After the introduction of BB cream to the mainstream market in 2011, K-beauty has become the biggest trend to hit the global skin care and cosmetics industry. Today, more women outside Asia have become obsessed over Korean beauty products that allows them to achieve the coveted glowing and dewy look. In fact, South Korea exported more than $2.64B worth of cosmetic goods in 2015, a new high according to the Korea Customs Service.
But with most Koreans having a lighter complexion, a number of individuals with different skin color are a bit intimidated to try out these products. Most of them feel that they won’t get the same results the products advertised, because their skin tone varies from the product’s primary market. But is this apprehension really warranted? Are Korean beauty products suitable for any skin tone?
Focus on Skincare, Not Cover-Up
The cornerstone of every Korean beauty product is skincare. More than just covering up blemishes and imperfections, these products aim to help customers improve their skin’s condition. Most Korean cosmetics can be utilized by following the traditional 10- to 12-step Korean skincare routine. The number of steps may be daunting to first timers, but they mostly center around five main aspects: cleansing, exfoliating, treating, moisturizing, and sun protection.
Hence, a person’s skin color will not matter when it comes to this skin routine. The right Korean beauty products will help any individual who want to improve their beauty regimen, whether they are fair, beige, or a shade darker.
Skin Type More than Skin Tone
K-beauty products focus on a holistic beauty philosophy—improving the skin from inside out. The main concern is not an individual’s skin color, but rather their skin types. That’s why Korean beauty products zero in on a consumer’s skin type and provide solutions to beauty problems that may arise from it. Hence, there are specific products for oily skin, dry skin, uneven skin tone, and other skin-type related complications.
Korean beauty brands such as COSRX offer products that are geared towards maintaining a healthy, well-hydrated, and nourished skin. With 10 years’ worth of dermatological innovation, COSRX was able to develop affordable products that enhances a consumer’s natural skin tone instead of chemically altering it by peeling or bleaching.
Non-Traditional and Organic Ingredients
In 2011, Marie Claire called Korea the new skincare superpower, noting that they’re 12 years ahead of skincare innovation globally. That success lies in their products’ ingredients. Koreans managed to preserve age-old beauty secrets and repackage them into modern day cosmetics. This has also allowed them to produce beauty products with ingredients drawn mostly from the earth. As a result, their products seldom contain harsh chemicals and instead use fresh and organic materials.
As such, most Korean beauty products contain unique and unconventional ingredients such as snail slime, hydrating fungus, and bee venom. Contrary to popular belief that only Asian women or those with fairer skin would benefit from these products, these ingredients present in most K-beauty cosmetics aim to improve all types of skin tones from different parts of the world.
The popular misconception about Korean beauty products is that they cater mostly to Asian and fair skin tones. But as the examples above show, these cosmetics can help also more women of color deal with specific skin issues. Whatever your skin color is, it always pays to invest in the proper skin care to allow you to put your best face forward every day.