in Primark, revealing that CMS is “responsible for Cell Fusion”, a brand she says produces “some incredible products” and is “very famous for their SPF”. Primark stocks a Demablock Vita Sun Ampoule SPF 50 PA ++++, which, “in Korea, highlights that it’s got very good UVA protection, too”.

She also highlighted that the retailer carries a PDRN Collagen Ampoule and a PDRN Collagen cream, declaring, “You cannot get more Korean than that”.

The Saem

Dr Hall highlighted that this brand hasn’t even tweaked its name for the Primark collaboration, saying: “Would it be K Beauty if there wasn’t a section for masks?”

She said: “We have panthenol and retinol, these masks are coming in at £3, and we also have a collagen mask.”

Dr Hall then moved along the display, revealing further masks, amongst them “peptides, hyaluronic acid, multi-vitamin masks and spot patches”.

The spot patches were priced at £6 for two sheets, representing excellent value across 24 patches. There’s even an aloe range catering to those with sensitive or damaged skin, with the aloe sourced from Jeju, described as a “small island with lots of fresh ingredients”.

The Saem also offered serums that were “brightening, pore refining, and glow enhancing, depending on what your concern is”.

Dear Thing by Milk Touch

Dr Hall commented: “Last but not least, there’s a little section of makeup.”

Parent brand Milk Touch has built a devoted following for its lip products, which she described as “quite hydrating but with quite a lot of colour”.

There’s also a stunning liquid highlighter for just £8, which you only have to “use a tiny bit of” to achieve an impressive payoff. Lip plumpers also feature in the range, though Dr Hall cautioned that “some Korean lip plumpers can be seriously fierce”.

Where can the K-Beauty mini mart be found?

Dr Hall noted that the one drawback to the collection was that it wasn’t available across all Primark stores.

Find the K-Beauty Mini Mart at:

• Belfast – Castle Street
• Derry
• Leicester – Fosse Park
• York – Monks Cross
• Coventry
• Southampton
• Norwich
• Lakeside
• Meadowhall
• Edinburgh
• Cardiff
• London – Oxford East
• Manchester – Trafford Centre
• Rotherham
• Manchester – Market Street
• London – Oxford Street West
• Glasgow
• Liverpool
• Braehead
• London – Stratford
• Leeds – Trinity
• Birmingham – High Street