Okay-beauty continues its momentum and evokes cosmetics worldwide

South Korean tradition began to change into more and more seen within the late Nineteen Nineties, initially by means of TV serials and Okay-pop music. The Hallyu (or Korean wave) hit China first, unfold to Japan, after which regularly reached america and Europe. The primary Korean cosmetics, together with the well-known BB Lotions, started to make a reputation for themselves exterior Asia within the early 2000s.

“In 2011, Garnier launched its first BB Cream, which marked the start of Korean magnificence’s affect on the event of Western manufacturers. CC and DD Lotions had been to observe,” explains Florence Bernardin, founder, and Managing Director of the Asia Cosme Lab company. This pattern continued with the launch of cushion foundations, which met with extra average success in France. Korean manufacturers resembling Laneige and Dr. Jart+ have now established a long-term presence at Sephora, transferring from the retail retailer’s Korean Nook to plain cabinets.

Right this moment, the second surge in reputation of Okay-beauty is pushed by skincare and enhanced by the promotion of Korean routine on social networks, notably TikTok, the place it’s shared by influencers from all around the world. “The Korean authorities has invested closely in selling Korean tradition, and Okay-beauty specifically, exterior its borders,” explains Lilin Yang, founding father of MiiN Cosmetics, a European community of thirty specialist boutiques. The corporate is celebrating its tenth anniversary this 12 months together with the opening of its first outlet in France.

South Korea is now a serious cosmetics exporter, a lot in order that Japan now imports extra Korean cosmetics than French ones, one thing by no means seen earlier than, in keeping with Florence Bernardin.

Enjoyable and accessible preventive magnificence

The notion of routine goes hand in hand with the Okay-beauty idea based mostly on layering. This technique consists of superimposing on the face, in ten steps, a number of completely different skincare merchandise to go away the pores and skin wanting hydrated, radiant, and wholesome. “What I discover actually attention-grabbing about this method is that it goals to rebalance and hydrate the pores and skin. The method is preventive fairly than healing, which continues to be, too typically, not the case within the Western world,” explains Emma Gatineau, founding father of Maison Kōsane, a market specialising in Korean and Japanese cosmetics, which presents personalised routines based mostly on a pores and skin analysis.

Okay-beauty is a enjoyable and engaging magnificence idea, with a relentless stream of modern magnificence gestures. It appeals to a linked goal group, aged between 18 and 35, and even older. And it’s undeniably inspiring Western magnificence manufacturers.

‘’Western shoppers are very keen on sheet masks; in the present day, they’re in all places and now not restricted to Korean manufacturers,‘’ says Anne Luong, founding father of Korean Cosmetics, a community of three Parisian boutiques specialising in Korean cosmetics. “At Oh My Cream, we determined final June to suggest a number of three Korean sheet masks, a discipline the place Korean manufacturers excel. We chosen three masks from the manufacturers Abib, Great thing about Joseon and Torriden, which I found on a visit to Seoul,” provides Fanny Morel, Communications Director at Oh My Cream.

The day by day sunscreen, a staple of the Korean skincare routine, has been extremely popular in France for the final two years. “We launched the Great thing about Joseon solar cream concurrently our sheet masks. In July, it was one among Oh My Cream’s high two best-sellers, with 297 items bought per week, a determine on a par with our Oh My Cream Skincare plumping cream, one among our best-sellers“, continues, delighted, Fanny Morel.

“Toners are additionally a staple of Korean magnificence. For a while now, now we have been witnessing the arrival of toner pads: cotton pads soaked in lotion that are available in a field. At Maison Kōsane, they’re already an enormous hit,” explains Emma Gatineau.

Okay-beauty can be characterised by means of particular substances resembling Centella asiatica, tea tree, bakuchiol, collagen and niacinamide. In Korea, shoppers are very effectively knowledgeable about substances, a pattern that can be creating in Europe, notably in France, the place persons are more and more within the composition of merchandise. “But, the success of Okay-beauty in Western markets is principally because of its modern textures, minimalist packaging and reasonably priced costs,” explains Florence Bernardin.

Pharmacies, retail, magnificence salons

In France, pharmacies are rising as a key channel for Korean cosmetics. Manufacturers resembling Torriden, which formally launched its merchandise in France on 14 October, are banking on pharmacies and wonder salons to develop.

Pharmacie Lariboisière, within the ninth arrondissement of Paris, has made these merchandise one among its specialities. By establishing themselves on this channel, Okay-beauty manufacturers are positioning themselves alongside main dermocosmetics manufacturers, inserting them undoubtedly on this planet of trusted skincare merchandise.

In the meantime, following the success of its sheet masks, retailer Oh My Cream shall be introducing two new skincare ranges from the Torriden model in February 2025.

Maison Kōsane, for its half, has opened a Korean pop-up nook at Le Bon Marché from 25 October to 31 December, that includes a number of merchandise. “This collaboration raises consciousness of Korean layering whereas inviting individuals to check out the merchandise,” explains Emma Gatineau. SeeMy Cosmetics and Maison Kōsane additionally supplied guests, as a part of this operation, an immersive expertise based mostly on Korean face-lift on the Institut du Bon Marché from 4 to 10 November.

Market gamers have certainly been fast to determine one other important side of Korean magnificence routine: salon remedies. Within the close to future, the founders of Korean Cosmetics and MiiN Cosmetics intend to supply skincare protocols of their future French shops, as they already do of their two MiiN Cosmetics flagships in Madrid and Barcelona, Spain. “The buying energy of French shoppers is larger than that of Spaniards, which is why I feel {that a} MiiN Cosmetics flagship in Paris, with therapy rooms, may very well be an enormous hit. In Barcelona and Madrid, the loyalty fee is excessive, as a result of outcomes after therapy are there for all to see, and we all know in the present day that this is without doubt one of the issues of shoppers who use salon remedies,” explains Lilin Yang. The founding father of MiiN Cosmetics instructed us that she was at present on the lookout for premises within the Marais district for the opening of a second store in Paris. Her purpose is to additionally open outlets exterior Paris very quickly.

A key driver within the improvement of Korean cosmetics, innovation is and stays a necessary consider successful over shoppers.

Florence Bernardin additionally seen that individuals with darker pores and skin are more and more drawn to Korean cosmetics. This massive shopper base in France and america may effectively open the way in which for Okay-beauty manufacturers to a market that’s nonetheless under-exploited, and show their means to satisfy the wants of all pores and skin varieties.

Emma Gatineau additionally sees development potential for Korean hair care merchandise, that are nonetheless not very widespread in Europe and North America. “At Maison Kōsane, our ambition is to supply a complete number of Korean cosmetics, by introducing first, hair care merchandise to our on-line providing, earlier than branching out into make-up at a later stage,” she explains.

Lastly, Lilin Yang, who’s all the time looking out for rising traits, seen a increase in hydrogel masks in South Korea. These “sleeping masks 2.0” may effectively symbolize a brand new stage in innovation, additional strengthening the attraction of this dynamic and always evolving cosmetics pattern.