Quick answer: K-Beauty consumers are moving away from thick creams and sticks toward serum textures in both sun care and lip care, because consumers now want skin-conditioning performance rather than a single protective function. In the NEWEN AI Monthly Beauty Report, sun care mentions of “Serum” and “Essence” rose to 28.8%, up from 25.4% in 2024, and “Lip Serum” mentions soared from 14.7% to 25.5% across the same period — a 74% relative increase in lip serum share, the sharpest texture shift in the K-Beauty categories tracked.
How We Analyzed This
NEWEN AI, a generative AI-powered big data firm, tracked category texture keywords across sun care and lip care for the NEWEN AI Monthly Beauty Report, comparing keyword mention share in 2024 against the current period.
How Much Are Serum Textures Growing in Sun Care and Lip Care?
Serum textures are growing in both categories, with lip care growing far faster than sun care. Mentions of “Serum” and “Essence” in the sun care category rose to 28.8%, up from 25.4% in 2024 — a gain of 3.4 percentage points. In lip care the jump is even more dramatic, with “Lip Serum” mentions soaring from 14.7% to 25.5% over the same period, a gain of 10.8 percentage points.
| Category | Texture Keyword | 2024 Share | Current Share | Change | Relative Growth |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sun Care | “Serum” / “Essence” | 25.4% | 28.8% | +3.4%p | +13% |
| Lip Care | “Lip Serum” | 14.7% | 25.5% | +10.8%p | +74% |
The scale of the lip care shift is the headline finding: lip serum mention share grew by 74% in relative terms, meaning roughly one in four lip care conversations now centers on a serum format that barely registered as a mainstream texture two years earlier.
What Is Driving the Shift Away From Thick Creams and Sticks?
The shift is driven by demand for “skin-conditioning” properties, as analyzed by NEWEN AI. Consumers no longer want just a UV shield or a lip balm; consumers want high-performance ingredients that provide deep hydration, elasticity, and a non-sticky, “glowy” finish. The traditional trade-off in sun care and lip care was protection versus comfort, and serum textures remove that trade-off by delivering both in a single step.
| Consumer Requirement | What It Replaces |
|---|---|
| Deep hydration | Occlusive balm and thick cream textures |
| Elasticity | Single-function UV or moisture protection |
| Non-sticky, “glowy” finish | Heavy, sticky residue from stick and balm formats |
Which Brands Are Leading the Skincare-Infused Serum Trend?
Tomb the Glow, Etude, and rom&nd are the three brands NEWEN AI highlights in this functional revolution. Tomb the Glow drove viral engagement, while Etude and rom&nd ran successful character collaborations — Etude with Ganadi and rom&nd with Miffy — pairing high-performance serum formats with IP-led launches.
| Brand | Growth Driver |
|---|---|
| Tomb the Glow | Viral consumer engagement |
| Etude | Character collaboration with Ganadi |
| rom&nd | Character collaboration with Miffy |
What Does the Serum Shift Mean for Beauty Brands in 2026?
Beauty brands should treat texture as a primary product decision in sun care and lip care, not a secondary formulation detail, because the 74% relative growth in lip serum mentions shows texture is now what consumers talk about. Two practical implications follow from the NEWEN AI data: sun care and lip care claims should lead with hydration, elasticity, and finish alongside protection; and product development in these categories should borrow directly from skincare serum formulation rather than from traditional balm and stick formats.
FAQ
Q. How fast are lip serums growing in K-Beauty? Lip serums are the fastest-growing texture format in K-Beauty lip care: “Lip Serum” mentions rose from 14.7% to 25.5% in NEWEN AI Monthly Beauty Report data, a gain of 10.8 percentage points and a 74% relative increase over the 2024 baseline.
Q. Are sun serums replacing traditional sunscreen creams? Sun serums are taking share from traditional creams and sticks but have not replaced them: mentions of “Serum” and “Essence” in the sun care category rose to 28.8% from 25.4% in 2024, a 3.4 percentage point gain, meaning serum-format conversation now covers close to three in ten sun care mentions.
Q. Why do consumers prefer skincare-infused sun and lip products? Consumers prefer skincare-infused sun and lip products because of demand for skin-conditioning performance: as analyzed by NEWEN AI, consumers want deep hydration, elasticity, and a non-sticky “glowy” finish in addition to UV protection or lip care, rather than a single-function shield or balm.
Q. Which brands are leading the skincare-infused serum trend? Tomb the Glow, Etude, and rom&nd are the brands NEWEN AI identifies as leading the trend. Tomb the Glow generated viral engagement, Etude ran a character collaboration with Ganadi, and rom&nd ran a character collaboration with Miffy.
Q. What is a “skin-conditioning” claim in sun and lip care? A “skin-conditioning” claim means the product delivers skincare performance alongside its primary protective function — specifically deep hydration, elasticity, and a non-sticky “glowy” finish, according to NEWEN AI’s analysis. Skin-conditioning positioning is what moved serum textures from 14.7% to 25.5% of lip care mentions.
Want to track texture and ingredient shifts in your category before they peak? VUSSENS, NEWEN AI’s AI-powered beauty intelligence platform, monitors attribute-level keyword momentum across social and e-commerce channels. → Request a VUSSENS demo
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