Korean Beauty Trends & Industry News: 24-01-31

eBay Japan Announces December's Popular Cosmetics Rankings: K-Beauty Dominates

eBay Japan, led by CEO Gu Ja-hyun, announced the popular cosmetics rankings for December. The rankings are based on sales data from various beauty categories on their online open market, Qoo10 Japan.

Notably, in the lip balm category, four out of the top five products were K-Beauty brands. The 'Laneige Lip Sleeping Mask,' which ranked first, is a product designed for lip care even during sleep. The second-placed 'Romand Glasting Melting Balm' gained popularity for its moisture resistance and minimal irritation to the lips. Additionally, 'Espoir Mega Melting Balm' and 'Mude Drizzle Balm' took the fourth and fifth spots, respectively.

K-Beauty products also excelled in the lip makeup category. 'Laka Fruity Glam Tint' topped the list, followed by 'Laka Bonding Glow Lipstick.' 'Laneige Lip Sleeping Mask' and 'Romand Glasting Melting Balm,' which also ranked in the lip balm category, took the third and fourth spots, respectively, with 'Peripera Peri's Lucky Box Collection' in fifth place.

In the eyeshadow category, K-Beauty brands secured four of the top five spots. 'Daisyk Eyeshadow Palette' ranked second, followed by 'WakeMake Soft Blurring Eye Palette,' 'Clio Pro Eye Palette Air,' and 'I'M MEME Multi Cube' in the third to fifth positions.

In the cheek makeup category, K-Beauty products occupied all top five positions, with 'Daisyk Blending Mood Cheek' leading the sales. They were followed by 'Peripera Clear Sunshine Cheek,' 'Romand Better Than Cheek,' 'Mude Flutter Blusher,' and '2aN Dual Cheek.'

The post-pandemic reduction in mask-wearing has increased interest in lip care and makeup, with a particular surge in demand for easy-to-use products. This trend reflects the continued popularity of K-Beauty products and their strong influence in the global beauty industry, particularly among Japanese consumers.

South Korea Tightens Safety Regulations on Small-Sized Cosmetics and Eyelash Products

The South Korean Ministry of Food and Drug Safety announced enhanced labeling requirements for certain small-sized cosmetics and eyelash perm products to ensure consumer safety. The new regulation mandates that even small-sized products, particularly those needing special attention like intimate area cleansers and eyelash perm products, must include a complete list of ingredients and usage precautions, regardless of package size.

Additionally, the Ministry has updated its policy to allow the use of certification results from various private institutions in cosmetics advertising. This change expands beyond the previous limit of only allowing advertising based on certifications announced by the head of the Ministry, enabling more diverse and evidence-based advertising.

The Ministry also introduced new procedures for non-practicing sales managers and custom cosmetics formulators. If these individuals cease to practice, they can now directly report their non-practicing status to the local food and drug office. This measure aims to prevent disadvantages when transferring to another company.

Efforts to streamline administrative tasks are also underway. In cases of inheriting a cosmetics business, the required family relation documents can now be directly verified by the responsible official. Moreover, a tax office's submission of a cosmetics business's closure report will automatically be treated as filed, simplifying administrative processes.

The Ministry expects these revisions to enhance consumer safety in using cosmetics and stimulate the domestic cosmetics certification industry. It plans to continue revising regulations to ensure the public's confidence in using cosmetics.

South Korean SMEs Face Mixed Export Trends: Rise in Cosmetics and Auto, Decline in Semiconductors

South Korea's small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) experienced a 2.3% decline in exports last year compared to the previous year. Despite strong export performances in the cosmetics and automotive sectors, a downturn in semiconductor exports impacted overall figures. However, the Ministry of SMEs and Startups reported that semiconductor exports picked up in the second half of the year, mitigating the overall decrease in exports.

Among the top ten export items, cosmetics and automobiles stood out. Cosmetics reached record-breaking performance despite a drop in exports to China, thanks to diversified markets like the USA, Japan, and Vietnam. The auto sector also saw growth, driven by increased demand for used cars in Russian neighboring countries and a booming complete car market.

The top five countries for SME exports were China, the USA, Vietnam, Japan, and India, with the USA, Russia, and Mexico showing increased export figures. Additionally, online exports by SMEs rose by 11.3% to $760 million, accounting for 76.5% of the total online exports.

The Ministry's official, Choi Won-young, stated that the diversification of export countries and the increase in the number of exporting SMEs were positive trends. The Ministry plans to continue supporting SME exports to maintain the upward trend into 2024.

South Korea Cracks Down on 158 Cases of Misleading Food, Cosmetics, and Dental Product Ads Before Lunar New Year

Ahead of the Lunar New Year, the South Korean Ministry of Food and Drug Safety conducted a thorough review of online advertisements for food, cosmetics, and quasi-drugs, uncovering 158 cases of false, exaggerated, or improper advertising. Among these, 60 food advertisements falsely promoted regular foods as health-functional foods. Notably, liquid tea products were advertised as beneficial for gut health and immune system enhancement, misleadingly suggesting disease prevention and treatment capabilities.

The cosmetics sector saw 32 violations, with a significant number (25 cases) misrepresenting cosmetics as having medicinal effects, particularly in whitening and anti-wrinkle products.

In the quasi-drug category, which includes toothpaste, mouth fresheners, and teeth whitening products, 66 cases of improper advertising were identified. These products were falsely promoted as having medical effects like improving sensitive teeth, alleviating oral inflammation, and inhibiting tartar formation.

The Ministry advises consumers to verify products' approvals, evaluations, and recognized effects on the Ministry's website before purchasing online. Additionally, it stresses the importance of avoiding unapproved, unlabeled products, expired items, or those with tampered packaging. Information on the efficacy of health-functional foods, functional cosmetics, and quasi-drugs can be accessed through product packaging and the Ministry's websites.