Gen Z's K-Beauty Essentials: The Top 5 Makeup Products They Can't Live Without
Published: 2025.05.15
Last updated: 2026.02.24
Gen Z has redefined beauty, prioritizing authenticity, ease, and skincare benefits in their makeup routines. Their aesthetic often leans towards fresh, radiant skin, defined features, and pops of color that feel effortless rather than heavy. It's no surprise then that K-beauty, with its focus on innovative formulas, natural finishes, and skin-centric products, has captured the hearts of this generation.
While trends come and go, certain products remain staples in the Gen Z makeup bag.
Based on their preferences for quick application, multi-tasking benefits, and a focus on enhancing natural beauty, here are the top 5 makeup products Gen Z can't live without, featuring some beloved K-beauty recommendations:
1. The Essential Hydrator: Lip Balm
More than just a winter necessity, lip balm is a year-round essential for Gen Z. They value healthy, prepped lips as the perfect canvas for any lip color, from a subtle stain to a bold gloss. Hydrated lips also contribute to the overall sought-after "dewy" look. K-beauty offers intensely nourishing and often pleasantly scented options that double as treatments.
Dr.Jart+ Ceramidin Lip Balm: An intensely moisturizing lip balm infused with Ceramide NP that softens lips faster than you can say mwah and keeps lips looking healthy. Dermatologist tested.
Abib Protective Lip Balm Block Stick SPF15: An all-day moisturizing lip balm for healthy lips! Day & night stick. Contains almond oil, shea butter and botanical ingredients that make your lips silky soft. Extra sun protection too!
2. The Eye Opener: Mascara
Even on minimalist makeup days, a swipe of mascara can instantly make eyes look more awake and defined. Gen Z often prefers formulas that lengthen, curl, and separate lashes without clumping, achieving a natural yet enhanced look. K-beauty mascaras are particularly lauded for their curl-holding power, even on stubborn, straight lashes.
Dasique Mood Up Mascara Long & Curl: This mascara adheres neatly, like extending eyelashes with each application. Offers strong all-day fixing power without sagging or smudging, thanks to its light touch. The slim curve brush is optimized for the eye's contour, helping to curl lashes from the inner to outer corners and even the lower lashes.
ROM&ND Han All Fix Mascara: A formulation designed to achieve oil and water resistance and no clumping or smudging. rom&nd Han All Fix Mascara delivers sharp styling
with long-lasting hold and all-day definition.
3. The Perfect Shine: Lip Gloss
Lip gloss is back and bigger than ever, fitting perfectly with Gen Z's love for dewy and glossy finishes. They embrace glosses that provide a comfortable, non-sticky shine, often with a hint of color or added plumping benefits. K-beauty excels in creating juicy, high-shine lip tints and glosses that feel lightweight and hydrating.
Peripera Ink Glasting Lip Gloss: When a just-right shade meets an ultra-brilliant finish, it’s the best of both worlds. Your lips are guaranteed to look fuller, smoother, and
stunningly glass-like all day long. (Glow + Lasting = Glasting)
4. The Seamless Base: Foundation
While some Gen Z members opt for minimal base makeup, foundation is still a key product for those seeking more coverage or a perfected complexion. Their preference leans towards foundations that look like skin – lightweight, buildable, and with a natural or semi-matte finish. K-beauty's innovative cushion foundations are particularly popular for their portable format and ability to deliver a flawless, airbrushed look quickly.
Rom&nd NU ZERO Cushion: This cushion powder foundation made of fine particles leaves skin with a radiant and semi-matte finish. It effectively covers pores and blemishes.
5. The Effortless Glow: Skin Tint
Embracing the "clean girl" and "no-makeup makeup" aesthetics, skin tints are a go-to for Gen Z. These products offer minimal coverage, focusing instead on evening out skin tone, providing hydration, and leaving a healthy, radiant glow. K-beauty's tinted sunscreens and multi-tasking BB creams fit perfectly into this category, blurring the lines between skincare and makeup.
Dr.Jart+ B3 Barrier Beauty Balm: This multifunctional BB cream is infused with Vitamin Complex (containing Vitamins B3, B5 and B6) to nourish skin, while offering SPF 45 PA++++ sun protection. It provides flawless and long-lasting coverage of skin imperfections and leaves a semi-matte finish. Available in shades Light (for cool-tone skin) and Medium (for warm-tone skin).
- 01 Light
Ready for wholesale?
The products Gen Z can't live without are driving today's beauty trends. Are you ready to meet the demand? These K-beauty stars are your ticket to attracting and retaining a loyal Gen Z customer base.
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