Torriden

Torriden is a Korean skincare brand run from Daejeon by Torriden Co., Ltd. It organises its range by the ingredient each line is built on: DIVE IN for hyaluronic acid, BALANCEFUL for cica, SOLID IN for ceramide, and CELLMAZING for collagen and vitamin C.

The brand counts in fives, and is specific about what it counts. DIVE IN runs on what Torriden calls 5D multi low-molecular hyaluronic acid, and the cream page spells that out: five sizes of molecule, from high molecular weight down to low, named one by one as sodium hyaluronate, hydrolyzed hyaluronic acid, sodium acetylated hyaluronate, sodium hyaluronate crosspolymer and hydrolyzed sodium hyaluronate.

BALANCEFUL applies the same arithmetic to centella. Its toner pad carries a 5D Cica Complex — centella asiatica extract, madecassoside, asiatic acid, madecassic acid and asiaticoside — over capryloyl salicylic acid and gluconolactone, an LHA and a PHA.

Three are worth unpacking: molecular weight, what naming the five gives you, and what two acids add to a pad built for calming.

Start with molecular weight, the claim doing most work. Larger hyaluronic acid sits at the surface and holds water there; smaller travels further into the outer layers. Different weights settle at different depths, which is why a blend beats a single size — and why a line named low-molecular still runs from high weight downward. The ampoule below is built the same way, with eight hyaluronic acid entries.

Naming five forms is checkable rather than take-it-on-trust, and it tells you the formula spans sizes rather than leaning on one — that span is the part worth having. Read the list for the amounts: the ampoule and the lip mask below each name eight.

The cica pad is a two-for-one. An LHA and a PHA are exfoliating acids, so alongside the calming complex it also does a gentle resurfacing pass — soothing and smoothing in one step. The pad below carries the same five, with calamine and succinic acid instead.

Hydration and dryness are two jobs, both solvable. Hyaluronic acid handles dehydration; genuinely dry skin is short of lipids and wants an oil or a richer cream over the top. The ceramide cream below is that step.

We don't carry Torriden itself, but for each of these jobs we send an alternative we rate highly.

For Torriden's DIVE IN Serum: apply an even amount over the face and pat it in — the brand also suggests layering the serum, then resting a DIVE IN Multi Pad on top for three to five minutes. The DIVE IN Cream goes on the same way. For the BALANCEFUL Toner Pad: after washing, wipe the face with the embossed side, away from the eyes, go over once more with the other side, then pat in whatever toner is left. The picks above run in that order: pad, ampoule, creams, lip care last.