Who is good at clean beauty in Korea? Part2: Skincare Brand

The hottest keyword in the South Korean beauty industry right now is 'Clean beauty'. 'Clean beauty' has become a trend in the cosmetics market in Korea as well as overseas. The trend towards 'clean beauty' has been primarily driven by the MZ generation. They are interested in knowing how the products they consume are produced and sold, unlike previous generations. They consider factors such as usability, environmental friendliness, and safety when choosing products.In this session, we will delve into the standards of clean beauty and explore South Korean skincare brands that practice clean beauty.

‍

What is Clean beauty?

Clean beauty encompasses terms such as eco-friendly, vegan, and containing gentle ingredients. Although there are no clear criteria for determining clean beauty yet, some universal standards include:

1. Cosmetics that do not contain harmful ingredients.

Harmful ingredients include parabens, phthalates, sodium lauryl sulfate, silicones, polyethylene, polypropylene (microbeads), metallic aluminum, triclosan, unrefined talc, mineral oil, petrolatum, formaldehyde, toluene, oxybenzone, avobenzone, oxybenzoate, etc.

2. Cosmetics that value environmental protection.

For example, cosmetics sourced through fair trade, cosmetics that do not conduct animal testing, and cosmetics packaged in recyclable or biodegradable containers and packaging.

‍

Now let's explore some Korean clean beauty skincare brands!

‍

K Beauty’s Clean Beauty part 2:
Skincare Brand

‍

Talitha Koum

• Talitha Koum
• Talitha Koum, a clean beauty skincare brand in South Korea, takes its name from Hebrew, where "Talitha" means girl and "Koum" means arise. The name signifies "girl, arise," reflecting the founder's desire for her inner girl to rise again and for the resilient girls and boys in everyone's hearts to awaken. Talitha Koum launched in 2022 as a premium vegan beauty brand after its founder, Cha Moon-seon, experienced the efficacy of "white dandelion" in reducing inflammation and improving skin barrier function by consuming and applying it directly. The brand is committed to the health of the planet and people, excluding animal testing and animal-derived ingredients to create safe, clean, and sustainable products. Starting from the founder's personal experience, the brand has proven its authenticity and gained popularity among not only adults but also children.
• Talitha Koum practices sustainable beauty by minimizing environmental damage while producing healthy products. It cultivates cells from white dandelions in a sustainable manner, extracts ingredients, and uses environmentally friendly packaging such as recycled PCR plastic containers, avoiding springs in pump-type products. The brand's authenticity extends to various activities, including donations to the Seoul Urban Forest Creation Fund as part of the "Green Trust" initiative to create a pleasant green environment for the Earth.

‍

Talitha Koum's Best Products

Talitha Koum HM+Barrier™ White Dandelion Essence Water

1. Vegan Society
2. Manufactured by K

Talitha Koum Lip Cure Balm

1. Vegan Society
2. Manufactured by K

‍

mixoon

• Homepage: mixoon‍
• After its launch in 2020, Mixoon quickly gained attention among editors for its "Bean Essence," sparking discussions among industry insiders. mixoon, which means "mixing purity," is a clean brand that focuses on incorporating only essential ingredients for the skin. Drawing inspiration from minimalism and clean beauty principles, mixoon started with a line of single-ingredient essences and serums. Unlike traditional clean beauty brands that focus solely on cruelty-free and packaging recycling, mixoon goes further to practice active clean beauty. The brand collaborates with environmental protection organizations to protect polar bears, releasing products such as the "Soondi Arctic Willow Essence'' and the "Glacial Hyaluronic Acid Serum" featuring the polar bear character, Soondi. A portion of the proceeds from these products is donated to polar bear conservation efforts monthly.

• In addition to environmental protection, mixoon engages in social contribution activities by incorporating artwork from developmental disability artists into its product packaging design. Furthermore, a portion of the sales proceeds is donated each month to support the economic independence of these artists. The brand also prioritizes environmental sustainability by using packaging made from FSC-certified paper printed with soy ink, contributing to sustainable forest management and protection efforts. These efforts reflect mixoon's commitment to environmental conservation and social responsibility as integral parts of its brand ethos.
  ‍

‍

mixoon's Best Products

mixoon Bean Essence

1. Manufactured by P

mixoon Bean Cream

1. Manufactured by P

‍

Donggubat

• Homepage: Donggubat
• "Donggubat" was started in 2014 by four university students who wanted to make a difference in the world. The name means "small garden at the village entrance," reflecting their aspiration for individuals with developmental disabilities to become urban farmers. Donggubat became interested in the independence of adult individuals with developmental disabilities and opened the "Donggubat Factory" to produce soap directly. Currently, more than half of the employees are individuals with developmental disabilities (52 employees, 26 of whom have developmental disabilities).
• The conditions set for preparing the manufacturing process with both individuals with and without disabilities include:

1. The product should be easy for individuals with developmental disabilities to make.
2. The production cost should be low.
3. The shelf life should be longer than that of garden crops.
4. The product should be competitive in its field.

