The K-beauty effect

BRAND TO KNOW: GLOW THEORY

We chat to founder of local K-beauty retailer Glow Theory, Tamsin van Tonder, about the state of K-beauty in SA, building a K-beauty routine and product must-haves.

What inspired you to start Glow Theory? I first started to conceptualise Glow Theory almost 10 years ago, in 2015. I'd been using an almost exclusively Korean skincare routine for about six months, and it was the only thing that had managed to turn my skin around from the hormonal breakouts I was experiencing at the time. My friends noticed this and started to ask me what I was using. Soon, I became the local K-beauty dealer, ordering products from Korea for my friends, putting skincare routines together for them, and getting everyone addicted to sheet masks and snail mucin. Eventually, I was ordering so many products every month for friends and family that dealing with shipping wait times, lost packages, customs fees and the fluctuating rand became frustrating. I searched online and found no South African stores selling Korean beauty, and I eventually realised if I wanted K-beauty to be easily accessible in South Africa, I'd need to do it myself! In 2017, Glow Theory was born.

How has the SA market been receiving K-Beauty brands and were there any challenges in building up a consumer base? When we launched in 2017, K-beauty was very much a niche market segment, and customers were more interested in makeup than skincare. But the popularity of skincare in general and K-beauty in particular has exploded over the last few years, in part due to the desire to wear less makeup and ensure skin is healthy long term, as well as social media platforms like TikTok making it more accessible to a larger audience. Both women and men prioritise the condition of their skin now, and K-beauty has a reputation for high quality, effective products at reasonable prices. 

What are some of the biggest K-beauty trends right now that we should know about? Double cleansing has always been a cornerstone of the K-beauty routine, but oil cleansers in particular are having a moment, with many discovering how great they are at cleansing the skin of makeup and sebum. Uniquely Korean ingredients such as snail mucin and centella asiatica are still popular, and hydrating toner pads are trending too thanks to their ability to leave skin with a healthy glow while also being easy to use. 

Which K-Beauty brands are most popular among SA consumers? Brands such as Cosrx and Klairs have been consistently popular for years, while more recently emerging brands like Anua, Beauty of Joseon, and Skin1004 have been frequently requested by customers this year. 

For someone new to K-Beauty, what are some key tips or guidelines for shopping K-beauty? What should you look for and what should you avoid? The most important thing is to start slowly rather than overwhelming your skin with a multi-step routine. Focus on the basics like a good cleanser, serum and SPF first and then add any additional items such as toners and sheet masks later if your skin needs them. We have authentic customer reviews on our website as it’s always helpful to see what others think about popular products. It’s important to not buy products simply because they’re trending, but rather to assess if your skin needs them or whether they will work for your skin type. Also, be sure to shop at reliable retailers who sell authentic products and check with them where they source their products. 

What are the top three K-beauty products that you swear by? Some consistently popular products that I love and that seem to work well for most people are the Cosrx Advanced Snail 96 Power Essence, the Laneige Lip Sleeping Mask and Beauty of Joseon Rice and Probiotics SPF 50 Sunscreen. glowtheory.com

THREE K-BEAUTY TRENDS TO KNOW 

1. Skin Flooding: A buzzworthy K-beauty trend, skin flooding involves slathering the skin with multiple layers of hydrating skincare, such as an essence, toning fluid, serums and lotions, to “flood” the skin with hydration and achieve ultra-hydrated, plump skin with a glass-like glow.
2. Slow Ageing: This K-beauty trend puts an emphasis on ageing gracefully, not only focusing on anti-ageing skincare from the 30s and up but looks at preventive, age-defying skincare formulas that are lighter and easy to use from as early as the 20s.
3. Aegyo Sal Makeup: A Korean term for the small puffy bags or folds under the eyes, usually most prominent when smiling, aegyo sal makeup is an illusion technique that makes these puffy bags more prominent, resulting in larger-looking eyes and a youthful appearance. 

GET THE LOOK: AEGYO SAL MAKEUP 

Achieve the viral K-Beauty makeup trick that creates the illusion of a more youthful face:

1. Smile slightly to make your aegyo sal visible and see where to place makeup.
2. Sweep a base eyeshadow over the lid and bottom lash line to create cohesiveness.
3. Use a light brown eyeshadow to contour the bottom of the aegyo sal with a small fluffy brush.
4. Apply the eyeshadow, starting from the centre of the aegyo sal, where it is the largest, and blend out towards the ends.
5. Using an angled, flat brush, apply a dark brown eyeshadow along the aegyo sal centre to emphasise it.
6. Tap a dark brown shadow along the outer corners of the eye to add definition.
7. Sweep a matte white or beige eyeshadow over the aegyo sal centre to highlight.
8. As an optional step, apply a liquid glitter in the centre of the aegyo sal to further emphasise it. Do not action this step if you already have a naturally pronounced or fat aegyo sal as it may lead to the eyes just looking swollen or puffy.

FIVE OF THE BEST: K-BEAUTY POWERHOUSES 

1. Klairs Midnight Blue Calming Sheet Mask, R60
2. Laneige Lip Sleeping Mask, R490
3. Beauty of Joseon Relief Sun Rice + Probiotics SPF 50 Sunscreen, 50ml, R365
4. Laneige Lip Sleeping Mask, R490
5. Benton Snail Bee High Content Essence, 100ml, R375