Leaving the cutesy, gimmicky, celebrity-backed branding of other Korean beauty products, South Korea’s CNP Cosmetics is –literally– trying to keep it real with pharmaceutical grade products for women.
Asian One Women has a great piece today looking at the maturation of Korean cosmetic brands. Specifically CNP Cosmetics, which was recently acquired by the South Korean conglomerate, LG.
Korean cosmetics aren’t all about cutesy packaging and dessert-inspired products. The latest beauty brands target women who are way past their tweens with credible formulations and no-nonsense branding.
Joining the deluge of Korean beauty labels that have flooded our shores in the past decade, the leading cosmeceutical company in Korea is bucking the trend of heavily marketed, disposable prettifiers aimed at K-pop fans. Instead, it prescribes doctor-researched treatments for beauty junkies of every demographic.
Let’s face it, Korean beauty has gone fully mainstream: Nestled among the glossy celebrity spreads and high fashion editorials in W magazine’s May 2014 issue was an in-depth feature on Korean beauty regimens and products; while Vogue.com also devoted a column to shopping for K-beauty essentials last December. And not only do brands such as CNP Cosmetics and other more recent arrivals such as PureHeal’s boast the usual Korean beauty calling cards like affordability and efficacy, they also tout exotic ingredients and plenty of science to rival long-established, more premium competitors from the US, Europe or even Japan.
The new products from CNP are aimed at giving the in-clinc treatment out of the clinic. Says founder Lee Dong Won
“Women in Korea are very proud of going to a clinic and coming out with clearer skin,” adds Dr Lee, whose most popular procedures are chemical peels and iontophoresis treatments. “People who use some of my products eventually don’t have to go to the clinic any more.”
