Menthol: what it is in skincare
⚡ Quick answer: A mint-derived ingredient that gives a cooling tingle but can irritate sensitive or compromised skin.
A mint-derived ingredient that gives a cooling tingle but can irritate sensitive or compromised skin.
What it does
Function: sensory / cooling agent. Specialised functional ingredients that round out modern K-beauty formulas.
Heads-up flags
- fragrance
- sensitive-skin-caution
How to spot it on a label
On a Korean product's INCI list, look for Menthol. Ingredients are listed high-to-low by amount, so its position hints at how much is in the formula. See all other functional ingredients →
Explore the full K-beauty hub →✍️ Written & reviewed by the KoreaPlus Editorial team — dermatologist-informed, cosmetic-science researched & source-cited. Last reviewed 2026-06-21.
General educational information using cosmetic structure-function wording — not medical advice. Always patch-test new actives. © KoreaPlus.