South Korea is about 99 times smaller than the United States. This easily overlooked Asian country is also about seven times smaller than Texas, four times smaller than California, and 1.4 times smaller than Florida. However, like tae kwon do, South Korea packs a mighty punch. Just within the past decade, K-drama, K-pop, and K-beauty have carved out a large niche on the global front. Korean beauty has become a heavy hitter in the skin care industry, and Western consumers and the entire world are loving it, as evidenced by the statistics. The global market for Korean beauty products is expected to register a 10% increase in the compound annual growth rate from 2022 through 2030.¹ The rising interest in K-beauty is reinforced by exponential surges in e-commerce as well as the infinite ways of sharing experiences over social media platforms. K-beauty offers curious consumers all the innovation, red-hot trends, and unusual ingredients they could ever imagine.

According to the Asian ideal, skin care is more important than makeup. Good skin is defined by hydration and radiance. In fact, the magic words in Korean beauty are “chok chok,” translated as “glowing, moist, flawless.” This ideal skin has a glass-like quality, described as “mul-kwang-pi-bu” or “watery glow,” which refers to a plumped, luminous, dewy glow. The typical multiple-step K-beauty routine might seem a bit complicated, but the innovative products and interesting ingredients keep Western consumers fascinated.

Founder and CEO of Le Mieux Cosmetics and PurErb Herbology-based Skincare & Aromatherapy, Janel Luu has over 35 years of experience in the beauty industry as an educator, researcher, and formulator. She has taught over 37,000 skin care professionals and physicians on topics ranging from antiaging cellular technology to centuries-old meridian techniques.

With more thermal springs than anywhere else in the world and a spa and bathing culture that dates back to ancient Roman times, it is no wonder Hungary is dubbed “the land of spa culture.” The perfect embodiment of east meets west, science meets nature, and beauty meets health, Hungary continues to welcome travelers and notable figures from all over the world who flock to this spa mecca for unique and traditional spa experiences.

Boldijarre Koronczay, president of Eminence Organic Skin Care, is an icon of the spa industry. Having personally trained over a quarter of a million professionals in the past two decades, his humorous and entertaining presentation style, combined with first class education and Hungarian-inspired treatment techniques, make his master classes a crowd favorite at every industry event. His passion for the industry drives him to continue personally educating at trade events, sharing his enthusiasm, inspiration, and knowledge at every session. Koronczay is a survivor of childhood Leukemia, inspiring Eminence Organics to introduce the Eminence Kids Foundation, a philanthropic initiative which provides thousands of nutritious, organic meals to seriously ill children in North America and Europe.

The FDA first approved botulinum toxin type A in 2002 for the cosmetic treatment of glabellar frown lines. However since the 1990s, botulinum toxin injections have been used to treat fine lines and wrinkles. The American Society of Plastic Surgeons stated that there were 4.4 million botulinum toxin procedures performed in 2020, making antiwrinkle injections the most popular noninvasive cosmetic procedure. With no downtime and a relatively quick procedure, clients can reduce the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles while adding a boost of self-confidence.

Botulinum toxin products block the nerve signals which cause the muscles to contract. Repeated facial muscle movements eventually lead to static lines, or lines at rest. As one ages, the repeated muscle movements create the wrinkles and lines due to loss of collagen and elastin and decreased skin cellular turnover.

Leigh Reese is a board-certified nurse practitioner and certified nurse injector. She earned her Bachelor of Science in nursing from Texas Women’s University in 2013 and her Master of Science in nursing from The University of Texas at Arlington in 2019. Her background in the medical field has been in emergency room medicine and aesthetic medicine. Her goal is to create a natural and youthful appearance for her clients and help devise a plan for their aesthetic journey. She has a passion for continuing education, and her position at SkinRX Spa allows her to attend monthly advanced trainings.

Today’s cosmetic packaging market is a $26 billion a year industry, on track to surpass $30 billion by 2025. One of the great ways for a spa to add some additional value to their client base is through private labeling ready-made formulas, or through the development of their own product line to retail. If they are pursuing the latter, one of the key components will be the choice of packaging for their product formulations. There are several points to consider when choosing between jars and airless pump packaging.

Wax is wax, or so it has been said by many beauty professionals over the years. In theory, that statement does make a lot of sense. After all, most waxes have pretty much the same ingredients, so they should all provide the same results. However, this is not always the case.

A unique and unusual aspect of the beauty industry is the field of mortuary makeup. Most likely, an individual’s first exposure to this specialty was at a funeral, which can be shocking given the circumstances, especially when the finished look appears thick and unnatural – plastic like. For licensed professionals interested in this career, there are specialized courses in mortuary makeup, often referred to as the restorative arts. These can be offered by makeup academies and the funeral industry.