• The Donggubat Factory can now manufacture solid cosmetics and household products on a scale of 400,000 units per month, producing hair, body, face, baby, living, pet, and DIY lines. Despite receiving many investment offers, Donggubat rejected them, prioritizing the happiness and joy of its workers over financial gains. In today's society where the pursuit of happiness is often overshadowed by financial motives, Donggubat stands out as a rare company that prioritizes happiness and diligently pursues its goals.
  Donggubat continuously strives to create sustainable products for the next generation. The Donggubat Factory is optimized for the professional development, research, and production of cosmetics and household goods that embody the value of sustainability. Donggubat is also the first manufacturer in Korea to receive both organic and vegan certifications simultaneously. The EVE VEGAN certification from France excludes all animal-derived ingredients and prohibits animal testing, subjecting the manufacturer to rigorous scrutiny from the French headquarters. Additionally, the USDA Organic certification verifies the use of ingredients (95% or more) certified organic by the US Department of Agriculture, covering the storage, production, and post-production processes of certified manufacturers. Donggubat holds various certifications and test records, demonstrating its commitment to producing high-quality, sustainable products.

‍

Donggubat's Best Products

Donggubat Correct Shampoo Bar for Normal to Dry Skin

Donggubat Correct Body Soap Noni

‍

Urang

• Homepage: Urang
• The natural organic cosmetics brand "Urang," which aims for clean beauty, strives to convey the inherent power and beauty of nature to the skin. To achieve this goal, it uses ingredients certified as natural origin, with 99.9% of them being natural. In Particular, it insists on using high-quality natural organic ingredients grown in Korea. One of the key ingredients of the "Urang Prestige Purple Shield Essence Toner" is the doraji flower grown in an organic doraji farm located in Namwon, Jeollabuk-do. Thanks to its commitment to quality, Urang has also received international organic certification standards, including the European Cosmos Organic Certification. This demonstrates the brand's sincere consideration for life and the environment throughout the entire production process.

‍

Urang's Best Products

Urang Prestige Purple Shield Essence Toner

1. Cosmos Organic
2. Manufactured by manufacturer D

Urang Rose Ceramide Cream

1. Ecocert
2. Manufactured by manufacturer D

‍

Aromatica

• Homepage: Aromatica
• When it comes to "clean beauty" in Korea, one of the leading brands that comes to mind is Aromatica. Aromatica has been able to establish itself as an eco-friendly beauty brand due to the sincerity it demonstrates towards skin and sustainability in its actions. Aromatica is recognized as a "Safe Cosmetics Champion" by the US non-profit environmental research organization EWG. Not only that, but it is also a partner of the Vegan Society, using only plant-derived ingredients, and its production facility has obtained organic cosmetics manufacturing facility certification through rigorous verification by various beauty certification organizations.
• Aromatica's commitment to sustainable beauty can also be seen in the evolution of its packaging. Just a few years ago, the brand used composite material pumps and green containers that were difficult to recycle. Now, they have been replaced with caps and transparent PET containers made from single recyclable materials, making them 100% recyclable. Additionally, by switching to refill packs, tube-type packaging, and pumps made from single materials, products that were previously not recyclable can now be recycled. Furthermore, Aromatica actively contributes to the spread of refill culture by operating its own refill stations and collaborating with zero-waste shops. They also collect their own bottles to produce 100% PCR (post-consumer recycled) containers.
  ‍

Aromatica's Best Products

Aromatica Tea Tree Green Oil

1. Vegan Society
2. Sustainable Packaging

Aromatica Rosemary Scalp Scaling Shampoo

1. Vegan Society
2. Sustainable Packaging

‍

Melixir

• Homepage: Melixir
• One day in 2014, at her first job, Lee Hana, the founder of Melixir, received a question from a customer that shook his life: 'Do your company's cosmetics involve animal testing?' It was a question he had never encountered before. Over the next three to four years, as similar questions increased, he realized that what he was envisioning was the next step we should take, the future generation. Returning to Korea and creating Melixir, he made three principles and promises unique to Melixir in response to people's questions about what vegan cosmetics were.
  First, they vowed to use high-quality plant-based ingredients and never use animal-derived ingredients. Second, they promised to create safe and effective products for the skin by combining effective plant-based ingredients with carefully selected safe artificial ingredients. Third, from the manufacturing process to the use of the product, they committed to using recyclable materials and materials produced through sustainable forest management.
• Melixir, launched in 2018, is Korea's first vegan skincare brand. True to its philosophy of applying vegetarianism to the beauty realm, all its products are certified 100% vegan. Lip butters made by Korean women have sold 200,000 units on Amazon, the world's leading e-commerce platform, and have sold a cumulative total of 1.1 million units worldwide. Melixir's lip butter dominated the Amazon lip butter category for over a year from May 2021 to October 2022. Not only are cosmetics made from 100% plant-based ingredients, but the packaging also utilizes recyclable materials. They even replaced the common vinyl tape found on cosmetic boxes with paper. It can be understood that all items surrounding the product are made in an eco-friendly manner.

