Korean culture has long been famous for skincare. Its beauty industry has a global reputation when it comes to offering preventative, proactive, healthy skincare. As such, they’re very aware of skin barrier and microbiome and that transition between skin health and aesthetics. Social media has really opened up the door to Korean culture and a beauty industry that offers the most exciting treatments, brands and products to be found anywhere.
Glass skin is one of the biggest Korean-inspired aesthetics, characterised by a smooth, translucent, pore-minimised complexion that looks exceptionally luminous and hydrated. As a result, retailers, including Boots, as well as skin clinics nationwide are offering Korean-inspired treatments and products to help us achieve the look. VirtueRF: a state-of-the-art, Korean-engineered radiofrequency (RF) microneedling device is one of the latest treatments to deliver incredible, regenerative results, while on the high street South Korea’s influence continues to deepen with innovations like PDRN, Centella and Exosomes now firmly part of our skincare lexicon.
Boots is already home to an incredible selection of K beauty brands and products – the retailer launched over 20 new K beauty brands last year and sells one K beauty product every 11 seconds – so we spoke to Grace Vernon, head of Boots Ignite, Foresight & Trends, about why K-Pharmacy is the next big buzzword in skincare and what products we need to be aware of.
Why is K-Pharmacy so exciting?
“K-Pharmacy is so exciting because it represents the next wave of South Korea’s influence over the global beauty industry. Korean pharmacies have quickly become a must-visit destination for savvy beauty tourists visiting Korea, as more people seek out behind-the-counter K-Beauty brands and treatment-grade products that aren’t widely available on the high street. As beauty discovery meets clinical expertise, visiting local pharmacies is becoming as essential as hitting Seoul’s beauty halls.”
Why is each product so effective?
“Many Korean skincare brands are exclusively available through Korean pharmacies to ensure that consumers receive professional guidance from trained pharmacists who can advise on the effects and benefits of the featured ingredients. This pharmacy-led model and exclusive availability has driven high demand for these brands, particularly for higher-strength formulations that aren’t available elsewhere.
Boots is now bringing popular K-Pharmacy brands to high streets across the UK with the launch of Dr Reju-All and Dr.Althea.”
