Maintaining a top position is famously harder than attaining it. This is the reason AMOREPACIFIC has to take on the challenge of bringing about greater innovation, rather than getting carried away in the triumph of being an inventor of unprecedented technology. AMOREPACIFIC has marked a new era in the history of cosmetics research with the world's first successful development of the cushion technology. Here we learn about the story of the continuous innovation achieved by the cushion from Choi Kyung-ho, the leader of Makeup Research 2 Team in R&D center.

Innovation always begins with the customer. Since IOPE Air Cushion® was launched in 2008, a number of innovations involved in the cushion were achieved in the course of improving the cushion products of brands. I think that innovation begins from the efforts to eliminate the possible complaints and inconvenience that customers might experience, even though they bought cushion products because of their benefits.

There were not many choices available when cushion type products were first released. But, we listened to what Korean and global customers had to say and learned that each has their own preferences. There were only No.21 and No.23, but we developed a lighter color cushion, No.13, for Chinese customers seeking a brighter skin tone. Meanwhile, customers in Southeast Asia and the Americas preferred a soft, matte texture to a glowing finish. Likewise, we have continued to study the wants of customers and, in the course of doing so, developed new kinds of cushion.

We have continued to develop technologies to fulfill the needs of customers based on three sustainable growth strategies. Namely: first, to elevate customer value; second, to improve texture, process and applicator; and, third, to enhance core competencies. Our ultimate goal was to make the cushion a global hit.

We learned that, while customers were satisfied with the products in general, they expected some kind of improvement. For instance, they wanted a product that had a light texture and yet would provide strong sun protection and great coverage. But, there were some technical constraints in making an all-round product. Nevertheless, we were able to develop different types of products that could satisfy different customer tastes through continuous research and development.

A senior director of R&D Center who is now retired once said that innovation is about changing the culture. And the cushion did change cosmetics culture completely - as it allowed customers to apply makeup using a puff instead of their hands. I am proud of the way our cushion has drastically shortened the time required for doing makeup. Plus, how many technologies, in general, do you think have been invented first in Korea? The news about top-class global brands copying our cushion technology made me nervous. But, at the same time, I'm proud of our advanced technology and the way it's superior to theirs.

We need to always think of and look at things from a different perspective. I think that researchers must always seek to develop their critical thinking, asking themselves about the reason and possible alternatives when observing things, regardless of whether they are related to cosmetics. Personally, I have great interest in the way new technologies are blended with cosmetics. My goal and plan is to develop fascinating technologies that can surprise customers all around the world, not only in Asia.