One of the loudest themes this year was the explosion of regenerative-medicine buzzwords. Everywhere we looked, we saw words like "exosomes", "spicules", "PDRN", “skin repair”, “renewal”, “regenerative”, “healing” and “cell support”.

It’s clear that brands and labs want to tap into the momentum of aesthetic dermatology. However, while there are good use cases for a lot of these ingredients in clinical settings post laser and microneedling procedures, the same can't be said for cosmetic products. 

If anything, walking the floor reinforced what we already know from formulating Jelly Ko: hydration, barrier support, functional ingredients and smart texture design are still the most reliable, measurable ways to improve how skin actually looks and feels day-to-day. The “regenerative” language might get louder, but the fundamentals of caring for the skin topically haven’t magically changed.

Another unmistakable shift at this year's show was the number of professional devices on display. Not only the at-home gadgets but full-scale equipment designed for skin clinics, salons and aesthetic practices.

We saw full treatment machines, skin analysis and body devices as well as oxygen facial equipment. Walking the aisles, it was obvious that Korea doesn’t just want to be the country that formulates your skincare. It wants to be the one that supplies the hardware too.

For topical brands like ours, this matters because it shifts the context we’re formulating for. More people are pairing skincare with treatments, energy-based devices and regular in-clinic maintenance. Hydrating, barrier-supporting formulas that are gentle enough for compromised or post-treated skin feel more important than ever.

A third pattern we kept bumping into was the pairing of diagnostics with ingestibles. On one side: skin scanners, AI-driven assessments and tools designed to quantify dehydration, oiliness or elasticity. On the other: collagen drinks, inner-beauty blends and targeted supplements for skin, sleep and stress.

The message from exhibitors was fairly consistent: beauty in Korea is becoming more measured, more personalised and more multiple-directional. You work from the inside out, but you also track and visualise what’s happening at the surface.

The OEM/ODM halls were buzzing all three days and were very popular with international visitors. 

Formulation labs were showcasing lighter gel-creams, milky textures, new delivery systems, allergen-aware bases and “global-ready” formula templates. Raw material suppliers were introducing updated versions of ingredients we already know well, plus a steady stream of new complexes and extracts.

It’s exciting if you already speak the language. But if you don’t, it can be overwhelming.

A few years ago, Korean packaging halls were dominated by cute concepts. This year, the mood was much more practical. Most of the conversations we had circled around three things: weight, recyclability and performance.

We saw more mono-material tubes and bottles, stronger pumps and mists, simplified boxes and a clear interest in how packaging behaves in non-Korean climates, including very hot warehouses and long shipping lanes.

For a brand that prioritises refills, it's a shame to see the trend hasn't really taken off in Korea.

Every year, we see a rise in industry-adjacent service providers: claims testing labs, certification bodies, regulatory specialists and dermatological testing outfits.

This makes sense. More brands are targeting markets where claims, safety substantiation and compliance documentation aren’t optional  and more overseas founders are asking for proof. 

From our perspective as a brand that already works closely with dermatology and takes regulatory frameworks seriously, it was encouraging to see those support services getting more visibility on the expo floor. It’s a sign of a maturing industry, not just a trendy one.

Finally, it’s worth noting that K-Beauty Expo Korea is not (and hasn’t been for a while) a skincare-only show. We saw strong representation from scalp and haircare developers, body care OEMs, nail and lash suppliers, spa and bath categories and fragrance manufacturers.

The takeaway is simple: international buyers aren’t just coming to Korea for a cleanser, toner and cream anymore. They’re looking to build entire head-to-toe rituals with Korean manufacturing behind them.

Skincare might still be the headline, but the next chapter of K-Beauty is clearly whole-body. For a brand like Jelly Ko, that’s both grounding and inspiring: it reminds us how central hydration is, wherever you choose to apply it.

Of course, one of the most fun parts of exhibiting is seeing which products stop people in their tracks. At Australia's Beauty Expo, our most popular products were our Cherry Blossom Sleeping Mask and Gelato Glaze Lip Mask. At K-Beauty Expo however, our hero moisturiser Bubble Tea Steam Cream was the clear standout.

Buyers from the US, UK, Europe, the Middle East and beyond kept coming back to the texture and finish, a rich, cushiony cream that still feels breathable on dull, dry, peri and mature or dehydrated skin. Many of them were surprised to discover that we also offer a refill pouch for Bubble Tea Steam Cream, which lets you keep your jar and simply top it up.

Our broader refill line-up also caught a lot of attention. International visitors loved the idea of playful, sensorial K-Beauty that still takes sustainability seriously, and it sparked plenty of conversations about how refills could work in their own markets and retail environments.