The K-beauty craze has been going strong for years, after first taking off in the Western world in 2011 with the introduction of BB creams—blemish balm creams—which had been popular in South Korea from the 1980s.

Making the most of the country's advanced cosmetic industry, which has been decades ahead of the curve, many women today follow a meticulous Korean skincare routine (often consisting of 10 or more steps) to maintain glowing, healthy skin, as explained in the K-beauty section of my book How to Live Korean.

Every stage of the multi-step skincare routine involves applying various products. So which ones are best? Here we unveil some of the top K-beauty products, as recommended by Korean skincare experts.

EGF Collagen Ampoule

Ampoules, which are highly concentrated serums, also form part of the Korean skin care routine. They are usually applied temporarily to target certain skin problems, whereas serums are for daily and nightly use.

The EGF Collagen Ampoule from The Skin House, a Korean skincare brand dating back to 1979 known for its use and development of "scientifically proven ingredients for skin," is an ampoule aimed at anti-aging.

Its main ingredient is EGF (epidermal growth factor), a healing agent that restores damaged skin. It also contains adenosine, which serves an anti-wrinkle function, according to the company.

EGF is a natural protein in our skin cells that aims to heal the skin by promoting DNA synthesis and cell proliferation, explains The Klog website.

This superlight ampoule, which aims to minimize wrinkles, dark spots, fine lines and sagginess, has a light and clean feel, quickly absorbing onto the skin.

Read more: Newsweek