Today, we’re thrilled to announce that beloved K-beauty brand BELIF is joining the Skin Cupid family! 

Founded in 2010, BELIF offers a comprehensive range of skincare products, including cleansers, serums, moisturisers, and eye creams, and pride themselves on honesty, simplicity, and transparency. They’re committed not just to innovation, but to delivering high-quality ingredients and ultra-effective formulas that eschew harmful ingredients like sulfates, phthalates, parabens, and mineral oils.  The subject of plenty of online hype – especially for their two True Creams, the Aqua Bomb and the Moisturising Bomb - the brand has a significant social media following and presence in both Asia and the West, with physical stores in Asia, Europe, and North America. 

But their famous formulas are actually inspired by a place a little closer to home for Skin Cupid - Scotland. The brand’s Original Formula, a blend of natural extracts which showcases the skin-boosting power of plants, herbs, and flowers, is made entirely with ingredients that are grown on the BELIF farm in Edinburgh, which is carefully managed by professional horticulturalists to ensure maximum quality. 

BELIF also collaborates with the Royal Botanical Garden Edinburgh (RBGE), a storied institution first founded in 1670 as a herb garden for growing medicinal plants.  Now a leading specialist in botanical research, the RBGE works to preserve biodiversity using knowledge accumulated over centuries. 

Itself founded by a team of herbalists, scientists, and cosmetic formulators, BELIF combines the principles of herbal medicine with modern biotechnology and gentle extraction processes, to create skincare that looks towards both the future and the past; they describe their practice as “Korean skincare perfected through a natural lens”. Harnessing the natural efficacy of ingredients like Rosemary, Rosehip, and other lesser-seen plants and herbs (which we’ll discuss later in this post), BELIF prioritises long-term skin health and sustainable beauty routines over quick fixes, and all of their products go through rigorous testing before being released onto the market. 

Inspired by BELIF’s unique backstory (and their insistence that “natural [doesn’t have] to be boring!”), in this post we’re going to run down some of the unique apothecary-inspired ingredients and ingredient blends that feature in the brand’s products – what they are, what they’re good for, and which products you can find them in. 

BELIF’s Original Formula

BELIF’s Original Formula is BELIF’s key formula! A blend of herbs, plants, and fruit leaves, it works on three fronts: helping to keep skin hydration levels high, providing protection against free-radical damage that can accelerate the skin ageing process, and helping to fight blemishes. 

Contains:

Thymus Vulgaris (Thyme) Leaf Extract: This herbal extract has excellent skin-purifying, antibacterial, and soothing properties, and also helps to regulate excess sebum secretion to balance oily skin. 

Eucalyptus Globulus (Eucalyptus) Leaf Extract: Eucalyptus Leaf Extract strengthens the skin’s natural moisture barrier to lock in hydration and relieve dry, flaky skin. It also has excellent wound-healing properties, helping to regenerate damaged tissue faster. 

Rosa Canina (Rosehip) Fruit Extract: Rosehip is rich in Vitamin C and astringent components, which help balance skin sebum levels.

Rosmarinus Officinalis (Rosemary) Leaf Water: Antibacterial, anti-inflammatory, antioxidant-rich, and astringent, the active component in Rosemary Leaf Water, Rosmarinic Acid, prevents bacteria from getting into the pores and causing breakouts, soothes redness, protects skin from premature ageing, and tones the skin. 

Mentha Rotundifolia (Apple Mint) Leaf Extract: Antibacterial Apple Mint Leaf Extract boosts skin moisture and skin radiance while also helping to prevent breakouts.

Melissa Officinalis (Lemon Balm) Flower/Leaf/Stem Water: Rich in antioxidants such as flavonoids, Lemon Balm works to slow skin ageing. 

But that’s not all - here’s a look at some of the other more unique herbal/plant-based ingredients in BELIF’s formulas. 

Althaea Officinalis (Marsh Mallow) Root Extract: With a long history in traditional and herbal medicinal practices, Marsh Mallow Root is also a formidable emollient thanks to its root’s polysaccharide-filled mucilage. These polysaccharides help smooth and encourage water-binding within the skin, while the mucilage itself – a thick, gummy-like substance – forms a protective barrier between the skin and damaging external factors, making this extract particularly soothing for eczema- and rosacea-prone complexions. Research also indicates that Marsh Mallow Root helps to preserve the skin’s natural supply of Hyaluronic Acid by protecting it from the enzymes that seek to break it down. Aside from its skin-softening properties, Marsh Mallow Root is also plentiful in antioxidants to fend off visible signs of ageing like fine lines, wrinkles, and dark spots.  

