Defining Thai Beauty: Skincare and Makeup from the Land of Smiles

Love trying new beauty products? That’s no surprise. Asians seem to be adventurous consumers; the ever-curious, regional kind of clientele who have wholeheartedly embraced beauty practices from around the globe. Think of the popularity of K-Beauty brands such as Innisfree and The Face Shop. Or the avidity with which people flock to Sephora for Kylie’s latest drop or Rhode’s peptide treatment. But lately there’s been a new contender to the scene: Thai beauty.

The Rise of Thai Beauty

The skincare and cosmetic product sector in Thailand is among the largest in the Southeast Asian region. Leading export destinations include the Philippines and Vietnam, with demand mostly powered by viral Internet trends and social media influencers. In fact, Instagram has been identified as the most popular social media platform for influencer marketing within the fashion and beauty industry.

What’s interesting about the Thai approach to beauty is that it focuses mostly on skincare. Among its market segments, skincare takes its rightful crown as the most significant, with 60% of the billion dollar industry focusing on a holistic approach of “skin.”

Going for Natural Beauty

Aside from the usual array of moisturisers and toners, Thai skincare also offers products such as powders, collagen drinks, and inhalers. Popularities for their soaps and mud masks have become so that in the Philippines, Thai brands such as Oxecure and Snail White have become common drugstore favourites.

This ties in perfectly with the current trends that Thai makeup artists have observed: the Thai makeup that used to place emphasis on looks that completely revamp the face is now seeing more natural finishes on celebrities and influencers. Instead of dramatic looks, a natural glow is preferred and made possible through proper moisturisation. Online, people have even commented that the Thai makeup look mimics a more elevated version of the “clean girl” aesthetic, where it elevates natural assets while staying effortless and casual.

Unfortunately, there is still the misconstrued notion that fairer skin equals more beautiful, so plenty of Thai products focus on promises that include brightening and radiance. It’s not unusual to see products with buzzwords such as “Bright,” “White,” or “Milky.”

Not Just Skincare

An interesting trend follows wherein hair care becomes the second-most significant segment in the market, with a 20% share. This becomes obvious when one sees how Thai women treasure their long, silky locks and dark, feathery brows. Say goodbye to the overplucked eyebrow trend of the 90s and turn your head towards the love of lush hair.

And while makeup and fragrances take up less of the market share than others, with 14% and 6% respectively, there’s no doubt that people continue to look to Thailand for direction when it comes to beauty and fashion. Many popular Thai celebrities, like Blackpink’s Lisa and actress Aum Patchrapa Chaichua, have helped to position the country as one to watch out for when it comes to beauty, and rightfully so might we add.