Cosmetic brands see lucrative opps in Korea thanks to surgery demand

In this first edition of ‘Asia in Focus’: a series that hones in on which segments are offering the most opportunities for the industry right now; how best to enter these markets; and specific consumer trends and behavioural pattern breakdowns, from our experts on the ground, on the region, now.

This month CosmeticsDesign-Asia.com is focusing on the South Korean market where our expert, Florence Bernardin, having just returned from her most recent trip, reports that brands such as Clarins and Dior are already involved in catering to this demand.

According to Bernardin, Clarins 'Lift Affine Visage' has opened the way for brands in this segment to compete with the results of surgery, and remains a leader, but newcomers such as Dior have also introduced interesting ranges such as the '​Capture Lift' collection, designed specifically for Asian women which is giving it a run for its money.

Lucrative market ​

Remarkably, our expert says, one in five South Korean women have had some form of cosmetic surgery, and particularly over the past two or three decades, have come to equate beauty with professional and economic success. 

This boost of interest has also opened the door for brands to provide a more cost effective and safer method of transforming the skin, if not to provide pre- and post- surgery treatment ranges.

“This demand will give way to products like skin re-surfacing and caters to the Korean belief that to be beautiful is to be successful in life​,” she informs this publication.

Bernardin believes that other countries such as Taiwan and China will be following suit in terms of this type of demand, and that consumers are already travelling to Korean clinics to get these types of treatments because they are more reliable there.

Cosmetic products could work with or replace the need for surgery​

While BB creams were originally conceived to cover, treat and protect the likes of surgery scars thanks to thick coverage, grayish shade and EGF based formulas, Bernardin says they are now shifting to a kind of smart make-up product that combine an all in one action: skin care benefits and light make-up.

The likes of 'double eyelid' tapes, for example; a product that teenagers are using until they can then go and get surgery at 18, has become one of the most common cosmetic tricks to achieve the wide-open eye effect without surgery.

Other such treatments like 'V shaping' where Korean and Chinese women look to achieve more clearly defined facial contours, firmer cheeks, and a delicate chin pointed to an ideal V-shape through surgery has been prevented with the launch of Regen's mask like product that shapes the chin.

“Considering how popular those plastic surgeries are, it is clear and easily understandable that cosmetics products that claim to provide the same results, or support the surgery recovery show great success on the market," ​she says.

Bernardin who is the CEO of 'Information & Inspiration', an agency that specialises in all that is the cosmetics industry in Asia, ​will be back on the region next month, this time scoping out Japan’s markets, if you would like to see our expert to look into specific topics in the region, ​please contact us via the editor button below for consideration.​