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Category: K-BEAUTY

  • CJ Olive Young Unveils ‘FULLMOON’ as Its 2026 K-Beauty Trend Keyword

    CJ Olive Young has selected “F.U.L.L.M.O.O.N (Full Moon)” as the key keyword shaping the K-beauty and wellness industry in 2026, unveiling eight major trends centered on the idea of becoming one’s “whole self.”

    The report highlights how wellness trends that encompass not only outward beauty but also inner balance and recovery are spreading globally.

    The “early wellness” trend, particularly among the MZ generation, stands out.

    According to Olive Young’s purchasing data, customers aged 15 to 24 who buy wellness products have recorded double-digit annual growth every year since 2022. This group favors “healthy pleasure,” enjoying wellness in accessible ways, which has driven increased consumption of easy-to-take wellness snacks such as candies, jellies, and beverages. As the emphasis on quality rest grows, sales of sleep-related health supplements have surged by more than 300 percent year-on-year.

    Clear changes are also evident in the makeup segment.

    “Skincaring makeup,” which combines skincare functions with color cosmetics, is gaining traction, with consumers placing greater importance on ingredients and efficacy when choosing makeup products. Searches related to soothing, skin barrier, and hydration functions have increased by more than 150 percent.

    Alongside these shifts, Olive Young presented next-generation trends including K-beauty integrated into global daily routines, professional self-care, Gen Z luxury beauty, and AI-based hyper-personalized concierge services, forecasting that hyper-personalized value-driven consumption will further intensify.

  • Chanel’s Bleu de Chanel Limited Edition Sells Out After Jungkook’s Endorsement

    Recently, Jungkook was officially appointed as the global ambassador for Chanel’s Beauty & Fragrance division. On the 16th, he graced the cover of ELLE Korea January issue, showcasing a Chanel photoshoot that quickly went viral. However, alongside the announcement of his ambassadorship, an unexpected “sold-out frenzy” erupted.

    The limited edition of Bleu de Chanel, the fragrance Jungkook mentioned as his favorite on Disney Plus’s variety show Are You Sure?, sold out simultaneously on both the official Chanel website and Chanel Korea. Overseas fans took to X (formerly Twitter), confirming the product’s availability issue on the Chanel site and expressing their surprise.

    Fans, calling him the “King of Sold-Outs,” flooded social media with congratulatory messages. Some fans, relieved after purchasing the fragrance at duty-free stores, even shared their joy. Jungkook’s mention of the fragrance sparked a massive response from fans around the globe, significantly increasing interest in Chanel.

    As Chanel’s Global Ambassador for Beauty and Fragrance, this marks Jungkook’s first official role with the brand. In the ELLE Korea photoshoot, he flawlessly embodied the Chanel look, leaving a deep impression on fans and further cementing his influence while showcasing Chanel’s global recognition.

  • CHICOR Opens New Hongdae Store Following Myeongdong Launch

    CHICOR will open its Hongdae store on the 11th in Donggyo-dong, Mapo-gu, Seoul, with a floor area of approximately 495㎡.

    Earlier on the 5th, the brand also opened a new 330㎡ store in Myeongdong, further expanding its footprint in major commercial districts.

    Both stores showcase one of the largest lineups in Korea, featuring around 230 beauty brands. The selection includes popular names such as TIRTIR, JUNGSAEMMOOL, and d’Alba, alongside rising brands like dasique, ARENCIEL, and isoi, allowing customers to experience a full spectrum of K-beauty trends. The Myeongdong store, known for its high volume of foreign visitors, highlights CHICOR’s strengths with a “Lip & Cheek Bar” and dedicated zones for skincare, perfume, and hair-body categories.

    The first floor of the Myeongdong store features a “Lip & Cheek Bar” offering over 20 lip and cheek products, presenting an interactive way to explore the latest makeup trends. The second floor includes skincare, perfume, and hair-body zones designed to accommodate the preferences of international shoppers.

    The Hongdae store presents a “K-Perfume Station” on the first floor with over 20 Korean fragrance brands, reflecting the rapid growth of the perfume market. The store layout continues with a makeup and tools zone on the second floor and a skincare-focused third floor.

    Both branches offer 1:1 K-makeup services and CHICOR’s “Beauty Lab,” where AI scalp diagnostics are available. To celebrate the grand openings, special gifts and promotional discounts will be offered based on purchase amounts.

  • Olive Young Reveals 2025 Awards Highlighting Key K-Beauty Trends

    Olive Young has released the 2025 Olive Young Awards, a comprehensive summary of this year’s K-beauty and wellness trends based on 1.8 billion annual customer purchase data points.

