Struggling with dry, tight skin caused by harsh weather?
If your skin still feels dehydrated no matter what you apply, it may be time to look at the top-ranked hydration skincare brands on Hwahae.
This guide highlights Korean skincare brands that consistently rank high on Hwahae and have earned recognition through Hwahae Awards—trusted by real users to help you build a reliable Korean hydration skincare routine with just one brand.
🔗 Want to care for dry lips too? Click here!
What Ingredients Are Essential for Hydration?
Hydration is not just about adding water to the skin—it’s a process that involves attracting moisture, locking it in, and protecting the skin barrier. The products featured in this guide use 7 essential hydrating ingredients that work together to create a balanced, long-lasting hydration routine.
Hyaluronic acid attracts and holds moisture in the skin, delivering instant hydration and helping relieve tightness caused by dryness.
Squalane forms a lightweight protective layer that prevents moisture loss, helping hydration last longer without feeling heavy.
Ceramides strengthen the skin barrier and reduce moisture loss, making them essential for skin prone to recurring dryness.
Jojoba seed oil helps balance oil and moisture levels while keeping the skin soft and comfortable without greasiness.
Panthenol supports hydration while soothing the skin, helping stabilize moisture levels when the skin barrier feels compromised.
Betaine is a naturally derived humectant that helps attract and retain moisture in the skin while supporting overall hydration balance. It helps keep the skin comfortably hydrated without heaviness, making it especially suitable for sensitive or easily dehydrated skin.
Allantoin helps protect the skin and support moisture retention, keeping irritated or sensitive skin feeling calm and hydrated.
5 Top-Ranked Korean Hydration Lines
S.NATURE
Source: S.NATURE official website
Safe formulations and premium quality have made S.NATURE a well-known name in hydration skincare. Among its collections, the Aqua Squalane line stands out for strengthening the skin barrier and delivering deep hydration—without clogging pores—making it an excellent choice even for sensitive skin.
👍 Best For
Those with sensitive skin who want effective hydration and gentle pore care at the same time
S.NATURE AQUA OASIS TONER
🏆 2025 Beauty Awards Toners 4th Place
S.NATURE AQUA OASIS TONER, which consistently ranks at the top of the Hwahae hydration toner charts, contains panthenol and allantoin—ingredients known for their soothing and moisturizing benefits.
💧 Hyaluronic Acid, Panthenol, Betaine, Allantoin
S.NATURE SUPER AQUAGEL OASIS AMPULE MASK
🏆 2024 Beauty Awards Sheet Masks 5th Place
S.NATURE SUPER AQUAGEL OASIS AMPULE MASK features a soft, vegan-certified sheet and a formula that minimizes unnecessary chemical ingredients, making it an ideal hydrating mask for sensitive skin.
💧 Hyaluronic Acid, Betaine, Allantoin
S.NATURE AQUA SQUALANE MIST
🏆 2025 Beauty Awards Face Mists 2nd Place
Blended with evening primrose extract and adenosine, S.NATURE AQUA SQUALANE MIST helps deliver elasticity and glow, making it especially effective for slow-aging hydration care.
💧 Squalane
S.NATURE Aqua Squalane Serum
🏆 2023 Beauty Awards Essences/Ampoules/Serums 4th Place
S.NATURE Aqua Squalane Serum is a daily-use serum that thoroughly hydrates the skin while helping reduce excess sebum.
💧 Hyaluronic Acid, Squalane, Panthenol, Betaine, Allantoin
S.NATURE Aqua Squalane Moisturizing Cream
🏆 2025 Beauty Awards Face Moisturizers 4th Place
Consistently ranked among the top moisturizers on Hwahae, S.NATURE Aqua Squalane Moisturizing Cream is suitable for year-round use and also supports gentle pore care.
💧 Hyaluronic Acid, Squalane, Panthenol, Betaine, Allantoin
eple:me
Source: eple:me official website
Beloved for its HYDRA CELL BOOSTING line rich in allantoin—an ingredient known to support hydration, soothing, and skin recovery—eple:me is a brand trusted for its gentle yet effective formulas. The entire line is characterized by safe ingredients that earned the highest grade in dermatological testing, making it suitable for daily use.
👍 Best For
Those looking for a low-irritation, daily hydration skincare line
eple:me HYDRA CELL BOOSTING TONER
🏆 2025 Beauty Awards Toners 3rd Place
eple:me HYDRA CELL BOOSTING TONER contains panthenol, an ingredient that helps protect the skin barrier, making it an ideal first step in any skincare routine to keep the skin resilient and hydrated.
