Want to treat fine lines and wrinkles, tackle acne, and even your skin tone? Typically, using a retinol serum would be the first place to turn. But not everyone is into retinol. As popular as the anti-aging ingredient is within the beauty industry here in the United States, there’s one place you’ll find more alternatives than you can even imagine: Korea—and it’s no surprise that the beauty mecca is full of substitute ingredients.

“Korean skincare prioritizes gentle, soothing, hydrating, and non-irritating ingredients,” says board-certified dermatologist Heejin Koh, MD. “Retinol, while effective, can be harsh on the skin.” That’s why K-Beauty experts swear by retinol alternatives for a glowing, even, radiant complexion. To learn all about these options, we spoke with Koh as well as board-certified dermatologist David Kim, MD, and founder and CEO of Peach & Lily Alicia Yoon, for their insight on Korean retinol substitutes.

What Is Retinol?

Retinol, a popular anti-aging ingredient, is “a topical form of vitamin A that is available over-the-counter mainly to improve the appearance of fine lines and improve uneven skin tone,” says Dr. Koh. “Retinol is less potent than its prescription version, called a retinoid, and needs to be converted into the active form once applied on the skin.” If your dermatologist has ever written you a prescription for tretinoin or adapalene, these are common examples of retinoids.

Using retinol also “helps with acne, acne scarring, hyperpigmentation, and collagen production,” says Dr. Kim. But what makes it such a go-to ingredient above others? “It’s one of the few ingredients that’s considered both preventive and able to visibly reverse damage,” adds Yoon. The reason it’s able to deliver all these benefits is because it “helps speed up cell turnover,” she notes.

But retinol does come with some downsides. It can cause “irritation, dryness, redness, burning sensation, or skin peeling,” says Dr. Koh. If this happens, it is likely because it’s been “used too much or too frequently,” adds Dr. Kim. “It takes time for the skin to develop tolerance.”

Another side effect of retinol: “Many people can experience ‘retinol purging’, where the skin breaks out before the visible benefits are seen,” says Yoon. She encourages a personalized approach to skincare, allowing you to understand what your skin needs. “With retinoids, it’s always best to take it slow and low and increase frequency and concentration incrementally as you see how your skin reacts and improves,” she adds.

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Why Is Retinol Not as Popular in the Korean Beauty Community?

“[Korean beauty is] rooted in a philosophy of gentle, consistent care,” says Yoon. “The idea is to build up the skin barrier, not break it down.” Though ingredients like retinol (and other anti-aging powerhouses like vitamin C or exfoliating acids, including AHAs and BHAs) can be efficacious, “they don’t always align with the K-Beauty approach, which prioritizes hydration, calming ingredients, and long-term skin health over short-term, aggressive fixes,” explains Yoon.

Plus, Korean skincare is full of innovation. “This has led to some incredible retinol alternatives that offer similar benefits without the same level of irritation—perfect for those who want to keep it gentle on skin while still seeing visible skin benefits,” says Yoon.

Popular Alternatives

Ingredients used in K-Beauty are “focused largely on hydration and rejuvenation,” explains Dr. Kim. Below, find seven of the most popular retinol alternatives recommended by skincare experts to get glass skin without the side effects.

Ginseng

Ginseng has long been a go-to ingredient in Korean skincare—luxury K-Beauty brand Sulwhasoo has been researching ginseng for decades. A great alternative if you can’t tolerate retinoids, it’s a “traditional herbal remedy that is rich in antioxidants,” says Dr. Koh. “[Like retinol,] it can help boost collagen production.” But some additional benefits of ginseng include improving blood flow and calming irritation. Ginseng is also celebrated for “visibly improving firmness, brightness, and bringing about vitality and a rejuvenated look,” adds Yoon.

However, ginseng and retinoids “work in totally different pathways for skin, so they aren’t an apples-to-apples comparison,” says Yoon. “Retinoids also have an exfoliating or cell turnover benefit that ginseng does not, while ginseng is packed with saponins and antioxidants and can be very nourishing for skin alongside its many other benefits.”

