#KEYWORD 1 – At-home skincare item

1. One Sheet Mask a Day: Stock it Up for your Nightly Skincare Routine

innisfree's ‘Squeeze Energy Mask’ has once again secured its position as the top-selling product in the Amorepacific Online Store, with approximately 2.4 million units sold this year alone.
The ‘innisfree Squeeze Energy Mask’ is a sheet mask that offers customized care with a total of 9 products that come in three types – water, essence, and cream. It has been vegan and biodegradable certified, making it suitable for daily use without causing irritation. No wonder it has become a must-have skincare item for skincare enthusiasts who end their nighttime routine with a sheet mask. There are currently over 12,000 customer testimonials on innisfree's Online Store, with customers saying “I can't live without it. I always stock up when it's on sale,” and “It works wonders, especially considering how affordable it is. I use it every day, and it doesn't irritate my skin.” The sheet mask's success can be attributed to the increasing consumer preference towards masks that offer an affordable and easy at-home skincare routine, and these have been seeing growth due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

2. The best-sellers of 2023 were functional at-home skincare products

The strong performance of at-home skincare products was also evident among this year's most-sold products.
The ‘Holitual Redefining 4-Week Program,’ ‘VITAL BEAUTY All-in-One Multi-Pack,’ and ‘innisfree Retinol Cica Barrier Cream’ all claimed top positions as new products emphasizing antioxidant functionality (excluding items renewed last year). This can be attributed to the consumer trend highlighted in the previous trend report⁽¹⁾ on ‘slow-aging’ and the focus on ‘wellness,’⁽²⁾ one of the trending keywords this year. This trend suggests that consistent daily care at home is essential, with customers gladly investing in relatively expensive products as long as they deliver noticeable results in a short period, just as effectively as dermatological procedures do. Sales of products falling under the slow-aging category have reportedly increased at an annual rate of 10% over the past three years (up to August 2023).⁽³⁾ Additionally, the products mentioned above all share one thing in common: they offer multiple benefits in a single product, simplifying skincare routines.

1. Amorepacific Trend Report ‘Beauty snacking: Anti-aging made as simple as eating a snack’
2. A compound word coined by combining ‘well-being’ + ‘happiness’ + ‘fitness’
3. www.cosmopolitan.co.kr/article/82662

KEYWORD 2 – Lip & Eyebrow makeup

1. Basic makeup over basic skincare

Something interesting was revealed when looking at which products were popular based on gender and age this year, in particular regarding the preferences of women in their 30s and 40s, commonly referred to as the “sheconomy.”sup>(1) The most-sold product last year for this age group was ‘innisfree Black Tea Youth Enhancing Ampoule,’ a skincare product. This year, however, ‘innisfree Eco Flat Brow Pencil,’ a makeup product, took the top spot. A switch in the most-sold product category - from skincare to makeup - within just a year? What could have contributed to this change?

This is not unrelated to the resurgence of makeup, a topic covered in the trend report for the first half of this year.⁽²⁾ With the mandatory wearing of masks lifted, priorities in beauty routines have shifted from skincare to more fundamental makeup practices. The classic and elegant “old money” trend has gained popularity across the globe, and this seems to have led to a growing interest in ‘less-is-more’ natural makeup, featuring simple yet sophisticated eyebrows. In fact, how-tos for ‘clean-girl’ and ‘clean-look makeup’ have gone viral on the international beauty scene.

This has led to an increased emphasis on eyebrow makeup that influences the overall impression of the face, and the ‘innisfree Eco Flat Eyebrow Pencil,’ which allows for easy shaping of the brow, has gained significant popularity. Since its release, more than 30 million units have been sold,⁽³⁾ earning it the title of #30MillionBrow. It has become a staple item for many, being recognized as the ‘life-changing eyebrow pencil’ or the ‘most-loved eyebrow pencil.’ Its natural coloring and ability to create soft and delicate looks have garnered widespread support, making it a popular choice for beginners as well.

2. What the brand ambassador wears is what sells!

The product category that has benefited the most in the mask-less era is undoubtedly lip products. Velvety or glossy, all lip products have been universally loved regardless of texture. Certain colors are more popular than others, however; the most-sold colors from the renowned lip product brands HERA and eSpoir were all for products endorsed by their brand ambassadors.

