Best Korean foundation: Etude Double Lasting for oily skin, Hera Silky Stay for long days
Updated October 22, 2026
For oily skin and the lowest price, buy Etude Double Lasting Foundation: $27.99 for 30 g, a semi-matte finish and SPF 35/PA++. For long days and a silkier finish, Hera Silky Stay is the premium pick at $64.99, Espoir Be Glow is the glow foundation to start with at $28.99 to $32.99, and Hera Glow Lasting is the pump-bottle glow option with SPF 25/PA++.
One caveat on depth: none of the liquid foundations in this guide go deep. The darkest are 27N1 (Hera Silky Stay, Etude Double Lasting), which reads as medium-tan; for deeper skin, see the Milk Touch All-day Skin Fit Milky Glow Cushion in #52N Espresso under Quick answers.
This is a researched comparison of current US brand and retailer information, checked October 2026. We haven't worn or tested these foundations; finish and texture descriptions are the brands' own, and the buying advice comes from comparing ingredient lists, directions, sizes, shade ranges and prices.
Long days, normal to combination skin: Hera Silky Stay 24H Longwear Foundation, $64.99, SPF 20/PA++.
A glow finish for under $35: Espoir Be Glow Foundation, $28.99 to $32.99, SPF 27/PA++.
A glow finish from a pump bottle: Hera Glow Lasting Foundation, $55.99 to $59.99, SPF 25/PA++.
The most coverage: Etude Double Lasting Vegan Cover Foundation, $27.99, SPF 32/PA++.
Dry skin that wants a dewy base: Etude Double Lasting Serum Skin Foundation, $27.99, SPF 27.
Hera: Silky Stay and Glow Lasting, the premium pair
Hera's two foundations are the priciest here and differ mainly in finish and UV filters.
Silky Stay 24H Longwear Foundation: the long-wear pick
Hera Silky Stay Foundation in 21N1 Vanilla costs $64.99 for 30 g at Sleepy Hello, checked October 2026, or about $2.17 per gram. Hera describes buildable medium coverage and up to 24-hour wear that resists fading, creasing and darkening, and labels the formula SPF 20/PA++.
Some of Hera's shade descriptions call the finish "silky, skin-like soft radiance" and others "a smooth matte look with a subtle inner glow," so expect soft matte with some sheen rather than flat matte or dewy.
The first ten ingredients are water, cyclopentasiloxane, titanium dioxide, trimethylsiloxysilicate, butylene glycol, PEG/PPG-18/18 dimethicone, cyclohexasiloxane, titanium dioxide (nano), isododecane and nylon-12. Cyclopentasiloxane and isododecane are fast-evaporating spreading agents that let the foundation go on thin and then set. Trimethylsiloxysilicate is a film-forming resin, the kind of ingredient long-wear foundations rely on. Titanium dioxide is both white pigment and the only UV filter listed, and nylon-12 is a soft-focus powder. Sodium hyaluronate appears near the end, and the ingredient list includes fragrance.
We stock 12 shades, from 13N1 Porcelain to 27N1 Honey ($61.99), and this is the only line here with cool, neutral and warm versions at both 21 and 23 (21C1, 21N1, 21W1, 23C1, 23N1 and 23W1). Hera's directions: blend a thin layer outward from the center of the face with your fingertips, pat to finish, and add thin layers only where you want more coverage.
Pick it for a long-wear formula with a finish that isn't fully matte. Skip it if you avoid fragrance.
Glow Lasting Foundation: glow from a pump bottle
Hera Glow Lasting Foundation in 21N1 Vanilla is $55.99 for 35 ml, checked October 2026, with most other shades at $59.99. That's roughly $1.60 per ml. The label reads SPF 25/PA++.
Hera describes thin, even coverage and a "smooth, clear and natural-looking" finish with visible glow, built around what it calls Radiant Powder, and says one application keeps that look for 24 hours. The ingredient list opens with water, titanium dioxide, diphenylsiloxy phenyl trimethicone, dimethicone, ethylhexyl methoxycinnamate, butylene glycol and glycerin. Ethylhexyl methoxycinnamate (octinoxate) is a chemical UV filter, paired here with titanium dioxide. Glycerin, a humectant that draws water into the top layer of skin, is seventh; Silky Stay doesn't list it. Bismuth oxychloride, a pearly pigment, appears further down.
