Sources : Euromonitor International / Business of Fashion / Allure Magazine
At the start of 2010 , the skin care industry was stalling . Consumers in America , the UK and Europe , had become bored with the same products with the same ingredients being regurgitated by big brands as something innovative , until a little-known Korean company launched a BB Cream in the US and everything changed . This deceptively simple tinted moisturiser-esque product that also promised to banish blemishes and pigmentation from the skin showed the West exactly what they were missing and so the obsession with K-Beauty began , kick-starting a phenomenon that has been dubbed the ‘ Asian-ification ’ of the skin care world . Nowhere else is creating , developing and packaging the type of products found in countries including Japan , China and South Korea . In fact , these places are so ahead of the game when it comes to innovating new ways to cleanse , tone , treat and perfect the skin that all cosmetics companies elsewhere in the world can do is follow suit and try to keep up . This consistently high level of creativity means the popularity of Asian skin care in and outside its home nations shows no signs of waning , with a report by Euromonitor International revealing that 80 percent of global skin care revenue gain by 2019 will come from Asia . So what makes products developed in the East so special ? Firstly , let ’ s talk about the ingredients . Instead of being hung up on stalwarts like Vitamin C , Hyaluronic Acid and Retinol , Asia is leading the way when it comes to new extracts and complexes that can lighten , plump and hydrate the skin in equally , if not more effective , ways . Just take a look at the ingredients list to see how diverse and varied products formulated in Asia are ; you can expect to find everything from traditional extracts like Green Tea , Ginseng and fermented botanicals , to the downright weird such as whipped egg whites , bee venom and even pig collagen . And it ’ s not just the ingredients that make Asian skin care so exciting ; it ’ s the way these ingredients are applied to the skin that gives them the edge over Western brands . Forget your average creams and serums , Korea et al . is the land of essences , sheet masks , jelly moisturisers , stick-on blemish treatments and bubbling cleansers . Whether you are a beauty junkie or not , it is hard not to feel excited about your skin care routine when products like this form part of your daily regime . According to global statistics , Japan is the second biggest beauty market after the US , with consumers spending more on skin care than any other product . This makes for very discerning , highly educated customers who know exactly what they want from a serum or essence and the brands developing these products are only happy to oblige ; ciphering a huge chunk of their yearly revenue into the research and development of the ‘ Next Big Thing ’ in skin care . And one thing you can be sure of with Asian skin care – the ‘ Next Big Thing ’ will become a must-have product for women all over the world .
Eastern Beauty : What To Expect Next …
Pressed Serums Essentially a serum and a moisturiser combined , these amazing products tend to have a jelly-like texture and infuse the skin with vital moisture from the epidermis down to the lower layers . They can be used in place of your daily face cream or as an overnight moisturiser .
Carbonated Face Masks Part of the new Korean trend for ‘ skincaretainment ’ where users get some form of visible joy and excitement from using a product . These masks literally bubble and fizz on the skin to decongest the pores and remove excess oils , making them great for problematic complexions .
Patting Splash Masks One of the quickest and most effective ways to energise the skin , these lotions are simply mixed with water and splashed onto the face before serum and moisturiser . Essentially giving you all the benefits of a laborious regime in a matter of seconds .
ISSUE # 02 | WINTER 2016 | SkinHealthMagazine . com 31