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EN The global importance of Korean cosmetics has been steadily increasing for around fifteen years. The first K-Beauty wave brought new product categories such as sheet masks, cushion foundations, essences and, of course, BB creams to Europe and the USA. Korean cosmetics are now increasingly reaching the mainstream in Germany and can be found more and more frequently in bricks-and-mortar stores.
A few weeks ago, I was travelling to Seoul and took a closer look at the Korean beauty scene. In this blog post, I have put together where the trendy shops are located and the latest things I discovered in Seoul:
New trendy neighbourhoods
In recent years, a number of new urban neighbourhoods have developed in Seoul that make the heart of every trend researcher beat faster: There is Seongsu, which is also known as the ‘Brooklyn of Seoul’. In the middle of a former industrial area, new shops, cafés and pop-up stores are opening here every day. The stars live in the more exclusive Hannam neighbourhood, which is famous for its trendy restaurants, wine bars and the Leeum Museum of Art. Hannam is also where the young perfume scene is at home. Hongdae, on the other hand, is less chic: young people from all over the world come together near the university to celebrate the fusion of pop, food and beauty culture.
So many pop-up stores
There is probably no city in the world with more pop-up stores than Seoul. In Seongsu, I visited pop-up stores of beauty brands such as Age 20's and Primera: For a few weeks or even just a few days, you can learn more about the brand's background, try out new products or take part in workshops in the temporary shops. You can also find your favourite products curated by influencers there. Retailers such as Olive Young or Musinsa Beauty use pop-ups as a trendy marketing tool and open temporary shops with a special themed focus (e.g. slow aging) in addition to their shops. I found the pop-up called ‘House of Beauty Scientists’, which the Amore Pacific Group had set up for a few months, particularly exciting: The two-storey building showcased the science behind cosmetic products, e.g. the development and research of active ingredients, colours or textures of products.
New trend products from Korea
If I could only bring back two trendy cosmetic products from Seoul, they would be the Reedle Shots from VT Cosmetics and a pack of toner pads.
Reedle Shots are a Korean innovation that is described as a kind of ‘microneedling in a cream’. The emulsion contains small, spiky particles ("hydrolyzed sponges") that are invisible to the naked eye. However, they are clearly noticeable on the skin when the product is applied to the face. The active ingredients are intended to penetrate deeper into the skin through the microchannels created.
Toner pads now take up several metres of shelf space in the Olive Young drugstore: Large tins contain round pads soaked in facial toner that can be placed on the cheeks or forehead - like a flexible sheet mask. They cool the skin and moisturise it as well as providing it with active ingredients.
Rising star: Perfume
For a long time, perfume played a rather minor role in Asia, where strong fragrances tend to be perceived as disturbing in public. But things seem to be changing in this area, as perfumes are becoming increasingly popular in Korea, China and Japan. I was able to find many new perfume start-ups in Seoul: Already represented in Paris and New York with stylish showrooms are the Korean fragrance brands Tamburins and Born to stand out. Loe presented its new fragrances in the midst of an art installation. The fragrances are always complemented by matching body care products such as perfumed hand soaps or creams.
A new price segment
Inflation and crises have also led to increased demand for cosmetic products in the lower price range in Korea. As a result, a new sales channel has emerged that is aimed in particular at a young clientele: The Korean spin-off of the Japanese 100-yen shops Daiso (meaning roughly: 1 euro shop) offers affordable and quite attractive cosmetics. Renowned manufacturers have developed new cosmetics brands with simpler formulations or smaller pack sizes. The packaging is often playful and brightly coloured, perfect for Gen Alpha and Gen Z. The products cost a maximum of 3-4 euros.
My next blog post will be all about my discoveries in Tokyo. Stay tuned!