Korean beauty has, in many ways, set the stage for how we approach skin care. The concepts of glass skin, glazing, essences, and ingredient-focused formulas introduced many of us to new skin care goals and the multi-step regimens to achieve them.
With advancements in bioactive beauty, new ingredient discoveries, and deeper forays into hair care, the K-beauty trends on the radar for 2026 will certainly get us closer to the clearer, smoother skin and lush, full hair we all want.
Caroline Choi, founder of the K-Beauty brand Mizz Korea, says that Korean Beauty is heading toward a new wave of intelligent minimalism: “Skin care that’s luxurious, multitasking, and deeply intuitive,” she tells ELLE. Expect an emphasis on new ingredients; transformative texture technology, where products change form as you use them; fun formats like jelly nails; and a shift away from excessive, lengthy routines. Below, K-beauty experts shared their trend predictions for the coming year so that you can start planning your skin and hair reset right now.
Hair Essences
The toner meets moisturizing face spritzes have been a staple in K-beauty, thanks to their dew-inducing and skin-plumping benefits. According to Dr. Jae Yong Ban, a board-certified dermatologist, medical director of Banobagi Dermatology Clinic, and CEO of Bano Cosmetics, we can anticipate an expansion of the essence format into the haircare category. “The hair essence market, in particular, seems poised for growth, with potential trends including essence products containing cica to help soothe scalp irritation and root-strengthening essences formulated to help reduce hair loss,” Ban tells ELLE. Several have already begun hitting the market.
Anillo Patchouli Garden Damage Repair Hair Essence
Fit Your Skin Star Shine Hair Essence
Morethan8 Korean Daily Shine Hair Essence
PDRN
Although salmon sperm has been used on a professional level for some time, particularly post-cosmetic procedure, the ingredient took off on a more mainstream stage this year. Ban says that the popularity of PDRN is poised to grow even more. The ingredient, which consists of DNA fragments derived from salmon sperm cells, has big anti-inflammatory, collagen-stimulating, and regenerative benefits. At the moment, not many brands utilize PDRN, but according to Ban, we can expect an uptick in creams and serums laced with the ingredient.
COSRX 5 PDRN B5 Vital Soothing Toner
Innisfree Retinol Green Tea PDRN Firming Serum
Exosomes
Another buzzy bioactive-focused ingredient that Ban predicts will take off even more in the coming months is exosomes. The vesicles, which are naturally occurring in the body, are released by cells to carry proteins, DNA, and RNA to other cells. Essentially, it’s the messengers that allow cells to communicate with each other and tell them how to function. In skin care, these act as stimulators to repair tissue and boost collagen. Exosomes are tricky, though, since only human-derived exosomes are effective in human skin. For this reason, there’s been some discourse around how exosomes are sourced, and the origin, age, and growth environment of the cells used to produce exosomes, which are critical to their quality. As the trend grows, we can expect to see brands use bioengineered exosomes to yield similar results. The ingredient is already being used in an in-office treatment using AnteAGE PEARL, where skin is first microneedled, then a combination of exosomes (human cell-derived) and biosomes (lab-created replicas) is infused into the skin.
Barrier-First Skin Care
Dr. Y. Claire Chang, a board-certified cosmetic dermatologist at UnionDerm in New York, says that the category of products are designed to strengthen, restore, and maintain the skin barrier rather than overwhelm it will continue to grow. “This aligns with what Korean dermatologists have emphasized for years: Gentle, consistent skin care that focuses on skin health,” she points out. Choi co-signs the idea, adding that the focus on these types of products will shift toward how we support them, meaning, using the right products to prep skin so that the skin barrier isn’t compromised any further.
Glow-It-All Jelly Face Oil
Aestura ATOBARRIER365 Cream
Haruharu Wonder Black Rice 5 Ceramide Barrier Moisturizing Cream
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Poly-L-Lactic Acid (PLLA)
Commonly used in the collagen-stimulating injectable filler, Sculptra, and other dermatology treatments, Ban says we can expect more over-the-counter cosmetic products formulated with PLLA to emerge. In a topical, the synthetic polymer can’t deliver the same effects as a filler, but it does exfoliate and hydrate the skin for a more immediate, smoother look, and over time, it restores elasticity in the skin.
Plant Actives
The category isn’t new, but on a formulation front, there’s been buzz around functional proteins and plant-based actives, ingredients that work with your skin instead of against it. “Oat protein has become a true star for its ability to lock in moisture, strengthen the barrier, and calm irritation, while hydrolyzed protein helps the skin appear plumper and more youthful thanks to its high absorbability,” says Choi. Orchistem, a plant stem cell extract, is another standout. “It boosts collagen production and supports skin elasticity, helping achieve that natural, glass-skin luminosity K-Beauty is known for, but in a smarter, more sustainable way,” she adds.
Glass Hair
One of the cornerstones of K-Beauty is glass skin, and while that’s not going anywhere, in 2026, we’ll see the expansion of the trend into the haircare space, but on a deeper level than just a gloss treatment. According to Chang, there will be a deeper focus on scalp health, including microbiome balance and barrier repair of the scalp, with many ingredients like PDRN, exosomes, and peptides moving from skin care into haircare.
What’s out?
The consensus among experts is that lengthy routines, a.k.a. the multi-step “10-step” routine that K-beauty became known for, will likely evolve. Excess in all forms will be out, including TikTok-style gimmicky trends like applying an entire jar of boba cream beads to the face or using oversized product mock-ups filled with excessive amounts of formula. “In 2026, we will see fewer, smarter steps with multi-functional products and an evidence-backed approach to skin care,” says Chang. Instead, she says consumers are shifting toward products that are tested, dermatologist-developed, and focused on repair.
