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Move over skincare, K-Beauty's latest innovation starts in the shower with water wellness
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Meet Niki Namkyoung Lee, the founder behind PICKI NIKI, the shower filtration brand designed in Germany and developed with Korean filtration technology, bringing Korea's 'water wellness' movement to the UK.
Designed to help combat the effects of hard water on skin and hair, PICKI NIKI combines Korean filtration technology with the sensorial, self-care approach K-Beauty has become known for. The brand is positioned around supporting calmer, glowier-feeling skin, a more comfortable scalp, and shinier, softer feeling hair.
After relocating from Seoul to Berlin in 2019, Niki noticed dramatic changes to her own skin and hair within weeks, with increased dryness, irritation and roughness becoming part of her daily routine.
Coming from South Korea's soft-water environment and with a background in K-Beauty product development, Niki quickly identified European hard water and chlorinated shower water as a hidden contributor, affecting skin and hair before skincare or haircare products were even applied.
Inspired to create a solution rooted in Korean beauty innovation, Niki spent more than two years developing PICKI NIKI alongside Korean filtration specialists and K-Beauty experts before launching the brand in 2022.
Today, PICKI NIKI serves more than 10,000 customers, has been recognised with the 2025 IndyBest "Best Overall Filtered Shower Head" award (The Independent) and a Marie Claire UK top-three ranking, and holds 1,000+ five-star reviews and a 4.9 average on Okendo.
NIKI NAMKYOUNG LEE, FOUNDER OF PICKI NIKI, SHARES:
"When I moved to Berlin and later visited London, I noticed the difference within weeks. Berlin's mineral load is medium-hard; London's chalk-aquifer water is among the hardest in major European capitals. Every shower left my skin tight and my hair brittle. I tried every cream, every mask, every routine. Then I tested the water.
"The problem wasn't my skin and hair care. It was what came out of the tap. So I looked at filters. Every other filter we tested was drinking-water tech repackaged: cold water, slow flow, long contact.
"That is what got me obsessed with shower water as the missing first step in skincare. The water you wash your hair in is the only constant in your routine. Change that, and you can change the baseline for everything else."
"When I moved to Berlin and later visited London, I noticed the difference within weeks. Berlin's mineral load is medium-hard; London's chalk-aquifer water is among the hardest in major European capitals. Every shower left my skin tight and my hair brittle. I tried every cream, every mask, every routine. Then I tested the water.
"The problem wasn't my skin and hair care. It was what came out of the tap. So I looked at filters. Every other filter we tested was drinking-water tech repackaged: cold water, slow flow, long contact.
"That is what got me obsessed with shower water as the missing first step in skincare. The water you wash your hair in is the only constant in your routine. Change that, and you can change the baseline for everything else."
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BUILT FOR REAL SHOWER CONDITIONS
PICKI NIKI Filtered Showerhead, £89. Shop at PICKI NICKI: pickiniki.com
