'Pinset beauty': Shoppers zoom in on heels, necks and elbows in the latest K-beauty trend

A 32-year-old office worker surnamed Kim recently bought a foot cream after noticing rough, flaking skin on the heels every time putting on socks — a problem that had worsened with the dry weather. "I used to focus only on moisturizing my face, but as winter approached I realized I needed to take care of my feet too," Kim said. "Now I make a point of applying foot cream after every shower."

Yun, a 55-year-old office worker, has grown increasingly concerned about neck wrinkles, attributing the deepening lines to a habit of reading in bed while slouching against the headboard. "Not having neck wrinkles used to be something I bragged about to friends, but at some point the lines started appearing one by one," Yun said. "I've started thinking I need to care for my neck separately from my face, so I've been looking for products made specifically for that."

"Pinset beauty" — a trend in which consumers choose skincare products tailored to specific body parts and skin concerns rather than following a one-size-fits-all facial routine — has emerged as one of the defining movements in the beauty market. As more shoppers turn their attention to often-overlooked areas such as the neck and heels, beauty brands are responding with a growing lineup of targeted products.

According to CJ Olive Young, searches for "neck patch" products on its online store surged more than 300 percent in October compared with the same period last year. Jawline patches and eye patches are also diversifying the category. Sales of spot-care patch products overall rose about 40 percent over the same period year on year.

Seasonal dryness is also driving interest in foot care. Products range from foot creams to heel exfoliating patches and masks. Sales of foot moisturizing products climbed 40 percent in October, while searches for "foot cream" jumped 88 percent compared with a year earlier.

The trend is extending to body parts that have received relatively little attention, including elbows and the buttocks. Searches for "elbow" on the platform rose 73 percent in October year on year, with "elbow moisturizing" and "elbow exfoliation" among the top related search terms. Searches for body balm — used on particularly dry areas — surged 164 percent, and sales of products in the buttocks-care category, including dedicated lotions and cleansers, grew 83 percent over the same period.

Specialization is also reshaping the gua sha market. What was once a general-purpose tool for the face and body has branched into distinct subcategories — ring-style gua sha worn on the finger, scalp gua sha, face gua sha and body gua sha. Searches for "octopus gua sha" on CJ Olive Young's online store in October soared 20 times compared with a year earlier, while searches for "scalp gua sha" more than doubled.

"In the past, demand was concentrated on products that addressed the whole face, but recently more consumers are choosing products based on their individual skin concerns and specific body parts," an industry official said. "As demand for targeted products grows, the related product categories are becoming increasingly specialized."