South Korean Haircare Trends:

2020
Now is the time to act in the South Korean haircare market. This update explores how to prepare for
the vigorous market.

Hwa Jun Lee

Senior Beauty and Personal Care Analyst

June 2020

Read on mintel.com
Table Of Contents

OFFER HOME HAIRCARE

1

ETHICAL HAIRCARE TRENDS

2

ANTI-HAIRLOSS CONTINUES TO EXPAND

3
Mintel recommends
Offer home haircare in the COVID-19
era
Haircare is the 'new skincare' with a
high interest in at-home beauty options
highlighted during the outbreak of
COVID-19. Intensive hair treatment
products with professional salon
effects are appealing to consumers.
Products with a convenience claim and
a high efficacy would be in line with
homecare trends.
Pursue ethical haircare
Ethical claims are not mainstreaming in
new haircare launches in South Korea
yet; however, consumers' interest in
ethical beauty is already very high.
Offer ethical haircare products to
appeal to conscious South Korean
consumers.
Focus on anti-hairloss
The anti-hairloss claim has been
growing continuously and is becoming
more common in the South Korean
haircare market. Supplements for
hairloss care may help brands to
succeed in the market.
Read on mintel.com
K-Beauty haircare is more influential in the global market

The export of South Korean haircare has been growing continuously. Consumer interest in new haircare steps is
strengthening the local market.

GROWING EXPORT SHAMPOO LEADS NPD INTEREST IN NEW HAIRCARE

13.5% 35% 21%

was the growth rate of shampoo of South Korean haircare launches of South Koreans* aged 18+ added a
exports in 2019 compared to 2018; during Apr 2019-Mar 2020 new step to their haircare routines
the export value was USD156m in were shampoo, the most active in the last three months
2019 sub-category

Base: South Korea: 1,000 internet users aged 18+

Source: The Foundation of Korea Cosmetic Industry Institute; Mintel GNPD; Dynata/Mintel Read on mintel.com
OFFER HOME HAIRCARE

Read on mintel.com
Offer home haircare in the COVID-19 era

The COVID-19 era highlights implications for home-use haircare, and

intensive hair treatment products with professional salon effects are
appealing to South Korean consumers.

Although the Korean Centers for Disease Control & Prevention relaxed social
distancing guidelines in its 'Distancing in Daily Life' campaign in early May,
people are staying home longer now than before COVID-19, and this could
be the 'next normal' lifestyle in South Korea.

Headspa 7 The Premium Treatment is described as an all-in-one premium

treatment that promotes luxurious hair and a healthier scalp, providing the
results of a professional salon at home. It features a highly enriched
formula that turns into a creamy texture when mixed with water, delivers
moisture and nourishment to damaged hair, helps maintain a healthy scalp
and treats hair loss.
Headspa 7 The Premium Treatment

Read on mintel.com
Intensive hair treatment launches
Clean + treat
AZH x SNP Everyday Hair Cleantment is
described as an intensive restructuring
treatment that strengthens hair with deep
repair and cleansing.
Hair ampoule
Hair+ Protein Bond Nutri Injection Ampoule
is described as a highly concentrated
nourishment with many kinds of proteins and
amino acids to repair severely damaged hair.
Hair mask
BioSilk Silk Therapy Silk in Capsule Hair Mask
is formulated with silk and nutritious black
seed oil, designed to give a silky glow, free-
flowing softness, shine and intensive care to
extremely damaged hair.
Read on mintel.com
Communicate the convenience of at-home haircare

Convenience has been one of the key claims for at-home haircare products
in the COVID-19 era. The ease-of-use claim increased in new haircare
IN SOUTH KOREA
launches even before the pandemic. It's expected that the at-home
haircare trend induced by COVID-19 will accelerate convenience claims,
including ease of use, time/speed and convenience packs, in the South

15% Korean haircare market.

of haircare launches from June

2019 to May 2020 had an ease-of-
use claim, an increase from 11%
during June 2016 to May 2017

Source: Mintel GNPD Read on mintel.com

Lead with convenient haircare
Easy-to-use cream texture
The Face Shop Silky Hair Color Cream is an
easy-to-use texture that doesn't drip. It
offers long-lasting, vivid colour and grey
coverage.
Quickly hold, fix and set the volume
LoveyDovey Quick Morning Hold Me Curling
Mist is said to quickly hold, fix and set
volume to maintain hair's initial styling
during busy mornings, while adding shine and
nourishing hair.
Ease of use for men
Tonymoly Energy 24 Men's Power Down Stick
Wax is designed to easily manage and
strongly hold unruly hair, especially bangs.
The stick format offers a simple application
method that won't get on hands.
Read on mintel.com
ETHICAL HAIRCARE TRENDS

Read on mintel.com
Pursue ethical haircare

There is opportunity to offer ethical haircare products, which is a

segment that's expected to grow with the increase in conscious South
Korean consumers. INTEREST IN SUSTAINABILITY

Ethical claims are not mainstreaming in South Korean haircare market just
yet; however, brands are paying more attention to environmentally friendly,
sustainable and charity aspects because consumer interest in ethical beauty
is already high.
33%
of South Koreans* aged 18+ are
Emerging ethical haircare in South Korea is well aligned with global haircare
interested in beauty and grooming
trends, described in Mintel's The Future of Haircare, Styling & Colour:
products that are sustainably
2020. sourced