    The awards analyzed data from July 2024 to June 2025 and selected 166 top products across 40 categories, reaffirming Olive Young’s position as Korea’s leading beauty authority.

    Reflecting rapidly evolving consumer behavior, the award categories were significantly expanded this year. New additions include the Self-Beauty (Home Care) category, the Lifestyle category that captures preference-driven consumption, a newly established Hand Care category in response to rising attention to hand treatments, and an Oral After-Care category focused on post-brushing breath care, showcasing finely segmented customer needs.

    With the global influence of K-beauty continuing to grow, the Global category was also strengthened. Three new subcategories—Best Performer, Rising, and Rookie—were added. The results reflect both domestic offline purchase data and global insights from Olive Young Global Mall, which serves users across 150 countries.

    Winners of the 2025 Awards will be available starting on the 30th through the Olive Young online mall.

  • Male Grooming Becomes a Power Trend in Korea’s Beauty Market

    Male consumers are emerging as a powerful growth driver in the K-beauty industry, prompting rapid investment and innovation among cosmetics companies.

    Once limited to basic skincare such as toners and lotions, the men’s beauty market is now expanding into color cosmetics, fragrances, and scalp care, establishing “men’s grooming” as a mainstream lifestyle trend.

    Recent data highlights this shift. According to Mintel, nearly half of Korean men aged 18 to 24 wear makeup, and 17% report doing so daily. In response, leading Korean cosmetics manufacturers and ODM companies are accelerating development of male-focused lines. Cosmax is developing microbiome-based products using ingredients that control sebum and improve pores, while Korea Kolmar is strengthening its lines focused on hair loss, scalp care, and whitening functionality.

    Major corporations are also joining the movement. Amorepacific has expanded the “Homme” lines within its flagship brands like Laneige and Hera, and has strengthened collaborations with male beauty influencers. Meanwhile, Prep by B.Ready surpassed 100,000 units sold within three months of its launch, demonstrating the vast growth potential of the men’s beauty sector.

  • From Korea to the World: Grabity Expands with Scientific Haircare Proof

    Developed by Professor Hae-shin Lee of KAIST’s Department of Chemistry and a team of young scientists, Grabity Shampoo is a breakthrough anti-hair loss functional product backed by advanced science.

    The shampoo contains a high concentration of LiftMax 308™, a patented KAIST ingredient, designed to form a protective layer on the hair surface and minimize damage from external stress.Clinical studies meeting international standards have confirmed its powerful results — a 6.27% increase in hair thickness and a 140% boost in volume after just one use.After two weeks, hair loss was reduced by approximately 70%, and an SCI-grade paper published this year verified a 90%+ improvement in hair density.

    The formula is EWG Green-certified, 100% vegan, and has earned the Dermatest “Excellent” rating in Germany. In line with its eco-conscious mission, the product uses recycled coconut-shell containers and refill pouches for sustainability.

    Since its Korean debut in April 2023, Grabity has sold 1.65 million bottles and achieved 29 billion KRW in revenue.

    It topped Japan’s Rakuten K-Beauty category on launch day and expanded into offline sales through Tokyo’s Re:Make Beauty Store.

    Its international milestones include participation in CES 2025 and Foire de Paris, as well as a sold-out record on Taiwan’s Momo Home Shopping.

    Grabity’s global roadmap continues through North America → Europe → Southeast Asia, supported by a strategic partnership with Silicon2, Korea’s top K-beauty export hub.

    Plans are underway for entry into Galeries Lafayette Haussmann (France) and Pinalli (Italy) in early 2026, followed by Boots Indonesia and Food Hall premium supermarkets later that year.

    A representative from Polyphenol Factory stated, “The global demand for scientifically proven, smart haircare solutions is growing rapidly. Grabity offers a new alternative for consumers struggling with thin and weak hair.”

  • HydrogenZen Revolutionizes Skincare with ‘The First Essence’ for Antioxidant Protection

    Cosmetics company LOEWE announced the launch of a new antioxidant skincare brand, HydrogenZen, with its first product, HydrogenZen The First Essence, released on the 22nd.

    HydrogenZen The First Essence is a hydrogen-based essence that has scientifically proven its ability to stabilize hydrogen and enhance the skin’s antioxidant mechanisms through extensive testing.

    This product contains 2 billion hydrogen nanobubble capsules that help eliminate free radicals, penetrate deeply into the skin layers, and provide powerful antioxidant effects, resulting in a healthier, more vibrant skin transformation.

    Additionally, the essence maximizes hydrogen stability through a patented nanobubble generation device and encapsulation process. It also contains three key antioxidant ingredients—epigallocatechin gallate, quercetin, and rutin—to provide skin hydration, elasticity, and antioxidant improvement.

