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In recent years, the Korean beauty industry has grown exponentially across the world. The skincare segment alone has a market volume of $7.6 billion in 2023, according to Statista.
K-beauty's skincare products are famous for not only rejuvenating the skin and solving troubled skin issues, but also its affordable pricing relative to Western skincare.
On TikTok, the hashtag #koreanskincare has over 2 billion views. In particular, people are showing before and after videos to show that Korean skincare products have helped clear up their troubled skin.
TikTok creator @livingberryslife showed in a video how her skin was inflamed when using Western skincare, but clear and rid of red spots after switching to Korean skincare products.
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Her video, which has almost 900,000 likes as of March 28, has many comments sharing a similar sentiment. "I believe you. Korean skincare products are THE best," reads a comment with more than 17,500 likes.
Another video captioned "Korean skincare is the literal GOAT" — meaning greatest of all time — by TikTok user @skinbysodhi shows how Korean skincare helped get rid of her acne. The video has almost 50,000 likes as of March 28.
Along many of such video anecdotes, various beauty creators have also been sharing lists of K-skincare products that work well for them all over social media.
Some of the popular recommendations include the Cosrx advanced snail 96 mucin power essence and the Round Lab birch juice moisturizing sun cream, both of which are listed for less than $35 on the official website of Olive Young, South Korea's equivalent to Sephora.
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"Korean cosmeceuticals are very well formulated in that they target the skin micro environment," Singapore-based dermatologist Teo Wan Lin, a certified member of the Dermatological Society of Singapore with a Bachelor's degree in medicine and surgery from the National University of Singapore, told Insider.
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Teo also works closely with the Korean cosmeceutical industry for her own skincare company and has authored a few books about skincare.
Korean skincare focuses on the skin barrier through the layering of skincare — such as moisturizers, serums, lotions, and face mists, said Teo.
"While other dermatologists were going on about hyaluronic acid, the Koreans were at polyglutamic acid already, which is five times more hydrating," added Teo.
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Hyaluronic acid is a substance naturally produced by the body and found in the fluids of our eyes and joints. The beauty industry has been using variations of the component in many skincare products for years for its lubricating effect, according to WebMD.
On the other hand, polyglutamic acid hydrates skin from the inside while preventing water loss to the environment, Teo told Insider.
The beauty industry is constantly churning out new skincare products with different and improved ingredients, and the "overzealous application" of such products can often harm the skin barrier, London-based general practitioner Noman Mohamed told Insider.
Mohamed practices cosmetic dermatology and is a certified member of the Royal College of General Practitioners with a Bachelor's degree in medicine and surgery from Queen Mary University of London. He also shares educational content about cosmetic dermatology on TikTok and Instagram as @drnomzzy.
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"And this is where Korean skincare comes to the rescue, with its intense focus on skin hydration and gentle approach," Mohamed added.
Similar to Teo, he also pointed to the focus on creating a conducive, hydrated micro environment for the skin's natural processes to occur as the special X factor of Korean skincare.
"This not only benefits acne-prone patients by reducing pore clogging with cells, but also contributes to a brighter complexion as the dead skin cells on the surface cycle away," said Mohamed to Insider.
When asked to recommend a K-skincare product, Teo's must-have is a facial mist. The one she is currently using is a polyglutamic dominant solution with at least 19 different botanical active ingredients.
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Mohamed told Insider that he's currently loving the Cosrx snail 96 mucin power essence, which happens to be one of the viral recommendations on TikTok.
The product has helped him reduce irritation to the skin caused by another product he uses, and it also enhanced his skin hydration levels. "Despite long hours at work, I no longer seem to be plagued by this 'tired look' that I had grown accustomed to," he added.
But for those with persistent skin problems, both dermatologists emphasized the importance of consulting a primary care doctor or dermatologist for a diagnosis as a first step. They noted that skin conditions that require medical attention can worsen without the right form of treatment needed.
Customers can find many skincare products made all around the world. However, South Korea’s beauty products are taking the world by storm. From influencers and celebrities to the everyday individual, Korean beauty skin care – or K-Beauty, as many call it – has a high global demand.
