Remember trying a cushion foundation for the first time? We do, and we haven’t looked back since. Applying base makeup has never been easier – there’s no need to scramble for a mirror or a brush, and you don’t even have to wet your makeup sponge, because with a cushion compact, you have it all in your hands. Believe it or not, this option didn’t exist 10 years ago. But that all changed when South Korean beauty and cosmetics conglomerate AmorePacific introduced their first-ever cushion to the world 9 years ago, and have continued to revolutionise K-beauty from that moment on.
This year, AmorePacific whisked us away to Shangri-La’s Rasa Ria Resort & Spa at Kota Kinabalu for their annual summit, where we peered under the AmorePacific umbrella, home to K-beauty brands with the likes of Sulwhasoo, Laneige, Mamonde, Etude House and innisfree – major ones currently leading the cushion market. Over 3 days, we immersed ourselves in innovative sessions, hands-on classes, and a discussion spearheaded by a panel of insiders such as the Head of AmorePacific’s ASEAN Business Robin Na, Chief Makeup Artist Jason Lee, and a trio of dedicated in-house beauty researchers, Yunha Lee, Junseong Park, and Hajin Jung.
If there’s one name to look to when it comes to Korean beauty, Amorepacific is it. They’ve got a solid game plan to turn the innovation dial up, and they’ve showed us why their cushion compacts still reign supreme in a competitive global market.
THEY CREATED THE WORLD’S FIRST CUSHION COMPACT
It all started with the IOPE Air Cushion launched in 2008. Developed as an easy way to reapply sunscreen, the IOPE cushion was designed as a portable compact case that held a sponge soaked in pigmented liquid foundation infused with nourishing ingredients as well as SPF. 9 years on, South Korea’s beauty behemoth has crafted a wide range of cushions that cater to specific needs and preferences, taking their innovation beyond foundations, giving birth to products such as the Eyebrow Cushion-cara. So even if you’re not one for Korean , there’s no denying its powerful presence in the mainstream industry. After all, it says a ton when you’ve got every drugstore, high street, and luxury beauty brand serving up their own version of the cushion.
THERE’S A DEDICATED R&D TEAM BEHIND THEIR CUSHION COMPACTS
AmorePacific has a research unit that’s solely dedicated to enhancing its cushion technology known as the Cushion Lab, and needless to say, it’s a unit we all wish we could be a part of. The lab profiles customers from the ASEAN region, working to achieve the ideal sensory and textural properties to better suit our preferences. With over 70 years of expertise under their belt, AmorePacific is expanding rapidly with a mammoth 100,000 square metre R&D / manufacturing facility in Johor Bahru that’s slated for 2020. Their commitment to charting new territory in the realm of beauty research is certainly unparalleled.
THEIR KEY HERITAGE INGREDIENTS ARE DERIVED FROM NATURE
Global beauty trends have taken on a healthier, more holistic approach, which ties in with AmorePacific’s belief that the best ingredients come from from Mother Nature. For over 70 years, AmorePacific has been conducting research on botanicals, focusing on antioxidant-rich ingredients native to Asia, namely ginseng, green tea, and beans. Leader of the Heritage Material Research Junseong Park tells us that they’ve also honed in on countless beneficial natural ingredients such as camellia, hibiscus, rice, water, and bamboo. He says, “Some examples of the use of natural ingredients include LANEIGE and MAMONDE. LANEIGE focuses heavily on water and hydration of the skin while MAMONDE focuses on delivering the vitality of flowers to the skin and in make-up products.”
THEIR CUSHIONS ARE DEVELOPED SPECIFICALLY FOR ASEAN CUSTOMERS
Cushion Researcher Hajin Jung shares that unlike the dewy formula Koreans love so much, customers in the ASEAN regions desire a cushion compact that delivers a powdery and matte finish, which is why AmorePacific has been meticulously developing and expanding its matte formulations. A good example would be the LANEIGE BB Cushion Pore Control that was made to adapt to our soaring temperatures and high humidity. She adds, “One of the more recent launches from AmorePacific include the LANEIGE Powder Fit Cushion. With its mesh net that enables easier and quicker matte makeup, the cushion has been very well received in the ASEAN market.” AmorePacific prides itself on the wealth of knowledge it has about their consumers, and the products they’ve created thus far proves that a little research goes a very long way.
