It’s not an exaggeration that in Korea beauty shops are always around the corner, but what if you want to shop for less “mass market” brands? You’re in luck! Here are a few multi-brand shops that offer another type of beauty shopping experience by presenting a collection of products, from the most popular brands in other countries to Korea’s up-and-coming brands. Think of them as your Asian Sephoras!
So many different brands! At Olive Young you’ve got a curated selection of products not only from Korea, but Taiwan and Europe too! Make sure you don’t miss their hefty selection of sheet masks—it takes up an entire aisle!
Random, but you can buy drinks and snacks here as well. Actually, maybe it’s not so random. Olive Young is owned by the CJ Group, and they own a lot of different brands including food and beverage ones—they even own entertainment divisions, for all you K-pop fans.
I frequently peruse this shop because some Korean beauty brands with amazing products but a small footprint make their debut here. First spotted at Olive Young was the popular Caolion, as well as a couple of brands I really love, like Son & Park and Neogen.
This chain is considered a health and beauty chain. Find it all over Asia, especially China. It has a very “drugstore” vibe, but they really focus on selling a lot of beauty products.
What sets them apart is a great selection of body and hair products, a category many popular Korean beauty brands tend to lack. The interior is not as bright and modern looking as Olive Young’s, but they make up for it by conveniently offering many awesome brands such as Dr. Jart+, Hada Labo, and Caolion.
Belport
Belport is brand spankin’ new and expanding fast with shops in Gangnam, Garosugil, Myeongdong, and Itaewon. There you will find their own brand, Belport—that has makeupniche brands like Koy and Hello My Name Is, from Korea, and international ones such as Omorovicza (Hungary), and Dr. Young (Singapore). The Garosugil location also offers manicures and facials!
Again, I LOVE that you can shop for international brands all under one roof.
Pro tip: If you’re from the States, I wouldn’t recommend purchasing any of their American or international brands because it’s likely more expensive in Korea than back in the U.S. On the flip side, score deals on Asian products.
+ Have you been in Seoul? Share with us your best beauty shopping tips too in the comments!
Note: This post was first published on July 8, 2015, and updated on October 27, 2016.
