One of my favorite things about being a beauty editor is discovering brands I'd otherwise never know about. Recently, a trip to Formula Fig inspired my newest obsession. My aesthetician there told me about one of the industry's best-kept secrets: Venn. She just happened to use the brand's Red Oil Serum ($140) on my very dehydrated, irritated complexion, and I immediately fell in love. I, of course, had to ask what she used, and when she told me about the brand, I knew I was going to love the rest of its line just as much.
Inspired by 25 years of skincare research and formulation science in South Korea, it features one of the most advanced innovation ecosystems coming up in the beauty space, according to Brian Oh, the brand's cofounder and CEO. "What that body of research consistently demonstrates is that results depend on formulation architecture, not just ingredient selection," he shares. "It's not enough to include a powerful active. It must be stabilized, delivered effectively, and supported by complementary ingredients that allow it to perform optimally within the skin."
Basically, Venn's delivery system is supercharged, making it incredibly effective at delivering quick results. "We apply that philosophy through advanced delivery systems such as nanoemulsions, biofermented actives, and growth factor alternatives," he further explains. "We focus on optimizing absorption, strengthening the skin barrier, and encouraging collagen support and visible resilience over time."
At this point in my career, I've tried a lot of products, but none are quite as great as the ones from this brand. While many make similar claims, they rarely deliver as well as Venn IMHO. Oh says that if you take anything away from the brand, it should be its focus on longevity. "Korean research has long centered on maintaining skin health at a structural level—supporting regeneration, elasticity, and balance—so that skin looks stronger and more refined year after year, not just temporarily luminous," he adds.
I've had a chance to sample some of the brand's offerings, and below are the ones that will always have a spot on my vanity.
The texture of this cleanser is so unique and light on the skin. It almost feels like a lotion—so much so that you don't even feel like you're cleansing your skin. It takes some getting used to if you usually use a foaming cleanser, but it leaves my skin so hydrated and never stripped, which is a huge plus for anyone with a damaged skin barrier or skin that's dehydrated like mine.
It contains no surfactants and uses humectants with particle sizes five to 10 sizes smaller than the average pore to cleanse deep in the skin while keeping it soft and hydrated. Antioxidants, PHAs, and fruit enzymes round out the formula.
This is another perfect formula for anyone dealing with redness, dehydration, breakouts, and overall stressed skin. It includes a winning combination of prebiotics, probiotic ferments, and postbiotics to strengthen the skin barrier and hydrate the skin. A hefty dose of centella asiatica actively repairs and soothes redness. It calms redness almost instantly and is great to use after a sunburn or in-office treatment.
This is one of my holy-grail items from the brand. I saw results after using this product for only a week. It uses a nanoemulsion delivery system to really lift, firm, and smooth the complexion. PDRN (polydeoxyribonucleotide) is such a hot ingredient right now, and I can tell you firsthand it's worth the hype. It's one of the few products I've used that improved my skin damage in record time. While it's definitely pricey, I can say it's well worth it if you deal with any type of skin damage.
Oh told me a little more about why this particular formula is so magical. "PDRN is powerful because it works in harmony with the skin's natural renewal pathways rather than simply resurfacing it," he says. "It's known for supporting skin-repair mechanisms and improving the appearance of elasticity and texture. In our Rejuvenative PDRN-NE Ampoule, we pair highly purified PDRN with a nanoemulsion delivery system designed to enhance stability and absorption, allowing the ingredient to interact more effectively with the skin. What makes the formula particularly effective is the ecosystem around it. We combine PDRN with barrier-reinforcing lipids, humectants, and regenerative-supporting actives so the skin is not only stimulated but [also] structurally supported. Over consistent use, this helps improve the look of firmness, smoothness, and overall vitality. The visible results people often notice within a month reflect more than surface glow—they indicate improved skin resilience and balance."
This superstar oil-serum was my introduction to the brand. My aesthetician used it on my skin after a facial (along with a few of the brand's other offerings during the facial), and the first thing I noticed was how good it smelled. Second, it's one of the most hydrating things I've ever used—like a tall drink of water for your skin. It features Korean extracts fermented for 150 hours to improve absorption and performance. It's rich in antioxidants, phytochemicals, vitamins, and minerals to leave skin firmer and more radiant.
Even after just one use, my skin had a luminous glow and stayed hydrated for hours. Besides the PDRN, this is my other holy-grail item from the brand.
This all-in-one moisturizer is amazing because it allows you to keep your routine super simple. It acts as three or more products in one, delivering next-level youth-enhancing benefits. It's packed with antioxidants, peptides, and hero Korean ingredient ginseng to brighten and firm the skin.
I was initially a little worried such a powerhouse product would be too heavy for my acne-prone skin, but this is surprisingly lightweight for how jam-packed it is with actives. It feels so silky on the skin and leaves it so hydrated and soft. I was beyond impressed. Yes, it's one of the brand's most expensive offerings, but because it allows you to skip other products and provides so much of what you need in one, it's worth it, right? You're actually saving money in the long run. Girl math!
A good eye cream is an absolute must in my book, and this one is the crème de la crème. The texture is so buttery and quickly improves the appearance of fine lines around the eye area. It doesn't stop there, either. It also helps with under-eye bags, dark circles, and puffiness, making it the perfect morning perk-up for your skin.
Normally, I'm not huge on face mists because I feel like they waste a lot of product, but this is one of the few I wholeheartedly support. As a pro tip, I spray this into my hands first before applying it, and that helps decrease the potential for product waste.
This supports a healthy skin microbiome with pre- and probiotics that restore the skin barrier. It's another great tool to have in your arsenal if you struggle with dehydration and barrier damage. This, when used with the Probiotics Serum, is complete magic.
This is another product from the brand that truly does it all. It's a treatment mask that exfoliates and gently clarifies the skin. Fruit enzymes, PHAs, bakuchiol, and 17 different amino acids give your complexion a complete reset. Not only that, but it also adds a dose of soluble collagen to plump and rejuvenate the skin.
My skin is extremely sensitive, so it's hard to find retinols and exfoliants that work for my skin without causing major irritation, but this formula is perfect. It's super effective at clearing those little breakouts along my jaw area without causing dehydration or further disruption to my barrier. To say I'm obsessed is an understatement.
This is a powerful vitamin C alternative that offers all the same benefits without being irritating or becoming unstable over time. It features Venn's incredible delivery technology along with ginsenoside, the supercharged antioxidant component found in Panax ginseng. It also has five different types of hyaluronic acid, peptides, and vitamins that really brighten, strengthen the skin, and reduce wrinkles and the size of pores.