Clean skin trends give rise to skincare-makeup hybrids that trade heavy coverage for nourishing formulas Promotional image showing the range of skin tone shades in Missha's BB cream lineup (Missha) The luminous skin promised by elaborate skincare rituals has long been a draw for Korean cosmetics. The newer frontier, perhaps, is makeup that doubles as skincare.Products are now expected to care for the skin as much as they cover it, with heavy foundation yielding to sheer, breathable formulas rich in active ingredients.Demand for skincare-infused complexion products and premakeup preparation categories is rising, and export figures are climbing alongside it. Korean cosmetics exports hit a record $3.1 billion in the first quarter, according to the Ministry of Food and Drug Safety.Blemish balm, or beauty balmThe revival of BB cream, or blemish balm, may be one of the clearest signals that beauty standards are moving on. Fortune Business Insights estimates the global BB cream market will grow from $5.03 billion in 2025 to $10.58 billion by 2034.First developed in Germany to calm and protect skin following laser treatments and dermatological procedures, the product found a second life in Korea in the early 2000s as a shortcut to a polished complexion.Today's BB cream, better befitting the name beauty balm, now reads more like skincare than makeup. Gone are the gray undertones and heavy textures, replaced by natural coverage with hydration, built-in sun protection and anti-aging properties.At the front of that wave is Missha, which sits atop Amazon's US BB cream charts — a notable turn for a road shop brand whose star has faded since its 2010 high point.According to the brand, its signature product, packaged in a purple tube, blends probiotics and a superfood complex of vegetables and botanicals into a tint that delivers antioxidant and other skin benefits.The brand has been on a hot streak, especially in the US, thanks to its skin-friendly formula and viral social media posts, including one in which US rapper Cardi B credited the product as her secret to looking natural and makeup-free.Able C&C, the operator of the brand, saw international sales climb to 70 percent of total revenue in the first quarter, up from 52 percent a year earlier, as overall revenue rose 10.2 percent to 61.4 billion won ($40.8 million). US sales alone surged 230 percent from a year earlier, thanks to accelerated sales on TikTok Shop and Amazon, and the brand's expanded presence through Costco."The success of BB creams in North America is about more than sales. It is proof that BB cream, one of K-beauty's signature categories, has gone from niche to mainstream," a company official said.Other brands are moving into the category. Amorepacific's espoir shot to the top of Olive Young's BB cream charts within a month of launch, built around barrier care for sensitive and acne-prone skin. D'Alba Global, meanwhile, stays true to its vegan ethos through its signature truffle-derived ingredient.Industry insiders say something more fundamental is at work in what consumers want from complexion products."Products in the past concentrated mainly on making the skin look whiter, but recent products are increasingly designed to make the skin itself appear healthier," one industry official said. “The new battleground is how closely a product behaves like an anti-aging serum or lotion." (d'Alba Global) 'Skin prep' is the new categoryEven among makeup wearers, attention has shifted to what goes on the skin first. That is where K-beauty companies are finding their next opportunity, in a category the industry calls "skin prep" products.Neither skincare nor makeup, skin prep products aim to optimize the skin before applying makeup by hydrating, smoothing texture, controlling oil and boosting radiance so that whatever comes next sits more naturally and lasts longer.Shinsegae International's skincare brand Yunjac is widely credited with pioneering the category, after introducing a product in 2019 that improved foundation adhesion and imparted a luminous finish.Skin prep has since grown into an industry-wide term covering skin balms, tone-up creams and sun serums. Yunjac's own lineup is segmented accordingly, with versions targeting a pearl-like glow and others focused on oil control and pore-blurring."Building on the completion of our base prep lineup, we intend to solidify our leadership as the original brand that pioneered the prep category," a company official said.The trend is crossing borders too, with Yunjac recently entering Chinese offline retail through WOW Colour stores.Shinsegae International's cosmetics division posted a record quarter in the first quarter, with sales reaching 124 billion won. Its skin prep lineup grew 118 percent last year, the company said.Other brands are moving quickly into the space as well. VDL, operated by LG Household & Health Care, leans on plant-based PDRN for luminosity, while Laneige focuses on pore-blurring and hydration.Industry observers say these products may follow the same trajectory as BB creams, at a time when nourishment is the defining measure of a beauty product.Looking healthy has always mattered, they added, but actually becoming healthier even under makeup has become the greater priority. Yunjac, the skincare brand of Shinsegae International, enters Chinese beauty retailer WOW Colour in May. (Shinsegae International)