‘Maskne’ Solutions Dominate K-Beauty Summer Trend

K-beauty trends this summer continue to be influenced by COVID-19. With mask wearing likely to be mandatory in public spaces for some time to come, product innovation has centered around skin care solutions.

According to Hwa Jun Lee, senior beauty and personal care analyst at Mintel, there has been a flurry of innovation from K-beauty players with anti-irritation skin care products that specifically address “maskne;” i.e., the acne that occurs with frequent mask wearing. Although face coverings have been invaluable in flattening the curve, many of us have been experiencing maskne. The no-air seal pressure scenario of wearing a mask coupled with the rubbing of fabric against the face makes it easier for dirt and bacteria to clog pores and cause irritation, allergic reactions, acne, lines and discoloration. Thus, more consumers seek to incorporate a solution to this issue into their daily skin care routines.

‘Clean Beauty’ Is a Priority

Korean beauty players have long excelled in the area of skin care technology; innovation in this category is rooted in gentle formulas and ingredients. That’s good news, as consumer behavior continues to lean toward wellness, and demand for transparent and safe cosmetics remains a priority.

Lee told Happi treatments that include familiar ingredients, such as cica, ceramide and vitamins, will be favored to address this skin problem.

Cica, also known as centella asiatica, is an Asian herb long recognized for its antibacterial and anti-inflammatory properties. Numerous K-beauty toners, serums and balms formulated to tackle inflamed skin or acne/eczema issues include this ingredient. Some companies have developed entire lines around cica solutions.

For example, Glass Skin Refining Serum from Peach & Lily includes both 2% niacinamide and madecassoside derived from centella asiatica and East Asian mountain yam. The formula promises to hydrate, calm, brighten and firm skin.

Another product, Cosrx’s Centella Blemish Ampule is said to act as a stress‐relieving moisturizer. The formula contains cica leaf water and tea tree oil to reduce acne and heal scars.

Other brands like Naturekind and Aprilskin have developed solutions that also help to prevent breakouts and speed up the healing process. Rather than cica, these products rely on carrot seed oil extracted via steam distillation from the seed of the wild carrot plant (Daucus carota).

A handful of cosmetic players—such as Olivarrier and a company known as Dear, Klairs—are formulating their products primarily from plant-based ingredients. These formulas are billed as free from artificial ingredients, fragrances and chemical additives. They are said to be gentler on the skin, compared to traditional formulas.

K-Beauty in the US

K-beauty has made a significant impact on consumer buying habits in the US thanks, in large part, to Korean pop culture and movie popularity known as “K-wave.” Demand for K-beauty remains strong, even though some experts had predicted it would get replaced by C-beauty and J-beauty. According to Mintel, the export of K-beauty to the US market increased by about 20% in 2020 and was primarily driven by skin care products.

Korean women have traditionally favored glowing, “glass” skin over layers of foundation and lengthy skin care regimens focused on toning and clarifying. Sheet masks initially put Korean beauty brands on the radar of US consumers. Later, Americans became familiar with Korean skin care technologies such as alphabet creams and cushion-based color cosmetics.

In most cases, it’s a free sample that first hooks these consumers into trying K-beauty products. In a 2019 survey carried out by The Benchmarking Company, a market intelligence provider for the beauty and personal care industries, when asked what words they associated with K-beauty, US shoppers said: “anti-aging, multi-benefit, trendy, affordable, multi-step, beautiful, glowing and clean.”

The most recognized brands included Dr. Jart+, Skinfood, Laneige, TonyMoly, AmorePacific, Peach & Lily and Glow Recipe.

When asked about their specific expectations, US consumers expect K-beauty products to be highly innovative (46% of respondents), as well as formulated with the latest technology (37%) and made with natural/organic ingredients (34%).

Enormous Opportunity

Denise Herich, co-founder of The Benchmarking Company, told Happi that K-beauty brands still have an enormous opportunity to garner greater interest from beauty buyers in the US. To do so, these brands must educate consumers about what sets their formulas apart from the others and why K-beauty is superior to products they are already using.

Herich added that these buyers are eager to try new products with innovative formulas and packaging that speak in a language that excites them; namely, consumer claims. Ninety-seven percent of respondents said consumer claims were key in their decision to buy K-beauty products.

US consumers also expect K-beauty products to be fun to use, customizable to specific skin needs/concerns, and developed with a holistic approach to healthy skin. K-beauty brands must also leverage the love that their target US consumers   have for social media.

“Not surprisingly, number one on the list of ‘first place you ever heard of K-beauty’ is YouTube, with 20% of K-beauty users saying this is how they were first introduced to Korean brands,” Herich said to Happi.

A further 12% discovered K-beauty via blog/vlog, 10% on Facebook, and 8% on Instagram.

No surprise, then, that Allied Market Research predicts K-beauty sales will reach nearly $21 billion by 2026. In 2019, women accounted for about 69% of the market share but sales of men’s products is expected to grow at a CAGR of 9.9% during the forecast period.

Based on distribution channel, the specialty/monobrand store segment accounted for about 57.4% of the market share in 2019. However, the online retail segment is expected to grow fastest at a CAGR of 11.2% during the forecast period. That prediction comes as no surprise to anyone, as the pandemic has accelerated the move to online buying. According to Digital Commerce 360, consumer online spending jumped 44% last year to $861 billion. That’s the highest annual US ecommerce growth in at least two decades. It’s also nearly triple the 15.1% gain in 2019. Clearly, when it comes to K-, C-, J- or any kind of beauty routine, all the action is online these days. 

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Michelle Yeomans
Freelance Journalist
michelle.yeomans@gmail.com

Michelle Yeomans is an award winning multimedia journalist. She has been reporting on cosmetics industry movements in EMEA, US and Asia for five years and has won an award for her coverage of the complexities of operating in the Middle East. Michelle’s passion lies in tracking the beauty culture and trends of the Asia Pacific region. Ever the AV enthusiast, she also relishes the opportunity to create engaging video and podcast content for the B2B industry.