Korean Beauty Trends & Industry News: 24-02-28

South Korea Overhauls Legal Certification System to Ease Corporate Burdens

    The South Korean government has announced a major overhaul of its legal certification system, aiming to reduce corporate burdens and eliminate redundancies with international certifications. Out of the existing 257 legal certifications, those deemed ineffective or duplicative will be abolished, and procedures will be streamlined to save businesses time and money.

The Prime Minister's Office estimates this reform will reduce corporate burdens by approximately 152.7 billion won annually. Notably, the requirement for domestic certification for natural and organic cosmetic manufacturers, even those with international COSMOS certification, will be eliminated.

This initiative will simplify certification processes, integrate 8 similar or duplicative certifications, and improve the procedures for 66 certifications. Additionally, the introduction of a self-conformity declaration (DoC) system and the opening up to private certification bodies will allow for a quicker response to diverse certification demands.

The government aims to prevent the indiscriminate establishment of new certification systems, reduce the certification burden on companies, and enhance the competitiveness of domestic businesses. It also plans to maintain certification quality through thorough post-management.

This reform focuses on eliminating overlaps between domestic and international certifications, reducing corporate burdens, and excluding certifications that cause consumer confusion, thereby enhancing the quality of certifications as a means of protecting the lives and safety of the people.

eBay Japan's Qoo10 Announces January Rankings for K-Beauty Products

    eBay Japan's Qoo10 has analyzed January's beauty product sales data, revealing that K-Beauty products dominate the rankings across major beauty categories such as BB creams, lip makeup, eyeshadows, and blushes, indicating their high popularity in the Japanese market as well.

In the BB cream category, "Dear, Klairs Illuminating Supple Blemish Cream" took the top spot, followed by various Missha products and "Cell Fusion C Skin Blemish Balm Intensive." These products were favored for their natural coverage and durability.

Lip makeup saw "LAKA Geling Nude Gloss" leading, with products from Rom&nd, Cosnori, Amuse, and LAKA filling the top ranks, praised for their natural color and texture.

"WakeMake Soft Blurring Eye Palette" was the most popular in the eyeshadow category, with "Etude House Replay Collection," "Holika Holika My Fave Piece Shadow," "Clio Pro Eye Palette Air," and "Daisy Duck Eyeshadow Palette" following closely behind, chosen for their diverse color matching and delicate pigmentation.

For blushes, "Daisy Duck Blending Mood Cheek" was number one, with "Rom&nd Better Than Cheek" and "Peripera Pure Blushed Sunshine Cheek" also ranking highly, loved for their soft texture and natural harmony with the skin.

This ranking reaffirms the continued growth and popularity of K-Beauty products among Japanese consumers, with expectations for ongoing expansion.

South Korea's MFDS Advises on Safe Use of Color Cosmetics for Teens

    The Ministry of Food and Drug Safety (MFDS) has issued guidelines on the proper use and precautions for color cosmetics among teenagers. Given the sensitive and thin skin of adolescents, the MFDS emphasizes the need for careful guidance from parents, especially as the age of starting to use makeup is decreasing. It advises thorough cleansing after makeup use and warns against sharing cosmetics to prevent contamination.

Additionally, the MFDS recommends checking product labels for allergens and testing samples before purchase to avoid allergic reactions and other skin issues. In case of adverse reactions like rash or itching, it advises stopping use immediately and consulting a dermatologist.

The guidelines also include general safety tips for cosmetic use, such as maintaining hand cleanliness, keeping makeup tools clean, and storing products away from direct sunlight.

The MFDS regulates the use of 129 colorants in cosmetics, with violators facing legal actions. It also mentioned the "Regulatory Reform 2.0" initiative, which updated the notification of cosmetic colorant types, standards, and testing methods, allowing the industry to use global-level modern testing methods autonomously.

The MFDS commits to continuously providing safety information for different types of cosmetics, ensuring consumers can use products safely and healthily.

AmorePacific Joins Alibaba's AliExpress, Accelerating Global Spread of K-Beauty

    Following LG Household & Health Care, AmorePacific has also entered the Chinese direct purchase platform AliExpress, speeding up the global expansion of K-Beauty. AmorePacific plans to list its daily beauty brands such as Ryo, Illiyoon, Happy Bath, Mise-en-scène, LaboH, and Median on AliExpress's Korean product sales channel, "K-venue," aiming to provide domestic consumers with more purchasing options through domestic logistics.

Launched by AliExpress in October last year, K-venue has already welcomed major Korean brands like LG Household & Health Care, Korea P&G, and Aekyung, with AliExpress recently offering fee waivers for Korean sellers to join. This move is part of AliExpress's strategy to strengthen its presence in the Korean market and promote the global sales of K-Beauty products.

AmorePacific's entry into AliExpress is expected to showcase the excellence of K-Beauty products worldwide and enhance the global market accessibility of Korean brands. With AliExpress's extensive global network, Korean brands' overseas expansion is anticipated to become more straightforward.

Meanwhile, AmorePacific has stated it has no plans to enter Tmall and has been focusing on enhancing its market strategy in Korea, including appointing actor Ma Dong-seok as a brand ambassador. AliExpress's active user base in Korea reached 4.96 million by the end of last year, with the Chinese overseas direct purchase market growing by 121.2%, making China the top country for overseas direct purchases in Korea. This trend is expected to further expand AliExpress's impact on the Korean e-commerce market.