Exploring the hype of Korean beauty products
All beauty stores, whether online or brick-and-mortar, seem to be entranced with the hottest skincare trend of recent times – Korean skincare. With the rising popularity of ‘glass skin’, referring to such immaculately smooth and even skin that almost seems to be reflective and commonly associated with Korean beauty, its hype is not surprising to say the least.
Korean culture as a whole has found its place in homes worldwide, whether through the catchy tunes of K-pop, binge worthy K-dramas on Netflix, or the restaurants popping up here and there serving delectable Korean cuisine. This has also introduced us to the seemingly flawless beauty of Korean men and women, highlighting skin left unmarked by traces of age or any sort of damage. In fact, Korean beauty has incited such awe in consumers globally as to deem it entirely out of reach to achieve. However, thanks to the unwavering dedication of Korean beauty companies meeting demands of their consumers, their products’ demands have skyrocketed, and for good reason.
With the K-wave making its mark all over the world, one can fathom the influence of popular K-pop groups such as BTS and Blackpink in the pursuit of ‘glass skin’. The hype around Korean beauty products is further stimulated through advertisements featuring these adored stars. Mainstream presence of Korean entertainment has led to their integration into the global beauty industry, with brands such as Innisfree and Missha winning a space on our dressing tables. Such brands have made waves in our local beauty market also. Korean skincare is now in high demand, adorning the shelves and taking up a considerable amount of space in every beauty store. The continuously increasing popularity is fueled by social media influencers sharing their satisfactory experiences.
You must be wondering, are Korean Products really worth the hype? The following reasons may prove that Koreans really are the undisputed masters when it comes to skincare:
Sourcing Nature
The ingredients list of Korean skincare products is bound to comprise of a few names that will catch your eye. Packed with ingredients originating from natural products, K-beauty products are known for their gentle feel. Ranging from snail mucin coveted for its antioxidant properties to ginseng for preventing the various age signs, unique ingredients are a Korean staple.
With the K-wave making its mark all over the world, one can fathom the influence of popular K-pop groups such as BTS and Blackpink in the pursuit of ‘glass skin’. The hype around Korean beauty products is further stimulated through advertisements featuring these adored stars
Prevent, Not Reverse
As the old adage goes, ‘prevention is better than cure’. Korean culture places great emphasis on beauty and youthfulness. Children from a young age are encouraged to take care of their skin in order to delay signs of aging and sustain the health of their skin. Accordingly, Korean skincare routines also tend to be more extensive, with various steps aimed at caring for each aspect of skin health, combinedly providing for a skincare regimen worthy of sacred protection. Koreans are well aware that steps of a skincare routine need to work in tandem in order to be of optimum effectiveness, and thus includes a step-by-step sequence including cleansing, moisturizing, exfoliating, etc.
Ahead of the Times
In addition to using the best quality ingredients, Korean beauty products also showcase modern technology to provide an experience to savour. The bountiful gifts provided by technological advances have been leveraged by the K-beauty industry, with use of Artificial Intelligence (AI) to facilitate personalisation for specific skin needs. In addition, environmentally friendly packaging is also employed in the form of dissolvable containers to promote the imperative battle against environmental concerns. This gives Korean beauty products an edge over its counterparts, since rising competition requires companies to step up their game to keep up with market popularity.
Going Green for Healthy Skin
The cosmetics industry has been known as notable perpetrators of environmental damage over the ages due to plastic packaging, animal testing, use of harmful chemicals, etc. In Korea, many companies are striving to change just that, formulating more eco-friendly concoctions for healthy skin. Dear Dahlia is one such brand that promotes environmental consciousness through cruelty-free products, while other brands such as Dear, Klairs and Sioris use ingredients gifted from nature to produce unique formulas. The focus on sustainability is also reflected in the use of eco-friendly packaging of many brands.
Pretty as a Picture
In the age of Tiktok trends and Instagram shots, a great emphasis is placed on packaging, which is of particular importance in the beauty industry. Many brands hit the jackpot with minimalistic packaging, letting their reserved use of colors and simplistic fonts portray the less-is-more philosophy of their company, while super cute and poppy colors and shapes synonymous with Korean aesthetics make other brands’ packaging a sight to behold.
The ever-rising popularity of K-beauty has taken the world by storm, and perhaps for good reason. With Korean companies continually delivering beauty products that tick all the boxes, this trend is here to stay.