Last Updated on October 31, 2025 by Giorgia Guazzarotti
Okay so you’ve got oily skin and you’re looking for a foam cleanser that’ll actually handle it. Smart move. Foam cleansers are literally made for this. That fluffy lather cuts through oil and leaves your face feeling actually clean. Korean foam cleansers have tons of options out there, and honestly, that’s the hard part. Too many choices, and you’re just standing there in the skincare aisle (or scrolling online) like “…which one though?” In this article, we’re gonna break down the best korean foam cleanser options for oily skin that you can actually buy right now. We’re talking which ones control oil without being harsh, which ones keep you matte throughout the day, and which ones are worth your money. Basically, we’re doing the hard work so you don’t have to guess.
What’s A Foaming Cleanser And How Does It Work?
Foaming cleansers are just face wash that gets all bubbly. Like you pump it or squeeze it and suddenly you’ve got a handful of foam. But here’s the cool part: that foam is actually doing something. Inside the cleanser, there are these ingredients called surfactants. Think of them like tiny little magnets, but weird ones. One side of the surfactant sticks to oil, and the other side sticks to water.
So picture this: you’re rubbing that foam on your face, right? The oil-loving ends are latching onto all the gross crap on your skin. Your sebum, the dirt, the leftover sunscreen, whatever’s been sitting there all day. They’re just grabbing it. And the water-loving ends are just chilling, waiting for their moment. Then you rinse your face and the water-loving ends are like “okay let’s go” and they yank all that oil and gunk right off your face and wash it away. It’s honestly so smart when you think about it. That’s why these are perfect if you’ve got oily skin. You’ve got all this excess oil? You need something that’ll actually break it down and get it off, and that’s literally what’s happening here. The surfactants are doing the work and giving your skin a proper cleanse.
What Are The Best Korean Cleansing Foams?
Beplain Mung Bean pH-Balanced Cleansing Foam ($10.50)
The texture is thick and creamy which threw me off at first, and you literally need like a pea-sized amount because it goes forever. You gotta rub it between your hands with water for like 10 seconds before it foams up properly though. If you don’t do that it just sits there being a blob. But once you get the hang of it, the foam is really nice and fluffy and it cleans my face really well without that awful tight squeaky feeling after. My skin feels clean but not stripped, which is exactly what you want when you’ve got oily skin. There’s no added scent so you can smell the mung bean a tiny bit. It’s not bad, just kinda earthy. The tube is annoying to squeeze when you get toward the end, but for like $12 and the fact that it lasts forever because you use so little, it’s totally worth trying if you want something gentle that actually cleans.
Available at: Yes Style
Active ingredients: Sodium Cocoyl Glycinate and Sodium Lauroyl Glutamate.
Benefits: Cleanses skin well and removes excess sebum.
Cons: Not suitable for dry skin.
Skin type: Oily, acne-prone and combination skin.
Fragrance-free: Yes.
SKIN1004 Madagascar Centella Ampoule Foam ($9.50)
So this cleanser has like 33% centella extract in it which sounds impressive until you remember it’s all washing down the drain in 30 seconds anyway. But honestly it’s still a really good foam cleanser. The texture is this light brown creamy paste situation and when you add water it foams up super easily. You literally only need a tiny pea-sized amount. The foam is fluffy and feels nice on your face, not harsh at all. It cleans really well without leaving that tight stripped feeling, which is clutch. My face just feels clean and soft after, not angry. The pH is around 5 which is good for keeping your skin barrier happy while you’re washing. The only weird thing is it has a slight smell. Not added fragrance, just the natural scent of the ingredients which some people find kinda off. It doesn’t bother me but it’s there. It’s also really affordable and lasts forever since you use so little. Overall it’s a solid gentle foam cleanser that does its job without drama.
Available at: Stylevana, Superdrug and Yes Style
Active ingredients: Sodium Cocoyl Isethionate, Sodium Methyl Cocoyl Taurate, and Coco-Betaine.
Benefits: Effective and gentle cleansing.
Cons: The smell isn’t the best.
Skin type: Oily, acne-prone and combination skin.
Fragrance-free: Yes.
KLAIRS Rich Moist Foaming Cleanser ($18.00)
This one comes in a pump bottle which is super convenient because the foam is already made for you. Just press and go. It has a pretty strong tea tree smell which I didn’t love but it’s tolerable. The foam itself is soft and fluffy and you only need like one pump because it gives you a lot. It cleans well without making my face feel super tight, though there’s a slight squeaky feeling when rinsing. My face felt clean and fresh after but not like it moisturized me or anything. Just normal clean. Hyaluronic acid and ceramides are here to keep skin soft and supple during the cleansing process. The pH is around 6 which is okay but not as low as some other options. It’s not great at removing makeup so you’d probably want to use an oil cleanser first if you’re wearing anything heavy. It’s affordable and lasts a while since you use so little per wash. Overall it’s a decent gentle foam cleanser that does the job without being harsh, just nothing super special.
Available at: Asos, Soko Glam, Stylevana, and Yes Style
Active ingredients: Sodium Lauroyl Sarcosinate and hyaluronic acid.
Benefits: A low pH cleanser that removes dirt and impurities.
Cons: Struggles to remove heavy makeup.
Skin type: Oily, acne-prone and combination skin that’s on the sensitive side.
Fragrance-free: Yes.
