Mixsoon talks viral skin-first makeup debut and K-beauty globalization

K-Beauty brand Mixsoon has launched its first-ever makeup collection, the PDRN Collagen Tinted Moisturizers, on Amazon. Building on the brand’s reputation for its glass skin skin care, the launch translates Mixsoon’s focus on hydration, radiance, and skin health into the complexion category. 

The PDRN Collagen Tinted Moisturizer contains a 74% skin-active essence, and clinical testing has shown 24-hour wear and a +32% instant blurring effect. The tinted moisturizers blend rice PDRN, collagen, and peptides to deliver a breathable, second-skin finish with water- and humidity-resistant wear. 

Early buzz has already gone viral, driven by a TikTok from @andreaiescorcia, which has surpassed 19.9 million views.

Personal Care Insights speaks with Amy Lee, Mixsoon’s global head of marketing, who shares how the brand’s entry into tinted moisturizers offers a lesson in translating skin care expertise into makeup. She explains that the collection enhances the skin rather than masking it, showing how ingredient-driven formulations can deliver both beauty and skin health.

Lee notes that the PDRN Collagen Tinted Moisturizer’s hybrid formula illustrates a broader trend: skin care has extended into makeup complexion routines. We discuss how thoughtful formulation and a skin-first philosophy can create products that actively care for the skin while providing a buildable, radiant finish.

What inspired Mixsoon to expand from skin care into complexion makeup?

Lee: For mixsoon, expanding into complexion was not about stepping away from skin care. It was about moving into the natural middle ground between skin care and foundation, translating our ingredient-focused skin care philosophy into a base product that helps skin look like itself — only more refined.

We are not trying to cover the skin. We are translating our ingredient-focused DNA into a base product that helps skin look like itself, but more hydrated and healthy.The new product's formula combines PDRN, collagen, and peptides for hydration.

That is why a tinted moisturizer felt like the right first step: breathable, effortless, easy to wear every day, and true to Mixsoon’s belief that complexion should support the skin, not hide it.

How are skin care-first formulations reshaping consumer expectations in makeup?

Lee: Consumers no longer see makeup and skin care as completely separate steps. They are spending more time and effort on their skin care routines, so they want complexion products that let their real skin show through instead of covering it completely. The ‘clean girl’ aesthetic also reflects that mindset. If you are working to achieve healthy, glowing skin, your makeup should enhance it, not hide it.

For Mixsoon, the 74% skin-active essence base connects directly to our ingredient-focused philosophy. We believe that focusing on the core ingredients and building the formula around them is what brings out the best results for the skin. That is why the essence base is not just an added skin care claim. It is the foundation of the formula. With this tinted moisturizer, we wanted to create a complexion product that feels comfortable and hydrating like skin care, while still giving the soft-refining finish people want from makeup. Instead of feeling heavy or overly covered, it helps the skin look natural, breathable, and healthy.

PDRN, collagen, and peptides are commonly associated with skin care benefits. What formulation challenges arise when incorporating these ingredients into cosmetics?

Lee: The biggest challenge was making sure the formula still felt true to Mixsoon. When skin care ingredients like PDRN, collagen, and peptides are added into a complexion product, the texture can easily become too rich, too slippery, or not long-wearing enough. 

For us, the focus was balance. We wanted to bring the benefits people associate with these ingredients — hydration, comfort, and a firmer, healthier-looking finish — while still making sure the product performed like makeup. It needed to blend easily, stay on well, and create a natural second-skin finish without feeling heavy. That balance is what makes the product feel modern. Not just skin care, not just foundation, but something in between that makes the whole routine feel more compact and simply minimal.

What technologies or formulation strategies helped achieve both long wear and a second-skin feel?

Lee: The key was balancing skin care comfort with makeup performance. The formula was built with a 74% skin care essence base, including plant-derived rice PDRN and low-molecular collagen, to help keep the skin feeling hydrated and comfortable throughout wear. That skin care base helps prevent the makeup from looking dry, cracked, or heavy over time. 

For the instant blurring effect, the formula uses a soft-focus approach with ingredients such as elastomer gel, silica, and mica. These help scatter light on the skin’s surface, which can visually soften the look of pores and uneven texture for a smoother finish. Mixsoon’s PDRN Tinted Moisturizers feature 10 adaptive shades. 