    A representative from HydrogenZen stated, “We developed this hydrogen essence to strengthen the antioxidant defense of skin, which is often irritated due to frequent environmental changes, and to help maintain healthier skin.” They also added, “By excluding parabens, fragrances, artificial dyes, oils, and purified water, we aim to restore the skin’s balance and vitality with HydrogenZen The First Essence for healthier skin.”

  • Takaichi Aims to Strengthen Japan-Korea Ties: A Global Diplomatic Approach”

    Japan’s Prime Minister Takaichi Sanae announced in her inaugural press conference that she aims to develop Japan’s relationship with South Korea in a forward-looking manner.

    According to NHK, Prime Minister Takaichi said during the press conference on the 21st, shortly after being elected, “South Korea is an important neighboring country for Japan and a necessary partner in responding to various global challenges.”

    She further emphasized, “I want to develop Japan-South Korea relations in a stable and future-oriented way, based on the relationship that has been built between previous administrations.”

    Additionally, she commented, “Although there are some concerns, I really like Korean seaweed, use Korean cosmetics, and watch Korean dramas.”

    Prime Minister Takaichi also discussed Japan’s foreign policy.

    She stressed the relationship between Japan and the United States, saying, “Japan is an important partner for the U.S. in both the China strategy and the Indo-Pacific strategy.”

    Further, she highlighted her goals for Japan’s role in global diplomacy, saying, “We will work on building trust with the leaders of each country and actively propose to ensure Japan plays a prominent role on the world stage.”

  • LG H&H Uses Vision AI to Decode Facial Aging and Key Genetic Markers

    LG Household & Health Care has successfully identified six key indicators and genetic factors linked to facial aging using advanced Vision AI technology. This large-scale analysis, based on high-resolution facial images of over 16,000 Korean participants, marks the country’s most comprehensive study on facial aging — revealing for the first time that aging progresses at different rates across facial areas such as the eyes, lips, and contours.

    The findings were published in the prestigious dermatology journal Journal of Investigative Dermatology, gaining recognition from the academic community. Using AI-based facial landmark extraction technology, researchers analyzed 68 points on each face, quantifying subtle changes invisible to the naked eye. They found that eye sagging accelerates before age 50, lip elasticity declines significantly after 50, and facial contours gradually shift across all age groups.

    Based on this data, LG H&H proposed a personalized skincare roadmap: focusing on eye wrinkles in the 30s–40s and enhancing lip elasticity after the 50s. Through genome-wide association studies (GWAS), the team also identified ten major gene regions — including FOXL2 and FGF10 — that play crucial roles in facial aging, paving the way for precision skincare tailored to each individual’s genetic profile.

    LG H&H CTO Kang Nae-gyu stated, “This research is not merely about delaying aging, but about achieving ‘Skin Longevity’ across one’s lifetime,” adding, “By combining AI with genetics, we aim to deliver precision beauty care solutions that reflect each person’s unique aging pattern.”

  • A Global Stage for Korean Culture: ‘Unboxing Korea’ Takes Over Belgium

    The Korean Cultural Center in Belgium and the EU will host a large-scale cultural festival, “Unboxing Korea: Scoop the Trend,” in the heart of Brussels from October 18 to 19 (local time).

    Now in its second year, the festival offers visitors a chance to experience the full spectrum of Korean culture — from K-culture, K-beauty, and K-food to K-tourism — all in one place. The event aims to showcase both the emotional depth and industrial power of modern Korean culture.

    The festival will take place across two main venues.
    At the Korean Cultural Center, guests can explore the K-Beauty Zone and K-Tourism Zone, while Place de la Chapelle, one of Brussels’ most popular spots, will transform into the K-Culture Zone and K-Food Zone.

    A highlight of the K-Culture Zone will be the “K-pop Demon Hunters Zone”, created in collaboration with Netflix EU, where visitors can try on hanbok and traditional accessories for photo experiences. There will also be K-pop cover dance performances and traditional craft workshops, offering European audiences a hands-on taste of Korean creativity.

    At the K-Food Zone, Korean rice-based food companies will present tteokbokki, traditional liquor cocktails, and Korean-style desserts. The K-Beauty Zone will feature small and medium enterprises showcasing their products through personal color analysis sessions and live makeup demonstrations. The K-Tourism Zone will include Korean travel tarot readings, Jeju keyring crafts, and photo booth experiences.

    “Unboxing Korea” serves as more than just a festival — it’s a global cultural exchange platform that blends Korea’s artistic spirit with its contemporary lifestyle and industry trends.