Korean Skincare Glass Skin

The Rise of Korean Skincare in the UK: Why is it trending and is it really better?

K-beauty has been a rising trend over the past decade and not only has it won over millennium and Gen Z consumers, it’s also reaching the Alpha generation. In fact, I started taking the sway towards K-beauty seriously when my tween and her friends started to obsess about it. But what is K-beauty?

K-beauty Explained

Korean skincare, commonly referred to as K-beauty, is known for its innovative formulas, multi-step routines, and focus on achieving radiant, "glass-like" skin. The goal is healthy, plump, glowing skin. 

Colourful, eye-catching youthful packaging design and expert leveraging of social media have spurred a meteoric rise in popularity, both in the UK and globally, especially amongst younger consumers. Furthermore, unlike many typical Asian brands, Korean skincare takes pride in using natural ingredients and many products claim to be cruelty-free and ethically produced. Above all, they take a gentle approach to skincare with a focus on hydration - A lot like the organic, cruelty-free, all-natural skincare products in my skincare range, Olive & Joyce. But is all as it seems?

Since my tween sparked my curiosity, I’ve been doing some digging into K-beauty and here is what I’ve discovered - 


Is K-beauty Really Ethical?

I’m a proud advocate of ethical, sustainable products. So when I discover other brands prioritising the planet and social responsibility in the sourcing of their ingredients, manufacturing and distribution, I’m genuinely overjoyed. My hope was never that Olive & Joyce would be unique in the cosmetics industry because of our ethical approach - I want this to become the standard. However, I am ever-conscious (and ever-irritated) about greenwashing. So I was keen to find out just how ethical K-beauty really is.

Unfortunately, I'm unable to provide you with a clear-cut answer here because Korean skincare is a movement that includes multiple brands, all with their own ideas of what is ethical. So here are some things to consider when considering Korean skincare products - 

Ingredients - One stand-out of K-beauty is they use some…ummmm… ’unique’ ingredients. Often all-natural but fairly unusual and challenging to source. Ingredients may include snail mucin, fermented extracts, and seaweed. This innovative approach means these brands are sourcing alternative ingredients which can be better for the planet since we're not all exploiting the same natural resources on mass, giving nature more time to recover and regenerate.

UK consumers, increasingly interested in cruelty-free and vegan beauty, may need to scrutinize K-beauty brands to ensure they align with their values. Transparency about ingredient sourcing and production practices can differ from brand to brand, as can the definition of what may be considered ‘cruelty-free’ or ethical.

Highlighting plant-based and organic ingredients has helped K-beauty to appeal to ethically minded consumers. Yet, the term 'natural' is loosely regulated, and some products may still contain synthetic preservatives or fragrances. It’s also important to recognise that ingredients, such as snail mucin, would not be considered vegan.

Plants and skincare ingredients in petri dishes to symbolise natural skincare

Sustainability - Again, this differs between brands. Brands like Innisfree and Amorepacific are taking steps toward sustainability by using recyclable packaging and incorporating eco-friendly practices into their production processes. However, these initiatives remain inconsistent across the industry, leaving consumers with limited clarity about the overall sustainability of their purchases.

Whilst much of K-beauty’s popularity has been attributed to its all-natural credentials, it’s also a movement defined by its bright, shiny, beautifully designed packaging and that packaging typically contains a lot of plastic, which contributes to industry wastage. Some may be recyclable but even recycling uses significant energy and is not a long-term solution to overproduction which is why Olive & Joyce create reusable glassware for our customers, offering refills when products run out.

Korean skincare is also defined by its multi-step approach to skincare. So, around ten different products may be used per consumer every day. The production and packaging of numerous items significantly increase resource consumption, including water, raw materials, and energy. The heavy reliance on single-use plastics for packaging exacerbates environmental waste, contributing to pollution and landfill overflow. Additionally, the transportation of these products from Korea to global markets increases the carbon footprint.



What is Good About Korean Skincare?

K-beauty is imperfect but so is western skincare. As always, there are brands who lead the way in enabling ethical consumerism and then there are those that don’t and it’s not always easy to tell the difference. However, there are some real positives when it comes to the trend of Korena skincare.

For one, K-beauty prioritises skin health. Not in the stripped-back, hand-off way that I believe in but still, this niche of the beauty industry does place focus on caring for the skin rather than covering up ‘flaws’ with excessive make-up or procedures. Although I personally consider a multi-step approach to skincare risky - and perhaps unnecessary and potentially exploitative - I do share the Korean all-natural, gentle approach to skincare. One which focuses on long-term benefits rather than ‘quick fixes’ and ‘miracle cures’. Influencers for K-beauty do tend to emphasise cleanliness, good diet, general healthy practices and a slow and steady approach to changing your skincare routine. The movement also appears to recognise that skin types differ so there is no skincare routine or skincare products that will work for everyone. This is quite a refreshing message for a trending beauty movement. However I must again stress that not all K-beauty brands adhere to this more balanced/sensible approach.

Secondly, K-beauty has sought to be innovative, looking to ingredients in nature that have not typically been used in skincare before. Whilst I celebrate the ancient wisdom that has spurred us to harness the magic of nature for decades, I recognise that the earth needs us to find more creative ways to care for our skin to ensure that resources aren’t exploited by overproduction. After all, deforestation is the key casualty of the cosmetics industry. K-beauty pioneers' discovery of alternative ingredients may be key to developing a more diverse industry where we’re not all clamouring to exploit mother nature of the same natural resources.

Whatever flaws the K-beauty movement has - and there are some serious ones - the innovative approach is one UK brands should take heed from. 


What Do I Really Think Of The Korean Skincare Trend?

Whilst flawless skin may be the goal, the overall movement is not without its flaws. You might even go so far as to say there is quite a bit of greenwashing and misconception being played around how ethical the products actually are. However, western cosmetics suffer the same and amongst it all are some truly ethical brands working towards making cosmetics less harmful to our environment and less aggressive on our skin.

As someone who believes in skin simplicity, I'm also sceptical of the multi-product approach. However, I recognise some of the same cautions that I preach in this movement also - such as keeping exfoliation to a couple of times a week and introducing new products one at a time to give your skin ample opportunity to adapt to them.

Overall, the UK beauty market does have an opportunity to learn from Korean skincare. The foundations of the movement are steeped in a skincare approach focused on health and respect for our skin's natural abilities as assisted by Mother Nature. There is also a focus on innovation and a general move towards sustainability and ethical practices although consumers must be vigilant in seeking brands willing to be transparent over those who make unsubstantiated claims.

Unfortunately, despite some positives, K-beauty generally does what every other beauty trend seems to do - especially in its marketing. That is to focus on youth and advocacy of one type of beauty; one type of skin perfection - plump, shiny, glossy and 'glass-like'.

Inevitably, despite my quest to provide answers on the K-beauty trend, I’m still left with a question I can’t answer - Just how progressive, liberating or innovative can a movement really be when it is still only posterising one aspirational 'look' for all people?

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