Affiliate disclosure: This post contains affiliate links. If you buy through them, Comfort Mind Body may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you.
How this guide was made: researched from published studies, dermatology guidance and current search data, plus the trend products Anna uses herself. Drafted with AI help, then checked and edited by Anna. Only products marked as Anna's are ones she uses. The rest are researched picks.
Hi, and welcome! We’re so glad you’re here. Is your feed full of pink PDRN serums, tingling reedle shots, and toner pads? Then you’ve probably wondered which ones are worth your money.
This guide sorts the new Korean skincare trends for you. You’ll see what’s worth trying, what to watch, and what to skip. You’ll also learn how to add one without overwhelming your skin.
PDRN has the most buzz, but the research is still limited. It doesn’t show that a cream works like an in-clinic treatment (Cureus). Here’s how we’d rank the trends. Reasonable extras: PDRN creams, hydrating sheet masks, slow-aging essences, and an at-home device if you’ll actually use it.
Use cautiously: reedle shots and exfoliating toner pads. They’re the easiest to overdo. Wait for better evidence: exosome shots.
Trends work best on top of a steady routine. If you’re still building yours, start with our Korean skincare products for beginners first.
Anna's Note: I love trying new trends. To me, it's progress. But I've made my share of trend mistakes too: buying too much, trying everything at the same time and expecting fast results. This guide is what I'd tell myself before my next haul.
How We Chose These Trends
New Korean products launch every week. So this guide only covers the trends people are searching for right now. Each one had to pass three checks:
- Real interest: US search data from Google Keyword Planner and Google Trends (details below the list).
- An honest evidence check: what published research and dermatology groups say, including the limits.
- Fit: who each trend suits, and who should skip it for now.
Products marked as Anna’s are on her shelf. Everything else is a researched pick, not tested by us.
We picked these trends using US Google search data from October 2025 to September 2026. PDRN, reedle shots, and toner pads had the most searches. Search interest shows what people are curious about. It doesn’t show what suits your skin.
Comfort Mind Body Take: One new trend at a time, for a few weeks. If you add three at once, you won't know which one helped. Or which one caused the redness.
New Korean Skincare Trends at a Glance
Swipe left or right to view the full table on mobile.
| Trend | What it is | What the evidence says | Good for | Skip it if |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| PDRN Reasonable extra | DNA fragments from salmon or plants, in serums, creams, mists and masks | Small trials, not proof that creams work | Healthy-barrier skin that wants a hydrating extra | You expect clinic results from a jar |
| Reedle shots Use cautiously | Serums with tiny needle-like spicules that tingle | Little published research on long-term use | A steady routine that wants smoother-feeling skin | Skin is sensitive, irritated or broken, or you're starting a retinoid |
| Exosome shots Wait for better evidence | Serums sold with "exosome" claims, often with spicules | Early science. The FDA alert is about clinic treatments, not cosmetic serums | Label readers who enjoy trying new formulas | You want proven ingredients only |
| Toner pads Use cautiously | Pre-soaked pads, many with AHA or BHA | Acids exfoliate; overdoing it irritates | Oily, combination or rough-feeling skin | You use a retinoid, or your skin is sensitive |
| Wrapping masks Reasonable extra; watch sleep-in masks | Leave-on or peel-off night masks, often with PDRN or collagen | A comfort step; claims vary by brand | Dry or tired-looking skin, now and then | Your skin clogs easily |
| NAD+, peptide and glutathione essences and toners Reasonable extra | Slow-aging essences, serums and toners | We found little published research | Skin that wants one richer layer | You're already using several actives |
| At-home devices Reasonable extra if you'll use it | Facial devices such as the Medicube AGE-R Booster Pro | Depends on the device; follow its directions | People who'll use it consistently | Your skin is irritated, or you just used a spicule serum |
PDRN: What It Is and What It Can (and Can't) Do
Our verdict: Reasonable extra. In a hydrating formula, it’s generally gentler than a spicule serum or acid pad. It depends on the full formula. But don’t buy it for clinic-like results. The evidence doesn’t support that.
PDRN stands for polydeoxyribonucleotide. It’s made of short fragments of DNA. It started in clinical skin treatments. Now it’s in serums, creams, mists, and masks. Brands make it from salmon or from plants such as ginseng. Not every label says which. The ingredient name varies too, and sodium DNA is a common one.
