Trend predictions in APAC: What’s in store?

1. Natural revitalised ​

Throughout the region, there will be a continued increase in the use of ‘natural’ in cosmetic formulations and personal care products.

“The use of naturals will be particularly evident in traditional medicine-founded herbs, as well as those from around China, Korea and Jeju Island,”​ stated Belinda Carli, Director of the Institute of Personal Care Science.

2.   Hair protection​

Colouring and perming hair have a considerable consumer focus in Korea, in particular.

“As Asian hair is naturally much thicker and stronger than Caucasian hair, it is generally much more resilient against the damaging use of heat and products,”​ highlighted Carli.

Despite the strength of available products on the market, consumers are experiencing more hair care damage due to the increased use of colour and perming that they are not used to counteracting.

Hair repair and hair treatments are now entering the Korean marketplace. While this is “a major hair care category in Caucasian countries where we have been aware of the damage we cause to our thinner hair for years” states Carli, this is a relatively new area that APAC brands are now exploring.  

Concentrated heat, colourants and dyes weaken strong hair, resulting in heat causing more damage. As a result, product launches have also been designed to protect the further damage caused by the use of heated styling apparatus, such as globally popular straighteners. 

‘Healthy scalp equals healthy hair’ is also a popular concept in Korea in particular, emphasising the potential rise in manufacturers that are expected to focus on healthy scalp-related products including anti-dandruff hair care.

3.  Colour ​

Developers and creators will base their new ranges on exciting product forms and innovative colour concepts.

Chaewon Lee, Korea Marketing and Sales Manager from Beauty Streams, will, for example, provide an exclusive look at make-up colours and textures for spring/summer 2018 at this week’s in-cosmetics Korea.

Curated for the K-beauty market, this insight will indicate the upcoming areas of focus in the colour cosmetics industry.

4. Customisation​

“The trend for personalised skin care products continues to gather pace, with this being particularly evident in the rise of multicultural beauty,”​ added Carli.

Brands are significantly utilising technology by developing devices that are capable of testing the environment and consumers’ specific skin type. Based on this analysis, this produces or recommends a bespoke skin care product or routine.

In Euromonitor International’s 2015 global survey, 50.5% of respondents selected ‘suited to my skin type’ as the claim or feature that most influenced their skin care purchasing decisions.  

Carli highlighted the specific geographical areas that are set to develop their personal care offerings: “Demand for customisation has so far been most evident in China, India and Indonesia and is growing well in Korea.”

5. Regulatory status​

Korean MFDS (Ministry of Food and Drug Safety) has reviewed and made changes to its manufacturing standards for Quasi Drugs manufacturers and importers. 

This set of drugs incorporates anti-inflammatory products, including oral hygiene ranges, hair dye and bleaching products, and depilatory items. 

Safe use is prioritised to optimise consumer confidence and trust. However, this does cause additional resources through formulations testing for companies manufacturing or importing these product types.

For more information, visit http://korea.in-cosmetics.com/​