Hwahae Global, Inc., operator of the beauty platform Hwahae, announced the release of its "Hwahae 2026 Beauty Trend Report: The New Edition," based on behavioral data from 12.5 million users. This report was derived through a comprehensive analysis of 10 million reviews and ratings, full ingredient information for 420,000 cosmetics, and global web user data from 700,000 monthly active users.
The report identified "FIND" as the key keyword driving the beauty market this year. Its four key themes include: the era of precision search, intentional aging management, verification by like-minded individuals, and Korean beauty users setting the standard for beauty consumption.
Precision search refers to search behavior centered on specific keywords combining ingredients, brands, and product names. Searches are shifting from functional searches like moisturizing and whitening to more granular searches focused on ingredients like niacinamide, PDRN, and retinol.
Intentional aging management refers to the trend of managing aging routinely. According to Hwahae data, searches for retinal increased 500% year-on-year by 2025, while searches for pore-improving ampoules also increased 188%. This demonstrates that aging management is expanding beyond wrinkle improvement to include a routine focused on basic preventative measures, such as barrier and pore care.
The "like-minded" verification refers to the tendency to prioritize reviews from real users with similar lifestyles and skin types. Consequently, the center of influence is shifting from mega-influencers to niche creators with specialized expertise.
Korean beauty users, who have become the standard for beauty consumption, represent a trend that is spreading globally, reflecting a domestic consumption pattern accustomed to ingredient analysis and cross-verification of reviews. In major markets like the Middle East and Japan, consumption patterns based on multi-layered information verification are also strengthening.
Hwahae Global stated that this report is an analysis that reflects the actual browsing patterns of domestic and international beauty consumers, and that it is expected to serve as a reference for establishing industry strategies.
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