ROUND LAB: Deep-Sea Minerals, Birch Sap, and Skincare That Trusts Its Ingredients

ROUND LAB is the Korean brand that put an island's coordinates on a toner bottle — and then let the ingredient list carry the rest of the conversation. No hero character on the packaging, no serum promising to rewrite your skin. Just deep-sea water from Dokdo, birch sap tapped in Inje, and formulas short enough to read out loud.

If you've spent any time on Korean skincare Reddit or K-beauty TikTok, ROUND LAB has probably scrolled past you a hundred times: the pale blue toner, the mint-green Birch Juice cream, the fat-tube Pine Cica cleansing oil. What's less obvious from the outside is why so many Korean users keep it on their shelf for years — not as the exciting bottle, but as the reliable one. That's what this piece is about: the sourcing story, the ingredients that actually matter, and the products worth knowing before you build a routine. Everything below is shipped from Seoul by our team at Kool Seoul, tracked DHL Express, free above $150.

Where ROUND LAB actually comes from (the Dokdo Island water story)

Most K-beauty brands lead with a founder or a slogan. ROUND LAB leads with a source. The signature 1025 Dokdo line takes its name from coordinates near Dokdo — a small rocky island group in the East Sea — and uses deep-sea water drawn from that region as its base. Deep-sea water in Korean skincare isn't just marketing shorthand: it's water pulled from depths below sunlight, naturally rich in minerals like magnesium and calcium, and used for hydration and soothing formulas across many local brands. ROUND LAB was one of the first to build a whole line around it.

ROUND LAB — 1025 Dokdo Cleanser 150mlLow-pH gel cleanser with Dokdo deep-sea water. Soft foam, no squeaky finish.$20Shop now →

The Birch Juice line takes a similar route inland: instead of aloe or plain water, the first ingredient is birch sap tapped from birch trees in Inje-gun, a mountainous region in Gangwon Province. The Pine Cica range leans on Korean pine extract with centella asiatica. What ties everything together isn't a magical hero molecule — it's a preference for a single, traceable botanical base doing most of the heavy lifting, with the rest of the formula built to support it rather than distract from it.

The signature ingredients that do the work (deep-sea minerals, birch sap, pine cica)

Three ingredient families define ROUND LAB, and it's worth understanding what each one is actually good at before you shop.

Deep-sea mineral water (1025 Dokdo line) — Used as the base water in place of purified water. Its appeal is mineral content and a light, non-tacky feel on skin. Formulas in this line trend toward hydration and barrier support: the 1025 Dokdo Toner is often the first product people try, followed by the cream and the sun cream.

ROUND LAB — Birch Juice Moisturizing Toner 300mlBirch sap as first ingredient. Watery, slightly sweet finish. Layers well.$30Shop now →

Birch sap (Birch Juice line) — Birch sap is the clear liquid tapped from birch trees in early spring; ROUND LAB uses it as the leading ingredient in place of aqua. In practice, the line reads as very hydrating without being heavy. The Birch Juice Moisturizing Toner is watery and drinks in fast; the Birch Juice Moisturizing Cream is a lighter, more gel-like texture than the 1025 Dokdo Cream — good for combination skin or warmer months.

Pine extract + cica (Pine Cica line) — Cica (Centella asiatica) is a familiar K-beauty comfort ingredient, associated with calming and barrier support. ROUND LAB pairs it with Korean pine to target congestion and reactive skin. The Pine Cica Deep Pore Cleansing Oil is one of the most-repurchased items in this line — it's a lightweight oil that emulsifies cleanly, which is the point of a first cleanse.

Hero products worth knowing (1025 Dokdo, Birch Juice, Pine Cica)

If you're new to the brand, these are the ones we'd point at first. Everything here is currently in stock at Kool Seoul, shipped from Seoul.

ROUND LAB — 1025 Dokdo Cream 80mlRich but not greasy. The go-to for dehydrated, sensitive or winter skin.$33Shop now →

The 1025 Dokdo Cream is the anchor of the line — dense, cushiony, and better on drier skin types or in cold weather. If you prefer something lighter or your skin runs oilier, the Birch Juice Moisturizing Cream is a better call. For a first cleanse, the 1025 Dokdo Cleansing Balm melts sunscreen and light makeup without leaving a film, and the Birch Juice Moisturizing Cleanser is a gentle second-cleanse gel that doesn't strip.

ROUND LAB — 1025 Dokdo Cleansing Balm 50mlSolid balm that turns to oil in seconds. Rinses without residue.$31Shop now →

For SPF, the 1025 Dokdo Sun Cream is the classic — high protection, soft-matte finish, no strong scent, no white cast on most skin tones. It's one of the most quietly popular Korean sunscreens sold internationally, and there's a reason: it just works, day after day, without drama. The Birch Juice Moisturizing Sunscreen is a hydrating chemical SPF variant if you want more slip.

ROUND LAB — 1025 Dokdo Sun Cream 50mlDaily SPF with a clean, soft-matte finish. Comfortable to reapply.$27Shop now →

Rounding out the hero list: the 1025 Dokdo Sleeping Pack for overnight hydration that isn't sticky, the 1025 Dokdo Eye Cream for a light dedicated eye product, the Bir Birch Water Soothing Gel as a big-tub gel for post-sun or post-active soothing, the Pine Cica Deep Pore Cleansing Oil for oil cleansing, the Birch Juice Moisturizing Cream for lighter days, and the more recent Dongbaek Deep Collagen PDRN Milky Toner for anyone curious about ROUND LAB's move into gentler firming territory.

