Growing interest on skincare in Oman

By Bayan al Hadhrami

Bright skin is not simply a matter of genes. Your daily habits have a big impact on what you see in the mirror. There is a dizzying number of opinions on everything from how to moisturize to how to protect your skin. Some products are fighting to survive and some have already gained popularity among consumers. Ultimately, caring for your skin is simply personal.

Korean culture had been globally growing in popularity since the 1990s and with the spread of Korean drama and Korean pop, other Korean motifs gained popularity as well. One of them is Korean skincare and cosmetics. Wa’ad Ali and Wasan Ali, owners of the online k-beauty store Glow Up, explains more about the Korean skincare and the reasons behind this enormous popularity.

Wa’ad and Wasan believe that the Korean Wave helped kick start the trend of k-beauty. Media played a big part in promoting Korean cosmetics as Korean idols advertise for brands and promote the idea of self-care and self-love. The rise of the wellness movement, where you prioritize giving yourself a me-time helped skincare become a routine in our daily lives.  However, the trend wouldn’t have lasted this long if it wasn’t good enough. Wa’ad and Wasan believe that South Korea is ahead of others in terms of skincare research and ingredients development, and the variety of product options is amazing.

Nevertheless, the k-beauty trend is not as popular in Oman where many consumers are still reluctant to try new products and avert from Western cosmetics. For this reason, Wa’ad and Wasan work hard on educating consumers through their Instagram page @glowup.om. They believe that by educating their customers they are enabling them to choose better. “When you know better, you do better for your skin, and that’s the goal.”

Wa’ad and Wasan had always been interested in Korean trends and Korean skincare and decided to create their online store in 2018 to introduce Korean cosmetics to the Omani consumer. They love to think that consumers are more interested in k-beauty than before and hope the demand will get better in the future.

“Beauty routines are an opportunity to notice changes within yourself,” says Wa’ad. As your skin needs shifts with age, so will your products. Still, she adds, “it’s not about creating perfection. It is all about giving yourself the chance to feel and look better”.