According to a recent report by Straits Research, the Korean skincare market, which was valued at $8.3 billion in 2021, is set to skyrocket to $18.32 billion by 2030 – and it's rapidly growing at a rate of 9.2 per cent every single year.
“South Koreans and skincare go back thousands of years, where the ideology of beauty standards was coined ‘영육일치사상,’ which translates to ‘within a beautiful body, rests a beautiful soul,’” says Dr Christine Hall, aesthetic doctor and K-beauty expert. “During this time, people started to make homemade face powders made from ground rice and millet, blush was made from safflower, ground mung beans were made into cleansers, and creams were produced using the juice of plants. As far back as then, skincare was for everyone regardless of status, gender, and wealth. It's something that's been ingrained in Korean culture for millennia.”
Unlike the West where cosmetics come in an unnaturally sterile shade of white, Korean skincare is known for experimenting with more natural ingredients like bee venom, snail slime, and even volcanic ash. “These new ingredients and innovations make skincare fun and provide new solutions for stubborn skin issues,” says Alicia Yoon, founder and CEO of New York City-based Peach & Lily. “Korean skincare is also known for delightful textures, effective skincare hacks, and indulgent self-care moments. All of these elements resonate cross-generationally leading to real buzz.”
But, is it really the secret for better, softer, glowier skin? Does stuff like donkey milk and salmon eggs genuinely make a difference? And, is the so-called 10-step routine actually real? We caught up with some of the industry's biggest experts to spill the tea.
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What is Korean skincare good for?
The #KoreanSkincare tag currently has almost five billion (!) views on TikTok, and with thousands and thousands of talking heads singing its praises, it can be kinda difficult to get to the good stuff. “Korean skincare focuses on preventing skin concerns, while in the West, they aim to fix them once they're already there,” says Elisa Lee, K-beauty expert and founder of Sokobeauty. “It's also generally more affordable, making it a lot more accessible to more people.”
Korean cosmetics are also about making sure that your skin is in tip-top condition at all times. “The skin barrier can be thought of like a brick wall,” says Hall. “The bricks resembles our cells and the cement in between represents the tissue that holds everything together, forming a barrier that keeps infection and pollutants out. K-beauty revolves around nurturing this barrier using natural and fermented ingredients, as opposed to Western skincare practices that focus heavily on actives such as vitamin C, acids, and retinols. While these, no doubt, give great results, they can cause inflammation and soreness if overused, which can end up negatively impacting your skin barrier.”
On top of that, Korean skincare is specifically designed with long-term results in mind. “It’s about approaching your skin holistically and gently, rather than relying on harsh, overnight fixes,” says Yoon. “And while we all know that keeping hydrated is important, this is the hallmark to all Korean skincare products.”
What is Korean skincare not so good for?
Some brands and retailers outside of the country are advertising what's called a 10-step routine. This is, allegedly, a daily regimen that all Koreans religously do, and it includes 10 different products that tackle 10 different concerns. “The 10-step routine is a complete myth and is just marketing,” says London-based consultant dermatologist Dr Jinah Yoo. “Although multiple steps are used, they depend on your specific needs. In fact, layering 10 products seems a little excessive and I personally wouldn't recommend doing so.”
