Customers browse summer selections in an Olive Young store in Jongno District, central Seoul, on July 31.LIM SUN-YOUNG
Cool has never been hotter. Korea's record-breaking heat wave is reshaping consumer habits, as shoppers look beyond handheld fans and iced drinks to products that help them feel cooler throughout the day.
"These days, if it doesn't keep you cool, it doesn't sell," an industry source said on Sunday. "Cooling products have become must-have items for consumers and a necessity for businesses."
A dedicated "Survival Beauty" section at a CJ Olive Young store in Jongno District, central Seoul, brought together products designed to combat extreme heat, such as cooling sunscreens, skincare for irritated skin, oil- and sweat-control products and cooling treatment on Friday.
"I always use a setting spray so my makeup doesn't melt from sweat," one shopper at the store said.
"These days, I regularly use cooling face creams and face masks to lower my skin temperature," another shopper added.
Sales of makeup setting sprays jumped 864 percent between July 1 and July 29 compared with the same period a year earlier, according to CJ Olive Young. During the same period, searches on the retailer's online mall for cooling oil-control products and "cooling spray" surged 1,870 percent and 160 percent, respectively.
People walk under sun umbrellas to shield themselves from the blazing sun in Buk District, Gwangju, on July 30, as the heat wave continues.YONHAP
"Foundation-free" makeup, which minimizes the use of foundation, and "sun layering," the practice of reapplying sunscreen throughout the day, have emerged as two of this summer's biggest beauty trends.
The prolonged heat is even changing men's grooming habits. Sales of facial cleanser products rose 280 percent from July 4 to 10 compared with the same period a month earlier, according to 4910, a men's beauty and fashion platform.
The scorching weather is also driving demand for K-beauty products overseas.
Korean sunscreens, which are already popular abroad, are seeing sales spikes in Britain, according to Pureseoul, a K-beauty retailer in the United Kingdom.
Korean cosmetics original development manufacturers Kolmar Korea and Cosmax are expected to post record quarterly earnings for the second quarter of 2026, supported by growing exports of sun care products.
Cooling vests and a skirtNEPA
Cooling technology is reshaping wardrobes as well.
Functional cooling features have become a key selling point as fashion and outdoor brands expand cooling technology beyond T-shirts to shirts, pants, skirts, innerwear and even shoes.
Searches for "cooling" products on fashion platform Musinsa increased 68 percent in June from a year earlier, while sales of cooling innerwear at Daiso rose 40 percent over the same period.
Workwear is also getting a cooling upgrade. One of the latest innovations is fan-equipped workwear that circulates air inside the garment to lower the wearer's apparent temperature.
Cooling beddings from lifestyle brand casamiaCASAMIA
Cooling bedding and towels are also flying off shelves. Sales of cooling bedding at lifestyle brand Casamia increased 2.5 times in June from the previous month, while sales of cooling towels from Kleannara rose 323 percent compared with a year earlier.
"As climate change becomes part of everyday life, consumers will continue seeking functional products that do more than simply help them escape the heat," said Lee Eun-hee, professor of consumer studies at Inha University. "They will increasingly look for products that actively lower apparent temperatures."
This article was originally written in Korean and translated by a bilingual reporter with the help of generative AI tools. It was then edited by a native English-speaking editor. All AI-assisted translations are reviewed and refined by our newsroom.
