Photos: Eastern Promises
W‘s beauty editor heads to cosmetics-crazy South Korea in search of beauty’s next big thing.
Alicia Yoon and Katie Becker shop the streets of Seoul. Photograph by Park Sang Yo.
Sulwhasoo Luminature Essential Finisher, on display. Photograph by Park Sang Yo.
Inside the Olive Young beauty store. Photograph by Park Sang Yo.
Becker with researchers at AmorePacific headquarters. Photograph by Park Sang Yo.
Yoon and Becker in the Myeungdong beauty district. Photograph by Park Sang Yo.
A tea break at a traditional Korean teahouse. Photograph by Park Sang Yo.
The beauty store Olive Young displays products featured on the Get It Beauty TV show. Photograph by Park Sang Yo.
Nail artist Mira Jang. Photograph by Park Sang Yo.
Creams of the latest crop
The Cremorlab line hydrates skin gently with hot springs mineral water found in Geumjin (from $28, peachandlily.com).
May Coop’s products leave skin dewy, thanks to maple tree sap from Jiri Mountain (from $30, peachandlily.com).
Inspired by the growing trend in essences, which are all the rage in Asia, Estée Lauder is introducing Micro Essence Skin Activating Treatment Lotion, a lightweight formula that delivers fermented antiaging ingredients deep into skin (out in July, $95, esteelauder.com).
AmorePacific’s Future Response Age Defense Dual Eye Creme SPF 25 uses green tea extract to fight skin cell damage day and night (*$150, sephora.*com).Laneige (the latest AmorePacific brand coming to the U.S.) specializes in skin brightening (from $22, target.com).