10 Common Korean Beauty Terms to Learn Before Shopping in Korea

This list is really useful for shopping, especially for recognizing Korean on packaging and shelves. Here are a few more words you’ll often hear in stores: 테스터(tester/sample),​재고(in stock),​품절(sold out),​할인 (discount). To ask whether they have a particular item, you can say “이 제품 있어요?” (Do you have this product?); to try a swatch, say “테스트해 봐도 돼요?” (Can I try it?).

A quick note: In Korean beauty contexts, 미백​usually refers to claims about brightening and improving the appearance of dullness; it doesn’t mean changing your natural skin tone.선크림 means sunscreen. If you’re sensitive to certain ingredients or textures, just ask “성분표 볼 수 있어요?” (Can I see the ingredient list?). That’s more reliable than going by marketing claims alone.