With TikTok skincare influencers sharing about brands such as Krave, CosRx, Laneige, Isintree and Dr Jart+ on the daily, it’s clear that K-Beauty’s appeal has finally gone mainstream. K-Beauty or Korean beauty, best encapsulates South Korea’s influence and ingenuity in skincare, make-up, hair and other wellness products. We may not be strangers to all things Hallyu here in Singapore and Malaysia, but with its appeal skyrocketing globally thanks to charismatic K-Pop and K-Dramas, K-beauty’s global market reach is projected to hit S$45.95 Billion by 2029. So what makes Korean beauty so distinctive?
K-Beauty constantly innovates and pushes itself towards finding skincare, scalp and make-up solutions, often at purse-friendly prices. Its emphasis on healthy skin over make-up means a never-ending slew of essences, sheet masks, sunscreen compacts, acne pimple patches, and under-eye masks.
“K-Beauty is about taking serious care of every layer of the skin with multiple skincare products to protect against ageing,” says Doreen Chia, brand general manager of two powerhouse luxury beauty brands, Sulwhasoo and Hera. For the best results, this means “using a boosting serum to balance and moisturise skin before layering other skincare products and ending the regime with sleeping mask, which is also one of the must-haves in any Korean beauty regime.”
“Korean beauty also focuses on a more gentle approach, activating the skin’s natural ability to regenerate using natural plants extract and herbal medicinal ingredients such as extracts from ginseng, red pine, plum blossom. Even though both Western and Korean beauty have evolved to become more parallel, most Asian consumers still have a preference of using Korean beauty products as they are often innovated with an understanding for Asian skin, addressing skin concerns of Asian women,” Chia explains.
In addition to quintessentially traditional Korean ingredients, we now see a rise in soothing ingredients—heartleaf, cica, propolis and snail mucin essence for example. Popular Korean skincare, YouTuber EuniUnni links this preference for calming products over aggressive exfoliants and retinoids as a result of affordable and accessible in-clinic aesthetic treatments in Korea. Skincare at home therefore, is all about respecting the skin’s natural barrier.
“K-Beauty is more about how to make foundation look and feel like natural skin,” says Ksisters founder, Jungmin Lee, who explains that the K-Beauty ideal focuses more on glowy skin and “beauty from within.”
In addition to the quality and efficacy of products, you can also count on K-Beauty brands to be more inclusive where budgets are concerned. With a myriad of products falling under $20, they prove that cost and worth aren’t always positively correlated.
“K-Beauty really wins the heart of consumers by offering not only quality ingredients with great efficacies, but also innovative technology, and all at relatively pocket-friendly prices,” says Lee. The next K-Beauty trends on her radar are linked to the pandemic, with Lee on the lookout for “innovative ingredients and beauty devices that maximise products’ efficacies and absorption of ingredients into skin.”
From advice on how to treat hyperpigmentation and acne to the best products and ingredients on the market—these are the influencers and experts you need to follow for tips, tricks and the latest trends
Beauty on a budget is entirely achievable with these cheap, chic and hardworking skincare finds. Here’s what Vogue Singapore’s beauty team would buy if they had $100 to build an entire skincare regime
Here’s how, K-Beauty, the inventor of pimple patches, suggest the new way to wear it
A look at the skincare practice, brought about by our new necessity—the mask
7 skincare and make-up lessons to steal from your favourite K-drama characters
K-Beauty plus K-Drama equals beauty perfection
Want to know Vogue’s beauty must haves?
From drugstore skincare essentials to the nice-to-have cult beauty finds, here is this week’s fresh crop of new and noteworthy products to add to cart, according to Vogue‘s beauty team
These idols aren’t only taking over the world, but your vanity tables too
Here are the K-Beauty tips you need to know
The latest trends, tips and ingredients from our Korean counterparts that we can deploy for better skin
From colours to names, the way beauty and grooming products are marketed to women and men differs dramatically. As traditional gender norms are increasingly questioned, is there still a need for gender-specific skincare or is the future neutral?