Welcome to summer! Hopefully, the sun is shining wherever subscribers are reading this from, and they are ready for a much-needed trip around the world. Enter DERMASCOPE’s current issue. A little different than our staple editorial issue topics, May is themed around skin care and spa practices around the globe. The beauty industry knows no borders, and as the first trade journal for skin care professionals, it only felt right to give readers a taste of some international spa practices.

The first article in the primary lineup, titled “From Tradition to Trending” was written by the president of Eminence Organic Skin Care and industry icon, Boldijarre Koronczay. A do-not-miss editorial, he dives into the origins of Hungarian spa culture, traditional treatments and ingredients that have transcended the ages, and the modernization of the wellness retreat.

The next article takes readers to East Asia to learn about the fashionable beauty industry of South Korea. Known for their elaborate skin care routines, the Korean influence across the world cannot be ignored. Learn more about which products are musts for clients and how Korean spas differ from those found in the United States in “K-Beauty Unlimited,” an article by CEO of Le Mieux Cosmetics, Janel Luu.

The third primary article comes from DERMASCOPE Ambassador, Kirsten Sheridan, and revolves around all things le français. A world-renowned powerhouse in the industry, traditional French skin care practices have had a resounding influence on beauty practices worldwide. Explore the details of their water-based spa treatments and aesthetic ways in the article, “Rooted Regimens.”

The final article, “Exported Aesthetics,” by veteran aesthetician and massage therapist, Amra Lear, dives into the Moroccan beauty and wellness practices, which had similar Roman influences as that of Hungary but has carved out a unique piece of industry for themselves. Discover the traditional hammam experience and the signature, native ingredients that have become a part of many American household skin care routines.

Although DERMASCOPE is based right outside of Dallas, Texas, our magazine reaches far corners of the globe such as Japan, Australia, and Ireland to name a few. Aesthetics is universal, and when people from different backgrounds and origins come together and learn from each other, it raises the standards of care to heights that were once perceived as unreachable.

Affecting approximately 65% of African Americans, 52% of Hispanics, and 47% of Asians, post-inflammatory hyperpigmentation is one of the most common pigmentary disorders occurring amongst skin of color clients.¹ Melanin-rich skin types are at higher risk of developing post-inflammatory hyperpigmentation due to the overproduction of melanin that this population tends to experience following the initiation of inflammatory processes, injury, or trauma. 

In 1981, the FDA approved bovine collagen for cosmetic injection. Since its approval, dozens of injectable fillers have been developed and approved for cosmetic use. The first filling agents were formulated to help with therapy-induced facial fat loss and lipoatrophy in HIV patients; however, some physicians started administering fillers to their patients seeking cosmetic rejuvenation. The injectable poly-l-lactic acid was the filler of choice at the time, lasting up to three years with maintenance.

Dasha Saian Marchese is the co-founder and CEO of Saian and has over 22 years of experience in the spa industry. She is a licensed aesthetician, AIA ambassador, and serves on the editorial advisory board of DERMASCOPE magazine. In addition to her aesthetics schooling, Saian Marchese has a degree in business and marketing. She gives lectures and classes internationally and regularly contributes to global trade publications.

Imagine you are not a skin professional for one moment. You walk into a spa and the reception or team welcomes you with a warm smile and skin-friendly beverage. However, once they sit you down in the beautiful consultation space, they explain to you that they cannot provide you with the service you require because they either do not have the skilled staff, appropriate technology, or know how to care for your specific skin needs. To add more insult to injury, they reveal to you, the reason that underpins all those factors is your culture. And if that response was not appalling enough, they continue to tell you that they do not agree with your current practices and beliefs about your own skin, so simply put, their care does not align with what you are requesting. In other words, “We appreciate you, but we cannot or will not serve you. Sorry and goodbye.”

This may be an unorthodox example, but the reality is that some version of this is happening throughout the aesthetics arena. Perhaps not as explicitly as the example, but it has been occurring implicitly for years. It can be traced to skin health modality and equipment creation through to the practices of skin professionals at various clinics and spas. The marring impacts on standards of excellence is what takes the blow.

C.R. Cooper is a connective, knowledgeable, and compassionate educator who has been a skin enthusiast for over 24 years. As the education manager and master educator for a renowned global institute of learning in the skin health industry, Cooper values organizational and individual industry standards, professional and personal brand integrity, but most importantly the inherent worth in every skin professional.