Hanyul

Hanbang refers to Korean herbal medicine, and HANYUL formulates with that tradition in mind. Instead of chasing a single trending active, the brand leans on time-tested botanicals such as fermented soybean, rice extract, and ginseng, often as emulsions and essences with a comforting feel. If you like skincare that reads as gentle and ingredient-led rather than clinical, this is the corner of K-beauty HANYUL sits in. The textures tend toward nourishing rather than lightweight.

Kyokushin is the flagship range in this grid, and it comes as a full routine: Skin (a toner-step), Essence, Cream, and an Eye Cream, plus two- and three-piece sets. Buying the matched line means each step is formulated to work with the next, which takes the guesswork out of building an anti-ageing routine. The sets are the value pick if you want to commit to the whole line at once. Start with the Skin and Essence if you would rather test the texture before adding the cream.

The Spirited Bean Elasticity Cream and the Kyokushin Cream are the firmness-focused moisturisers here. Both aim at the look of bounce and elasticity, sealing the lighter emulsion and essence steps underneath with a richer layer. A firming cream works best as the last leave-on step at night, applied over toner and essence. Reach for these if your main concern is skin that has started to feel less springy rather than oiliness or breakouts.

The Spirited Bean line is built on fermented soybean, a hanbang staple valued for nourishing and conditioning skin. Fermentation breaks ingredients down into smaller, more usable forms, which is part of why fermented botanicals are so common in Korean skincare. The Elasticity Cream pairs that soybean base with a firming focus. It suits skin that wants both moisture and a more resilient surface feel in one product.

The Rice Liquid Emulsion, Ginseng The Classic Emulsion, and Songdam Elastic Emulsion each lead with a different herbal hero. Rice extract is associated with brightening and softening, ginseng with energising and firming tired skin, and the Songdam emulsion with elasticity. An emulsion is lighter than a cream, so it suits normal and combination skin or warmer weather. Pick the emulsion whose ingredient matches your goal, then layer a cream over it only if you need more moisture.

HANYUL gives you both emulsions and creams, and the choice comes down to how much moisture your skin wants. Emulsions like the Rice Liquid or Ginseng The Classic are lightweight lotions that absorb fast and suit oilier or balanced skin. Creams like the Spirited Bean Elasticity Cream are richer and better for dry skin or cold months. Many people use an emulsion in summer and switch to a cream in winter, and HANYUL covers both within the same herbal range.

The Kyokushin Eye Cream targets the delicate skin around the eyes, where the first signs of dryness and fine lines tend to show. Use a small amount as one of the last steps in your routine, patting it gently around the orbital bone rather than rubbing. It carries the same Kyokushin focus on firmness, so it pairs naturally with the matching cream and essence. An eye cream is worth adding once your base routine is settled.

A straightforward HANYUL routine runs cleanse, then a Skin or toner step, then an emulsion or essence matched to your concern, then a firming cream to seal, with the eye cream near the end. Thinner textures go first so the richer ones do not block them. With more than eighty products in stock here, the simplest start is the Kyokushin Skin and Essence plus one emulsion or cream, then build out the rest of the line once you know how your skin responds.