Shopping in Seoul

When I first arrived in South Korea, I’d heard the hype about Asian cosmetics but hadn’t researched about the brands or products. So I was pretty much ignorant about everything here. I only bought a couple of face masks from (I think) Holika Holika and a hand cream from Beyond while I tried using up all the Oriflame, Maybelline, Chanel and L’Oreal products I had brought with me (the 4 main brands I loved until then).
Fast forward 2 years and I am quite close to getting a PhD in Korean drugstore brands haha! and working my way up towards the high end brands. It helps that I am a beauty blogger now, always in search of beauty products and stores.
I think that others who arrive in Korea might not be as ignorant as I was but might need some help in finding their favorite brands around Seoul (my speciality).
So I am starting a series called Shopping in Seoul which will be divided in sections –

Shopping District,

Beauty Stores,

Beauty Brands,

Shopping Malls

In the Shopping District posts, I will talk about the well-known Korean and international brand stores in the area.
In the Beauty Stores posts, I will talk about the drugstore, duty-free, high-end stores and malls. And mainly about the brands available in these stores – Olive young, Watsons, Beauté, Boons and more.
In the Beauty Brands posts, I will make a brand-wise list of where you can find those brands (shopping stores and districts)
In the Shopping Malls posts, I will talk about the best malls in Seoul that I think are worth visiting!
I will do everything in my power to keep the information 100% correct. But please bear in mind that the information holds the day it is published and things can change after that! If you have any questions, feel free to ask in the comments below and I will try to get back as soon as possible! I really hope this information is helpful to expats. I will also list a few places I frequent and hope it will help you plan your trip better!