Our page's list doesn't name fragrance, but some names are garbled in translation, so check the carton if you screen ingredients. Seven shades are stocked, 13N1 to 25N1 Amber, and 25N1 was out of stock when we checked.
Hera's directions put sunscreen after skincare, then foundation dabbed over the face. Pick it for normal to dry skin that wants glow and the control of a pump.
Espoir Be Glow Foundation: the glow pick under $35
Espoir describes a thin, lightweight, flexible texture, buildable coverage and a "fresh, naturally luminous" finish, designed to keep its glow for up to 24 hours. It's built around what Espoir calls Triple Volume Complex, several forms of hyaluronic acid plus collagen and peptides. Our product pages don't print the full ingredient list, so we can't confirm the UV filters or fragrance; check the carton if either matters.
Ten shades are stocked: 13N, 20C, 21C, 21N, 22C, 22N, 23C, 23N, 25N and 3C Wedding Peach, a pink-toned cool shade. The half-steps at 20 and 22 help if you fall between the usual 21 and 23, or just under 21. Shake, then spread an even layer. Espoir's optional "artist" method adds a smoothing base underneath and a sheer powder swept on with a brush; Espoir says the powder improves setting while keeping the glow, which makes the step worth copying if you have oily patches.
If you like Espoir's price but want a matte finish, its sibling Espoir Pro Tailor Be Velvet in No. 5 Beige ($32.99, 30 g) is described as soft semi-matte with medium-high coverage and SPF 22/PA++, and Espoir particularly recommends it for oily and dehydrated-oily combination skin. Its shade names map to levels: No. 2 Vanilla is 20, No. 5 Beige is 23 and No. 8 Tan is 25. The ingredient list includes ethylhexyl methoxycinnamate and denatured alcohol.
Etude Double Lasting: three versions at $27.99
All three Etude formulas cost $27.99 for 30 g at Sleepy Hello, checked October 2026, about 93 cents per gram and the lowest price here. Finish and UV filters differ, so choose the version before the shade.
Double Lasting Foundation: semi-matte for oily skin
Etude Double Lasting Foundation in 21N1 Neutral Beige is the original, labeled SPF 35/PA++. Etude describes buildable coverage that ranges from light-looking to high, a natural semi-matte finish and 24-hour wear, with a "Double Fix System" that adsorbs excess sebum to resist shine and makeup breakdown.
Its opening ingredients overlap heavily with Hera's: water, cyclopentasiloxane, titanium dioxide, trimethylsiloxysilicate, cyclohexasiloxane, titanium dioxide (nano), caprylyl methicone, butylene glycol, PEG/PPG-18/18 dimethicone and iron oxides. As in Silky Stay, titanium dioxide is the only UV filter. Where Hera adds nylon-12 and sodium hyaluronate, Etude adds mica plus boron nitride and methyl methacrylate crosspolymer, two powders used to absorb oil and blur texture. The ingredient list includes fragrance.
Etude says to shake the bottle, apply with fingertips, a brush or a puff, and pat to settle. A wet puff gives a smoother, glossier result and a dry puff a matte one. We stock seven shades from 13C1 to 27N1 Amber, but 13C1, 17N1 and 27N1 were out of stock when we checked.
Double Lasting Serum Skin Foundation: the dewy one
Etude Double Lasting Serum Skin Foundation in 21N1 Neutral Beige is the glow version, carrying SPF 27 (our page doesn't list a PA grade). Etude describes a hydrating feel and a luminous "post-skincare" finish with natural coverage. The list starts with water, titanium dioxide, diphenylsiloxy phenyl trimethicone, cyclopentasiloxane, butylene glycol, ethylhexyl methoxycinnamate, caprylyl methicone and glycerin, with panthenol, hyaluronic acid, madecassoside and centella asiatica extract further down. Alcohol denat is the eleventh ingredient and fragrance is listed. Only 21N1 was in stock when we checked.
Double Lasting Vegan Cover Foundation: the most coverage
Etude Double Lasting Vegan Cover Foundation in 23N1 Sand gives medium-to-full coverage that Etude says can stand in for concealer, and it's labeled SPF 32/PA++. Etude recommends it for combination and oily skin and states it contains no animal or animal-derived ingredients. The list opens with water, titanium dioxide, diphenylsiloxy phenyl trimethicone, methyl trimethicone, butylene glycol, homosalate (a chemical UV filter), isododecane and titanium dioxide (nano). Fragrance doesn't appear in the printed list, which makes this the Etude version for fragrance-avoiders. 23N1 Sand was the only shade in stock when we checked; 21N1 Neutral Beige, 17C1 and 19N1 ($30.99) were out.
