Rice water has been used in Asian beauty rituals for over a thousand years. Women in Heian-era Japan (794–1185 AD) rinsed their hair and skin in leftover rice water. Vietnamese women have used it as a facial rinse and hair treatment for generations. Korean beauty brands now list it as a hero ingredient on product…
Cocoon’s Winter Melon SPF line is the brand’s most internationally discussed product – it appears in K-beauty communities, SPF forums, and Vietnamese skincare discussions with unusual consistency for a brand with limited Western distribution. The question worth answering before buying is whether the filter stack and texture actually hold up against the Korean and Japanese…
JiYu has raised $6.5 million in growth capital to expand across North America and accelerate clinical product development. The Korean skincare brand said the funding will support its U.S. market push as it tracks toward more than $70 million in annual revenue in 2026. North America Expansion Plan The company said the round included private…
Shiseido has won two awards at Spikes Asia 2026 in Singapore, including a Grand Prix in the Design category. The company said on March 23 that the recognition went to two projects focused on Japanese cultural expression and preservation. Award-Winning Projects According to Shiseido, “BEST AFTER 2055” received the Grand Prix for a project built…
Ulta Beauty has expanded its K-beauty and wellness offerings through a mix of marketplace launches and store rollouts in March 2026. The latest moves included Landing International’s K-Beauty World expansion with 17 Korean brands, Dr. Melaxin’s rollout into all 1,500 Ulta Beauty stores, and Cymbiotika’s entry into more than 1,000 locations. Marketplace-Led Brand Scaling The…
Vietnamese skincare has a counterfeit problem. In 2024, Vietnamese authorities identified nearly 5,000 counterfeit cosmetics incidents – and the fake networks operate primarily through the same channels where authentic products are sold: Shopee, Lazada, and TikTok Shop. A popular product selling well is exactly what attracts fake sellers, which means the more a brand succeeds,…
Turmeric is everywhere in skincare right now. It’s also been in Vietnamese kitchens, medicine cabinets, and beauty rituals for centuries – not as a trend, but as a functional ingredient with a documented history of use. The gap between the marketing and the evidence is worth closing. This article covers what turmeric and its active…
L Catterton has set a $313 million investment target for Japanese consumer businesses over the next three years. The firm plans to complete about five deals across cosmetics, food, pet care, and restaurants. Deal profile The investment capacity is expected to come through a mix of equity and debt financing. The report said the firm…
Kao has announced that Bioré has entered South Korea and launched a unified global campaign around Bioré UV, marking the latest step in the brand’s international expansion. The company said on March 19 that the move forms part of its broader global growth strategy and positions Korea as a key market within that plan. South…
Most Vietnamese skincare brands tell a story about where their ingredients come from. Herbario’s story is built around something more specific: the traditional Vietnamese herbal pharmacopoeia – the plants that Vietnamese families have used domestically, medicinally, and culinarily for generations, reformulated into modern skincare. The name is deliberate. “Herbario” comes from the Spanish word for…