The research is promising but early. A 2026 review found only seven small randomized trials of PDRN and polynucleotide treatments. They included 183 people in total. The clearest results were in wound healing (Cureus).
A 2023 study of ginseng-derived PDRN looked at skin cells and a lab skin model, not people (Molecules). None of this shows that a cream does what a treatment does. Reddit readers ask about this first: can PDRN even get through the skin from a jar?
So check the label for two things. First, the source the brand discloses: salmon or plant. Second, the full formula around it. Where PDRN sits on the ingredient list won’t tell you if it makes a difference. Judge the product as a moisturizer or serum you’d want anyway. Pay for that, not for a miracle.
Anna's Note: My PDRN products are the VT PDRN Capsule Cream 100, the Medicube PDRN Mild Cleansing Oil and the Medicube PDRN Pink Caffeine Night Wrapping Mask. You'll find the mask in the masks section below. I like PDRN because it keeps my skin hydrated.
Anna's PDRN cream
VT PDRN Capsule Cream 100
Best fit: trying PDRN in a leave-on cream you'd use anyway, instead of adding a new serum step.
Watch: its label says the PDRN is plant-derived. That helps if you avoid fish-derived ingredients.
Check on Amazon Check on Stylevana
Anna's cleansing oil
Medicube PDRN Mild Cleansing Oil
Best fit: heavy-sunscreen or makeup days, as the first cleanse.
Watch: it rinses off, so the PDRN only stays on your skin for a minute. Skip it if oils tend to clog your pores.
Check on Amazon Check on Stylevana
Trending pick
Medicube PDRN Pink Peptide Serum
Best fit: readers who want PDRN as a separate serum layer under moisturizer.
Why compare: it's one of the best-known PDRN serums. That makes it a useful benchmark.
Watch: its listing says the PDRN is salmon-derived. It also has peptides, so you can't tell which ingredient you're feeling.
Check on Amazon Check on StylevanaReedle Shots and Spicules: Why They Tingle
Our verdict: Use cautiously. Spicules are designed to prickle. And there’s little published research on long-term use.
Reedle shots are serums with spicules. These are tiny, needle-shaped particles that prickle as you pat them in. Brands say they help the rest of the formula sink in. Readers describe the feeling as anything from “cooling” to “splinters”. Many also ask where the spicules go, and whether they’re safe long term.
VT makes the Reedle Shot. It says not to use it with a beauty device such as an LED mask. It also says to skip it right after a dermatology procedure or on broken skin (VT Cosmetics).
If you’re new to spicules:
- Start with a lower strength. VT tags its Mild Reedle Shot 50 for beginners. For Medicube’s Exosome Shot, 2000 is the lower of its two numbers.
- Keep it away from your eyes.
- Skip it on irritated, sunburned, or broken skin.
- Keep it on different nights from retinoids and exfoliating pads, at least at first. Our guide to skincare products you shouldn’t mix covers the common clashes.
Anna's Note: I use the VT Reedle Shot 100 and the Medicube One Day Exosome Shot 2000. My skin can handle a reedle shot on a tretinoin night now and then. But that's my established routine, not a starting point. If you're a beginner or just starting tretinoin, use them on separate nights. Follow your prescriber's advice, too.
Anna's reedle shot
VT Reedle Shot 100
Best fit: a steady routine that wants smoother-feeling skin. VT calls the 100 its daily booster, one step up from the Mild 50.
Watch: it tingles on purpose. VT says not to use it with an LED mask or other device. Skip it after a procedure or on broken skin.
Check on Amazon Check on StylevanaExosome Shots: What the Label Means
Our verdict: Wait for better evidence. There’s no reason yet to pay extra for the word on the bottle.
Exosome serums are named after exosomes, tiny particles that cells release. Many of them also contain spicules. A recent Byrdie report notes that the science on topical exosome skincare is still early. The FDA has warned about unapproved exosome products sold by clinics.
These clinics claim to prevent, treat, or cure diseases. The FDA also says there are no FDA-approved exosome products (FDA). That alert is about those treatments, not cosmetic serums. It doesn’t show whether a particular serum works. So treat “exosome” on a bottle as a name, not proof. Read the rest of the label too.
Anna's exosome shot
Medicube One Day Exosome Shot 2000
Best fit: spicule users who want a pore-focused shot. It's sold as a pore ampoule.
Watch: it's a spicule product too. The bottle says Lacto Exosome plus AHA + BHA + PHA, so it exfoliates. Keep it off retinoid nights.
