Cosmetics have been used in Korea since antiquity. Today, cosmetics are an important industry in South Korea.
Cosmetics have been used in Korea since antiquity. Today, cosmetics are an important industry in South Korea.
Records of the use of cosmetics in Korea date back to the time of the Three Kingdoms of Korea, and the use of makeup flourished during the Goryeo kingdom. [1] Cosmetics were made from lotions extracted from plants, including gourd stems; Ground mung bean contains saponin and was helpful for cleansing. Castor oils and camellia oils were used as hair oil. They had a pleasant smell and were not sticky. [1]
To moisturise and add gloss to the skin, safflower oil was used. Apricot and peach oils were used to remove freckles and liver spots. A powder called 'mibun' or 'baekbun' was made from ground rice and millet blended with water or oil. [1]
Scents were added to extracts from grains and other plants, for example from dried clove buds. Perfume was also used to relieve stresses and tiredness. The Gyuhap Chongseo , an ancient women's encyclopedia, includes various methods for making perfume. [1]
According to Gyuhap Chongseo, eyebrows were the central feature of a woman's face. [1] The work describes ten popular eyebrow shapes. Crescent or willow leaf shapes were most popular. Plant ash was the basic raw material used for eyebrow ink, with which women drew their eyebrows in various shapes. The primary colors were black, blue, and dark brown. [1]
Yeonji is the Korean name of rouge, which was used to colour the lips and cheeks. It could be made from safflower. [1]
In the Joseon period, luxurious makeup was forbidden because of Confucianism. Upper-class women tended to copy the makeup and style of gisaeng during this period. [1]
Following the Treaty of Kanghwa in 1876, Korean ports opened to foreign trade and Western styles began to influence the country. New makeup styles and products became popular, stimulating Korea's cosmetics culture and enabling mass production and consumption.
Bakgabun, which means Park's powder, was the first mass-produced cosmetics item in Korea. It was the first Korean face powder and was a bestseller from 1916 to 1930. However, because of its lead content, sales then fell rapidly and similar products were quickly launched. [1]
As Korea became a Japanese colony in 1910, Japanese cosmetics dominated and Korean cosmetics failed to develop in the 1920s. After the country was no longer under Japanese control, the Korean War that began in 1950 further disrupted the economy. Finally, around 1961, the Korean cosmetics industry began to prosper after the passage of a law banning sales of other countries' products. [1]
End of the 2010s, South Korea banned cosmetics for which animal testing was conducted. [2]
Korean people focus on skin care under the influence of TV programs, advertisements and tradition. Koreans highly value even, radiant skin, [3] and Korean women tend to vary their beauty care regimen with the season. They use different kinds of moisturizers such as cream for tightening pores (BB cream, blemish balm or beauty balm) and lotions for lightening the skin (CC cream, colour correction or colour control). [3]
Koreans generally apply makeup every day because it offers sun protection, a major concern. [4] [5] A big focus of Korean skincare is skin lightening, [6] which is why many Korean cosmetic products have brightening properties. Skin brightening is not the same as skin bleaching, also known as skin whitening, which is a reduction of melanin in the skin. Instead, skin lightening is focused on treating hyperpigmentation.
Though the country's beauty standards are not set to change overnight many advancements and progress in the industry have been made. Advertisers have reduced the promotion of “glass skin” in their products as well as the industry is also started to be utilized by male consumers. Overall, though Korean beauty has gained popularity through the Korean wave, [7] and has resulted in a worldwide phenomenon it also can be a negative industry for some.
Korean men are also interested in skincare. Some use BB or CC cream. Cosmetics manufactured specifically for men in South Korea focus on soothing the skin after daily shaving. [8]
South Korea is home to several large cosmetic brands, many of which export their products worldwide. [9] [10] [11] They include:
Cosmetics are composed of mixtures of chemical compounds derived from either natural sources or synthetically created ones. Cosmetics have various purposes. Those designed for personal care and skin care can be used to cleanse or protect the body and skin. Cosmetics designed to enhance or alter one's appearance (makeup) can be used to conceal blemishes, enhance one's natural features, add color to a person's face, or change the appearance of the face entirely to resemble a different person, creature or object. Cosmetics can also be designed to add fragrance to the body.
Mascara is a cosmetic commonly used to enhance the upper and lower eyelashes. It is used to darken, thicken, lengthen, and/or define the eyelashes. Normally in one of three forms—liquid, powder, or cream—the modern mascara product has various formulas; however, most contain the same basic components of pigments, oils, waxes, and preservatives. The most common form of mascara is a liquid in a tube with an application brush.
The term cleanser refers to a product that cleans or removes dirt or other substances. A cleanser could be a detergent, and there are many types of cleansers that are produced with a specific objective or focus. For instance, a degreaser or carburetor cleanser used in automotive mechanics for cleaning certain engine and car parts.
A moisturizer, or emollient, is a cosmetic preparation used for protecting, moisturizing, and lubricating the skin. These functions are normally performed by sebum produced by healthy skin. The word "emollient" is derived from the Latin verb mollire, to soften.
Anal bleaching is the process of lightening the color of the skin around the anus. It is done for cosmetic purposes, to make the color of the anus more uniform with the surrounding area. Some treatments are applied in an office or salon by a cosmetic technician and others are sold as cream that can be applied at home.