A fascinating fact is that products with colors that complement the ambassadors' unique images are popular in each respective brand. For Jennie, who typically wears chic and luxurious makeup, nude lips suit her particularly well. Interestingly enough, the most-sold lip products from HERA are all from the nude and natural color spectrum. On the other hand, for Sana, known for her lively and sexy charm, bright and bold colors go well with the makeup she usually wears, which explains why all of the popular lip products from eSpoir are bright red.

Consumers use the colors featuring in photo shoots that effectively capture the brand ambassador's charm as references when they want to create a specific mood or know how the color will actually appear on the skin. The fact that these colors are chosen by well-liked celebrities probably also has a significant impact on actual purchasing decisions.

1. A compound word coined by combining She + Economy, referring to women who actively spend their own money to maintain their aesthetics
2. Refer to the Amorepacific Trend Report ‘The Return of Makeup’
3. Accumulated sales since launch (Global sales, as of February 2023)

#KEYWORD 3 – Purchase after purchase: Sulwhasoo

1. The unparalleled first serum

According to data based on the purchases of Amorepacific Beauty Point integrated members, the ‘Sulwhasoo First Care Activating Serum’ has firmly maintained its position as the most-repurchased product for three consecutive years. The product has gone through transformation after transformation for over 26 years; most recently its 6th generation was released. With exclusive ingredients developed using the brand's proprietary ginseng technology,⁽¹⁾ the product, a boosting essence applied in the first step of the skincare routine, not only improves the skin barrier but also is clinically proven to activate the skin's natural capacities.

Another noticeable change is its package design. Inspired by the flowy curves of traditional aesthetics, particularly the shape of the Joseon white porcelain moon jar, the product packaging has evolved into a sleek, unadorned form. This design, which received acclaim for its artwork or objet d'art-like aesthetics that complements any space, was awarded at the ‘2023 Red Dot Design Awards,’ one of the world's top three design competitions organized by the Nordrhein-Westfalen Design Center in Germany.⁽²⁾

Sulwhasoo's First Care Activating Serum achieved a triple crown in the Amorepacific trend data section for women in their 50s and 60s, including the most popular product and the product with the highest number of purchases. Let's keep a close eye on how the First Care Activating Serum continues to set new records in the future and what remarkable milestones it will achieve, shall we?

2. A fabulous duo on the rise that is loved by the YOLD generation

Two products ranked among the top 5 across all sectors of trend data: Sulwhasoo Concentrated Ginseng Renewing Water & Emulsion. It's notable to mention that the Concentrated Ginseng Renewing Water was selected as the best-seller among male customers aged 40 to 60. Recently, the ‘YOLD’⁽³⁾ generation has been expanding their presence in the beauty industry as well, with many senior models actively participating. This year, actress Yoon Yeo-jeong (75) was designated as a Sulwhasoo ambassador, generating buzz among K-beauty fans worldwide.

It seems that this trend has also influenced the grooming habits of men in their 40s to 60s. The ‘Sulwhasoo Concentrated Ginseng Renewing Water’ is a one-of-a-kind gel-type toner that has maintained the top spot for 9 consecutive years**** as a soothing and moisturizing skincare product. Its low-irritation gel texture quickly soothes the skin, and the Concentrated Ginseng Renewing™ ingredient provides hydration that penetrates deep into dry skin. Meanwhile, the ‘Sulwhasoo Concentrated Ginseng Renewing Emulsion,’ designed to complement the Water, has also consistently ranked, for 8 consecutive years, as the most-sold cream-type lotion in department stores.⁽⁵⁾ Together, these twin products offer a synergistic effect, effectively providing care for rough skin texture, and are easy to use as part of a daily skincare routine.

Seeing that Sulwhasoo's Men Bonyun Series has newly joined the top 10 most-repurchased products by Amorepacific employees, it's clear that the brand has an appeal to the YOLD generation, who dream of a flourishing older age.

1. Sulwhasoo's exclusive technology ingredient, enhanced with skin-edifying saponin through a natural maturation process of over 500 hours
2. www.hankyung.com/article/2023051048631
3. A compound word coined by combining ’Young’ and ‘Old’; baby boomers who continue to pursue a youthful lifestyle
4. Kantar Korea, Purchase volume for the moisturizing skincare & lotion market for the period from June 2013 to June 2022

We have looked at the beauty trends of 2023, and next week we will be looking at the most-beloved product among well-groomed men in their 20s; the most popular product and the product people stocked up on the most among collaboration products; and the most purchased product by Amorepacific employees. We look forward to the upcoming Beauty Trend Report.😊