The purpose of this study is to offer basic data on cosmetics by investigating college women’s purchasing and use behaviors regarding cosmetics according to their experience with side effects. A questionnaire was administered to 351 college women in the Seoul and Kyoung-in areas. The data were analyzed with SPSS Statistics V22.0 using frequency, χ2-test, and t-test. The results are as follows. First, 72.6% of surveyed women reported experiencing side effects from cosmetics. The largest side effects were acne and boils, and the primary ways of coping with these side effects were discontinuing use and using other products. Second, the group that experienced cosmetics’ side effects used brands that were more expensive and eco-friendly than the group without side effects. Third, the group that experienced side effects continued to use the product more than the group without side effects. The primary reason for continued use was efficacy, and the reasons for discontinued use were efficacy and curiosity. Fourth, the side-effects group proactively identified cosmetics ingredients more than the non-side-effects group. Specifically, they checked the major components, the function, and for any hazardous ingredients. Fifth and finally, 98.3% of survey respondents purchased and used functional cosmetics. The group that had experience with side effects used more functional cosmetics than the group without side effects.