Cushions, contouring and water free products : Korea should continue to set beauty trends in 2016. - Photo: © btrenkel / Istock.com

Cushion foundation

Cushion foundation, which comprises a spongy formula that is applied to the face with a pillow to provide easy and flawless coverage, isn’t going anywhere for now. The added bonus of integrated SPF protection, wrinkle prevention and antibacterial properties mean that this budding trend is sure to take over next year.

Lancôme’s Miracle Cushion from the spring 2016 collection © Lancôme

French beauty brand Lancôme is leading the way and has carried its successful Miracle Cushion formula over to its Spring 2016 collection, playing on the Korean penchant for cult packaging by adding some sweet pastel cover art to its compact.

Korean contouring

Contouring has undergone many a transformation since first appearing on our radar some years ago. 2015 saw the birth of ’clown contouring’ and ’strobing’, but 2016 will be all about doing it the Korean way.

The ideal face shape for many Korean women is a soft oval with a dainty chin, known as the ’V-line’, and the look can be achieved by highlighting the center of the face, using concealer under the eyes and shimmery tints down the cupid’s brow, the bridge of the nose and the chin, before shading the perimeter of the face to make it appear smaller. Check out beauty vlogger Luvableviet’s tutorial for more information.

Waterless skin care

As beauty fans become aware of increasingly limited water resources, many brands are experimenting with alternatives. Water-free skin care lines first came to our attention thanks to Korean brand Whamisa, whose collection relies on essential oils and plant extracts to hydrate the skin. Market research group Mintel recently predicted that water-free cosmetics will explode over the next decade, so watch this space.