Snail Mucin

Snail mucin (and vegan snail mucin) have taken off in the United States, but its origins lie in Korea. “It has been used as a powerhouse ingredient in many Korean skincare formulas for how gentle it is on skin while also delivering visible improvement in texture, plumpness, brightening, and even helping to curb breakouts,” says Yoon.

The slimy ingredient “has hyaluronic acid, glycolic acid, and amino acid components delivering multiple benefits,” Yoon shares. However, she notes that the results may come more slowly than if you were to use a retinol.

Peptides

Peptides are well-loved worldwide. There are countless types of peptides which all offer varying skincare benefits. They’re “popular in Korean skincare for how gentle they are while providing a bevy of skin benefits, depending on the type of peptide,” says Yoon.

Similarly to retinol, certain peptides can “visibly improve elasticity, fine lines, and wrinkles, and some can even help brighten skin without the irritation that can accompany retinoids,” says Yoon. Peptides have gained popularity in recent years, so you’ll have no issue finding peptide-based skincare formulas. “There are numerous anti-aging creams with peptides, and these help stimulate collagen production to help with fine lines,” adds Dr. Kim.

Take note that peptides “work very differently than retinoids, and do not completely replace all the benefits of retinoids and how they work, but can be a great alternative,” explains Yoon.

Bakuchiol

Bakuchiol has taken off in the United States for its retinol-like benefits. It is a “plant-based derivative that offers similar benefits to retinol,” says Dr. Koh. “It can help improve the appearance of fine lines, uneven tone, and also has antioxidant activity.”

If you’ve discussed bakuchiol before, someone has likely called it ‘plant-based retinol.’ However, note that it is not the same thing: “It is not nearly as widely studied as retinoid,” says Yoon. “It is typically not as hard-hitting, but it does provide multiple benefits similar to retinoids.”

Adenosine

Like ginseng, adenosine is also recognized in Korea as a functional cosmetics ingredient, according to Yoon. “It is a building block of DNA and RNA that naturally occurs in the body,” adds Dr. Koh. “In skincare, it’s produced from yeast.”

“[The ingredient] can help boost collagen production, calm inflammation, and soothe skin,” Dr. Koh notes. “This helps to visibly improve lines, wrinkles, and elasticity,” Yoon adds. Those with sensitive skin will especially appreciate adenosine, as it has little to no irritation, according to Dr. Koh.

“While it isn’t a replacement for retinoids, it’s gentle and very effective, so if you’re using them specifically for wrinkles and elasticity, adenosine can be a great alternative,” says Yoon.

Polydeoxyribonucleotide (PDRN)

Polydeoxyribonucleotide has a long name, but you can shorten it to PDRN, which is much less of a mouthful. It’s “derived from salmon sperm DNA,” says Dr. Kim. “PDRN has regenerative properties and has been shown to improve tissue elasticity and texture.” Though salmon sperm has recently become a big part of the skincare conversation in the United States, “it’s been very popular in Korea for five or more years,” Dr. Kim says.

Tranexamic Acid

Though tranexamic acid has the word ‘acid’ in its name, don’t let that scare you off into thinking it’s too harsh for your skin. “It can be gentler than retinoids while very effectively helping to visibly fade dark spots and smooth skin texture,” says Yoon. “If you’re specifically looking to retinoids to help with dark spots, hyperpigmentation, uneven skin tone and rough skin texture, tranexamic acid could be a great alternative.”

The Final Takeaway

Retinol is a popular ingredient in any anti-aging, anti-acne, and preventative skincare routine. However, there are several other options out there that deliver similar effects without the side effects. If you have a retinol serum or cream that you absolutely love, then stick to your routine, or consider trying one of these K-Beauty alternatives in addition to what you already have.

However, if you want to steer clear of some of retinol’s common side effects, one of these K-Beauty substitutions may be able to step in and do the trick. “The big takeaway here is that while retinoids have exceptional studies behind them, retinoids can come with irritation, which can make them intolerable or counter-productive for many people,” says Yoon. “Leaning into alternatives or even combining alternatives could be a smart way to see similar benefits, depending on your unique skin and its needs.”