Guides
How to read a Korean skincare label
The ingredient list, the dates, the little open-jar symbol and the functional cosmetics mark: a handful of Korean words that tell you what's inside, how long it lasts and what to check before you open it.
12 October 20267 min read
Turn over almost any Korean skincare product and you'll find a dense block of Hangul on the back. It can look intimidating, but it follows a familiar pattern, and a handful of words is enough to tell you what's inside, how long it will last and how to use it. Here's how to read it, section by section.
Start with the ingredient list
The 전성분 lists ingredients from the highest concentration to the lowest, so the first few make up most of the formula. On many products it opens with 정제수 (jeongjesu), purified water. Ingredients present at about 1% or less can appear in any order, so the end of the list isn't a strict ranking. If the ingredient in the product's name sits far down, that doesn't automatically make it pointless; some ingredients do their work in small amounts. Fragrance often appears as a single word, 향료 (hyangnyo), which is worth spotting if your skin dislikes perfume.
Two dates and a little jar
- 제조일자 (jejo ilja), manufacture date: the day the product was made. Korean dates are usually written year first, then month and day.
- 사용기한 (sayong gihan), use-by date: also written 사용 기한, it's the date to use the product by. You'll often find it on the box, along the sealed end of a tube or on the base of a jar.
- The open-jar symbol: a small drawing of an open jar with a number and the letter M, such as 12M, means the product should be used within 12 months of opening. In Korean this is 개봉 후 사용기간 (gaebong hu sayong gigan), the period of use after opening. Follow whichever ends first: the use-by date or the months since you opened it.
Volume, directions and cautions
- 용량 (yongnyang), volume: how much is inside, in ml or g. Handy when you're comparing a mini with a full size.
- 사용법 (sayongbeop), how to use: where the product sits in your routine and how to apply it. It often starts with something like "after cleansing" and asks for 적당량 (jeokdangnyang), an appropriate amount.
- 주의사항 (juuisahang), cautions: the standard safety notes. Expect lines such as: if redness, swelling or itching appears, stop and consult a specialist; avoid using on broken skin; keep out of reach of children; store away from direct sunlight.
Functional cosmetics, explained
Some boxes carry the word 기능성화장품 (gineungseong hwajangpum), "functional cosmetics". It's a category recognized by Korea's Ministry of Food and Drug Safety (MFDS) for products with specific functions. In skincare, the three you'll meet most often are brightening (미백, mibaek), wrinkle improvement (주름개선, jureum gaeseon) and UV protection (자외선 차단, jaoeseon chadan); sunscreens belong to the last. The mark tells you what a formula is designed to do. It doesn't tell you whether it suits your skin, so the ingredient list still matters.
A Korean label isn't decoration. It's the product telling you what it is, when it was made and how to use it.
Four checks before you open it
- 1
Check the seal
Shrink wrap, a sealed cap or an inner seal should be intact. If anything looks opened or tampered with, don't use it, and contact the seller.
- 2
Find the Korean label
An authentic Korean product has a Korean label, with the 전성분 and the dates. Imported products may also carry a sticker in Arabic or English; that's normal, as long as the Korean label is still there.
- 3
Look for the batch number
Marked 제조번호 (jejo beonho) or LOT, it's a code printed or stamped on the pack. Where it appears on both the box and the container, the two should match.
- 4
Read the dates
Make sure the 사용기한 hasn't passed, and that the print is clear: not smudged, scratched off or covered by a sticker.
None of this replaces buying from a source you trust, but it lets you see for yourself. CHOMI's products are sourced from Korea, so the next time an order arrives, turn the box over and read the back. It has more to say than you'd think.
Korean favorites to read up close
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