‍

Melixir's Best Products

Melixir Vegan Air Fit Sunscreen

1. Reef-Safe
2. Kind To Biome®
3. Manufactured by C

Melixir Vegan Lip Butter *#1 selling on Amazon in the US

1. Eve Vegan
2. Manufactured by C

‍

Torriden

• Homepage: Torriden
• TORRIDEN, based on the slogan 'YOUR SKIN IS OUR PLANT,' is growing as a leading clean beauty brand through various eco-friendly activities. All TORRIDEN products use water-soluble adhesive labels for easy recycling and create sustainable value through FSC-certified cartons and SOYINK (soy ink) printing methods. In particular, the 'Dive-In Serum' is a product that considers resource circulation by using 50% PCR recycled plastic heavy-brow containers.
• TORRIDEN has obtained international standards ISO 14001/9001 certification for ESG management, establishing a quality assurance system in the production process of all products. As an environmentally conscious management approach for ESG, TORRIDEN is meeting the purchasing needs of the MZ generation interested in "value consumption," growing as a conscious beauty brand. Selected as the representative clean beauty brand for two consecutive years (2021-2022) by Olive Young, TORRIDEN has received certification for a total of 15 products from the Korea Vegan Certification Institute, ensuring that no animal-derived ingredients are used and no animal testing is conducted in the manufacturing and production stages.

‍

Torriden's Best Products

Torriden Dive in Low Molecular Hyaluronic Serum

1. Vegan
2. Manufactured by S

Torriden Dive in Mild Sun Cream

1. Reef-Safe
2. Manufactured by K

‍

The Lab by Blanc Doux

• Homepage: The Lab by Blanc Doux
• The Lab by Blanc Doux, a clean beauty skincare brand in Korea, adheres to four design principles for efficacy. Firstly, they prioritize efficacy facts. The Lab by Blanc Doux conducts research based on verified efficacy indicators, filtering out concerns, reviewing unconfirmed ingredients, and examining finished formulations to ensure accurate efficacy design. Secondly, they practice concept ingredient exclusion, eliminating concept ingredients that have no efficacy, such as those present in tiny amounts like 0.0001%, to avoid deceiving consumers. Thirdly, they adhere to ingredient discrimination, selecting valuable ingredients based on efficacy, such as 119% high-speed penetration low-molecular hyaluronic acid, 1.7 times stronger green flavonoids than centella, and prebiotic ceramides with a 150% improvement effect on the skin barrier, ensuring safe and effective skincare products. The final principle is skin suitability. While adhering to naturalism and considering whether ingredients are natural, they design skincare products that are suitable and effective for the skin. Upholding these four principles, The Lab by Blanc Doux always prioritizes efficacy-oriented clean beauty with skin as its top priority.One of the co-founders of The Lab by Blanc Doux has quite severe sensitive skin. They reacted to almost every ingredient tested during a patch test to identify the cause of skin allergies. Through this experience, they realized that daily skincare products have a more significant impact on skin health than short-term solutions.
• Furthermore, they discovered that many people around the world are experiencing similar skin issues, and the prevalence of such problems is increasing. As a result, they decided to create a clean derma brand that minimizes irritants for sensitive skin and focuses solely on efficacious ingredients.

‍

The Lab by Blanc Doux's Best Products

The Lab by Blanc Doux Oligo Hyaluronic Acid Deep Toner

1. V-Label
2. Manufactured by C

The Lab by Blanc Doux Green Flavonoid 2.5 Pad

1. V-Label
2. Manufactured by S

‍

Round Around

• Instagram: Round Around
• Round Around is a clean beauty brand launched by Olive Young, the only drug store in Korea. It is sold as a large-capacity clean beauty product at a reasonable price by excluding ingredients suspected of being harmful and reducing the burden on the skin, so it has received a steady response from consumers.The signature product of the clean beauty brand Round Around, the 'Green Tea Cica Lotion,' opposes animal testing and is formulated without harmful UV blocking ingredients that harm marine ecosystems, making it a 'REEF SAFE' product. It is made with ingredients that are not harmful to nature, allowing for worry-free use even for sensitive skin due to the inclusion of cica components. With its smooth texture and UV protection function in lotion form, it can be used comfortably on both face and body throughout all four seasons. Roundaround promotes an eco-friendly message of providing skin and nature with even more comfortable relaxation.

