Korean Pharmacy Beauty Treasures: Dermatologist-Approved Skin-Healing Creams
Korean Pharmacy Beauty Treasures — My Dermatologist Friend’s Skin-Healing Favourites
Updated: Cevitab Gel (세비타비 겔) is now confirmed over the counter (OTC) in Korea. I previously listed it as prescription-only — this has been corrected below.
I used to think Germany had the best pharmacies — every business trip meant a sprint to the nearest Apotheke, and a suitcase full of toothpaste, shampoo, and serious-sounding creams. But these days, Korean pharmacies are my heaven. The shelves look humble, but the results are anything but.
Over coffee one afternoon, my dermatologist friend scribbled a list on a napkin — the creams she actually keeps at home. I took that list to my local chemist in Seoul, tested everything properly (patiently, consistently), and whittled it down to the ones that really worked. These are the quiet overachievers — the unsung heroes that sit calmly on the pharmacy shelf and get the job done.
Pharmacies, to me, are like tiny skincare edit shops: no glitzy packaging, no dreamy slogans — just products that actually do the job. And once you know what to look for, you’ll never underestimate your local chemist again.
- OTC availability: all nine creams below are available over the counter in Korea.
- Strengths and actives can vary by brand. If you have sensitive skin, ask the pharmacist and patch-test first.
- Antibiotic or steroid ointments are for short, targeted use only.
- Brightening creams by day need SPF; if you won’t reapply sunscreen, keep them for night
1) Madecassol (마데카솔) — the calm hero for life’s small dramas
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| My calm-down classic for cuts and bites — Centella to the rescue. |
Madecassol is the calm hero for life’s small dramas — mosquito bites, shoe blisters, paper cuts, even minor kitchen burns. Powered by Centella asiatica, it helps the skin repair itself. The powder is brilliant for oozing wounds; the cream is a lovely daily soother. The ointment contains Neomycin (an antibiotic), so keep that for short emergencies only.
- Texture: Cream (daily), Ointment (short SOS), Powder (for oozing wounds)
- Best for: Minor cuts, scrapes, mosquito bites
- How to use: Thin layer on clean skin, 1–2×/day
- Watch-outs: Ointment has antibiotic (neomycin) → short, local use only
2) Bepanthen (비판텐) — the rich ointment that heals without fuss
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| A paper-thin layer overnight brings grumpy, dry patches back to life. |
Think of Bepanthen as the thick, soothing blanket your skin secretly wants on bad days. Fragrance-free, steroid-free, and quietly effective. With Pro-vitamin B5 (Panthenol), Bepanthen restores the barrier and softens irritation. I use a thin layer on over-exfoliated areas or stubborn dry patches; by morning, my skin’s mood has shifted back to civilised.
Perfect for post-procedure care, baby rash, or dry patches that sting when you smile. It locks moisture in like a gentle seal, helping micro-wounds recover faster without drama.
- Texture: Ointment (rich, occlusive, slightly glossy)
- Best for: Post-procedure calm, baby rash, cracked dry patches
- How to use: Paper-thin layer at night; in the day only if you’re very dry
- Watch-outs: Too heavy under makeup; keep it PM if you’re combo/oily
Tip: apply a paper-thin layer at night. Tap along the smile lines after retinoid nights — instant truce. By morning, redness and flakiness tend to clock out early.
3) Domina Cream (도미나 크림) & Melatoning Cream (멜라토닝 크림) — for dark spots that don’t play fair
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| Targeted brightening only where needed — tiny dots, patient results. |
The pharmacy world’s secret handshake for uneven tone. Tranexamic acid and niacinamide help calm melanin and fade post-acne marks or sun freckles. I dot a pea-sized blend only on specific patches — focused, not full-face. if you apply brightening creams and then skip sunscreen during the day, you can actually get darker. If you’re not religious about SPF re-application, keep these as night-time only treatments. Your skin will thank you.
- Texture: Lightweight creams for targeted areas
- Best for: PIH (post-inflammatory marks), sun freckles, uneven tone
- How to use: Rice-grain amount on spots; consistency beats quantity
- Watch-outs: If you don’t reapply SPF in the day, keep these strictly night-time — skipping sunscreen can make you darker
Tip: AM vitamin C + strict SPF, PM Domina/Melatoning on marks = fastest visible progress
4) Azulene Cream (아즈렌 크림) — when your skin’s in a mood
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| Blue-lavender calm for mini burns and flare-ups — travel-pouch essential. |
- Texture: Classic ointment
- Best for: Minor burns, heat-flush, post-wax redness, light irritation
- How to use: First cool the area with water, pat dry, then a thin layer
- Watch-outs: This is for minor burns; see a doctor for anything serious
5) Urea Cream (유리아 크림) — don’t scrape your skin, soften it
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| Softens rough heels and elbows witho |
- Texture: Creams and balms (10–20% urea)
- Best for: Heels, elbows, dry knuckles, keratosis pilaris on arms
- How to use: Nightly on dry areas; towel buff next morning; moisturise
- Watch-outs: Can sting on cracked/open skin; build up gradually
Tip: For KP, pair with a mild BHA body wash 2–3×/week
6) Cevitab Gel (세비타비 겔) — a drop of vitamin glow
(OTC in Korea)
A gentle C + E glow boost when late nights make skin look grey.
