As interest in the skin barrier has recently grown, cleansing gels are drawing attention as face washes that help maintain the skin's natural oil and moisture balance while reducing irritation, rather than relying on strong cleansing power.
Damage to the skin barrier, which helps lock in moisture and block harmful external substances, can be caused by many factors, including weather and stress. However, overcleansing is considered the most common cause.
Cleansing gels are gel-type cleansers with a moisturizing texture. Compared with cleansing foams, which emphasize rich lather and strong cleansing power, they produce less foam and spread smoothly across the skin. They are used for morning cleansing, everyday washing, or as a second cleanser after makeup removal.
According to MUSINSA BEAUTY, transaction value in the cleansing gel category rose 180% year on year through July 15 this year, marking the highest growth rate among cleansing products. Over the same period, transaction value for cleansing foam increased 36%, while cleansing water, cleansing oil, and cleansing tissues rose 14%, 34%, and 57%, respectively.
Interest has grown even further as the hot summer continues. From the 1st to the 15th of this month, searches for cleansing gel on MUSINSA BEAUTY jumped 73% from three months earlier, from April 1 to 15, outpacing cleansing foam at 10% and cleansing water at 24%. The trend reflects rising demand for products that remove impurities refreshingly while causing less irritation after washing, as sweat and sebum production increase in summer and people wash their faces more often.
Growth has also been notable for related brands. LAGOM, a beauty brand known for its morning 'gel to water cleansing' product, saw transaction value on MUSINSA BEAUTY increase 17-fold from a year earlier. Its 'Readytox Gel to Water Cleanser,' which was exclusively pre-launched on MUSINSA BEAUTY this month, recorded nearly 30,000 views over the past month. Transaction value for COSRX's 'Low-pH Good Morning Gel Cleanser' also rose 323% from last year.
A MUSINSA BEAUTY official said, "In the past, products with stronger cleansing power were widely believed to clean more thoroughly, but recently more consumers have been considering their skin condition even during the cleansing stage."
Kim So-hyung, Sportschosun
This article has been translated by GripLabs Mingo AI.
