Welcome to Dispatch From Korea, a series where you’ll get the inside scoop on the latest K-beauty news straight from our friends at Soko Glam’s Seoul office. Today they’re talking about the future of skin care.
K-Beauty has garnered global attention over the last few years thanks to trending concepts and innovative products, and there’s still more to come. Here, we’re sharing six emerging trends that we predict are going to be big in 2020 in Seoul and beyond.
Clean and Sustainable Beauty For All
Air pollution and the anxiety of global climate change is increasing in Korea, and the effects can be seen in many ways, including the Korean consumer’s skin care choices.
With this movement, clean beauty is expected to grow in the upcoming year. Products with less chemical burden and effective ingredients that protect and soothe skin from external damages are being highlighted.
One clean formula we love is #17VDerma PibuWang Sheet Mask that is vegan and safe for sensitive and irritated skin types. Make P:rem is another popular brand with clean ingredients.
We’re also seeing more packaging with eco-friendly materials. Innisfree launched skin care lines with up-cycling packaging made from beer malt waste and all of Toun28’s product packages are created with biodegradable paper.
High Content, High Performance
It’s not about quantity of ingredients, but the quality. High content of key or active ingredients is one of the top factors for Korean consumers in choosing skin care products and many brands are now highlighting the actual percentages of star ingredients right on the packaging of the product. For example, Dewytree recently launched single ingredient sheet masks.
Tone-Correcting Products
The purchase of brightening serums and tone-correction products increased in every age group in 2019.
Skin care technologies are now being applied to color and complexion cosmetics as well. It’s not about covering up your skin with makeup but improving it over time with skin care ingredients. Glow primers, for example, are popular for achieving a natural and healthy look. Self Beauty’s Uniconic Aurora Essence primer gives a dewy finish and instantly corrects uneven skin tone.
A Focus on the Microbiome
Many Asians, including Koreans, consider skin care to be part of their overall health. Recently, the K-Beauty industry has been researching the microbiome, the collective of bacteria and other microbes that inhabit the surface of our skin, and how to control the balance of beneficial and harmful bacteria in this environment.
Amorepacific for one is working with Givaudan, a globally well-known French supplier of functional ingredients, to study the skin microbiome ecosystem of Korean and French women to find ways to keep skin healthy. The company recently launched clean derma brand Soon+ that centers on botanic probiotics.
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Personalized Products
Personalized cosmetics will continue to expand in 2020 with the advancement of 3D printing technology and data science. The need for customized products is rising among consumers who are seeking more targeted results.
Advanced technology allows us to analyze skin condition and lifestyle habits to create tailored skin care and cosmetics. Toun28 is one brand that offers thoughtfully formulated products for customers based on personal data.
Skin Care For Men
The number of skin care products Korean men use has broadened, but since there are limited options just geared towards men, many industry experts consider the men’s skin care sector a huge potential for growth.
We’ve seen brands start to introduce product focuses on functions like oil control, brightening, and anti-aging just for men.
