The Most Underrated K-Beauty Ingredients
(That Deserve More Hype)
When it comes to Korean skincare, a few ingredients tend to steal the spotlight (ahem, snail mucin, green tea and centella asiatica). But while these well-known heroes get most of the attention, there are a few quiet achievers that deserve the same love.
Today we’re highlighting the underrated K-Beauty ingredients that deserve pride of place on your shelf because they deliver real, visible results: adenosine, licorice root extract, beta glucan and white truffle. Never heard of them? Here's what they do and where you can find them.
Adenosine: The Anti-Aging Powerhouse You’ve Been Overlooking
If you’re chasing smooth, firm, youthful-looking skin, adenosine should be on your radar. This naturally occurring compound helps improve the look of fine lines and wrinkles, boosts elasticity and enhances skin’s resilience. In fact, it's so effective it's one of the few K-Beauty ingredients officially recognized by Korea’s Ministry of Food and Drug Safety for its wrinkle-improving benefits.
You’ll find adenosine in:
- Bubble Tea Steam Cream: a “one-and-done” moisturizer that delivers 24-hour hydration and a visibly plumper, dewier finish. It's also available in a handy refill, which just took home Prevention's Beauty Award for Best Refillable Skincare.
- White Truffle Soufflé Serum: this souffle-soft serum is the ultimate treat for dry, disordered and mature skin. It not only offers deep hydration and nutrition to skin with the tiniest amount of product, but also smooths and firms skin too. Best of all, it comes in a handy refill / travel pack that is perfect for saving your wallet (and the planet)!
- Cherry Blossom Sleeping Mask - a Best of Beauty-Award winning overnight mask that leaves skin bright, plump, nourished, soft and refreshed by morning.
Licorice Root Extract: The Brightening and Soothing Hero
While Vitamin C gets most of the glow-boosting credit, licorice root extract is an overlooked alternative that’s ideal for dull, uneven or easily irritated skin. Used in traditional Korean beauty recipes for centuries, it helps with dull skin, calming redness and supporting a more balanced complexion. All this happens without the sting of harsher actives.
Try these two forms of licorice:
- Glycyrrhiza Uralensis (Licorice) Root Extract in Be Jelly Overnight Dream Serum for gentle overnight brightening and texture refinement.
- Dipotassium Glycyrrhizate, a licorice-derived salt, in the White Truffle Soufflé Serum to help soothe and visibly even skin tone.
Beta Glucan: The Deep-Hydration Multitasker
Everyone knows hyaluronic acid, but beta glucan is its sexier (albeit underrated) cousin. This moisture magnet can hold up to 20 percent more water than hyaluronic acid and forms a protective film that keeps skin soft, plump and comfortable. Perfect for dry, dehydrated, perimenopausal or mature skin, it also helps calm irritation and supports the skin barrier.
You’ll find beta glucan in Bubble Tea Steam Cream, where it teams up with 9 other actives (including adenosine, niacinamide, panthenol, Vitamin E and squalane) for long-lasting hydration and bounce.
White Truffle: The Luxury Ingredient That Actually Works
White truffle might sound indulgent, but it’s a functional luxury in skincare. Rich in amino acids and essential fatty acids, this extract helps revive dull skin, boost elasticity and support a luminous glow. It’s ideal for skin that feels fatigued or tight, particularly in dry climates or air-conditioned environments.
Experience luxurious European white truffle in the White Truffle Soufflé Serum, which layers radiance and deep hydration into one silky step. Combined with adenosine and Dipotassium Glycyrrhizate, it helps deliver visibly smoother, more resilient skin with consistent use.
Why These Ingredients Deserve More Love
These underrated Korean skincare ingredients might not dominate TikTok feeds but they offer real, measurable benefits. Adenosine provides Korean-regulator approved wrinkle-care efficacy. Licorice gently brightens and soothes and has the benefit of hundreds of years of traditional Korean wisdom and know-how behind it. Beta glucan offers superior hydration and barrier support. White truffle boosts luminosity and elasticity. Together, they form the foundation of our “fun but functional” skincare philosophy with evidence-led formulas that deliver lasting results for dull, dry, dehydrated, and mature skin.
Shop the Ingredients in Action
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