Doing things efficiently and fast is a key part in the Korean culture. It has been ever since 1950, when the country had to get its economy back on its feet in the aftermath of the devastating Korean War.
Recent developments in technology fit perfectly with this national characteristic. Everywhere you go in Korea, you see techsavvy people using smart-phones to keep up with friends via social networks, share favourite links with them, or Google the products they see on store shelves. Women are particularly keen to go online for information about cosmetic products. Studies have shown that Korean women typically spend less time on their beauty routines than women in Japan: they may feel uncomfortable going out without makeup, and of course they want to look good, but at the same time, they are wary about looking artificial from the wrong sort of decorative cosmetics. This means that Korean women are very interested in convenient beauty care solutions that fit with their fast-paced lives, and replace a complete make-up, while providing a natural, healthy look. BB creams in this regard have proved to be particularly popular because of their multi-tasks (see Table 1). These are essentially tinted moisturisers that provide light coverage and additional skin benefits.
Pioneered in Germany – established in Korea
The first blemish balm was launched in Germany under the Dr. Schrammek brand name, and was primarily used to soothe, protect and regenerate the skin after peeling treatment. It was introduced into Korea in the late 1970s by nurses who had been working in Germany and brought back samples of BB creams with them. Official imports of BB cream started in 1983, but it was only available through dermatology clinics and aesthetic centres – until rumours started to circulate that TV stars were using the cream for cosmetic reasons. Good word of mouth meant that BB creams rapidly gained in popularity and was readily accepted by Korean consumers, as it was shown to provide similar benefits for the skin as Korean traditional herbal cosmetics. Following its success in Korea, BB cream was also launched in Japan, where it became just as popular (see Fig. 2). A survey carried out at the 2009 Beautyworld Japan trade show found that Korean BB cream was the most popular key word among consumers for cosmetic products in Japan in 2008.
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