HANSKIN Hyaluron Bubble Pop Cleanser ($22.00)
This cleanser is kinda fun because it comes out as dense foam right from the pump. Like really thick bubbles. You only need one or two pumps and it spreads all over your face easily. As you massage it in it stays super foamy the whole time and doesn’t break down. It cleans really well without that tight feeling after. My face felt clean and actually kinda soft which was surprising. The hyaluronic acid is supposed to keep your skin hydrated while you wash and honestly it does feel less drying than most foam cleansers. The pH is 5.5 so gentle on the skin. It has two different types of hyaluronic acid in it plus soap bark extract that does the cleaning. The bubbles are satisfying and it rinses off easy. It’s a solid pick if you want a foam cleanser that doesn’t strip your face. Just remember all that hyaluronic acid is still washing down the drain so don’t expect it to actually hydrate your skin long term. It just makes the washing part less harsh.
Available at: Soko Glam and Yes Style
Active ingredients: Coco-Betaine, Disodium Cocoamphodiacetate, and hyaluronic acid.
Benefits: A low-pH cleanser that removes dirt and impurities while hydrating skin.
Cons: Not the best at removing heavy makeup.
Skin type: Oily, acne-prone and combo skin that’s on the sensitive side.
Fragrance-free: Yes.
ACWELL Licorice pH Balancing Pore Cleansing Gel Foam ($18.00)
This one starts as a gel and turns into foam when you add water which is kinda cool. You squeeze out a little bit and it foams up like crazy so you really don’t need much. The foam is really dense and bubbly and it cleans your face well. It’s got 30% licorice water in it which is supposed to brighten your skin and calm it down but again it’s all washing off so whatever. My face felt clean after without being tight or stripped. It’s pH balanced at 5.5 which is good for oily skin and has 8 types of hyaluronic acid to keep skin plump and hydrated during cleansing. It didn’t irritate my skin at all. One thing though is it has fragrance so if you’re super sensitive to smells this might not be for you. It foams up way more than most cleansers I’ve tried so the bottle lasts forever. Overall it’s a good foam cleanser that does what it’s supposed to do. Gets your face clean without destroying it.
Available at: Soko Glam, Stylevana and Yes Style
Active ingredients: Sodium C14-16 Olefin Sulfonate and 8 types of hyaluronic acid.
Benefits: Low ph, cleanses well and hydrates skin.
Cons: Contains fragrance.
Skin type: Oily, combination, and acne-prone skin that’s on the sensitive side.
Fragrance-free: Yes.
FAQ: Korean Foam Cleansers
How do I use a Korean foam cleanser?
Koreans use foam cleansers as the second step in double-cleansing. So first you’d use an oil-based cleanser or cleansing balm to get off makeup and sunscreen, then you use a water-based cleanser like foam to grab whatever’s left. The oil cleanser gets oil-based stuff, foam gets water-based impurities. Sounds smart right? Except double cleansing is kinda BS. Like yeah the logic makes sense but if you just get a good cleanser that actually removes everything including makeup residues and sunscreen, you don’t need two products. One good thorough cleanse works fine. Now, to use a foam cleanser, just wet your face, pump or squeeze out a bit of cleanser, work it into foam with your hands, rub it all over your face for like 30 seconds to a minute, rinse. That’s it.
Are Korean foam cleansers better than Western cleansers?
Nah it’s literally just marketing. A cleanser is a cleanser. Korean brands from South Korea love to talk up their gentle formulas and pH balance and how they don’t use harsh surfactants, but western cleansers can have all the same stuff. The ingredients are the same, the science is the same. K-beauty cleansers aren’t magically better just because they’re from a k-beauty brand like beplain. It’s all about the actual formula. You can find gentle Korean facial cleansers and you can find gentle western ones. You can also find harsh crap from both. Just look for good pH level and gentle ingredients, doesn’t matter where it’s from.
Can I use a foam cleanser if I have sensitive skin or reactive skin?
Yeah most sensitive skin is fine with foam cleansers if they’re done right. Look for ones made for various skin types including sensitive, with mild surfactants not harsh ones. Do a patch test first though, especially with reactive skin. Some have fragrance or extracts that might mess you up. Best korean cleansers for sensitive skin usually have centella or come from brands known for being gentle. Test it first.
What’s better, a foam cleanser or cleansing balms?
Depends on your skin type. Got oily skin? Foam cleanser all the way. It controls oil and cleans deeper. Got dry skin? Balms and oil-based cleansers are gonna be better because they don’t strip all your moisture. If you’ve got oily skin using a balm as your only cleanser, you’re probably still greasy. Dry skin using foam? You’re drying yourself out even more. Match it to your skin type, not just what’s on your face.
Do these cleansers help with dark spots or skin tone?
Nah. Yeah some have vitamin C or licorice for brightening skin tone but it’s washing off instantly. You’re not fixing dark spots with a cleanser. Want results on your entire face? Get a serum or treatment that actually stays on.
The Bottom Line
Foam cleansers work for oily skin because they grab oil and get it off your face. That’s the whole point. Find one with a pH around 5 to 5.5 that doesn’t have harsh sulfates and you’re good. All those fancy ingredients everyone hypes up? They’re washing down the drain in 30 seconds so don’t stress about them. Just get something that cleans your face without making it feel tight and awful. That’s literally all you need to worry about.
