Bermuda resident Gladys Nanud hopes to tap into the estimated $91 billion Korean beauty industry.

Ms Nanud has just opened Fresh Aura Bda, selling Korean creams, toners and sera from brands such as Ainohea, Jejundi and Bom.

K-beauty products are known for unusual ingredients such as snail mucin, bee venom and bamboo water and tend to emphasise prevention, hydration and gentle care.

“Korean skincare has taken the beauty world by storm, captivating millions with its innovative products and meticulous routines,” Ms Nanud said.

She said unlike many Western routines that focus on quick fixes, Korean skincare is about nurturing the skin over time.

“The routine typically involves multiple steps, each designed to address specific skin needs,” she said.

Fresh Aura Bda is located at Treehouse Yoga and Wellness Hub at 12 Trott Road in Hamilton.

“I am a skincare junkie,” Ms Nanud confessed. “I am really passionate about it. I love going to the pharmacy to see what skincare brands they are selling.”

Over time her hobby started to get pricey, with $50 sunscreens and $200 sera.

One of her frustrations was that she would get used to using a brand in Bermuda and it would suddenly disappear.

“I thought there must be a better way,” she said.

Fresh Aura Bda was born.

She orders her products directly from Korea and so can offer many items for cheaper than the Western alternative.

She does sell a premium line called Dailish for those who want a more luxurious option. For $1,018 you can purchase a set of six sera that aim to firm and brighten the skin.

“It’s a programme,” she said. “The chief executive of the company told me Dailish is very popular with the princesses in Dubai.”

The only challenge to ordering directly from Korea is getting the products here. She flies them in by courier.

“That is a little expensive, but worth it,” she said. “Otherwise I would have to wait a long time for them to get here. I tried to bring some things in through the post office and it took over a month. Doing it this way I only have to wait one to two weeks for products to come in and I don’t have to worry as much about breakage. My supplier protects the items really well in bubble wrap.”

K-beauty products have become so popular that a shadow industry of fakes has grown up around them. Counterfeits caused an estimated $15 million in losses this year alone for consumer brands.

“I have had a lot of customers who have told me they bought fake Korean products online,” Ms Nanud said. “If you are buying online, it is very difficult to tell the difference.”

She said when you buy a counterfeit product, it might start out as a reddish colour, but it will turn to brown after a while. The real thing does not change colour.

Ms Nanud said the fakes are a health risk because people do not know what is in them.

“They can damage your skin,” she said.

She works closely with her supplier to ensure she sells authentic products.

Before starting Fresh Aura Bda, she worked as a bartender in a local hotel.

“I have resigned now so I can focus on this,” she said. “What I miss about bartending is the people. When you are bartending, people don’t just drink, they also tell you their life stories.”

However, she is finding that her cosmetics customers often share things about themselves when they come into her store.

“I am here and I can guide them,” she said. “I did a training course in Canada to do facials. I have a space here to do them.”