Efficacy over popularity: Korean skin care brand launches first waterless product amid consumer resistance

The vegan skin care brand launched the intensive waterless Vitamin C ampoule 20% a few months ago.

Vegreen’s general director Sunok Kim told CosmeticsDesign-Asia​ that the firm emphasises product efficacy.

With its new product, it wanted to address the drawbacks of current Vitamin C products in the market, including oxidation or loss of potency by dilution.

Instead of using water, it uses an oil-based ethyl ascorbyl (6%) that is highly-absorbent and slows down antioxidant activity, keeping Vitamin C concentration to above 80%.

Its other key ingredients include 14% pure Vitamin C and 6% Vitamin C ethyl ether.

Due to its high potency, it is important for consumers to maintain a neutral 5.5 pH level for the skin. Thereby, they are recommended to use low pH cleansers to minimise the reaction on the skin.

“Individuals with oily skin were apprehensive about the oil base, while those with sensitive skin were concerned about the warmth. As a result, educating users about the safety and effectiveness of the product became the priority for VeGreen,”​ Kim said.

Instead of waiting on consumer acceptance around waterless products, Kim said that prompt introduction of an innovative product was more important. It proceeded with the launch, believing its new product would be well-received in the market due to its efficacy.

To address the consumer resistance, the firm partnered with influencers and key opinion leaders (KOLs) specialising in skin care to educate consumers on the correct usage and common reactions using a pure Vitamin C product.

Kim also highlighted industry resistance and formulation issues that took them more than two years to develop the product.

“Many labs declined our proposal, citing concerns over high costs and complexity. Our aim was to pioneer a unique waterless product that was not available in the market. Fortunately, we connected with a lab that recognised its potential.​

It is currently in the research and development phase for natural oil cleansers that exclude the use of synthetic emulsifiers, as well as a waterless Vitamin E ampoule.

Founded in 2020, Vegreen specialises in vegan skin care spanning cleansers, cream, serum, and toners.

Its products are available on major e-commerce platforms including Amazon for the US, eBay for Europe, Shopee, and Blumonkeys for Asian and Latin countries. Discussions are underway with some countries for offline distribution.