How we put these comparisons together
What's actually behind the numbers on this site, with a live example for every claim.
Last verified 9/7/2026
This page outlines our methodology for researching and comparing Korean skincare. It details our price-tracking systems, ingredient sourcing, the criteria used to determine comparison winners, and the current status of our hands-on testing program. Every claim below is supported by a live example on the site, ensuring full transparency and verifiability.
These numbers update automatically as the catalog grows.
Real price tracking
We check prices across Amazon, YesStyle, and Stylevana on a rolling basis, since they shift often enough that a page can go stale within weeks. Every price we publish includes cost per milliliter, not just the sticker price, so a small expensive bottle and a large cheap one are actually comparable instead of just sitting next to each other.
See it live on our sunscreens page →Ingredients explained plainly
We start from the brand's own listed ingredients, then cross-check that list against retailer pages to catch discrepancies. For anything that needs more context, like why a specific filter causes white cast or how a surfactant affects skin pH, we pull from dermatology resources and published ingredient research instead of repeating whatever the brand's marketing copy says.
Read an example: how to choose a Korean sunscreen →Comparisons that make a call
When a comparison names a winner, that call is based on price per milliliter, ingredient fit for a specific skin type or concern, and how the formula compares to others in the same category. It never comes down to which brand pays a higher commission. "Winner" here means best fit for the comparison's stated criteria, not a claim that one product is objectively best for everyone.
Read an example head-to-head comparison →Updated, not abandoned
Prices, formulas, and availability all change, so a page we published in January doesn't get treated as finished. We recheck pricing on a rolling basis, and when a formula changes or a product gets discontinued, we update the page instead of leaving it standing as if nothing happened. If a comparison's numbers look off, that's usually a sign it's overdue for a refresh, and it's worth telling us.
Hands-on testing
We're building out a physical testing program category by category, starting with sunscreens: buying products ourselves, wearing them under real conditions, and publishing what we find. Until a product's been through that process, our comparisons are built from the research described above, not personal use, and we won't write it any other way.
What our evidence labels actually mean
Every product on this site carries one of two labels. We use them consistently, and we don't blur the line between them.
Our default for every product right now. The assessment comes from manufacturer and retailer information, ingredient data, price observations, and Korean-market signals like Olive Young Award data. It's never a personal-use claim.
Reserved for products someone on our team has actually bought, used, and evaluated under real conditions. That program is still in development, so every product on the site right now carries the Research-based label instead.
Editorial independence
K-Beauty Intel earns commissions from some retailer links. That relationship never determines which products we include or which one wins a comparison. See our full Editorial Policy for what that means in practice.
Distributor relationships
K-Beauty Intel is affiliated with the company that serves as the authorized U.S. distributor for one brand in our catalog, ONCLO. We don't publish head-to-head comparisons involving brands we distribute, since a declared winner is the kind of judgment call that relationship shouldn't be trusted to make impartially. Where a distributed brand appears elsewhere, a standalone product page or a ranked buying guide, we say so directly on that page rather than leaving it for a reader to discover on their own.
What we don't claim
- - We don't claim hands-on experience unless a product is explicitly labeled "Hands-on tested."
- - We don't treat an Olive Young Award as proof a product is best for every skin type. It's a Korean purchase-volume signal, not our recommendation.
- - We don't present an award as our verdict. Each one on the Awards page is the program's own signal, checked against the exact product, size and formula we link.
- - We don't infer product performance solely from an ingredient being present on the list.
- - We don't select which products to include, or which one wins a comparison, based on affiliate commission.
- - We don't show a price without saying when we last checked it.
- - We don't treat early market signals (our New & Trending page) as proof of long-term popularity.
Why these products, specifically
We don't try to catalog every Korean skincare product on the market. See our Editorial Policy for how products get selected and what being in the catalog does and doesn't mean.
Corrections
If something here is wrong, outdated, or unclear, tell us at our corrections page. We fix it and note the change.
Frequently asked
What does the "Research-based" label mean?
It's our default for every product right now. The assessment comes from manufacturer and retailer information, ingredient data, price observations, and Korean-market signals like Olive Young Award data. It's never a personal-use claim.
What does the "Hands-on tested" label mean, and which products have it?
That label is reserved for products someone on our team has actually bought, used, and evaluated under real conditions. That program is still in development, so every product on the site right now carries the Research-based label instead.
How does K-Beauty Intel track prices?
We check prices across Amazon, YesStyle, and Stylevana on a rolling basis, since they shift often enough that a page can go stale within weeks. Every price we publish includes cost per milliliter, not just the sticker price, so a small expensive bottle and a large cheap one are actually comparable.
Does an Olive Young Award mean a product is the best choice for my skin?
No. We don't treat an Olive Young Award as proof a product is best for every skin type. It's a Korean purchase-volume signal, not our recommendation.
How do you verify the awards on your Awards page?
Every product there passes six checks: the award is confirmed on the program's own published results, the awarded product and size are matched to the exact version we link, the formula is checked for changes since the award, Korean manufacture is sourced, at least one independent retailer is confirmed live and in stock on the day we checked, and prices show a unit cost with the check date. The full list is on the Awards page. An award reflects the program's own method, such as purchase data or user reviews, not our recommendation. The programs we currently draw from are Olive Young Awards, Hwahae Beauty Awards, Beauty+ Super Cosmetic Awards, Marie Claire Korea Prix d'Excellence de la Beaute and GLOWPICK Beauty Awards.
Does affiliate commission affect which products win a comparison?
No. That relationship never determines which products we include or which one wins a comparison. "Winner" means best fit for the comparison's stated criteria, not a claim that one product is objectively best for everyone.
Where to see this in practice
None of this is worth much as a claim on its own. See it applied across the catalog.