Author: Seline Suriel Núñez
Korean beauty, also known as K-Beauty, is a global phenomenon that has impacted the cosmetics and skin care market in America for its incredible results. The great appreciation from the public has led to an increase in the demand for certain facial beauty products, which we will be describing in this blog. This Skincare process is characterized by a style of routines that emphasize the health, hydration, and luminosity of the face, as well as innovation and the diversity of ingredients and textures in the skin, giving a younger and healthier appearance.
Some of the Korean beauty products that have become popular in America are cloth masks, acne patches, light sunscreens, moisturizing essences, cleansing balms, and natural and minimalist makeup.
K-Beauty has also influenced the culture and consumption of people looking for quality, effective and accessible products, as well as a more pleasant and personalized personal care experience. These aspects have influenced both Latino and American consumers, who have adopted more complete and personalized routines to take care of their skin, following the example of the famous Korean “10 steps”. Likewise, Korean beauty cosmetics have contributed to diversifying beauty standards, by introducing concepts such as “glass skin”, which refers to luminous, transparent, and flawless skin, or the “dewy look” or “wet look”, which refers to a natural makeup that enhances the hydration and shine of the skin. In addition to that, Korean cosmetics have contributed to spreading Korean culture in America, especially through K-pop, K-dramas, and social networks, where you can find influencers, bloggers, and brands that share their advice, reviews, and recommendations about products and day-to-day routines.
In relation with the above, an example would be through the famous series “Attorney Woo Young Woo” where we can see certain characters using a solid facial balm that acts as a large version of a cocoa lip balm to moisturize and protect the entire face, which is enriched in collagen and oils.
After seeing the product in this Korean drama, as mentioned in Allure magazine, the search for this product increased from 100 thousand to 12 million between 2021-2022. All thanks to the great strategy called Marketing strategy and that, of course, they are Korean products.
In 2017, beauty products from Korea increased their demand considerably in Latin America, gaining a total of 8.35 million dollars in sales in the markets of several countries such as Colombia, Brazil, Chile, among others, in which the furor of the results obtained by these cosmetics spread. Among these statistics, it has been indicated that among the most demanded in the market of these countries are low-cost ones, such as face masks and whitening creams.
In the United States, it can be measured by the growth of sales and the market penetration of these brands. According to a report by the consulting firm Mintel, sales of Korean beauty products in the United States increased by 26% between 2018 and 2019, reaching 494 million dollars. In addition, the number of Korean brands available in the country multiplied from 61 to 241 brands, between 2015 and 2019. These figures show that Korean beauty cosmetics have managed to capture the attention and interest of consumers throughout America.
Since then, companies have been urged to put a new focus on the male consumer in America, through commercials with Korean actors and singers, managing to capture even more attention, both men and women on a large scale.
We invite you to give these incredible cosmetics and their routines a chance. You can adapt them either from your favorite Idol or K-drama actor. Similarly, in Latin America, you can find some varieties of products in Korean markets, or in the area of makeup, or skin and care at a mall aimed at the international public. Even order them online on pages like Amazon, and try some of them. So don’t hesitate to go and look for them!
Written by : Seline Suriel Núñez
Reviewed by: Luisa Quintero
References:
La explosión de la cosmética coreana (November 30th, 2019)
Qué puede hacer la cosmética coreana para hombres por ti (February 10th, 2020)
https://www.revistagq.com/cuidados/articulo/cosmetica-coreana-hombre/amp
Se dispara la demanda de productos coreanos de belleza en América Latina (July 20th, 2017)
The VANA Blog Beauty & Fashion Inspiration (February 15th, 2022)
https://www.stylevana.com/en_EU/blog/skincare_brands_from_kpop_idols
