One of Korea’s pioneering beauty brands, The Face Shop, has made its New Zealand debut at Kmart and The Warehouse.
Known for combining traditional Korean beauty wisdom with nature-inspired ingredients such as rice, flowers, and botanical extracts, The Face Shop has built a loyal global following with affordable, effective skincare designed to deliver visible results without unnecessary complexity.
Leading the New Zealand launch is the brand’s hero collection, Rice Water Bright, Korea’s number one-selling cleanser and a long-standing cult favourite that has sold more than 50 million units globally since its 2006 debut.
Since launching in the US in late 2025, the range has rocketed to become the country’s number one-selling K-beauty cleanser.
A spokesperson for The Face Shop said they were thrilled to bring the pioneering K-beauty brand to New Zealand, making its affordable and effective skincare accessible to consumers.
“We’re so excited to make our quality skincare available and accessible to New Zealanders, who have truly embraced K-beauty,” they said.
“The Face Shop is one of the pioneers of K-beauty, bringing heritage, nature-inspired ingredients and modern Korean skincare science together.”
At the heart of the Rice Water Bright collection is rice extract, an ingredient deeply rooted in Korean beauty traditions, and now a global trend.
For more than a thousand years, Korean women have used rice water as part of their skincare rituals, believing it helped create a brighter, softer and more luminous complexion. Rich in vitamins, amino acids and minerals, rice water remains one of K-beauty's most treasured ingredients, long associated with achieving the coveted “glass skin” look.
The collection has combined this historical ingredient with vitamins and skin-supporting ceramides to help cleanse, nourish and brighten the skin while maintaining moisture balance.
The Face Shop’s Rice Water Bright collection will initially launch with a cleansing trio of Wipes, Oil and Foam, delivering a complete cleansing system.
The Cleansing Wipes remove makeup and impurities, while the Cleansing Oil and Cleansing Foam form the foundation of Korea’s renowned double cleansing ritual: an oil-based cleanse to dissolve makeup and sebum, followed by a water-based cleanse to gently clear remaining residue without stripping the skin.
All three are vegan, cruelty-free, and free of nasties.
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