From Asia and Europe to North America and back again, Korean culture is on the rise and, aside from K-Pop, this can be seen most obviously in the world of cosmetics and beauty. Well, K-beauty that is. K-beauty was one of the biggest trends of 2015, with beauty lovers the world over embracing the cult sheet masks and CC creams to emerge from Asia’s most innovative cosmetics fairground.
Korean fever looks set to grow even stronger in 2016, with Macy’s announcing a K-beauty shop in partnership with Peach & Lily in its Queens, New York, store, as recently as last month. Here are some of the trends to look out for.
Cushion foundation
Cushion foundation, which comprises a spongy formula that is applied to the face with a pillow to provide easy and flawless coverage, isn’t going anywhere for now. The added bonus of integrated SPF protection, wrinkle prevention and antibacterial properties mean that this budding trend is sure to take over next year. French beauty brand Lancôme is leading the way and has carried its successful ‘Miracle Cushion‘ formula ($46.50) over to its Spring 2016 collection, playing on the Korean penchant for cult packaging by adding some sweet pastel cover art to its compact.
Korean contouring
Contouring has undergone many a transformation since first appearing on our radar, courtesy of Kim Kardashian, some years ago. 2015 saw the birth of ‘clown contouring’ and ‘strobing’, but 2016 will be all about doing it the Korean way. The ideal face shape for many Korean women is a soft oval with a dainty chin, known as the ‘V-line’, and the look can be achieved by highlighting the center of the face, using concealer under the eyes and shimmery tints down the cupid’s brow, the bridge of the nose and the chin, before shading the perimeter of the face to make it appear smaller. Check out beauty vlogger Luvableviet’s tutorial for more information.
Waterless skin care
As beauty fans become aware of increasingly limited water resources, many brands are experimenting with alternatives. Water-free skin care lines first came to our attention thanks to Korean brand Whamisa, whose collection relies on essential oils and plant extracts to hydrate the skin. Market research group Mintel recently predicted that water-free cosmetics will explode over the next decade, so watch this space.
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