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| Actress Lee Na-young promotes Pra.L home beauty care products/ Courtesy of LG Electronics |
Constant innovation brings diverse cosmetic products to users' homes
By Kim Ji-soo
Korean cosmetics have earned a reputation for its spirit of innovation. Of late, more niche products are becoming popular, like the ampoule and home-beauty equipment like LED masks.
There is nothing new about the ampoule, which is a concentrated serum formerly found in spas and used frequently by older consumers in their 40s or older. The concentrated serum, also known as a dropper, was effective but also pricey.
Today, however, Korean cosmetics companies are launching their own ampoules at affordable prices to cater to younger generations. Mediheal, one of the well-known makers of facial masks for its N.M.F Aquaring Ampoule Mask, has introduced its Layering Making Ampoule. Top actress Kim Ji-won, who co-starred in the Korean drama "Descendants of the Sun," promotes the product.
"Ampoules were normally used by older cosmetic users, as they tend to be effective, albeit more expensive. So our new products are aimed at providing effective yet affordable ampoule products to younger users in their 20s and 30s," said Leo Choi, a PR official at Mediheal.
A set of three four-milliliter ampoules costs 11,000. Usually, once they are opened they need to be used within a short span of time (e.g., 24 hours). However, Mediheal's ampoules can be used for up to a week because of their special packaging. TonyMoly, another domestic cosmetic brand, has released the BIO EX Cell-Peptide Ampoule, which is pricier at 128,000 won for 28 eight-milliliter ampoules.
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| An image of Mediheal ampoules / Courtesy of Mediheal |
The highly concentrated ampoule's strength is its freshness, courtesy of the beige or brown individual packaging. Because of its open-use-discard packaging, the product makes little or no contact with the air and degrades more slowly, unlike other cosmetic products.
"The ampoule, I believe, is a European-style product that was sold in drugstores and spas. Korean consumers, and now cosmetics companies, are catching up with the item. I think its strength is in its ability to stay fresh without any preservatives, while its downside may be, for the lazy users, not being fully utilized unless one uses cotton swabs," said 50-year-old Sohn, a longtime ampoule user in Seoul. She learned about its effect through her dermatologist husband.
The sales of foreign-made ampoules mainly from European countries, via home shopping channels, may have helped popularize the ampoule. American brands like Estee Lauder have ampoule products for sale too.
Aside from the ampoule, the light-emitting diode (LED) mask is gaining many fans. Unlike the popular and widely available sheet mask, the LED mask borrows much from electric technology. LG Electronics has put forth an LED mask that can be used at home as part of its Pra.L package. Promoted by Korean actress Lee Na-young, Pra.L promises to rejuvenate the skin with various effects such as moisturizing, and bringing youth and suppleness to the skin.
Since its release last September, the product's sales have grown according to news reports. The company however declined to release any sales figures, but did release a press statement this month ascribing "quality" to Pra.L's success in market. In actual, the Pra.L package consists of four items _ the derma LED mask, total lift-up care, Galvanic ion booster and dual-motion cleaner. The LED masks by using wavelengths of red and infrared light enhances skin tone and improves suppleness, and the total lift-up care improves skin's suppleness, according to the company.
The home beauty market is estimated at 450 billion won, and growing by 10 percent annually. Pra.L is one of the first conglomerates to have successfully debuted in the market mainly shared by smaller firms as well as foreign ones. The entire package is pricey at nearly 2 million won, as is the derma LED mask on its own at around 700,000 won.
Other skincare companies have introduced similar products, such as Cell Return, made by Booja and promoted by actress Kang So-ra, and Ruby, which is promoted by actress Choi Yeo-jin.
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