What's inside a Korean skincare factory that produces cleansing products?

The first step in skin care: Cleansing

What cleansing products do Koreans use in the overflowing K-beauty market? When choosing cleansing products, Koreans consider mild ingredients the most important. This is because we know that strong cleansing is toxic to the skin. There are two facial cleansing steps: first to remove makeup and then gently to remove any residue, but these days, many new formulations are being released as products that completely remove makeup residue in one step.

So, can the manufacturers of cleansing products, which can be considered the first cosmetics that come into contact with bare skin, be trustworthy? Have you ever thought about the inside of the factories of Korean cosmetics manufacturers? Let’s explore inside a Korean cleansing factory with Crescent Seoul!

Korean skincare cleansing products!‍

We will introduce you to the cleansing products that are most commonly used in Korea.

Cleansing Oil

• Let's start with the principle of cleansing oil. It contains an emulsifier and a cleansing ingredient that mixes oil and water. The oil first dissolves oil stains such as cosmetics and sebum and removes them from the skin. Then, when you add water little by little, the cleansing ingredient quickly mixes the two together. (Emulsification) When rinsing, it flows out all at once.
• Cleansing oil is usually used as a first cleanser to remove makeup.
• Removal of blackheads and whiteheads: After relaxing the pores with lukewarm water, rolling the cleansing oil over the areas where whiteheads and blackheads are a concern for about 3 minutes can solve skin problems without much irritation, so many people use this product.
• Even when using strong mascara or eyelash glue, there are many products that are so effective that they can be easily removed with cleansing oil without using a lip and eye remover. Even the ingredients are not irritating!

Recommended products:‍

ma:nyo: Pure Cleansing Deep Clean

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numbuz:n: Easy Peasy Cleansing Oil

Low pH Cleansing Foam

• It is the most steady cleansing product. Typically in the form of a lotion, when water is applied and rubbed, it foams up making it easy to cleanse the skin. After removing makeup or sunscreen as a primary cleanse, the cleansing foam is used for a secondary cleanse to thoroughly remove unnecessary oiliness and residues.
• Koreans prefer weak acid cleansing foam over cleansing foam products with strong cleaning power. The reason is that low pH cleansers help maintain the skin's homeostasis by forming a complete barrier structure without altering the surface pH of the skin during the cleansing process. Using strong cleansing foam can damage not only the healthy skin but also the barrier function, leading to sensitive skin or frequent acne; thus, the use of weak acid cleansers is recommended.
• Such weak acid cleansing foam, which can protect the skin's healthy barrier, is convenient for the first morning wash upon waking up, and also helps to prevent unnecessarily excessive cleaning during the secondary wash, which is why Koreans tend to prefer slightly acidic cleansing foam.

Recommended products:‍

LAGOM: Cellup PH Cure foam cleanser 

‍make p:rem: Safe me. Relief moisture cleansing foam

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Newly emerging cleansing formulation in Korea

Facial Pack Cleanser:

• This is currently the most popular cleansing formulation in Korea. It is so popular that it is often sold out and difficult to purchase!
• The facial pack cleanser is literally a cleansing product that has the effect of a “pack”. It has the great advantage of being usable like a facial pack before cleansing.
• There are two typical textures: one reminiscent of Korean "rice cake," which is chewy, and another that resembles sweet whipped cream. However, when you roll it with water, it creates a soft foam. Using natural raw materials, small grains such as cereal grains gently remove dead skin cells without irritation, enabling gentle exfoliation and refreshing cleansing simultaneously.
• These innovative cleansing products combine the benefits of a pack, cleansing, and skin care and are even vegan. They utilize natural ingredients such as mugwort, lavender, strawberry, avocado, and centella asiatica extract as their main components.

