K-Beauty Brands Show gives Korean products a place to shine

Life & Style

Published: 29 Nov. 2022, 15:50

K-Beauty Brands Show gives Korean products a place to shine

Representatives from beauty brands give hair and makeup tips and tricks during the 2022 K-Beauty Brands Show at the Community House Masil in Myeong-dong, central Seoul, on Friday. [KOREA COSMETIC INDUSTRY INSTITUTE]

People leaving the 2022 K-Beauty Brands Show walked out with a major glow-up, testament to what many say K-beauty does best.

The show, which took place on Friday at the Community House Masil in Myeong-dong of Jung District, central Seoul, was hosted by the Korea Cosmetic Industry Institute and sponsored by the Ministry of Health and Welfare and aims to introduce new trends and promote local beauty and cosmetic brands overseas.

“This event is being held to help provide more opportunities for K-beauty brands to make their mark in the international market,” said Lee Jae-ran, the institute’s president, in a welcoming speech. “Today, 13 brands ranging across categories that represent K-beauty — including skincare, makeup, hair and nails — will show off many different programs. [The institute] will do its best to discover more outstanding domestic beauty-related businesses and aid in exporting them overseas.”

Lee Jae-ran, president of the Korea Cosmetic Industry Institute, left, and singer Yubin, a former member of disbanded girl group Wonder Girls, stand for a photo. Yubin was named the ambassador for the 2022 K-Beauty Brands Show. [KOREA COSMETIC INDUSTRY INSTITUTE]

Yubin, a former member of disbanded girl group Wonder Girls, was appointed as the ambassador of the event.

During the main event, visitors were able to test out beauty products at booths set up by 13 brands, including Juno Hair, Age 20’s, Luna, Chahong and Dashing Diva.

Salon brands Juno Hair and Chahong offered free makeup or hair styling sessions, while Dashing Diva, a local nail product brand, gave fresh manicures from its signature gel nail stickers while providing tips on how to easily apply them at home.

Visitors, a significant portion of which consisted of foreigners who were dressed up from head to toe, were busy either taking that perfect social media shot of themselves at photo op spots or testing out the products available on site.

Visitors snap photos at photo op spots at the 2022 K-Beauty Brands Show at the Community House Masil in Myeong-dong, central Seoul, on Friday. [KOREA COSMETIC INDUSTRY INSTITUTE]

“I really like their lipsticks, especially the matte ones,” said Carron Lee, a 31-year-old South African who lives in Seocho District, southern Seoul, pointing to samples from cosmetic brand Luna. “They never wear off even after you eat. As for the foundations, however, sadly none of them match my skin tone because they’re too light.”

An offline stage was also available for brands to try to appeal to potential customers, a unique experience from anything offered online. jennyhouse is a beauty salon, most notable as being the place at which actor Son Ye-jin did her makeup for her wedding with actor Hyun Bin earlier this year, which also has a cosmetics line, but the products are only available to purchase online.

“We don’t have an offline store in Korea as we are mainly targeting the global market through our website,” an assistant at jennyhouse’s booth told the Korea JoongAng Daily. “So this is really the only time you can test all our makeup products for yourself.”

Local salon and cosmetics brand jennyhouse's booth during the 2022 K-Beauty Brands Show. Visitors were free to try out its products. [SHIN MIN-HEE]

Though the 2022 K-Beauty Brands Show was only held Friday night, Beauty Play, a free facility managed by the Korea Cosmetic Industry Institute, also offers beauty-related hands-on programs and one-day workshops in Myeong-dong.

Beauty Play is open every day except Sundays from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m.

Programs include making soap, perfume, lipstick and getting a personal color analysis. More information can be found on Beauty Play’s website.

BY SHIN MIN-HEE [shin.minhee@joongang.co.kr]