Azulene Is K-Beauty’s Latest Ingredient for Sensitive Skin

Almost every day, I scroll through Olive Young’s Korean website like it’s TikTok. I’m always on the hunt for emerging K-beauty trends, and the best-selling products and ingredients at the South Korean mega-retailer tend to influence beauty shelves here in the US months later.

In February, I started noticing an onslaught of sky-blue formulas designed for sensitive skin hitting Olive Young’s virtual shelves. They all touted the same ingredient: azulene. (You might see it listed on product labels as guaiazulene, the stabilized form most commonly used in skin care, says Kunal Malik, MD, a board-certified dermatologist in New York City.)

Intrigued, I reached out to Hee Jin Kim, MD, one half of a sister duo that runs PureenMD Skin and Well-Aging Center, with locations in Fort Lee, New Jersey, and Seoul, to find out whether azulene is poised to be K-beauty’s next trendy ingredient based on what she’s seeing in her South Korea office.

“Yes, very much so,” confirmed Dr. Kim. “Many Korean beauty [content creators] have been actively reviewing azulene-containing products recently, particularly those focused on calming and post-procedure care.” One creator in particular, Inssi, is often credited for sparking the rising popularity of azulene. She has posted several videos over the past year highlighting the ingredient’s skin-cooling and blemish-soothing powers.

I marveled at how quickly the products visibly calmed her redness. Much like a dog that barks at every little noise and passerby, my skin is reactive. The wind, temperature changes, and even a light touch can trigger redness and sensitivity. I’m also prone to painful hormonal breakouts, so my skin is the ultimate litmus test for any new calming ingredient, and I immediately knew my routine needed some azulene.

One problem: Many of Korea’s buzziest azulene formulas aren’t available just yet stateside, but there are a few options available to US consumers. I got my hands on the Dr. Althea Aqua Marine Deep Serum. My skin loved the cobalt-blue formula so much that I recommended it to my sister, whose skin is even more reactive than mine. She went through a whole bottle in less than a month because she was reaching for it every morning, night, and after working out.

Ahead, experts explain exactly what azulene is and how it works to soothe skin.

What is azulene, and what are its benefits?

Azulene is a naturally occurring, deep-blue hydrocarbon most commonly extracted from chamomile, says Y. Claire Chang, MD, a board-certified dermatologist based in New York City. Even though chamomile blooms with little white flowers and turns water golden when steeped as tea, it contains this special compound that tints skin-care products varying shades of blue, depending on how much is used in the formulation.