Korean beauty has been setting the standard for skincare for years now. From glass skin and slugging to essence layering, PDRN and sheet masks – each of these buzz-worthy trends made their way from Seoul to our bathroom shelves long before the rest of the industry caught up. But while much of the conversation has centred on skin, another category has been quietly undergoing its own innovation boom: haircare. And more specifically, the skin underneath it.
Vogue’s top Korean scalp treatments at a glance:
Anillo Growus Sea Salt Therapy Scalp Scaler
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Anillo Dark Beer Biome Scalp Foam Ampoule
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If K-beauty has hit your algorithm lately, you’ll have noticed an entirely new world of products dedicated not to your lengths, but to your scalp. Serums, tonics, scrubs, masks, even scalp vinegars – all designed to create the ideal environment for healthier-looking hair before a single strand has had the chance to grow. As conversations around hair thinning, scalp sensitivity and hair loss have become increasingly common, many of us are realising what Korean consumers have long understood: healthy hair doesn’t start with the strand – it starts at the root.
To understand why Korean haircare has evolved the way it has, you first need to understand the culture behind it. “Korean haircare has always been deeply functional,” explains Gracie Tullio, co-founder and creative director at K-beauty retailer Pureseoul. “Your scalp is skin – and in Korea, that mindset has shaped routines and highly personalised product choices in much the same way people approach skincare shopping.” The contrast with Western haircare is stark. “In the West, the focus has always been more on the visible strand: repairing damage, fixing breakage, adding shine. A Korean approach starts earlier in the process – asking why the hair or scalp is behaving a certain way in the first place.”
But the skinification of hair is only part of the story. Climate, too, has driven a wave of targeted innovation. “Seoul swings from -10 degree winters to sticky 33 degree summers, alongside seasonal dust pollution,” says Tullio. “Concerns around excess oil, irritation and hair loss are extremely common – and Korean brands have spent years developing products specifically around those concerns.” The result is a category full of formulations designed to support the scalp microbiome, soothe sensitivity and lay the healthiest possible foundation for hair growth.
