Daiso Korea Beauty (2026): What to Buy at 5,000 Won or Less

A black bag holding makeup brushes laid on a plain surface

Written by YUNA, the pen name behind Hello Korea Tips. Every guide is checked against official sources before it goes up.

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Last checked: November 1, 2026

Almost nothing at Daiso costs more than 5,000 won, and that now includes skincare made by brands you’ve seen at Olive Young. I’d go for those brand-made Daiso lines and the sheet masks. I’d skip chasing whatever just went viral, because some launches in early 2026 sold out soon after release.

Daiso’s own site says little about its beauty range, so the numbers below come from Korean business news and magazines from 2024 to 2026.

Quick answer

  • 💰 Prices: mostly 1,000 to 5,000 won
  • 🛍️ Worth it: brand-made Daiso lines, sheet masks, a sunscreen to try
  • 📱 Before you go: check stock on Daiso’s site or app

Why is Daiso suddenly a beauty stop?

The entrance and sign of a Daiso store on a street in Myeongdong, Seoul
A Daiso store in Myeongdong, central Seoul. Photo: Izzatfikry99, CC BY 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons

Because the big cosmetics companies moved in. At the end of 2022, Daiso sold 7 beauty brands and about 120 products. By January 2026 it had about 160 brands and about 1,700 products, according to a Korean news report. Beauty sales grew 144% in 2024 and about 70% in 2025.

Tourists are part of that. Foreign-card payments at Daiso rose about 70% in the first quarter of 2026. The Korea JoongAng Daily reported that visitors mostly buy snacks there, and on the beauty side, sheet masks, lip tints, sunscreens, and skincare ampoules.

Are Daiso versions the same as the originals?

Not always. Many of the brands you’ll see make a separate line just for Daiso, with its own name, size, and price. One example is VT Cosmetics’ Reedle Shot, which Daiso started selling in October 2023 at 3,000 won for six 2 ml units.

Six 2 ml units make 12 ml, so the Daiso set cost 250 won per ml. In January 2024, the 50 ml Reedle Shot 100 at Olive Young cost 32,000 won, or 640 won per ml. So the Daiso one cost less than half as much per ml.

A news report said it has the same main ingredients in a different blend, so it’s a related product rather than the same essence at a lower price.

Daiso line Made by What I found
Reedle Shot (Daiso set) VT Cosmetics 3,000 won, first stock gone in 2 weeks (2024 report)
Zoom by Jung Saem Mool Jung Saem Mool 1,000 to 5,000 won, launched January 5, 2026
Age Renew AHC Launched December 2025, 5,000 won for all but the mask (launch report)
Bye od-td LG H&H (a CNP line) Over 1 million sold by May 2025
Mimo by Mamonde Amorepacific 1 million sold in 4 months
Boncept Tonymoly 3 million sold within a year

Zoom by Jung Saem Mool launched on January 5, 2026, and by the morning of January 10, SBS Biz reported, eight of its products had sold out online and in stores. That’s why I wouldn’t plan a whole stop around one viral item.

What I’d buy at Daiso

A Daiso store front with its red sign on Namdaemun-ro in central Seoul
A Daiso store front on Namdaemun-ro in Seoul’s Jung-gu district. Photo: Own work, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons

I’d use Daiso for things you can try cheaply and for the extras you’d forget to pack. Sheet masks are the easy first pick if you want to try a few brands. They’re one of the beauty items tourists buy there, and a mask you don’t like costs very little.

A brand-made Daiso line is the next step. If you already like a brand like AHC or Mamonde, its Daiso line is a cheap way to see the brand’s style. Just do not assume it is the same formula as the full-price one, since Reedle Shot’s Daiso set was not.

A sunscreen is worth a look too, especially if you just want a second tube for your day bag. If you want a specific Korean formula, though, I’d buy that one at a beauty store, where you can check the full label against the brand’s page.

Yuna’s pick

First visit, small budget: two or three sheet masks and one sunscreen.

