Expert Explains Rare Black Tulip Extract, Skincare’s Buzzy New ingredient
Tulips are one of our favorite flowers—and their aromatic scent is an added bonus.
But did you know that extract from rare black tulips in particular is one of the latest breakthrough ingredients in the skincare world?
Because the uses of this powerful discovery are still vastly unreported, our personal knowledge only lies in what we know about SERUMKIND, an exquisitely packaged single-care Korean beauty brand made with this ingredient.
Longing for more information, we reached out to Seung Woo Hong, CEO and Creative Director at CTK Brand Lab, which manufactures SERUMKIND. Keep reading for everything he said about the brand, its buzzy ingredient and trying to thrive as a small beauty business amid coronavirus.
Sweety High: How did SERUMKIND (and its name) come to be?
Seung Woo Hong: SERUMKIND was born to find the true meaning of beauty. This concept is rooted in very personal, simple and basic questions:
• Are all existing skincare products made to suit customers' needs? Or are they false images created by traditional beauty companies?
• Is there a connection between our daily routines and our skincare routines?
• Can skincare products be as beautiful as makeup products?
With my experience of brand consulting for 20 years, I was interested in reconsidering the true meaning of beauty while removing any preconceptions about the subject. I was suspicious that there's a difference in the criteria of value for cosmetics between the booming beauty industry and customers.
With SERUMKIND I wanted to focus on the true purpose of skincare, which is maintaining healthy skin, and I wanted to step away from the idea of unnecessary and excessive consumption. Our focus is the new skincare routine—single-care solutions. To this end, the most optimized type of single-step skincare is the serum. Our brand name, SERUMKIND, also represents such simple and essential will.
SH: What's been the biggest challenge since you began?
SWH: Criticism from the existing beauty industry about "single-care solutions" and educating consumers on this approach.
SH: What's been the easiest or most seamless part of your job?
SWH: Not applying the law of inertia to my job.
SH: Describe your ideal customer in three words.
SWH: Honest, confident and openminded.
SH: What's your buzziest product (or buzziest ingredient in your main product)? Tell me more about that.
SWH: Black Blossom Drop. It is made from the Netherland's black tulips, which symbolize absolute beauty. This is a very exciting product for us because SERUMKIND is the first beauty brand to use black tulip extract in this way. The black tulip helps strengthen and balance the skin barrier—and carnosine, the amino acid compound, helps reduce the appearance of skin wrinkles and prevents signs of aging by delivering various effects of anti-glycation, anti-oxidation, collagen synthesis and elasticity.
SH: What's your best piece of entrepreneurial advice?
SWH: "Dream" should be verb, not a noun. If you pursue a dream and a meaning, then success and people follow.
SH: Outside of work, what are your biggest hobbies and interests?
SWH: Going to the gym to relieve stress (of course not at this current time) and spending time with my children watching movies.
SH: How has COVID-19 affected your business (for better or worse)?
SWH: I've surprisingly realized that people's desire for beauty and skincare has still continued.
SH: Where do you see the beauty industry going post-COVID-19?
SWH: I believe people will pursue personal experiences and not simply follow the crowd and celebrity recommendations. Consumers may start to look for products and services with sincere value rather than short pleasure. And hopefully, people will notice that the decisions that they make in their daily lives and the products that they consume do have an impact on environmental problems.
SH: What makes SERUMKIND stand out from other products of a similar nature?
SWH: SERUMKIND creates only serums. We focus on solutions for various skin problems. Therefore, we're dedicated to the quality, content and verification of raw materials for the maximum efficacy in a 30 ml bottle. There's no need to use an additional moisturizer or other skincare products after applying SERUMKIND because our products are enough for your skin. Through SERUMKIND, we're seeking the true meaning of skincare.
SH: Is there anything else you want to add about SERUMKIND in general, or owning a business amid a pandemic?
SWH: Skincare is part of our personal lives and self-care, but beauty is only meaningful when a healthy and happy life is a prerequisite.
Strapped for cash? HERE's how to maintain a solid skincare routine if you're broke!