A Korean Wave: The Rise Of K-Beauty In Sri Lanka

A few years ago, the beauty scene was dominated by brands coming from the western hemispere, and we loved them. Even though ehty cost major rupees, us Lankan gals begged, borrowed and stole (okay, relax: we're not being literal) to get our hands on the loot that signified the holy grail of beauty. Fast forward to the present: While we love our tried-and-tested European magnets, products made in the South Korean peninsula have fast climbed the beauty ranks to become a viable alternative (in some cases, a replacement even) thanks to a plethora of low-cost, highly efficient products that tend to be all natural, come in cute packaging and work miracles. Anuradha Withananchchi explores the beauty movement that's taken the island by storm.

- Anuradha Withananchchi

1 EXCEPTIONAL INNOVATION

The success of Korean beauty products can be traced back to relentless creativity, government-backed R&D labs and unique formulas. South Korean women spend twice the amount of their paychecks on skincare, while Korean men are reported to spend the most on skincare in comparison to men in any other country. According to Christine Chang, a former employee of L’Oréal Paris and co-founder of Glow Recipe, an online store that retails K-beauty products, if Korean consumers give products a glowing report, the latter is unequivocally deemed a success for Asian markets. In essence, a Korean sign-off is gold standard. Given such high demand and particular taste, Korean beauty products are constantly being innovated with never-before-seen textures and formulas. From BB cushions to snail slime masks, K-beauty has done (and aced) it all…

…And that is exactly what gives K-beauty the opportunity to break into the Lankan beauty scene. To us islanders who have only been offered old-world creams and gels, Korean beauty comes as a breath of fresh air. Products that suit Asian skin in new textures with interesting ingredients, and that often don’t cost a pretty penny? Yes, please!

2 UNUSUAL NATURAL INGERIDENTS