With a brand new year comes a whole set of new beauty trends for us to try out! Much like the rest of the global beauty market, Korean beauty rituals have also evolved to accommodate our changing skincare needs. Since we all seem to be taking the minimal route in 2021 with an increased focus on gentle ingredients and multitasking products, K-beauty has a lot of potentials this year as well. These are the top five K-beauty trends that we are excited to try in 2021...
- 01. Skin microbiome friendly skincare
- 02. Carrot seed oil
- 03. All about that body-ody-ody!
- 04. Milder alternatives to retinol
- 05. Hybrid skincare
01. Skin microbiome friendly skincare
Skin microbiome refers to the numerous bacteria, fungi, and viruses present in each sq. cm of your skin. Microbiome friendly products consist of pre-, pro- and post-biotic ingredients that help maintain the synergy of good bacteria on your skin. This helps in avoiding issues like skin inflammation, rashes and fungal infections, among others. The trend also focuses upon keeping your gut microbiome healthy to keep your skin healthy from inside out.
02. Carrot seed oil
Not to be confused with carrot oil, the carrot seed oil is a type of essential oil extracted from the wild carrot plant. This lesser-known ingredient is rich in vitamin A and contains anti-ageing, anti-fungal, anti-bacterial, anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties. It has been used in Korean skincare for over 10 years. You can mix this essential oil with a carrier oil and apply it topically to reap its benefits.
03. All about that body-ody-ody!
Spending months in quarantine got people super into skincare, and there is only so much you can do on your face! Body care in Korea is huge. With soothing ingredients like oatmeal and milk being a staple in their lotions and potions. The idea is to treat your face skin and body skin as a unit, and giving every inch of the skin on your body the same TLC as your facial skin.
BB picks: St. Ives Soothing Oatmeal & Shea Butter Body Wash
04. Milder alternatives to retinol
The viral anti-ageing ingredient can be credited for the youthful glow we see on most Korean women. But retinol is known to irritate sensitive skin, and thus the Koreans use gentler alternatives to retinol. So, you should either opt for a lower percentage or look for variants known to be less irritating, like retinyl palmitate.
BB picks: Lakmé Youth Infinity Skin Firming Night Creme
05. Hybrid skincare
Hybrid skincare is formulated by combining two or more actions in a single product to cut down on the number of products you have to use daily. A result of the ‘skinimalism’ trend, hybrid skincare can help you downsize your beauty collection, and stick to using just the essentials, rather than splurging and making impulse buys.
BB picks: Dermalogica Total Eye Care With SPF 15
Written by Sumona Bose on Jan 19, 2021
Sumona Bose is a writer, skincare junkie and a self-professed makeup connoisseur. Equipped with a Master's degree in Fashion Management and over 3 years of experience writing in the beauty and fashion space, her passion for learning new things has no bounds. Working closely with dermatologists, beauty excerpts, makeup artists and hairstylists, she brings you the best of all things beauty. From trending skincare ingredients to makeup looks that help you slay, she manages to bring something new (and vital!) to our readers every single time. Her hobbies include home workouts, watching foreign films and binge-watching makeover shows!