Today, I am performing a deep dive into the beauty behaviors of consumers in Korea, the US, and Japan, based on the 'OpenSurvey Beauty Trend Report 2023'. Beyond simply noting that "Koreans use more products," we will use data to uncover the underlying values that drive spending in each of these three major markets.
Source: OpenSurvey, Beauty Trend Report 2023
1. Skincare:
Korea’s ‘Multi-Layer Defense’ vs. Japan’s ‘Essentialism’
In terms of the number of skincare products used, Korea leads significantly with 6.15 products, far outpacing the US (3.92) and Japan (3.32).
- Korea’s Granular Needs: Korean women have a deeply ingrained ‘layering’ routine: prepping skin with Toner (90.5%), nourishing with Essence/Serum (78.2%), and sealing with Cream (78.0%). Notably, Sun Care (75.5%) usage is the highest among the three, proving that UV protection is a fundamental final step in the Korean routine.
- Japan’s Minimalist Approach: Interestingly, despite its beauty heritage, Japan has the lowest usage count (3.32). Japanese consumers focus on basics like Toner (89.6%) and Lotion/Emulsion (53.5%), leaning toward ‘Essentialism’—focusing on one or two high-quality core products rather than multi-step routines.
2. Makeup:
America’s ‘Self-Expression’ vs. Korea’s ‘Flawless Base’
In the makeup domain, the US market is the most active, using 6.35 products and slightly surpassing Korea (6.13).
- Color Makeup in the US: US consumers are highly proactive in using color to define their look, with Foundation (56.6%), Eyeshadow (56.0%), and Eye Primer/Mascara (55.4%) being staples. This reflects a cultural trait where makeup is a primary tool for expressing individual identity.
- Korea’s Cushion Revolution: In Korea, the Cushion (62.2%) is the heart of the makeup routine. This contrasts sharply with the US and Japan, where traditional foundations prevail, suggesting that Korean consumers place the highest value on creating a ‘flawless base’ quickly and efficiently.
3. Shopping Channels:
Korea’s ‘Digital Natives’ vs. Japan’s ‘Offline Trust’
Familiarity with online shopping is perhaps the most critical data point for e-commerce strategists.
- Korea’s Digital Dominance: Korea’s online beauty shopping familiarity reaches a staggering 91.8%, with Open Markets (2nd) and Naver Shopping (3rd) serving as mainstream channels. This proves that the entire customer journey, from discovery to purchase, is digitally integrated.
- Japan’s Resilient Brick-and-Mortar: Japan has the lowest online familiarity at 57.8%. The top channel remains offline H&B stores, and Brand Official Apps (3rd) remain strong. For Japan, offline experience and brand trust are just as vital as digital advertising.
🛡️ Key Insight
The data clearly outlines different strategies for global beauty brands:
- Korea (The Hardcore Market): This is the most sophisticated and demanding market. Success depends on competing in functional sub-categories like Serums and Sun Care while optimizing for platforms like Naver Shopping.
- USA (The Expression Market): With high color usage, brands should target North American consumers with a diverse range of base tones and eye-centric products.
- Japan (The Untapped Digital Market): An online familiarity of only 57.8% represents an opportunity for Digital Transformation (DX). A phased strategy—building trust in offline H&B stores before driving traffic to D2C channels—will be most effective.