You like a brand already: its Daiso-only line, at 5,000 won or less.

Sensitive skin: one new product at a time, and patch test it first.

What I’d skip

I’d skip trying to collect a viral launch. In January 2024, Daiso Mall limited online orders to two each of Reedle Shot 100 and Reedle Shot 300. A later launch was mostly gone within a week, so your odds are not great on a short trip.

If you see a launch in the news while you’re in Seoul, check Daiso’s stock page first and have a second choice in mind in case your store has none left.

I’d also keep using whatever already works for you. A cheap new moisturizer is fine to try at home later, but I wouldn’t switch to one halfway through a trip.

The big Myeongdong Daiso

A set of pink makeup brushes, a compact, and a lipstick on a beige surface
A set of makeup brushes, a compact, and a lipstick laid out on a table.

The Daiso near Myeongdong Station has 12 floors and about 500 pyeong of space. In 2023 it was the second-largest Daiso in Seoul, after the one at Gangnam Express Bus Terminal. Its 2023 floor guide put beauty on the 2nd floor. If you’re shopping for gifts too, the floors above were mostly stationery, kitchen, bathroom, and home goods.

Daiso’s own notice says this branch reopened on March 1, 2023, with floors 1 to 12. The Korea JoongAng Daily reported in 2026 that Daiso’s Myeongdong branch added on-site tax refunds and multilingual staff. It also moved cosmetics and snacks near the entrances.

The Korea Tourism Organization lists the Myeongdong Station branch as a tax-refund shop at 134-1 Toegye-ro, Jung-gu, open 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. and closed on the Seollal and Chuseok holidays. I’d still check the hours in your map app before you go.

⚠️ Heads-up

Don’t count on a tax refund at every Daiso. A 2025 Korea Times report said Musinsa, Olive Young, and Daiso offer tax refunds in a limited way, such as a minimum for one payment or only at selected stores. Ask before you pay if the refund matters to you.

How to check stock before you go

Daiso’s official site has a store stock check (매장 재고 조회), open 24 hours, that shows each store’s stock, plus a store search. The Daiso app had 5.16 million users in February 2026. If a launch is in the news, check it there first.

Honest take

I’d treat Daiso as the cheap place to try things. For a famous product you already know you want, go to a beauty store, because the Daiso version may be a different product.

FAQ

Can I pay with a foreign card?

Most likely. I didn’t find a Daiso policy page, but foreign-card payments at Daiso grew about 70% in early 2026, which tells you plenty of tourists pay that way. I’d still carry a second card as a backup.

Is everything really under 5,000 won?

Almost. A January 2024 report listed six price levels from 500 to 5,000 won, and newer reports describe a 1,000 to 5,000 won range. The beauty lines follow the same levels.

Does Daiso sell sunscreen?

Yes. Sunscreens are one of the beauty items tourists buy there, according to the Korea JoongAng Daily. If you want a specific Korean formula, check the label against the brand’s page, because a Daiso-only line may be a different product with a similar name.

Is a Daiso product the same as the one at Olive Young?

Not necessarily. Daiso lines have their own names and sizes, and Reedle Shot’s Daiso set had a different blend, so compare the labels if it matters to you.

Pick two or three things to try, and check the stock before you go, especially for anything that has been in the news. If a price or store detail here has changed, tell me on the Contact page and I’ll check it.

Hwaiting!

Yuna

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Sources and last check

How I put this guide together: from Korean business news and magazines on Daiso’s beauty lines, Daiso’s own notices and support pages, the Korea Tourism Organization, the Korea JoongAng Daily, the Korea Times, and Daiso Mall. I checked all of them on November 1, 2026. The recommendations are my own. No brand paid to be included, and none reviewed this guide. More on how I research every guide is on the About page.

Last checked: November 1, 2026. Prices and stock change quickly, so please confirm before you go. This is an independent guide, not affiliated with Daiso or any brand.

Sources:

Cover image: Makeup brushes in a bag.

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