Check on Amazon Check on StylevanaToner Pads and Peel Pads: The Easiest Trend to Overdo
Our verdict: Use cautiously. Hydrating pads are an easy extra, but acid pads count as exfoliation.
Toner pads are pre-soaked pads you swipe on after cleansing. They’re popular, too. In our US data, “medicube toner pad” gets about as many searches as “pdrn serum”.
Some pads only hydrate, but many popular ones exfoliate with acids. That’s where people get into trouble. A pad feels gentle, so it’s easy to use one morning and night on top of a retinoid.
The American Academy of Dermatology (AAD) gives three cautions. Exfoliating while you use a retinoid or benzoyl peroxide can worsen dry skin or even cause breakouts.
The stronger the exfoliation, the less often you should do it. And people with darker skin tones should avoid strong exfoliation (AAD).
Anna's Note: I use two pads. The Medicube Zero Pore Pad is a once-a-day step for me. The Medicube Red Succinic Acid Peeling Pad is twice a week. On tretinoin nights, I sometimes skip them and sometimes use both. But that's my established routine, not a starting point. If you're a beginner or just starting tretinoin, use pads and tretinoin on separate nights. Follow your prescriber's advice, too.
Anna's toner pad
Medicube Zero Pore Pad
Best fit: oily or combination skin that wants smoother-feeling pores, once your routine is steady.
Watch: the label lists AHA and BHA. Start a few times a week. Don't use it on a retinoid or spicule night.
Check on Amazon Check on Stylevana
Anna's peeling pad
Medicube Red Succinic Acid Peeling Pad
Best fit: skin that wants a peeling pad with soothing extras. The label lists succinic acid 0.5%, panthenol 0.5% and niacinamide 2%.
Watch: it's sold as a peeling pad. Count it as that night's exfoliation, not an extra acid.
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Trending pick
ANUA Heartleaf 77 Clear Pad
Best fit: oily or easily irritated skin that already likes the ANUA toner.
Why compare: people search for it by name about as often as for "toner pads" in general (Keyword Planner, US).
Watch: the jar says Heartleaf 77 + PHA. PHA is an exfoliating acid, so don't start it every day.
Check on Amazon Check on StylevanaWrapping and Overnight Masks
Our verdict: Reasonable extra. Sheet masks are generally gentler than a spicule serum or acid pad. It depends on the full formula. Watch the masks you sleep in more carefully. A rich overnight layer can feel too heavy if your skin clogs easily.
Masks were one of the big K-beauty stories of 2026. Think collagen sheet masks and night masks you sleep in (Vogue).
Anna's Note: My mask is the Medicube PDRN Pink Caffeine Night Wrapping Mask. I use it on nights when my skin needs extra hydration.
Anna's night mask
Medicube PDRN Pink Caffeine Night Wrapping Mask
Best fit: a now-and-then night treat for dry or tired-looking skin.
Watch: the label lists PDRN (sodium DNA), caffeine and niacinamide. Use it on a quiet night, not one with spicules or acid pads.
Check on Amazon Check on Stylevana
Trending mask
Biodance Bio-Collagen Real Deep Mask
Best fit: a once-in-a-while treat for dry, tired-looking skin.
Why compare: it's one of the most talked-about Korean masks, picked by Allure readers, Byrdie and Glamour.
Watch: it's a hydrogel sheet mask, so follow the wear time on the pack.
Check on Amazon Check on StylevanaNAD+, Peptides and Glutathione: Slow-Aging Essences and Toners
Our verdict: Reasonable extra. Buy them for how they fit your routine. The slow-aging claims run ahead of the research.
Slow aging is one of the big K-beauty themes of 2026 (Vogue). NAD+, peptides, and glutathione are among the ingredients brands lean on (Byrdie). We found little published research on NAD+ in skincare products.
Anna's Note: My picks here are the numbuzin No.9 NAD+ Bio Lifting-sil Essence and the Medicube AGE-R Glutathione Glow Milky Toner.
Anna's essence
numbuzin No.9 NAD+ Bio Lifting-sil Essence
Best fit: skin that wants one richer layer under moisturizer.
Watch: it pairs NAD+ with peptides. If you already use a peptide serum, you may not need both.
Check on Amazon Check on Stylevana
Anna's glow toner
Medicube AGE-R Glutathione Glow Milky Toner
Best fit: dull or dry-feeling skin that likes a milky, two-layer toner.
