The greatest Asian beauty exports

For the most exciting (and oft most peculiar) beauty must-haves, you need to cast your net a little wider (or, trust us to do it for). Asia is leading the charge when it comes to cosmetic innovation - and we've rounded up our pick of the greatest {skin care} (and make up) from the likes of South Korea, Singapore and Japan - so you can sit back, pour yourself a green tea and splash out on a little bit of Eastern promise...

It’s time to say 'Konnichiwa' to Asian women’s best-kept beauty secret. At the forefront of the J-Beauty movement, {Shiseido} is changing the face of your make up (and skin care!) collection… With cutting-edge formulas, innovative ingredients and never-before-dreamed-of textures (we’re looking at you, {Aura Dew}), this Far Eastern edit amalgamates centuries-old beauty wisdom with high-tech developments, helping you face the future looking luminous.SHOP SHISEIDO >>Almost too cute (but not quite) TONYMOLY's totes adorbz exterior belies its brilliance. This range is aimed at younger women, but the fruity balms and {hand creams} are beloved by those who can't resist a hint of kitsch. The {Appletox Smooth Massage Peeling Cream} looks like something worthy of Snow White - and smells like it's just fallen from the tree - while the wardrobe of sheet masks stars something for every skin type. The {Egg Pore Blackhead Steam Balm} is a must-have - the innovative self-heating treatment eliminates pore-clogging dirt, oils and make up for an enviably flawless finish.SHOP TONYMOLY >>

Developed by one of Japan's most famous personalities, Fairydrop's {Scandal Queen} mascaras were borne out of frustration (like most of the best beauty solutions). Having tried - and failed - to find a {mascara} which made her eyelashes look suitably 'wow' when on camera, creator Aya Yusade snipped away at brushes 'til she alighted on her patented, 'bobble' shaped wand. Available in {Waterproof} and {Quattro} - these phenomenal formulas lift, lengthen and separate each eyelash, for incredible eye enhancement. There's good reason they've been described as 'push up-bras for lashes'.SHOP FAIRYDROPS >>Made from a funny sort of north east-Asian potato (#truefact), Japanese women use {Konjac Sponges} to cleanse and polish their (famously flawless) {complexions}. Naturally alkaline and chock-full of skin-friendly vitamins and minerals, these eliminate grime while maintaining skin's optimal pH balance. Go 'au naturel' with the {Pure Konjac Puff Sponge}, or choose one infused with oil-absorbing {Bamboo Charcoal}, clarifying {French Green Clay}, radiance-boosting {French Red Clay} or antioxidant {Green Tea}, to address your specific skin care concerns.SHOP KONJAC SPONGES >>Bringing the kitsch (but incredible) 'seoul' of Korea to your skin care wardrobe, {Saturday Skin} is an Instagram fixture. The latest additions - the {Rub-a-Dub Refining Peel} and {Press Pause Beauty Essence} - are much more than purely good looking (but that always helps). A great way to banish the everyday 'grey' that accompanies urban living (yuk), the 'peel gel' eliminates dulling dead cells to leave skin soft and glowing (without irritation). Follow with bounce-boosting essence to get your glow on (these are excellent fodder for 'stories').SHOP SATURDAY SKIN >>

Verity Douglas Writer and expert

Cult Beauty’s Content Editor and a Cult Beauty OG, Verity loves nothing more than the marriage of language and lip balm. A quintessential Libran, she’s a self-professed magpie for luxury ‘must-haves' and always pursuing the new and the niche — from the boujee-est skin care to cutting-edge tech. Balancing an urge to stop the clock with her desire to embrace the ageing process (and set a positive example for her daughter), Verity's a retinol obsessive and will gladly share her thoughts about the time-defying gadgets, masks and treatments worth the splurge...

The greatest Asian beauty exports

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