To keep the product long-wearing but still skin-like, we focused on what we call a sheer layering skin-veil texture. It spreads smoothly like skin care, fits closely along the natural curves of the skin, and builds in thin, flexible layers rather than sitting heavily on top. That is what allows the product to deliver 24-hour wear while still feeling breathable, comfortable, and second-skin-like.

How is K-beauty influencing global complexion trends?

Lee: K-beauty has definitely helped shape the global shift toward skin-first complexion, but now it also connects really naturally with the ‘clean girl’ aesthetic. Consumers are moving away from heavy, full-coverage makeup and looking for complexion products that let the skin still feel like skin — just more even, fresh, glassy, glowy, and dewy. It is less about covering everything and more about bringing out the skin’s natural look in a more polished way. That is where K-beauty continues to resonate globally: lightweight, breathable textures that make the skin look healthy, effortless, and true to itself.

Hybrid beauty products continue to blur the line between makeup and skin care. How do you see this evolving over the next few years, particularly within K-beauty?

Lee: Hybrid beauty is no longer just about adding skin care ingredients into makeup. For Mixsoon, it is about closing the gap between how you care for your skin and how you present your skin. Consumers now expect complexion products to feel comfortable like skin care, while still delivering visible performance, smoother texture, more even tone, and a healthy-looking finish. 

This is especially aligned with K-beauty, where complexion has always been less about covering the face and more about revealing healthy skin. Korean beauty has long carried the belief that true beauty starts from the condition of the skin itself. The goal is not to fully cover or transform the face, but to bring out the most natural version of yourself — skin that looks hydrated, fresh, bouncy, and naturally healthy.

The collection launched with 10 adaptive shades. How is Mixsoon approaching shade inclusivity while maintaining skin-enhancing aesthetics associated with K-beauty?

Lee: Because this is a sheer, skin-enhancing tinted moisturizer rather than a full-coverage foundation, our shade approach focused on flexibility and adaptability. We wanted the 10 shades to blend naturally into different skin tones while keeping the lightweight, breathable finish that people love from K-beauty complexion. Lightweight coverage extends Mixsoon’s glass skin routine into makeup. 

For us, it was also important that more people could enjoy this K-beauty complexion technology in a way that works for their own skin tone. K-beauty base products have often been more limited in shade range, so launching with 10 adaptive shades felt like the right step for a global audience.

Of course, shade inclusivity is still an ongoing process. As Mixsoon grows globally, we will continue listening, learning, and improving while staying true to our natural, skin-enhancing finish.

Tool-free, fingertip application is central to your “Easy-Wearing” concept. Are consumers increasingly prioritizing simplified, intuitive beauty routines?

Lee: Yes, absolutely. Consumers are becoming more practical with their routines. They still want products that work, but they want them to be easy, fast, and intuitive. For us, ‘Easy-Wearing’ means the product should feel approachable — something you can apply with your fingertips, blend quickly, and wear comfortably every day.

But easy does not mean everyone has to use it in the exact same way. Mixsoon is also launching tools to help consumers mix and adjust shades more easily, so they can find a tone that feels more natural to their own skin. That is important to us because complexion should feel simple, personal, and supportive of healthier-looking skin.

The launch gained momentum through a TikTok video, surpassing 19.9 million views. How important are viral moments in driving awareness and purchasing decisions for beauty?

Lee: Viral social media moments are extremely important, especially in beauty, because consumers want to see products perform in real life. TikTok has changed the way people discover, evaluate, and purchase beauty products. A strong viral moment can create awareness very quickly, but it only translates into long-term value when the product experience matches what consumers see online.

For Mixsoon, TikTok is not just a visibility platform. It is also a real-time consumer feedback channel. The response to the PDRN Collagen Tinted Moisturizer showed us that consumers are actively looking for complexion products that feel intuitive, skin-like, and easy to incorporate into daily routines. K-beauty skin care trends are maintaining their global infleunce.

What broader industry trends are shaping the next generation of complexion products?

Lee: Complexion is moving toward a more balanced standard: long wear, comfort, and skin realism. Consumers want base products that stay in place while still feeling breathable and looking natural on the skin. This is why water-resistant, glow-enhancing, and skin-like formulas are gaining momentum. The expectation is no longer just coverage, but products that even out the skin, maintain a fresh finish, and stay comfortable throughout the day.

For Mixsoon, the next generation of complexion is about performance without heaviness — formulas that support the skin’s natural texture while making it look more refined, hydrated, and healthy. That direction reflects Mixsoon’s ingredient-focused philosophy: delivering effective performance with lightweight, breathable formulas that stay true to the skin itself.