What do Korean foundation shade codes like 21N1 or 23W mean?
The number is the depth and the letter is the undertone. Lower numbers are lighter. In these three brands' liquid lines, 13 is the fairest shade and 25 to 27 the deepest, with most shades clustered around 21 and 23.
N means neutral, C means cool (pinker) and W means warm (more yellow or golden). Hera and Etude add a trailing digit, the 1 in 21N1, as part of their own codes. Espoir Be Glow drops it (22N, 23C) and adds half-steps at 20 and 22, while Espoir Be Velvet uses shade names with a level number behind them.
Two practical rules follow. Compare codes within one brand, since a Hera 21N1 and an Etude 21N1 aren't guaranteed to match. And Korean numbers don't line up with US foundation numbering, so match the undertone letter first, then the depth.
Which Korean foundation is best for oily skin?
Etude Double Lasting Foundation is the best fit for oily skin among the foundations we stock. It combines a semi-matte finish, oil-absorbing powders in the ingredient list, the highest SPF label here (35/PA++) and the lowest price. If you want more coverage, Etude's Vegan Cover is the version Etude itself recommends for combination and oily skin, and Espoir Be Velvet is the matte choice if you prefer Espoir's shade steps.
If you want a softer, less flat finish, Hera Silky Stay is the oily-skin alternative. Hera's 23N1 and 25N1 pages describe oil-absorbing powder that helps control shine under a soft-matte finish with a subtle glow. Both brands claim 24-hour wear, so the extra $37 buys a different finish, not proven longevity. The glow formulas, Espoir Be Glow, Hera Glow Lasting and Etude Serum Skin, suit normal and dry skin better.
Underneath any of them, a sunscreen that dries down without slip helps; see our guide to Korean sunscreen for oily skin.
Where to buy: the shortlist with prices
Pick the finish first, then the version, then the shade. Prices checked October 2026 at Sleepy Hello:
The liquid foundations in this guide stop at 27, but some Korean brands go deeper: the Milk Touch All-day Skin Fit Milky Glow Cushion runs to #52N Espresso, at $17.99 for 15 g, checked October 2026. Milk Touch lists 20 shades from 15N Fair Ivory to 52N and describes a radiant semi-glow finish. Among the liquids, the deepest are 27N1 in Hera Silky Stay and Etude Double Lasting (the Etude was out of stock when we checked), while Espoir and Hera Glow Lasting stop at 25, all medium-tan. Our Korean cushion foundation guide compares Milk Touch with six other compacts.
Is the SPF in a Korean foundation enough sun protection?
No. Count it as a small extra, not your sunscreen. SPF numbers are measured with 2 milligrams of product per square centimeter of skin, roughly a quarter teaspoon for the face, which is far more foundation than anyone wears. PA is the UVA grade used in Korea and Japan, running from PA+ to PA++++, and every foundation here that lists a PA grade is PA++. Hera's own directions for Glow Lasting put sunscreen first, and our Korean sunscreen guide covers that step.
Hera Silky Stay vs Etude Double Lasting: which lasts longer?
Neither brand publishes a head-to-head test and both claim 24-hour wear, so there's no honest winner on longevity alone. Their first four ingredients are identical, so choose on finish and price: Etude's oil-absorbing powders and semi-matte finish suit oily skin at $27.99, while Hera's silkier soft-matte finish suits normal to combination skin at $64.99.
Should you choose a cushion or a liquid Korean foundation?
Choose a liquid if you want control over how much you apply and a 30 to 35 ml bottle; choose a cushion if you want quick touch-ups from a compact. A cushion is foundation soaked into a sponge that you press on with a puff, and many come with refills. Our Korean cushion foundation guide compares seven compacts by finish, SPF and refills.
How do you take off long-wear foundation?
Start with a cleansing oil or balm, then a gentle water-based cleanser; formulas built to resist breakdown come off more completely with an oil step first. Our cleansing oil picks cover the first step.
Clio Kill Lash is our pick to hold a curl on straight lashes; Rom&nd Han All Fix costs less. Five more Korean mascaras compared by formula and removal.
Best Korean Foundation: Hera, Espoir and Etude Compared | Sleepy Hello