Watch: the bottle lists glutathione and a 6-type peptide complex. So it overlaps with a peptide essence like the numbuzin.
Check on Amazon Check on StylevanaAt-Home Devices: Anna's First Pick, Not a Beginner's Must-Have
Our verdict: Reasonable extra, but only if you’ll use it consistently. A device costs far more than a serum or mask. So it isn’t where we’d send a beginner.
At-home facial devices are Korea’s answer to in-clinic treatments. Allure named them one of the top K-beauty trends of 2026 (Allure). Results depend on the device and how often you use it. So read the maker’s directions and stick to them.
One rule to remember: VT says not to use its Reedle Shot with a beauty device. That includes an LED mask (VT Cosmetics). Don’t use the two together.
Anna's Note: If a friend asked me which new Korean trend to try first, I'd say the Medicube AGE-R Booster Pro. I use it every two days or so. It has several modes. I like how the rest of my skincare seems to sink in better after it. That's why it comes first for me: a mask just isn't comparable.
Anna's first pick
Medicube AGE-R Booster Pro
Best fit: anyone who likes a ritual and will actually use a device several times a week.
Watch: follow Medicube's directions and skip it on irritated skin. Don't pair it with a spicule serum (VT's caution).
Check on Amazon Check on StylevanaHow to Add One Trend Without Irritating Your Skin
Most trend problems come from doing too much at once. These steps keep it simple:
- Get the basics steady first: a gentle cleanser, a moisturizer, and daily broad-spectrum sunscreen.
- Pick one trend for one goal, such as smoother texture or more hydration.
- Patch test the new product on a small spot first (AAD).
- Give it a few weeks before you judge it or add the next one.
- Keep strong steps apart: spicules, acid pads, and retinoids on different nights, at least at first. Our Korean skincare routine guide shows where each step fits.
- Stop anything that stings, burns, or turns your skin red. Go back to your basics until it settles.
Anna's Note: Skincare isn't everything. One of my own mistakes was relying only on skincare. I didn't think about lifestyle, food and exercise.
Who Should Skip the Trends for Now
Trends are optional. Hold off, or ask a dermatologist first, if:
- Your skin is irritated, sunburned, or broken right now.
- Your skin reacts to most new products.
- You’re starting a prescription retinoid or another treatment. Ask your prescriber before adding spicules or acid pads.
- You’re pregnant. The AAD says retinoids should not be used during pregnancy (AAD). Some trend products contain retinal. Check labels and ask your doctor before adding new actives.
- You have a darker skin tone and get dark spots easily. Avoid strong exfoliation (AAD).
Frequently Asked Questions
Final Thoughts: Try Trends, One at a Time
New Korean skincare is fun because it keeps moving. PDRN, reedle shots, toner pads, and wrapping masks can all earn a place on your shelf. Just know what each one can and can’t do.
Want one place to start? A PDRN cream or a hydrating sheet mask is generally the gentler choice. Check the full formula first. Save reedle shots and acid pads for when your routine is steady. Let exosome claims wait for better evidence.
If a trend doesn’t suit your skin, that’s useful information, not a failure. Your basics are still doing the real work. For the steps behind every Korean routine, see why Koreans have good skin.
We hope this helps you try something new without the overwhelm. Tell us in the comments which trend you’re curious about next.
With care, Anna
P.S. from Sushi: Mommy tries one new trend at a time, so she tried one on me: the cowboy hat. Look at my face. That's a skip. Please take it off.
Safety Notes
This article is for general skincare education and isn’t medical advice. Patch test new products and add them one at a time. Spicule serums, exfoliating acids, retinoids and retinal can irritate skin, especially when combined or used too often. Retinoids should not be used during pregnancy. Follow the directions for any prescription or device. Ask your prescriber before adding new actives. Stop a product that causes a reaction. See a doctor for severe or lasting irritation.
Helpful Resources
- Cureus: Polynucleotides and PDRN for skin rejuvenation, scars, and wound healing: a systematic review (2026)
- Molecules: Ginseng-derived PDRN and skin barrier, a lab study (2023)
- FDA: Public Safety Alert on Unapproved Stem Cell and Exosome Products
- American Academy of Dermatology: How to Safely Exfoliate at Home
- American Academy of Dermatology: How to Test Skin Care Products
- American Academy of Dermatology: Dermatologist-Approved Pregnancy Skin Care
- VT Cosmetics: Reedle Shot 100 Cautions
