I Found Round Lab Dokdo Cleanser at Costco—Is It Cheaper Than Korea?
I wasn't even looking for Korean skincare.
A few days ago, I was walking through Costco when I spotted something that immediately caught my eye:
Round Lab 1025 Dokdo Cleanser.
If you know Korean skincare, you probably know this one.
And if you've ever visited Korea, you may have seen the Dokdo skincare line everywhere.
I visit my family in Korea every year, and one of my favorite places to shop is Olive Young. I always spend way too much time looking at Korean cleansers, toners, sunscreens, and masks.
So seeing Round Lab Dokdo Cleanser at my local Costco in America was a little surprising.
Of course, my first question was:
Is it actually cheaper than buying it in Korea?
The Costco Deal
The Costco set I found was not just one bottle.
It included:
- Two 150 mL full-size cleansers
- One 40 mL travel-size cleanser
That's 340 mL of cleanser in total. Costco's official listing confirms the three-piece configuration.
The regular Costco price has been reported around $24.99, although warehouse pricing and promotions can vary.
That makes the deal especially interesting because you're getting more than two full-size bottles plus a travel size.
What About Olive Young?
Here's where things get interesting.
Olive Young's U.S. online store currently lists the 150 mL Round Lab 1025 Dokdo Cleanser at $15, with a sale price of $13.50.
So let's do the simple math.
If you bought two 150 mL bottles separately at the $15 regular price:
$15 × 2 = $30
And Costco gives you an additional 40 mL travel-size bottle.
So at a $24.99 Costco price, you're getting 340 mL for $24.99, compared with $30 for only 300 mL at the regular Olive Young U.S. price.
That's a pretty good Costco deal.
But Is Costco Cheaper Than Korea?
This is where I would be careful.
Korean prices can change depending on Olive Young promotions, coupons, membership discounts, and special events. So I wouldn't say that Costco is always cheaper than Korea.
But compared with the regular U.S. Olive Young price, Costco can definitely offer better value per milliliter.
And there's another advantage that I really like:
You don't have to order it online.
You can walk into Costco, see the product yourself, put it in your cart, and take it home.
Why Is Dokdo Cleanser So Popular?
The Round Lab 1025 Dokdo Cleanser is a mildly acidic facial cleanser with a reported pH of about 5.0–6.0. Costco describes it as a hydrating cleanser with dense foam that helps cleanse fine dust.
It's designed to cleanse without leaving that extremely tight, dry feeling that some facial cleansers can cause.
That's one reason it has become such a recognizable K-beauty product.
And the 1025 Dokdo name comes from Dokdo, the Korean islands that inspired Round Lab's product line.
My Costco K-Beauty Surprise
Honestly, I went to Costco for the usual Costco things.
I didn't expect to find one of the Korean cleansers I normally look for when I'm shopping in Korea.
But that's what makes K-beauty in America so interesting right now.
Korean skincare isn't something you have to wait for your next trip to Korea to buy anymore.
You can find it at Costco, Target, and other American retailers.
And sometimes, you might even find a better deal than you expected.
So the next time you're walking through Costco, don't just look at the giant packs of toilet paper and snacks.
Take a look at the beauty aisle, too.
You might just find a little piece of Korea sitting on the shelf.