‍

Round Around's Best Products

Round Around Comfort Green Tea Purifying Cleansing Foam

1. Manufactured by S

Round Around Green Tea CICA Sun Lotion

1. Reef-Safe
2. Printed with Soy Ink
3. Manufactured by K

‍

make prem

• Homepage: make prem
• Make prem, practicing clean beauty with the belief that taking care of healthy skin is the path to caring for the planet, strives for significant change through daily small actions. make prem endeavors to make labels on cosmetic containers easily separable to facilitate more effective recycling. Additionally, the product packaging incorporates a printing system using soy ink on FSC-certified paper for sustainable forest protection. When it comes to shipping, make prem uses eco-friendly kraft paper instead of plastic for packaging and protection, boasting minimal dust and recyclability, with a unique honeycomb structure providing high resilience. The philosophy pursued by make prem extends beyond creating good cosmetics to efforts to create a warmer world. They provide skincare products with safe ingredients, transitioning towards vegan-certified products that exclude animal-derived ingredients. Moreover, make prem offers guidance on proper cosmetic recycling and consistently supports children in need for a better world.

‍

make prem's Best Products

make prem Safe me. Relief moisture Cleansing Foam

1. Harmful ingredients 0
2. Manufactured by M

make prem Inteca Soothing Cream

1. EVE Vegan
2. Manufactured by C2

‍

Beplain

• Homepage: Beplain
• Beplain, a Korean clean beauty brand that aims for easy and enjoyable clean beauty, has the advantage of leading consumers to easily access clean beauty. The brand promotes good awareness of clean beauty by providing kits for customer-participatory campaigns that suggest the beginning of a clean beauty life. Additionally, Beplain sponsors organizations of university students who clean up trash along the coastline, consistently collaborating and supporting eco-friendly companies and organizations for sustainable clean beauty. They also conducted environmental campaigns and eco-friendly campaigns with the goal of expanding the movement to enact laws to protect marine mammals, indirectly contributing to legislation. Moreover, they have conducted various campaigns, donating profits to organizations such as animal adoption associations and disability support groups.
• Beplain uses water-activated paper tape without adhesive for parcel packaging and has switched all packaging materials to paper. They apply PCR 100% containers made from recycled plastic for cosmetic containers after use and conduct ongoing efforts and research to introduce eco-friendly cosmetic raw materials, using FSC-certified and 100% recyclable containers.
• Their cosmetics, made with natural ingredients, address the shortcomings of typical products. For example, they have developed a moist and refreshing mung bean acidic cleansing foam, breaking the mold of slippery acidic foams, as well as a refreshing and powerful cleansing oil that breaks away from heavy cleansing oils. They also improved the inconvenient use and drying of clay packs with convenient and moisturizing clay packs.

‍

Beplain's Best Products

Beplain Cicaterol Ampoule

1. EVE Vegan
2. Manufactured by N

Beplain Mung Bean Pore Clay Mask

1. Manufactured by K

‍

Concusion

Last year, Olive Young, a leading player in offline stores in South Korea, opened a new clean beauty zone and established three internal standards for clean beauty.
Olive Young decided to apply a clean beauty selection mark (emblem) to brands that meet ingredient criteria while practicing animal protection or environmental efforts.
Firstly, regarding ingredients, Olive Young excluded 16 harmful suspect ingredients such as parabens and avobenzone from all products. Four ingredients, such as isopropyl alcohol and polyethylene glycol, which are difficult to replace, were designated as recommended exclusion ingredients.
In addition, brands that do not conduct animal testing during the manufacturing process, exclude animal-derived ingredients, and develop easily recyclable packaging materials were also selected.
As the spread of lifestyle focused on health and the environment continues, the clean beauty trend is expected to continue to grow in the future.

Following Part.1 where we introduced clean beauty makeup brands in South Korea, I've selected and introduced clean beauty skincare brands in Korea. As more and more brands in Korea continue to prioritize environmental concerns, there's a growing misconception that clean products may compromise efficacy due to gentler ingredients. However, contrary to this concern, these brands are showcasing exceptional functionalities.Crescent Seoul collaborates with manufacturers of the clean beauty skincare brands mentioned earlier. If you're interested in manufacturing clean beauty private label cosmetics in Korea, feel free to reach out to us anytime. Thank you!

‍

Sources:
지구를 위해 노력하는 착한 뷰티 브랜드

피부와 환경 살리는 '클린뷰티', 기준부터 브랜드까지 소개

https://rb.gy/1c6g6u

‍