Cushion Consumption Criteria Shift from 'How Well It Covers' to 'How Healthy It Is'
New Trend in K-Beauty Market: Transition to Hybrid Base
By spring 2026, the base makeup market is experiencing drastic changes. Previously focused on perfect coverage, the market is now being redefined by skincare hybrid products that emphasize 'improving skin health with use.' This shift is evident through analyses of cushion product sales in major domestic beauty companies like AmorePacific, LG Household & Health Care, and Aekyung Industry, as well as global luxury brands like Clarins, Dior Beauty, and Charlotte Tilbury, and even on China's high-selling Tmall.
Evolution of Precision Technology and Functionality by K-Beauty's Big Three
Domestic brands, the originators of cushion technology, are pursuing a two-track strategy that focuses on 'ultra-adhesion' and 'solving special skin concerns.'
AmorePacific's Laneige has enhanced the precision of both matte and glow formulas in its renewed 'Neo Cushion' after three years. They have maintained technological superiority by incorporating core skincare ingredients even in their matte formulas, addressing the common issue of 'inner dryness' in matte cushions.
LG Household & Health Care's VDL has surpassed the traditional warm-cool tone dichotomy with its 'Neutral Spectrum' strategy. By achieving a natural ivory skin tone instead of artificial brightness and completing the scientific development of tools with its renewed 'double-sided ruby cell puff,' it presents a more refined skin representation.
Aekyung Industry's AGE20’S has innovated the role of makeup. By incorporating its proprietary ingredient 'Anti-Melano Aging Shot,' it provides both 120-hour blemish coverage and blemish care, marking a strategic advancement into highly functional blemish management. The shift of cushion function from 'how well it covers' to 'how healthy it is' serves as the core driving force behind all these changes.
Global Brands' Strategy: Cushionization of Foundation and Luxury Skincare Fusion
Global top brands like Clarins, Dior, and Charlotte Tilbury are using the Korean market as a testbed to introduce next-generation foundations as part of their market strategy. Their common strategy involves 'cushionization of foundation' and 'fusion with luxury skincare.'
Clarins boasts a dual chamber package to maintain serum freshness, including 14 skincare ingredients such as turmeric, comparable to base cosmetics.
Dior Beauty emphasizes its 'Triple Action Care' combining hyaluronic acid, niacinamide, and peptides, strongly delivering the core message that makeup equals skincare. Charlotte Tilbury, nicknamed 'Hexagonal Foundation,' achieves a balance of coverage and adhesion while incorporating actual feedback from Cheongdamdong makeup artists to further tailor strategies for Korean consumers.
Shift Accelerates in Chinese Market from Coverage Focus to Hybrid
Until 2025, 'strong coverage' was the dominant keyword in the Chinese e-commerce market, especially on Tmall. However, entering 2026, Chinese consumer preferences have rapidly shifted towards hybrid cushions.
Products with high essence content and low skin irritation are dominating the ranking charts, and the skincare-base stronghold of K-beauty is reemerging as a key competitive field in the Chinese market.
New Standards for the Future Cushion Market
By 2026, the cushion market no longer judges by how excellent the coverage is but by 'how well it enables healthy skin expression,' marking this as the new competitiveness standard. Clearly visible in the focus on resolving specific skin concerns such as blemishes and pores while adding value with luxurious ingredients and differentiated formulations. This trend toward hybrid products is expected to provide new growth momentum for K-beauty, especially in the highly prospective Chinese market.
In the era of hybrid base makeup with enhanced skincare functions, ` will be a reliable blog marketing partner to effectively convey these evolving beauty trends to consumers.