Base: South Korea: 1,000 internet users aged 18+

Source: Dynata/Mintel Read on mintel.com

The growth of ethical claims in haircare

South Korea: percentage of ethical claims in haircare launches, Jun 2017-May 2020
10
10

8
8
7 7

6
% of launches

6
5 5 5 Jun 2017-May 2018

4 4 Jun 2018-May 2019

4
Jun 2019-May 2020
3

2
2

0
Ethical – environmentally friendly Ethical – environmentally friendly Ethical – charity Ethical – sustainable
product package (habitat/resources)

Source: Mintel GNPD Read on mintel.com

Various offerings for conscious consumers
Eco-friendly ingredients
Passion & Beyond Argan Therapy is
formulated with eco-friendly Alchemilla
vulgaris, Calendula officinalis flower and
Althaea officinalis root extracts, grown on
healthy land unpolluted by any chemical
fertilisers or pesticides.
Sustainable producing process
Aromatica Scalp Rosemary Root Energizing
Hair Thickening Conditioner Refill is said to
nourish thin and flat hair. The vegan product
is free from synthetic fragrances and GMOs,
and it has been produced using a sustainable
process.
Plastic-free pack
Better than Liquid Olbareun Shampoo Bar for
Normal and Dry Hair is a solid shampoo free
from sulfate and antiseptic. The product
retails in a 100g plastic-free pack.
Read on mintel.com
ANTI-HAIRLOSS CONTINUES TO EXPAND

Read on mintel.com
Focus on anti-hairloss

The growth of anti-hairloss products over the last few

South Korea: percentage of anti-hairloss claims in
years in South Korea is remarkable. From June 2019 to haircare launches, Jun 2016-May 2020
May 2020, 15% of new haircare products had an anti-
20
hairloss claim, which is more than triple of that in
June 2016 to May 2017.
15
15
The boom of anti-hairloss claims in South Korea

% of launches
started in shampoo. The claim is now expanding to 11

other haircare sub-categories such as treatments and 10

hair dyes.
6

It is expected that anti-hairloss products will continue 5 4

to get more popular and become quite common in the

South Korean haircare market.
0
Jun 2016-May Jun 2017-May Jun 2018-May Jun 2019-May
2017 2018 2019 2020

Source: Mintel GNPD Read on mintel.com

Focus on anti-hairloss

Source: Mintel GNPD Read on mintel.com

Focus on anti-hairloss

The growth of anti-hairloss products over the last few

years in South Korea is remarkable. From June 2019 to
May 2020, 15% of new haircare products had an anti-
hairloss claim, which is more than triple of that in
June 2016 to May 2017.

The boom of anti-hairloss claims in South Korea

started in shampoo. The claim is now expanding to
other haircare sub-categories such as treatments and
hair dyes.

It is expected that anti-hairloss products will continue

to get more popular and become quite common in the
South Korean haircare market.

Read on mintel.com
New brand: LABO-H

South Korean beauty giant Amorepacific launched a

new hairloss relief brand, LABO-H. It focuses on the
microbiome of the scalp and is formulated with
probiotics found in green tea. It claims that experts in
dermatology, hair, chemistry and microbiology were
gathered to launch LABO-H.

The product line-up includes three shampoos (scalp

cooling, scalp strengthening and sensitive derma) and
one treatment product. It also plans to launch a
beauty supplement.

The scientific narrative of LABO-H will appeal to the

49% of South Korean consumers* who trust beauty and
grooming products created with scientifically proven
ingredients or formulas, in line with Mintel's 2030 BPC
Trend The Panorama of Humanity. LABO-H

Source: Amorepacific Read on mintel.com

Promote with supplements

Scalp and hairloss care brand Zaol launched a renewed version of its
functional health supplement Tarae RX Compact in March 2020. Tarae RX
Compact has biotin as the main ingredient, necessary for fat, carbohydrate
and protein metabolism and energy production.

A spokesperson from Zaol said, "If we continue to ingest biotin necessary for
protein metabolism and energy generation, we expect that it will also help
hair, hair root and scalp health".

In South Korea, 13% of consumers* aged 18+ took beauty supplements in the
three months leading up to December 2019, and the beauty supplement
market is expected to grow. Add a supplement to your haircare collection
to succeed in the market.

Zaol Tarae RX

Source: Jangup Read on mintel.com

Anti-hairloss for all subcategories
Hairloss care shampoo
Dr. Groot Microbiome Genethick7 Hair Loss
Care Capsule Shampoo features scalp-
strengthening capsules, made of
biodegradable corn starch, and is designed
to soothe an irritated, dry, itchy scalp and
increase the moisture level.
Anti-hairloss ampoule
So'Natural Hair Pick-Up! Bong is described as
an anti-hairloss ampoule that supplies
nourishment to sparse hair lines to make
baby hairs and the scalp healthy. It's
enriched with salicylic acid and niacinamide.
Hair dye with anti-hairloss
Ryo One Click Salon Color Grey Hair
Coverage Cream is designed to offer easy,
quick and luxurious hair colouring for grey
hair, formulated with six natural-origin
ingredients for anti-hairloss and scalp care.
Read on mintel.com
Meet the Expert

Hwa Jun Lee

Senior Beauty and Personal Care Analyst
hjlee@mintel.com

The world’s leading market

intelligence agency
Our expert analysis of the highest quality data and
market research will help you grow your business.