Of all the industries and countries, why is Korean beauty so popular? There are several reasons why the beauty industry in South Korea saw a 7.64 trillion South Korean won (or US $5.8 billion) market size in 2021. Here are some reasons for Korean skincare’s skyrocketing growth within the last several years.
Prevention is better than the cure, and beauty consumers realized this in the last few years when they shifted from makeup to skin care products. However, not all skin care products are made equal. In particular, K-Beauty products are designed to prevent skin problems from developing rather than letting the skin condition develop and then treating it after the fact.
Compared to makeup products, skin care products treat skin issues instead of hiding them. Unlike other skin care products, Korean skin care focuses more on preventative than retroactive care. This focus is a significant advantage for those prone to issues like acne breakouts, which could lead to scarring and skin discoloration, which can be even more challenging to treat.
Korean culture heavily values beauty from the inside and out. While makeup and cosmetic products focus on outer aesthetics, Korean beauty focuses on creating a flawless complexion by keeping your skin healthy inside and out.
As a result, more consumers are turning to Korean skin care products as they improve the overall appearance of their skin through natural and healthy methods. This aligns with the growing trend of the beauty community now leaning towards natural beauty and barely-there makeup.
Over the last few years, more consumers have become conscious about the ingredients in things like skin care products. Organic and natural elements were less harsh on the skin than artificial chemicals, had fewer fillers, and were more eco-friendly and sustainable.
In terms of this, K-Beauty stands out as a market for natural ingredients. Most Korean beauty skin care products use organic ingredients like herbs, aloe vera, snail slime, plant oils, and other natural substances found in nature. On top of these having natural reactions to a user’s body, the risk of irritation is lower compared to products that use artificial ingredients.
Expensive products don’t always mean the most effective; K-Beauty products are an example. Korean skin care products are normally priced on the cheaper to mid-range line compared to other skin care products. However, many attest to the effectiveness of various K-Beauty brands, showing that affordable skin care products don’t necessarily mean cheap quality.
K-Beauty products also have more affordable alternatives to expensive skin care products and skin treatments. With organic ingredients and the latest in their beauty industry, Korean beauty skin care products stay accessible to the everyday person.
Those with combination skin types and sensitive skin can find searching for suitable skin care products difficult. However, because only 44.6% of Americans and 38.4% of Europeans have sensitive skin, there are few options in the western market suitable for all skin types.
In Korea, 56.8% of Koreans reported having sensitive skin. This is why its market has plenty of hypoallergenic and gentle skin care products suitable for all skin types. Those with sensitive skin or combination skin can find a broader range of products catering to their skin in the K-Beauty industry.
South Korea has a significant market when it comes to skin care and cosmetics, and this is partly due to its culture. Koreans are very knowledgeable about beauty and cosmetics, so their skin care products are made with the highest standards to achieve a flawless “glass skin” appearance.
As a result, their industrial technology and innovations are one of the highest in the world. With many Koreans looking for the latest trends and best practices in skin care, this translates to a K-Beauty market constantly meeting these demands.
K-Beauty has an extensive range of products allowing customers to mix and match and build their personalized skin care routine. Many have heard of the Korean 10-step skin care routine, and those serious about nourishing and improving their skin can follow this ritual regularly in the morning and the evening.
Those who don’t have the time to follow all these steps can opt to focus on the K-Beauty products that benefit their skin type and condition. These include:
Korean culture has valued beauty for a long time, with Koreans glorifying flawless and healthy skin. Koreans prefer to appear naturally flawless through organic and gentle ingredients.
Though K-Beauty products have come a long way, the philosophy behind their beauty standards remains. This is why Korean brands are dedicated to creating products that help boost their customer’s natural beauty by achieving healthier skin.
The beauty industry is looking bright, especially with many consumers looking for Korean skin care brands. Take advantage of your local market by bringing popular Korean beauty brands into your area. With UMMA, you can source all the best trending, niche, and exclusive Korean beauty brands all in one place.
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