Who ROUND LAB is really for — and who it isn't

ROUND LAB tends to suit people who want their routine to be short and their formulas to be uncomplicated. If your skin is normal-to-dry, sensitive, dehydrated, or reactive to fragrance, the 1025 Dokdo and Birch Juice lines are an easy landing spot. If you're combination-oily, the Birch Juice line and the Pine Cica cleansers usually feel better than the richer 1025 Dokdo textures.

Who it's not for: if you're chasing strong actives — high-percentage vitamin C, prescription-strength retinoids, exfoliating serums — ROUND LAB is not built for that. It's a supporting cast brand: it repairs and hydrates around the actives you use elsewhere. Also, if you enjoy fragrance-forward skincare as a sensory experience, ROUND LAB will feel plain. The whole brand is engineered to disappear on skin, not to perfume it.

How to build a ROUND LAB routine (AM + PM)

A ROUND LAB routine doesn't need to be seven steps. Two of the most common shelves we see look like this.

Dry / sensitive skin, cold weather: AM — 1025 Dokdo Cleanser, 1025 Dokdo Toner or Birch Juice Toner, Bir Birch Water Soothing Gel, 1025 Dokdo Cream, 1025 Dokdo Sun Cream. PM — 1025 Dokdo Cleansing Balm as first cleanse, 1025 Dokdo Cleanser as second, toner, eye cream, cream, and Sleeping Pack once or twice a week for a hydration push.

ROUND LAB — 1025 Dokdo Sleeping Pack 100mlOvernight hydration mask. Sinks in, doesn't stick to pillows.$27Shop now →

Combination / oily skin, warmer weather: AM — Birch Juice Moisturizing Cleanser, Birch Juice Toner, Birch Juice Moisturizing Cream (thin layer), Birch Juice Moisturizing Sunscreen. PM — Pine Cica Deep Pore Cleansing Oil first, Birch Juice Cleanser second, toner, cream. Any actives (retinol, exfoliating acids, vitamin C serums from other brands) slot in between toner and cream, alternating nights.

What to expect in the first few weeks

ROUND LAB is not a "transformation in seven days" brand and it doesn't try to be. What most people notice in the first two to three weeks is calmer skin: less tightness after cleansing, less mid-day dryness, less reaction to sunscreen or makeup. Redness tends to fade slowly rather than dramatically. If you're switching from a heavily fragranced routine or from actives that were pushing your barrier, the difference can feel bigger — because the brand is essentially a reset.

What it won't do quickly: fade pigmentation, refine strong texture, or replace a targeted acne routine. For those goals, ROUND LAB is a good base layer around more targeted products.

ROUND LAB — frequently asked questions

Is ROUND LAB actually made in Korea?

Yes. ROUND LAB is a Korean brand founded in 2018, formulated and manufactured in Korea. Our stock at Kool Seoul is bought locally in Seoul and shipped from there by DHL Express.

What does the "1025" in 1025 Dokdo mean?

ROUND LAB has communicated that "1025" is a reference to October 25th, the Korean date historically associated with Dokdo, tying the line to the island the water is sourced from.

Is the 1025 Dokdo line good for sensitive or acne-prone skin?

It's often recommended for both, because the formulas are low-fragrance, low-irritation and hydration-focused. It won't treat acne, but it tends to be well tolerated as a base routine while you use targeted acne products elsewhere.

What's the difference between the 1025 Dokdo line and the Birch Juice line?

Both are hydrating and gentle. 1025 Dokdo uses deep-sea mineral water and generally reads richer and more soothing; Birch Juice uses birch sap and reads lighter, more watery, better for combination skin or warmer weather.

Can I layer ROUND LAB with actives like retinol or vitamin C?

Yes. ROUND LAB products are typically fragrance-light and non-active themselves, which makes them easy to layer around retinoids, vitamin C or exfoliating acids from other brands. Apply the active first, then the ROUND LAB toner and cream.

Is Round Lab fragrance-free?

Most of the 1025 Dokdo and Birch Juice hero products are unscented or very lightly scented from botanical extracts. If you're strictly fragrance-free, check the ingredient list of the specific product before buying.

Is the Birch Juice Moisturizing Sunscreen a chemical or mineral SPF?

The Birch Juice Moisturizing Sunscreen is a chemical SPF with a hydrating, comfortable finish. If you prefer mineral, look at the Pine Tree Calming Cica Mineral Sunscreen instead.

How long does a bottle of the 1025 Dokdo Toner or Birch Juice Toner last?

The Birch Juice Toner comes in a generous 300ml bottle. Used morning and night with hands, most people finish a bottle in roughly two to three months.

Our ROUND LAB selection at Kool Seoul

Each reference below is in stock and shipped from Seoul. Tap any product to shop.

Shop all ROUND LAB →

Why shop ROUND LAB at Kool Seoul

— Seo-yeon, team Kool Seoul · sourced from Seoul, shipped worldwide