Korean Beauty is going ALL IN on the vegan market.
It's no secret that the word "vegan" doesn't trigger the same sort of reaction in Korea as it might in America. While the US's love affair with the plant-based world is definitely beyond its "honeymoon phase," the story in Korea is quite different. As I talk about in my article on traveling vegan while in South Korea:
In 2008, roughly 150,000 people in South Korea were eating a vegan diet. (See Statista.) At that time, there wasn’t even a word in Korean for “vegan.” I know this because when I went vegan in 2016 and asked my parents for the Korean translation, they shrugged and said, “Maybe chaeshik? Although, that’s more vegetarian…”
As of 2021, there were approximately 2.5 million people in Korea following a vegan diet. (Id.) This represents a staggering 1,556% increase in the past 13 years. Put another way, “[t]he number of vegans has increased tenfold from 2008 to 2018, and has shown a growth of around 67 percent in the three years after that.” (Id.)
But this astronomical growth is NOT limited to the food scene. It's now spread to beauty, as well. More and more Korean beauty brands are dropping animal-derived ingredients entirely. I can personally attest to this--in 2018, I visited a Korean beauty store to pick up some things for my wedding night (I wanted to look my best!). When I asked the store clerk (in Korean) whether they had any vegan and cruelty free items, she looked at me like I was crazy. But, oh how things have changed! What used to be a niche request from Western vegan consumers is now being driven from within — by native Korean Gen Z shoppers who care deeply about what goes on their skin and what it costs the planet.
So, what's actually changing?
Look, I know we've all seen the viral videos of folks getting salmon eggs injected into their faces (ok, but NO THANKS?). But animal based ingredients like beeswax, collagen, carmine, and yes, even fish eggs, are being reformulated out of big-brand K-beauty products.
OR, as is the case for Korean Vegan Beauty, entirely built on the notion that Korean beauty doesn't need to entail animal suffering.
What should you look for?
A lot of times, you'll see the word "natural" on packaging to make it seem like it's good for you and good for the planet. But don't be fooled!! Look for labels like:
- ✅ Korea Vegan Certified — the most relevant local standard
- ✅ Leaping Bunny — cruelty-free and vegan supply chain verified
- ✅ PETA Vegan & Cruelty-Free — widely recognized globally
Every single product made and sold by KV Beauty, for example, come PETA certified. And lemme tell ya--that certification was HARD EARNED!! We are DAMN proud of it!!
Is this just a trend or a sign of what's to come?
I mean, it could both, right? Trends often lead to permanent changes in the industry, and wouldn't it be a amazing if the K-beauty industry became a stalwart custodian of our planet, as well as our skincare?
Regardless, I can promise ya one thing: Korean Vegan Beauty will always be entirely Korean and entirely vegan.
<3<3<3