In Korea, Cevitab Gel (세비타비 겔) is sold over the counter (OTC). If you’re abroad, check local rules or ask a pharmacist, as classification can differ by country.
When my face looks a bit grey after late nights, this light Vitamin C + E gel perks things up without the sting of strong serums. I layer it under moisturiser — like switching on a soft-focus filter in real life.
- Texture: Light, fresh gel
- Best for: Dullness, first-step brightening, makeup-friendly radiance
- How to use: AM under moisturiser and SPF, or PM under your cream
- Watch-outs: If tingling lingers, reduce frequency
Tip: Pair with niacinamide toner for bright-but-calm mornings
7) D-Panthenol Cream (디-판테놀 크림) — the lighter daily barrier builder
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Breathable barrier hug for the day — sits nicely under sunscreen. |
Bepanthen’s richer cousin — creamier, more cushioning, brilliant for nights when your face feels stripped or tight. Panthenol brings the peace back after too many actives. Same hero (dexpanthenol), lighter personality. This is the breathable day-cream cousin that restores peace after retinoid adventures, and it sits nicely under sunscreen.
- Texture: Cream (light, cushiony)
- Best for: Daytime barrier care, post-actives calm, redness-prone skin
- How to use: After toner/essence in the morning; reapply at night if tight
- Watch-outs: Few; patch-test if you’re ultra-reactive
tip: Sandwich retinoids — D-Panthenol → retinoid → D-Panthenol
8) Econon Cream (에크논 크림) — tidy pores, calmer T-zone, science-backed calm for breakouts
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| Matte, tidy T-zone without the tightness — go slow to avoid dryness. |
- Texture: Lightweight cream/gel, quick-dry
- Best for: Congestion, blackheads, oil control, post-whitehead tidy-up
- How to use: Start once daily; if skin’s happy, build to twice daily
- Watch-outs: Can over-dry if you stack too many actives; moisturise
tip: Use only on the T-zone; keep cheeks in panthenol land
9) Lidomax Cream (리도맥스 크림) — fast calm, used wisely. when inflammation strikes
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| Emergency-only steroid calm — thin layer for 1–3 days, then stop. |
There are days when a breakout flares up overnight — red, angry, and impossible to hide. That’s when Lidomax Cream (리도맥스 크림) comes in. It’s a mild steroid-based anti-inflammatory cream that works fast to calm swelling, itching, or irritation from sudden flare-ups or eczema.
I call it my “emergency-only” cream. A thin layer for one or two nights, and the redness usually vanishes by morning. But here’s the golden rule: short use only. Over-using any steroid cream can thin the skin or cause rebound sensitivity — so once things settle, switch back to Bepanthen or D-Panthenol for barrier repair.
- Texture: Thin steroid cream
- Best for: Short, local rescue on inflamed spots or eczema flares
- How to use: Very thin layer for 1–3 days max, local only
- Watch-outs: Overuse can thin skin or cause rebound — keep it brief
tip: After things calm down, switch to panthenol + ceramide routine to lock the win
Quick pharmacy check
- OTC (no prescription): eight of the nine listed above are available over the counter in Korea.
- Prescription-only: Cevitab Gel (세비타비 겔) requires a doctor’s prescription in Korea — ask a pharmacist or dermatologist before using.
- Antibiotic/steroid ointments: short, local use only; ask the pharmacist.
- Brightening creams: SPF in the day is non-negotiable; otherwise, keep them for night-time only.
The takeaway
I’ve tried the fancy serums and the viral ampoules. They’re fun, but when my skin needs to recover, I circle back to these pharmacy classics. They don’t shout. They simply help your skin be itself — calm, strong, quietly luminous.
FAQs
Q. Is Madecassol an antibiotic?
The ointment version contains Neomycin (antibiotic) and should be used short-term on small areas. The cream is a gentler daily soother without antibiotic.
Q. Do brightening creams (Domina/Melatoning) need sunscreen?
Yes. Without SPF in the day, pigmentation can worsen. If you won’t reapply, keep them for night-time only.
Q. Cevitab Gel — is it OTC in Korea?
Yes. Cevitab Gel (세비타비 겔) is sold over the counter in Korea. If you’re outside Korea, check your local pharmacy rules.
Q. Urea 10% vs 20% — which should I pick?
Start at 10% for sensitive skin or hands; 20% is great for heels/elbows. Ease in and adjust frequency.
Q. Bepanthen vs D-Panthenol — what’s the difference?
Both use Panthenol (Pro-vitamin B5). Bepanthen is the richer ointment for heavy-duty repair; D-Panthenol is the lighter cream that sits well under sunscreen for daytime barrier care.
Q. Can Econon be layered under make-up?
Yes — it dries matte. Keep usage to once or twice daily to avoid dryness or flaking.
Q. How should I use Lidomax safely?
Apply a thin layer to the inflamed spot for 1–3 days max, then stop. If irritation persists, see a dermatologist.
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Editor’s note: This post was updated to clarify that Cevitab Gel (세비타비 겔) is sold over the counter (OTC) in Korea. Thank you to readers who kindly flagged the correction.
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