Olive Young Shopping Guide: Choosing Products, Payment and Tax Refunds

If this is your first visit, these categories are a good place to start:

• Skincare: cleansers, toners, serums, lotions, and creams
• Sun care: sunscreen, sun sticks, and sun cushions
• Makeup: cushions, lip products, and eye makeup
• Hair and body care: shampoo, treatments, body wash, and hand cream
• Beauty tools: puffs, brushes, and nail tools
• Health products: vitamins and dietary supplements

These groupings follow the product menu of Olive Young's official English online store. An online store's categories do not tell you what a particular branch has on its shelves, so ask a staff member if you cannot find the section you want.

Even where items carry discount or promotion tags, stock and promotional prices can vary by store and date. If you are looking for a specific item, check availability in advance.

If Korean product names are unfamiliar, check the following information on the package:

• Product type and intended use
• Directions and recommended frequency
• Key ingredients and possible allergens
• Size and expiration date
• Shade number or skin-tone information
• Whether the package is sealed

If a tester is available, apply only a small amount to the back of your hand. Check the ingredients and warnings before applying anything to your face. If you are sensitive to fragrance or a particular ingredient, ask a staff member to help you read the ingredient list.

Terms such as “brightening,” “wrinkle care,” and “UV protection” describe the product’s labeled function or claim. They do not guarantee the same result for everyone, so choose according to your skin condition and purpose.

Before checkout, ask the staff:

• Whether foreign cards are accepted
• Whether the store offers a tax refund
• Whether the refund is immediate or requires a separate process
• Whether you need your physical passport
• What the exchange and refund conditions are

A tax refund for international visitors is not automatically available at every store or for every product. Participating stores, purchase conditions, visitor eligibility, and refund methods depend on current rules and the store’s system. The Korea Tourism Organization explains that an immediate refund can remove the need to visit a separate refund counter at an airport or port, but you should confirm availability at the store before paying.

If you plan to claim a tax refund, keep your physical passport and receipt available. A refund may not be possible if some items are not eligible or if the store’s procedure is not followed.

The Korea Tourism Organization describes the tax refund in two forms: buying at a tax-free shop without paying the tax, or receiving a refund after the purchase.

• Immediate refund: handled at checkout, so you do not need to stop at a refund counter at the airport or port before leaving. It suits travellers with a tight departure day or who would rather not queue at the airport.
• Refund after purchase: if the store cannot refund immediately, ask staff which document you will be given and where you claim the refund, then keep the receipt and that document until you leave Korea. The procedure and location are not set out in this guide's sources, so confirm them in the store.

A summer 2025 discount promotion on the same page listed the participating stores offering the immediate refund on a separate map, and limited the offer to international customers eligible for immediate refunds. In other words, do not assume every store or every visitor qualifies in the same way.

That promotion's coupon required showing your physical passport to staff before checkout, and it could not be used at self-checkout kiosks — only at staffed counters. That was a condition of a time-limited offer, not a standing rule. Still, for any payment that depends on a person checking your passport or refund eligibility, asking at a staffed counter before paying is more dependable than starting at a kiosk.

If your card is declined: do not keep retrying the same payment. Ask staff whether you can use another card or cash. The step-by-step response to a declined foreign card is in the foreign-card guide linked above.

If you are told a refund is not available: it helps to find out before the payment is complete. If you were counting on the refund, decide again before paying; if you have already paid, keep the receipt and check the exchange and refund conditions.

If you buy several liquid or gel products, check your airline’s baggage rules. Whether an item can be carried into the cabin depends on the product, container size, and airline policy.

If you will not use a product immediately, keep it sealed and save the receipt. Exchange and refund policies can vary by product and store, so ask before completing your purchase.

1. 1

   Choose the category you need.

2. 2

   Check testers and ingredients.

3. 3

   Confirm the size, shade, and expiration date.

4. 4

   At a staffed counter, ask about payment, the tax-refund method and whether you need your passport.

5. 5

   Have your passport ready and keep the receipt, plus any refund document you are given.

6. 6

   Pack your purchases safely for travel.