Skin whitening, also known as skin lightening and skin bleaching, is the practice of using chemical substances in an attempt to lighten the skin or provide an even skin color by reducing the melanin concentration in the skin. Several chemicals have been shown to be effective in skin whitening, while some have proven to be toxic or have questionable safety profiles. This includes mercury compounds which may cause neurological problems and kidney problems.
Lotion is a low-viscosity topical preparation intended for application to the skin. By contrast, creams and gels have higher viscosity, typically due to lower water content. Lotions are applied to external skin with bare hands, a brush, a clean cloth, or cotton wool.
The history of cosmetics spans at least 7,000 years and is present in almost every society on earth. Cosmetic body art is argued to have been the earliest form of a ritual in human culture. The evidence for this comes in the form of utilised red mineral pigments including crayons associated with the emergence of Homo sapiens in Africa. Cosmetics are mentioned in the Old Testament—2 Kings 9:30 where Jezebel painted her eyelids—approximately 840 BC—and the book of Esther describes various beauty treatments as well.
Foundation is a liquid, cream, or powder makeup applied to the face and neck to create an even, uniform color to the complexion, cover flaws and, sometimes, to change the natural skin tone. Some foundations also function as a moisturizer, sunscreen, astringent or base layer for more complex cosmetics. Foundation applied to the body is generally referred to as "body painting" or "body makeup".
Personal care products are consumer products which are applied on various external parts of the body such as skin, hair, nails, lips, external genital and anal areas, as well as teeth and mucous membrane of the oral cavity, in order to make them clean, protect them from harmful germs and keep them in good condition. They promote personal hygiene and overall health, well-being and appearance of those body parts. Toiletries form a narrower category of personal care products which are used for basic hygiene and cleanliness as a part of a daily routine. Cosmetic products, in contrast, are used for personal grooming and beautification. Pharmaceutical products are not considered personal care products.
Face powder is a cosmetic product applied to the face to serve different functions, typically to beautify the face. Originating from ancient Egypt, face powder has had different social uses across cultures and in modern times, it is typically used to set makeup, brighten the skin and contour the face. Face powders generally come in two main types. One of which is loose powder, which is used to assist with oily skin in absorbing excess moisture and mattifying the face to reduce shininess. The other is pressed powder which conceals blemishes and maximises coverage.
BB cream is a marketing term that stands for blemish balm, blemish base, beblesh balm, and in Western markets, beauty balm, beauty blend... Products marketed as BB creams are generally designed to serve as a foundation, moisturizer, and sunscreen all at once.
CC cream is a marketing term coined in the wake of the marketing term Blemish Balm cream or Beauty Balm. "CC cream" is used by some brands to mean Color Control cream, or Color Correcting cream, and some brands claim to reduce the appearance of skin redness or sallowness or to improve uneven skin tone. BB creams and CC creams are both tinted moisturizers containing sun protection. There is no scientific definition for either term, nor is there quantifiable basis for difference between BB creams and CC creams: differences between the two vary from brand to brand. BB cream was originally formulated in Germany and has, in recent years, gained popularity in Asia, especially South Korea, and is also gaining popularity in Europe and North America.
The cosmetic industry describes the industry that manufactures and distributes cosmetic products. These include colour cosmetics, like foundation and mascara, skincare such as moisturisers and cleansers, haircare such as shampoos, conditioners and hair colours, and toiletries such as bubble bath and soap. The manufacturing industry is dominated by a small number of multinational corporations that originated in the early 20th century, but the distribution and sale of cosmetics is spread among a wide range of different businesses. Cosmetics must be safe when customers use them in accordance with the label's instructions or in the conventional or expected manner. One measure a producer may take to guarantee the safety of a cosmetic product is product testing. FDA occasionally does testing as part of its research program or when looking into potential safety issues with a product. Both the cosmetics business and consumers can benefit from the FDA's resources on product testing.
Korean beauty standards have become a well-known feature of Korean culture. In 2015, a global survey by the International Society of Aesthetic Plastic Surgeons placed South Korea in the top ten of countries who had the highest rate of cosmetic surgeries.
Glow & Lovely is an indian skin-lightening cosmetic product of Hindustan Unilever introduced to the market in India in 1975. Glow & Lovely is available in India, Bangladesh, Malaysia, Indonesia, Singapore, Brunei, Thailand, Sri Lanka, Pakistan, Mauritius and other parts of Asia and is also exported to other parts of the world, such as the West, where it is sold in Asian supermarkets.
K-Beauty is an umbrella term for skincare products that are derived from South Korea. The fad gained popularity worldwide, especially in East Asia, Southeast Asia, South Asia, and the Western world, and focuses on health, hydration, and an emphasis on brightening effects.
Male grooming refers to men paying attention to fashion and enhancing their own appearance. This interest has become increasingly apparent in popular culture.
Japanese female beauty practices and ideals are a cultural set of standards in relevance to human physical appearance and aesthetics. Distinctive features of Japanese aesthetics have the following qualities: simplicity, elegance, suggestion, and symbolism. Concepts of female beauty originate from its traditional culture which has lasted for more than a century, some of which include skin whitening, long straight hair, and slim eyes. According to Kowner and Ogawa, the modern concept of physical attractiveness in Japan emanates from distinct, native traditions that have persisted for more than a century despite pervasive Western influence of values and ideals.