Skin analysis in Seoul has become one of the more practical K-beauty experiences for visitors who want to understand their skin before filling a basket at Olive Young.
I booked Seoulistique’s Extended Skin Analysis at its Seongsu studio in Seoul for under £50, and later tried the free Olive Young skin analysis in Busan. This review covers what the analysis revealed, how useful the advice was when shopping for skincare, and how Seoulistique compares with the free Olive Young skin analysis.
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What is skin analysis?
A skin analysis in South Korea can help you understand your skin’s moisture levels, oiliness, pores, pigmentation and wrinkles, giving you a starting point for choosing skincare. Services range from free Olive Young skin scans to paid consultations with skincare specialists or dermatologists, depending on the provider, where you can discuss your results and get advice on your routine. Part of the appeal is putting that advice to use while shopping for Korean skincare. These cosmetic assessments focus on guiding skincare choices; although they do not replace a medical consultation to diagnose or treat a skin condition.
How much does skin analysis cost?
At Seoulistique, Basic Skin Analysis cost approximately £24 and included the professional scan and one-to-one consultation. The Extended Skin Analysis cost approximately £47 including personalised Olive Young product recommendations. I chose the latter because I wanted to know which ingredients and types of products I should look for. (Prices are correct at time of writing)
Olive Young offers free in-store skin-analysis services at selected branches, offering both self-service scans and consultant-led services. The skin scan I tried was in Busan, so my experience is specifically of that branch which I compare later in this article.
Olive Young free skin scan analysis
What happens during Seoulistique’s extended skin analysis?
My extended skin analysis began with a brief discussion about my skin and existing concerns before I placed my face inside the JANUS Pro machine. It photographs the face under normal, polarised and UV light to capture different features of the skin.
The images were used to assess pores, texture, oil and moisture, pigmentation, UV spots, wrinkles, elasticity, redness and skin tone. The process itself was quick and non-invasive. Most of the appointment was spent afterwards, when the consultant worked through the results, explained which concerns should take priority and translated those findings into skincare advice.
I received a detailed report in English, allowing me to revisit the scores and images after leaving Seoul rather than trying to remember everything from the appointment. I was also given a separate skincare sheet summarising my main concerns, ingredients to look for and a suggested morning and evening routine. The consultant then showed me exact product recommendations on the Olive Young website.
JANUS Pro facial skin analysis machine at Seoulistique in Seoul
What did my Seoulistique skin analysis reveal?
I was almost 35 when I had the analysis, while the JANUS Pro calculated my overall skin age as 37. Rather than relying on that single headline figure, the report broke the result down across visible pigmentation, underlying UV spots, elasticity, nasolabial folds, pores, wrinkles, texture, skin tone, moisture and redness. That made it easier to see which areas were actually influencing the overall score.
Although the results initially painted a fairly negative picture, the consultant was quick to put them into context. She explained that dehydration could be contributing to some of the concerns and recommended hydration and barrier support. The report itself described my moisture levels as adequate, so this was advice from the consultation rather than a low moisture reading on the scan.
Pigmentation and UV-related changes were the clearest priorities. The visible pigmentation was not entirely surprising because I have freckles, but the scan also showed UV spots beneath the surface that were considerably higher than the average for my age group. It highlighted enlarged pores around my cheeks and nose, along with reduced elasticity around the cheeks and nasolabial area. Texture, skin tone and redness were comparatively less concerning.
My skin was classified as ORPW: oily, resistant, pigmented and wrinkled. In practical terms, this meant that my skin could produce sufficient oil while still lacking water, which helped explain why hydration and barrier support featured so prominently in the recommendations. The classification also reflected the pigmentation and early signs of ageing identified elsewhere in the report.
Did the analysis help with skincare shopping?
Olive Young can be extremely overwhelming, with entire aisles of unfamiliar products competing for attention and ingredients such as PDRN appearing everywhere. Before the appointment, it would have been easy to choose according to packaging, popularity or whatever was currently trending. Afterwards, I had a much clearer way to filter products based on what my skin actually needed.
How did Seoulistique compare with Olive Young’s free skin analysis?
I later tried the free Olive Young skin scan at its Busan Jeonpo Station branch, which uses ChoiceDx technology from ChoiceTech Korea. I followed the on-screen instructions, placing the handheld camera against my skin before the machine took several photos of my face, a little like being in a photobooth.
The free Olive Young scan covered much of the same ground as my paid analysis. Both identified my skin as oily, estimated my skin age and highlighted pores and pigmentation as concerns. They differed on moisture, which Olive Young flagged as needing attention but the Seoulistique report described as adequate, and their skin-age estimates were five years apart.
Olive Young covered six main categories: moisture, pores, pigmentation, wrinkles, sensitivity and sebum. Seoulistique assessed many of the same things, but also covered elasticity, texture, skin tone, redness, nasolabial folds and porphyrins. It separated visible pigmentation from UV spots and included detailed facial images and regional findings, giving me a clearer picture of where particular concerns appeared.
At Olive Young, I could access my results on my phone using a QR code, including care tips and a link to recommended products. The kiosk also suggested showing my results to staff for personalised analysis and product recommendations, but I didn’t do this as the store was busy.
At Seoulistique, I received a 16-page English-language report, a one-to-one explanation and a written morning and evening skincare routine, alongside ingredient guidance and specific Olive Young product recommendations.
If you mainly want an overview of your skin before shopping, I’d start with the free Olive Young scan. For me, paying for Seoulistique made sense because I wanted a fuller explanation and a written routine I could follow afterwards. Olive Young also offered staff advice, which I didn’t try, so I can’t say how that would compare with the consultation I paid for.
Olive Young free skin analysis results
Was Seoulistique’s Extended Skin Analysis worth £47?
Yes, for what I wanted from the appointment. I found value in the combination of the JANUS Pro results, the English-language report, the consultant’s explanation and the recommendations I could continue using at home.
The basic analysis would probably be sufficient for someone who mainly wants to understand their skin type and primary concerns. The extended package makes more sense if you’re planning to shop for skincare, want specific product and ingredient guidance or regularly struggle to decide which concerns should take priority.
