How brands are starting to expand their shade range to cater to darker skin tones in Korea?

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10/24/20254 min read

Beauty has no definition and color, and it all depends on how you perceive the world.

Furthermore, Korean beauty for dark complexion is rarely discussed in blogs, Instagram feeds, or YouTube videos. K-beauty products are excellent for women of color is a well-kept secret. These days, you can discover a ton of information online from bloggers and YouTubers on the benefits of Korean beauty for dark skin. Additionally, some K-beauty lines are ideal for darker complexion tones. Products suitable for all skin tones and kinds have been developed by experts in the Korean cosmetic business. Melanin, a pigment produced naturally by the skin to shield against the sun's damaging rays, gives skin its black tone. Dark skin may seem easier to maintain, but melanin-rich skin contains imperfections like scars, blemishes, and uneven tone. Brands have developed products suitable for those with darker skin tones, dispelling the myth that K-Beauty is solely for fair-skinned people.

BB CUSHIONS

To begin with, BB cushions have to rank as one of the K-Beauty market's most challenging items to locate. Even though Korean skin tones vary greatly, lighter-skinned people are still mostly catered to by Korean beauty products. There are, however, a few forerunners in the shade diversity field; their names are Innisfree, Dr. GIO, Missha, and Laneige. Shades like Missha's Golden Beige and Laneige's Dark shade move in that direction, though they still don't cater to all skin tones.

Innisfree is undoubtedly the most impressive. This Jeju Island brand offers a whopping 14 colors, from Cool Ivory all the way up to Chocolate, in contrast to other cushion products that only have a few color options. The Cool Ivory-to-Chocolate line has two formulas: the Matte Full Cover Cushion and the Aqua Fit Cushion. You'll receive an "all-day lightweight, silky formula" from the Matte Cover Cushion that melts into your skin and maintains a matte finish to fend off the shine. Contrarily, the Aqua Fit Cushion has a dewy texture and a glowy finish and is made for persons with drier skin. Whichever cushion you choose, your complexion will be taken care of because both are packed with nutrients, including hyaluronic acid and green tea extract.

LIPSTICKS AND TINTS

While there are always other BB cream and concealer alternatives in the West, lip tints as a concept appear to be scarce, if not nonexistent, outside of Korea. The combination of the recipe, the presentation, and the vibrant colors results in a delightful experience. The light cherry blossom pinks and peachy oranges seem uncomfortable, out of place, or drab on darker skin tones, making them considerably tougher to wear. Lip cosmetics have a far more comprehensive range of hues than BB cushions. Wide color ranges with highly pigmented shades are available from companies like Peripera and Tony Moly, and they are ideal for darker skin tones.

EYESHADOW

The most challenging purchases to make are typically eyeshadows. Although many eyeshadow palettes are available, most of them tend to be soft pinks and beiges, none of which seem as they should on darker complexion tones. In addition, eyeshadows typically have a sheer and delicate texture, which makes it difficult for them to show up on the skin.

Regarding various pigmented colors, Etude House is the best brand of eyeshadow. Ten stunning colors—all of which are ideal for darker skin tones—are present in the eyeshadow palette. You have many possibilities, so feel free to choose any color combination you like. These colors go together nicely on dark skin tones and don't seem overdone when applied heavily. The rich colors in palettes like their Play Color Eyes and Everyday Basic Deep Coffee Brown Eyeshadow Palettes have the perfect amount of shine. The delicate microbeads and silicon-coated powder pigment work together to prolong the color's vibrancy throughout the day.

3CE is another brand to keep an eye out for. Their palettes can seamlessly combine subtle and unusual colors. Beautifully rich, pigmented colors from palettes like Plot Twist and Overtake are ideal for everyday use and dynamic enough for exceptional occasions. All skin tones can use these palettes, but darker skin tones benefit from them.

CONTOUR

If you've ever contoured your skin, you know that it may be a messy process. It frequently turns into a titanic struggle between the brush and the face. The greatest brands for contouring are MEMEBOX and Etude House. The creamy texture of the MEMEBOX contouring stick is one of its standout qualities. It is made with diamond powder, which brings out your skin's inherent brilliance.

Brand Etude House is known for its ongoing innovation. This time, they have developed a countering stick with two sides. A dark and a light shade are on either side. People with similar skin tones work best with the darker side. It has a silky feel and applies to the face with ease. You may avoid using a brush to play cat and mouse by using two colors in one. You can use one or combine the two for some fun.


The darker complexion products from American brands are widely available in Korea. Like Laneige, which has a flagship location in Myeongdong, customers may order personalized foundations but have to widen their collections more. On October24, 2019, Parnas Mall in Seoul welcomed Sephora, the largest cosmetics retailer in the world, to Korea. The American retailer Sephora is renowned for carrying a wide variety of cosmetic brands and offering a wide range of shades in practically all of them. Fenty Beauty is carried by Sephora in the Coex mall, and Nars is available in all color ranges at the Lotte Department Store in Busan.

Conclusion

Being a woman of color, finding Korean makeup brands might be challenging. So far, Laneige, Tony Moly, Peripera, Clio Professional, and The Face Shop have pleasantly surprised and delighted us. We wish more Korean companies start diversifying their product lines to appeal to ladies of all colors. It would be fantastic to see them expand so we can also experience their beauty lines as frequent users of their products.