Here’s the thing about beauty recommendations: everyone has one, and they don’t always reflect what people are actually purchasing.
So on July 10, 2026, I pulled up the Olive Young bestseller rankings — the real-time list of what customers in Korea are buying, not what’s trending on social media or being paid to be promoted — and here’s what was in the top ten.
If you’re visiting Korea and want to shop like a local rather than a tourist, this is the list.
1. Mediheal Essential Mask Sheet
Mediheal has been a staple of Korean skincare for years, and it shows up on the bestseller list with enough regularity that it’s clearly not a trend — it’s a standard. The Madecassoside version is particularly popular right now, in summer, because it calms skin that’s been irritated by heat and sun exposure. Affordable enough to buy multiples, good enough that you’ll use all of them.
2. Anua PDRN Hyaluronic Capsule 100 Serum
Anua has been having a significant moment in Korean skincare, and this serum is the product that’s keeping it there. PDRN combined with hyaluronic acid — deep hydration alongside barrier support. It’s the kind of formula that works quietly and well, which is why it keeps appearing on bestseller lists rather than just doing one viral cycle and disappearing.
Best for dry or sensitive skin, and particularly useful in summer when the air-conditioning and heat cycle dehydrates skin faster than people expect.
3. UNOVE Deep Damage Repair Hair Treatment
Hair care appearing this high on an Olive Young ranking reflects something real about where Korean beauty attention has shifted. UNOVE’s treatment is known for a specific quality: noticeable results in one use. Hair that’s been through summer — swimming, sun, humidity — responds to this particularly well. If you’re buying one hair product in Korea, this is a strong candidate.
4. Protein Shake (PROTEIN)
The wellness section of Olive Young has grown considerably, and protein shakes ranking in the overall top ten tells you something about how Korean shoppers are thinking about health products alongside beauty. These are primarily popular with people looking for quick, convenient nutrition — easy breakfast, afternoon snack, post-workout. Convenient, affordable, and available in a range of flavors.
5. Round Lab Birch Juice Moisturizing Sunscreen
Round Lab sunscreen has the quality of a product that shows up on every kind of list — bestseller rankings, influencer recommendations, dermatologist suggestions — and somehow still delivers when you actually use it. Lightweight, no white cast, comfortable in humidity. The formula that made Korean sunscreen a category rather than just a product type.
If you’re only buying one sunscreen, this is a reliable answer.
6. ilso Super Melting Sebum Softener
One of the newer entries to make the top ten, and worth paying attention to because it addresses something that traditional pore strips don’t quite solve. The ilso Sebum Softener is designed to dissolve the sebum plugs around the nose before removal, making the process gentler and more effective than physical strips. It’s been building a following in Korean skincare communities for the past several months and its appearance on the bestseller list suggests that following has expanded considerably.
7. Flimeal Protein Shake
A second protein shake in the top ten confirms that wellness products have moved from a separate category into the main shopping behavior at Olive Young. Flimeal has developed a loyal customer base by being genuinely tasty as well as nutritionally useful — the combination that tends to create repeat purchasers rather than one-time buyers.
8. AESTURA Atobarrier 365 Cream
When dermatologists in Korea recommend a moisturizer by name, it tends to appear in the Olive Young bestseller rankings. AESTURA Atobarrier has that status. It’s designed specifically for skin barrier repair — dry, sensitive, reactive skin — and it earns its place on the list through clinical reputation rather than packaging or viral moments. If your skin barrier has been compromised by summer sun or air conditioning, this is the product that addresses it directly.
9. Delight Project Protein Shake
Three protein drinks in the top ten. At this point it’s worth acknowledging that Olive Young is not simply a beauty store — it’s where Korean consumers are buying their wellness products, and protein drinks have become as regular a purchase as sheet masks for a significant portion of shoppers. Delight Project has particularly good reviews for taste, which matters more than it might seem for something people drink regularly.
10. S.NATURE Aqua Squalane Moisturizing Cream
A lightweight moisturizer that performs through Korea’s humid summer without the heaviness that heavier creams bring. Squalane has moved into the mainstream of Korean skincare formulation for good reason — it hydrates without clogging and feels comfortable across a wide range of skin types. This is the kind of product that gets repurchased quietly rather than celebrated loudly, which is exactly why it belongs on a bestseller list.
Before You Go
Sales calendar: Olive Young runs major sales events in March, June, September, and December. The discounts are significant — worth timing your visit if you can.
1+1 promotions: Rotating buy-one-get-one offers. Anything you planned to purchase anyway becomes considerably better value.
Tax refund: Bring your passport if you’re a visitor. The process is straightforward and applies above a certain purchase threshold.
Best locations for selection: Myeongdong, Hongdae, Gangnam, and Seongsu flagship stores have the widest inventory and typically English-speaking staff available.
→ Want more context on what to buy before you go: [What to Buy at Olive Young — 2026 Summer Edition]
→ Can’t get to Korea right now: [Korea’s Dawn Delivery — How to Shop Korean Beauty Without Leaving Home]
Have you spotted anything on the July bestseller list that surprised you? Or is there something that’s been on your restock list for ages? I’d love to know in the comments.
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