Drop Zone: Amorepacific, Caudalie, Glow Recipe launches help ease complex beauty routines

Life is full of complexities, but beauty routines shouldn't be one of them.

With today’s fast-paced lifestyle, beauty consumers increasingly value simplicity without compromising on efficacy.

This minimalist approach has driven the trend for 'skip' care over the past couple of years, which aims to streamline beauty routines without sacrificing results.

The interest in skip care has been boosted recently as many countries across Asia are experiencing excessively warm weather such as New Delhi, India, which experienced record-breaking scorchers at the end of May. The heatwave is leaving consumers wanting less layers and lighter textures on their skin.

Amorepacific: Sun care ++++

This trend has manifested as multi-benefit products that allow users to eliminate more products and steps from their daily routines.

K-beauty giant Amorepacific has been pushing the concept of powered up sun care products, with multiple launches from its biggest brands with technology borrowed from its other best-selling products incorporated into them.

This includes Innisfree’s Green Tea Hyaluronic Acid Moisture Sun Serum. According to the brand, it is a hybrid formulation that is “83% moisture essence”,​ with similar ingredients to one of the brand’s most popular products, Green Tea Seed Hyaluronic Acid Serum.

Furthermore, it has a high sun protection factor of 50+ PA++++ and claims to be long-wearing with a 24-hour wear time.

In a similar vein, Laneige launched the Perfect Renew 5D Sun Protector Essence with the same SPF 50+ PA++++ protection and anti-ageing benefits.

According to the firm, the formulation uses 5D UV-shield Pro X technology with five UV filters to provide broad-spectrum protection against photo-ageing.

The anti-ageing functions are based on the brand’s proprietary Perfect Renew Technology, the same technology found in its Perfect Renew 3X Signature Serum.

According to Laneige, the product has multiple clinically proven benefits, including strengthening the skin barrier by 44.52% and increasing skin moisture by 45%.

Last but not least, Amorepacific launched what it claims to be its first sun ampoule under the IOPE banner.

The IOPE UV Shield Sun Ampoule claims to have anti-wrinkle, skin whitening, and skin barrier strengthening effects. It contains the Allanto Complex, the same ingredient in IOPE’s Stem III serum.

According to the brand, the ampoule can improve the condition of the skin barrier by 73.1% in seven days.

Caudalie: Hard workers wanted

As routines slim down, the pressure is on brands to make their products work harder. Even the most basic skin care products must avoid being one-trick ponies.

French pharmacy brand Caudalie has developed a new cleanser for its cult favourite brightening range, Vinoperfect – best known for its Dark Spot Brightening Serum.

The latest product is a cleanser and daily peeling treatment rolled into one.

In addition to the brand’s signature soothing organic grape water, it contains alpha hydroxy acids (AHAs), including fruit acids and mandelic acid, to gently exfoliate skin.

The brand claims the cleanser gives a “new skin effect​” in 30 seconds.

Glow Recipe: Glow on-the-go​

The desire for simplicity is also pushing brands to rethink product formats to make them easier to use for those with a busy lifestyle.

US brand Glow Recipe extended its best-selling Watermelon Glow range with the Dew Balm SPF 30, a portable stick-form broad-spectrum sunscreen with the signature ingredients from the line, such as niacinamide, watermelon, and hyaluronic acid.

Stick formats have been gaining traction lately, thanks to K-beauty products like the Kahi Wrinkle Bounce Multi Balm which has been popping up in K-dramas like Subway sandwiches.

Glow Recipe claims that its new balm contains niacinamide in the formula, which helps to reduce hyperpigmentation and even out skin tone while the watermelon and hyaluronic acid soothes and hydrates the skin.

The brand calls its new Watermelon Glow Dew Balm its “ultimate multi-use serum and SPF hybrid”. ​

It can also be used over makeup to encourage people to reapply their sunscreen throughout the day.