💧 Hyaluronic Acid, Panthenol, Allantoin
eple:me HYDRA CELL BOOSTING SERUM
🏆 2025 Second Half of the Year Next Beauty – Skincare – SoothingEssences/Ampoules/Serums 1st Place
Formulated with four cica-derived ingredients, eple:me HYDRA CELL BOOSTING SERUM helps quickly calm skin that has become irritated or heated by external stressors, while delivering reliable hydration.
💧 Hyaluronic Acid, Panthenol, Betaine
eple:me HYDRA CELL BOOSTING CREAM
With an 8-layer hyaluronic acid complex, eple:me HYDRA CELL BOOSTING CREAM allows hydration to build in layers, making it an excellent cream for skin that frequently feels dry.
💧 Hyaluronic Acid
freemay
Source: freemay official website
freemay is a vegan skincare brand that has been consistently loved on Hwahae. Its Real Moisture line, in particular, is known for gentle ingredients and comfortable hydration that makes it easy to use every day.
👍 Best For
Those seeking a clean, vegan brand that delivers sufficient hydration care
freemay Haetssal Daily Foam Cleanser
🏆 2025 Second Half of the Year Next Beauty – Skincare – Moisturizing – Cleansing Foam 1st Place
freemay Haetssal Daily Foam Cleanser is a mildly acidic cleansing foam that offers strong cleansing power while leaving the skin comfortably hydrated until the end.
💧 Hyaluronic Acid, Panthenol, Betaine
freemay Real Moisture Serum
Containing natural silica derived from Himalayan bamboo, freemay Real Moisture Serum supports hydration while also helping improve skin elasticity.
💧 Hyaluronic Acid, Panthenol, Betaine
freemay Real Moisture Cream
🏆 2024 Beauty Awards Face Moisturizers 4th Place
Consistently ranking high on Hwahae’s moisturizer charts, freemay Real Moisture Cream is a cream loved by Korean users for its clean, natural ingredients and reliable hydration.
💧 Panthenol, Betaine
MilbaLab
Source: MilbaLab official website
Using lava seawater from Jeju Island, MilbaLab is an emerging brand built around the Jeju Lava Sea water Hydrating line, delivering rich minerals and clean, refreshing hydration.
👍 Best For
Those looking for a clean, hydrating skincare line that feels fresh with no residue
MilbaLab Jeju Lava Sea water Hydrating pH-Balanced Cleansing Foam
Formulated with LHA, MilbaLab Jeju Lava Sea water Hydrating pH-Balanced Cleansing Foam helps care for built-up dead skin cells while delivering strong cleansing power in a mildly acidic formula.
💧 Hyaluronic Acid, Panthenol
MilbaLab Jeju Lava Sea water Hydrating Toner
Containing PHA, MilbaLab Jeju Lava Sea water Hydrating Toner smooths skin texture while delivering ample hydration.
🔗 Curious about AHA, PHA, and LHA? Click here!
💧 Hyaluronic Acid, Panthenol, Betaine, Allantoin
MilbaLab Jeju Lava Sea water Hydrating Ampoule Essence
🏆 2025 First Half of the Year Efficacy/Effect Awards – Skincare – HydrationEssences/Ampoules/Serums 1st Place
Blended with ceramides and hyaluronic acid to support the skin barrier, MilbaLab Jeju Lava Sea water Hydrating Ampoule Essence helps maintain long-lasting hydration throughout the day.
💧 Hyaluronic Acid, Ceramide, Panthenol, Betaine
EARTHAT
Source: EARTHAT official website
A representative clean beauty brand, EARTHAT was created by a husband for his wife, who has sensitive and dry skin—making care, comfort, and sincerity central to the brand’s philosophy. In 2025, the brand was also recognized at the First Half of the Year Hwahae Awards.
👍 Best For
Those who want to care for skin barrier repair and glow at the same time
EARTHAT Strawbby Glow Serum
Made with vitamin C–rich strawberries, EARTHAT Strawbby Glow Serum enhances brightness and glow while maintaining reliable hydration.
💧 Hyaluronic Acid, Squalane, Ceramide, Jojoba Seed Oil, Panthenol
EARTHAT VEGAN FORMULATED FOR FACE COMFORTING CREAM
🏆 2025 Second Half of the Year Next Beauty – Skincare – MoisturizingFace Moisturizers 1st Place
With a texture similar to a hydrating cream, EARTHAT VEGAN FORMULATED FOR FACE COMFORTING CREAM absorbs lightly without greasiness, making it a recommended barrier cream for oily skin types.
💧 Panthenol, Allantoin
Editor’s Note
Hydration is not completed by a single product, but by building a routine over time. The brands introduced by Hwahae today have earned trust through Hwahae Award wins and positive reviews from Korean users. Explore each brand, choose the one that best fits your skin, and build your own hydration routine from there. If you’re looking for hydration that truly lasts, turn to the brands Koreans have chosen—and continue to choose.