Found in: Aqua Bomb Makeup Removing Cleansing Balm

Calluna Vulgaris (Common Heather) Flower Extract: Rich in anti-inflammatory compounds like ursolic acid and flavonols, Common Heather Flower helps calm redness, irritation, and sensitivity, making it especially beneficial for stressed or reactive skin. Its antioxidant-rich phenolic compounds shield the skin from free radical damage and environmental stressors, helping to maintain a healthy, youthful glow. Beyond protection, Heather Extract also has nourishing and conditioning properties, enhancing the skin’s bounce and suppleness for a naturally refreshed look. Traditionally used in herbal remedies for detoxification and inflammation, modern studies suggest it may also have anti-ageing and antimicrobial benefits. 

Found in: Aqua Bomb Sleeping Mask

Dipsacus Sylvetris (Wild Teasel) Extract: Steeped in tradition, Teasel has long been associated with beauty – historically, women would collect the dew from its leaves before sunrise, believing it held youth-preserving magic. They weren’t wrong – this radiance-boosting botanical is packed with antioxidants that help protect the skin from environmental stressors and premature aging. Known for its energising properties, Teasel Extract works to revive tired, dull complexions, promoting a healthy, luminous glow. Some studies suggest it can also help minimise the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles, making it a great addition to any age-defying skincare routine. 

Found in: Aqua Bomb Sleeping Mask

Chrysanthemum Parthenium (Feverfew) Extract: Celebrated for its ability to calm redness and irritation, Feverfew Extract is a go-to for sensitive and reactive skin types. Rich in protective phytochemicals, it helps shield the skin from free radicals, reducing the impact of environmental stressors that contribute to premature aging. Its soothing and anti-ageing benefits make it a great addition to any routine, helping to maintain smooth, firm, and resilient skin.

Found in: Aqua Bomb Sleeping Mask

Myristica Fragrans (Nutmeg) Extract: Not just a kitchen staple, Nutmeg is also a holy-grail ingredient when it comes to skincare. With its antimicrobial and anti-inflammatory properties, it’s especially great for acne-prone skin, helping to fight breakouts, reduce redness, and clear clogged pores. It also acts as a gentle natural exfoliant, sloughing away dead skin cells to smooth skin texture and boost radiance. Packed with antioxidants, nutmeg helps shield the skin from free radical damage, which means it can slow down signs of aging like fine lines and dark spots. Plus, it has a natural brightening effect, giving your complexion a fresh, luminous glow.

Found in: Aqua Bomb Makeup Removing Cleansing Balm, Super Drops - Retinol & Peptide Barrier Serum, The True Cream – Aqua Bomb

Viscum Album (Mistletoe) Extract: Mistletoe’s most promising skincare benefit is the ability of some of its active compounds to inhibit the action of tyrosinase, a copper-containing enzyme that plays a vital role in melanin synthesis (the chemical responsible for skin pigmentation). By hindering or reducing melanin production in the skin, Mistletoe Extract contributes to a brighter, more even skin tone. Mistletoe Extract’s skin-softening properties are also beneficial for mature, sensitive, and rough-textured complexions. 

Found in: Super Drops – Multi-7 Hyaluronic Hydrating Serum, Super Drops – 5% Niacinamide and Vitamin C Brightening Serum, The True Cream – Moisturising Bomb 

Chondrus Chrispus (Irish Moss) Extract: Also known as Irish Moss, Chondrus Crispus is a small species of red algae found on rocky shores and in tide pools on the Atlantic coasts of Europe and North America. This powerhouse ingredient boasts a high polysaccharide content that helps to maintain the skin’s moisture barrier and inhibit water loss, and also contains an array of vitamins and minerals (including Vitamins A, C, E, and K, and iodine, calcium, magnesium, and zinc), which work in various ways to optimise skin health. It is rich in antioxidants like zeaxanthin and lutein, which help to shield skin against external aggressors and blue light damage, and contains a compound called carrageenan that forms a film over the skin, for further protection against pollution and UV rays. Recent research also suggests that it may contribute to anti-ageing action within the skin by stimulating collagen production. 

Found in: Aqua Bomb Eye Gel

Imperata Cylindrica (Cogon Grass) Root Extract:  Also known as Japanese Blood Grass Root Extract, Cogon Grass Root Extract is derived from a water-based plant and is most beneficial for treating dry, dehydrated, and sensitive complexions, as well as skin showing signs of premature ageing like fine lines. Its ability to deliver long-lasting moisture to skin is thanks to a cocktail of osmoprotective chemicals – that is, chemicals that help prevent damage to cells experiencing osmotic stress, helping to survive in situations such as drought or extreme salinity. These chemicals, which include 3-dimethlsulfoniopropionate, potassium, sugars and starch, accumulate in cells to match the osmotic pressure of the surrounding environment, preventing water loss (or excess water gain). Helping to increase skin moisture and hydration, it consequently works to soothe irritation, smooth areas with rough texture, and soften the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles. 

Found in: Super Drops – Multi-7 Hyaluronic Hydrating Serum, Super Drops – 5% Niacinamide and Vitamin C Brightening Serum, The True Cream – Moisturising Bomb