Recommended products:‍

Whipped: Pack Cleanser

Arencia: Green Artisan’s Cleanser

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Cleansing Gel

• Cleansing gel is a cleansing product with the major advantage of gently removing makeup from the skin. There is a trend in Korea for developing and manufacturing various cleansing gel products. 
• Previously overshadowed by cleansing oils and cleansing milks, continuous development efforts by Korean cleansing manufacturers have resulted in a range of high-quality cleansing gel products. Gel-to-foam types are also popular, and these gentle products surprisingly remove even heavy makeup cleanly. When using a gel-to-foam cleansing gel, there is the added convenience of not needing to use a secondary cleanser, such as cleansing foam.

Recommended products:‍

Fation: Nosca9 Cleansing Gel

Kravebeauty: Makeup Re-Wined

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Cleansing Water

• Although cleansing water has been a steady cleansing product worldwide, it hasn't been as popular in Korea compared to cleansing oils. There was a prejudice that its cleansing capability was not superior, but thanks to Korean skincare manufacturers who have further developed this remarkable clear, water-like cleansing product, the number of cleansing water products in the Korean beauty market is increasing.
• The advantage of the cleansing water developed and manufactured in Korea is that it has improved the dryness left on the skin, which was the biggest drawback of using cleansing water. Korean skincare manufacturers have created more gentle yet powerful cleansing waters, resulting in products that can cleanly remove even thick foundation without irritation.
• Additionally, a new way of using cleansing water is gaining popularity in Korea. Instead of the previous method of applying the product to a cotton pad and wiping the skin, now cleansing water is dispensed into a foaming dispenser. By pumping, the cleansing water is transformed into foam, which is then gently rolled onto the skin, offering a more irritation-free cleansing method. This method is also recommendable because it does not create waste such as cotton pads every time makeup is removed.

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Recommended products:‍

Rovectin: Aqua Deep Cleansing Water

HYAAH: Mild But Deep Cleansing Water

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Is the inside of a Korean skincare factory that manufactures cleansing products clean?

We visited a factory of one of Korea's most trendy cleansing product manufacturers. What does the inside of a Korean skincare factory look like?

True to the reputation of a renowned Korean cleansing manufacturer, there were various certifications on display. We hold numerous international certifications, including Eve Vegan certification.

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Shall we take a look at the manufacturing facilities of a Korean skincare cosmetics factory?

From the hallway, the cleanliness was evident, and upon entering the main manufacturing area, the gleaming machinery was quite impressive. Despite the presence of large, constantly operating machines, the air inside the Korean cosmetics factory was very pleasant. Additionally, it was striking to see all the factory workers wearing hairnets, gowns, and masks, ensuring high levels of hygiene.

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We also examined the area where ingredients are managed. All ingredients were neatly separated and arranged, a testament to the strict management practices, especially since these are ingredients sourced from nature.

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Finally, we visited the Quality Control department. What kind of quality control is conducted by a Korean skincare manufacturer?

• Stability Assessment: Analyzing and evaluating human irritation from cosmetics, food ingredients, and products to ensure stability.
• Ingredient Analysis: Using state-of-the-art analytical equipment to thoroughly analyze functional and harmful components, focusing on developing safe products.
• Efficacy and Effect Evaluation: Developing differentiated formulations and accurately assessing their efficacy and effects to build trust with customers.
• Microbial Testing: Conducting microbial tests from the ingredient procurement stage through to the final product to ensure that safe products are delivered to consumers.

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Conclusion

Today, we explored cleansing products, which are the first skincare cosmetics to touch the skin, being developed, manufactured, and produced in Korea. Not only makeup formulations but also skincare, particularly cleansing products, are being extensively developed and produced in Korea with a variety of effective options.

We also visited a Korean skincare cosmetics factory that contributes to the advancement of Korean cosmetics, and the reality inside was as impressive as the elevated status of K-beauty. Korean cosmetics are already very famous, but it was an honor to have the opportunity to provide more detailed introductions about the interiors of the factories where they are made.

The Korean cleansing formulations introduced in this article can be developed, manufactured, and produced in collaboration with Crescent Seoul. The skincare factory we visited is also a manufacturing partner of Crescent Seoul, and by contacting us, you can work with top Korean skincare manufacturers. If you are interested in manufacturing such wonderful products, please feel free to contact us anytime!