Wax Balm to Custard Cream: How Korean Haircare Brands Win with Texture Marketing

When Hair Treatments Became Desserts🔗

In August 2025, Olive Young's "August Olympic" haircare treatment category winners reveal a fascinating trend: hair treatments are being marketed like gourmet desserts. Four leading products, all essentially offering similar benefits, have chosen completely different texture languages to differentiate themselves.

Why have hair treatments suddenly started speaking the language of culinary experiences?

Four Textures, Four Identities🔗

The August Olympic haircare winners each selected completely different texture vocabularies. Dense wax balm, transformative melting balm, lightweight milk, and smooth custard – same treatment category, entirely different experiences promised through texture alone.

Despite being in the same treatment category, these different texture languages reflect distinct brand promises and targeted consumer needs.

Brand-by-Brand Texture Marketing Strategies🔗

1. Healingbird - "Dense High-Nutrition Wax Balm"🔗

Healingbird Revive Protein Treatment directly expresses its rich texture through visceral language.

Core Strategy: Using visceral texture terms like "dense" and "wax balm" to instantly communicate concentrated nutrition

2. Moremo - "Melting Blurring Balm"🔗

Moremo Recovery Balm B borrows makeup terminology for haircare innovation.

Core Strategy: Visualizing the usage experience through "melting" and "blurring" transformation language

3. Nalkak - "Moisture-Rich Milk Essence"🔗

Nalkak Straight Slick Hair Milk leverages the plant-based milk trend.

Core Strategy: Emphasizing lightweight feel through "milk" positioning versus heavier oils

4. L'Oréal - "Custard Cream Texture"🔗

L'Oréal Extraordinary Oil Silk Mask emphasizes smooth, rich cream texture.

Core Strategy: Conveying luxurious usage through "custard" smoothness and richness

Why Texture Became Marketing's Core🔗

1. Stimulating Visual Imagination🔗

In the online shopping era, texture must be communicated through language when products can't be physically touched.

2. Expressing Brand Identity🔗

A single texture communicates product philosophy and usage experience.

• Wax Balm: High concentration, strong adhesion, long-lasting
• Melting Balm: Instant absorption, transforming texture, heat-responsive
• Milk: Light feel, quick absorption, fresh finish
• Custard: Smooth application, rich nutrition, luxurious texture

3. Sensory Proof of Efficacy🔗

Abstract benefits transform into concrete sensations.

• "High nutrition" → "Dense concentration"
• "Fast absorption" → "Melting texture"
• "Light feel" → "Milk-like freshness"
• "Deep nutrition" → "Custard-thick richness"

Implications: The Future of Texture Marketing🔗

1. Creating New Concepts🔗

Traditional language can't differentiate anymore. Brands must create new texture expressions.

• "Melting Blurring": Makeup + haircare fusion
• Dense descriptors: Direct visceral expressions
• "Milk Essence": Category hybridization

2. Texture Naming Strategies🔗

Effective texture naming creates immediate sensory associations.

• Food metaphors: Custard, milk, wax (familiar textures)
• Transformation processes: Melting, blurring (emphasizing change)
• Direct texture expressions: Dense, sticky (immediate sensation)
• Function combinations: Heat-activated, absorbing (efficacy + texture)

3. Sensory Synergy🔗

Combining texture with fragrance descriptions amplifies impact.

• Healingbird: "Cherry blossom meets musky floral woody"
• Nalkak: "Jasmine & orange blossom flower garden fantasy"
• L'Oréal: "Citrus floral fragrance"

Key Insights🔗

What Global Brands Can Learn🔗

1. Texture as Differentiation: In saturated markets, texture language creates instant product distinction
2. Cultural Texture Vocabulary: Korean beauty embraces visceral, food-based texture descriptions that resonate emotionally
3. Sensory Storytelling: Combining texture, transformation, and fragrance creates memorable product narratives
4. Online Experience Translation: Texture marketing bridges the gap between digital shopping and physical product experience

The Korean Innovation🔗

Korean beauty brands have mastered using texture not just as a product attribute, but as the core marketing message. This approach transforms commodity products into experiential purchases, creating emotional connections that drive loyalty in highly competitive markets.

The success of these four brands – achieving 100% satisfaction rates and millions in sales – proves that texture marketing isn't just creative copywriting. It's a strategic approach to product positioning that global brands should study and adapt for their markets.

---

This analysis is based on Week 33, 2025 Olive Young August Olympic haircare treatment/pack category product page data from BeauticsLab's market intelligence platform.