Cosmetics That Captivated K-Beauty Enthusiasts... SHEIN Leads with Ultra-Low-Priced Beauty

SHEGLAM, SHEIN's Private Brand, Gains Buzz Among K-Beauty Enthusiasts
Collaborations with Popular IPs Like "Harry Potter" and "Twilight"
User Base Quadruples in Two Years

SHEGLAM, the beauty private label of Chinese fashion platform SHEIN, is rapidly expanding its influence in South Korea as its collaborative collections with movies such as "Harry Potter," "Twilight," and "The Matrix" gain popularity among so-called "K-beauty enthusiasts" (cosmetics aficionados).

The collection released by Shu Uemura in early last month in collaboration with the movie "Twilight." Official Shu Uemura Instagram account.

According to industry sources on October 13, SHEGLAM announced the launch of its saga collection in collaboration with the movie "Twilight" through its official account in early September. The collection, promoted with the phrase "Radiant Beauty Like a Vampire," features designs and colors inspired by the atmosphere of the vampires in the film. It includes an eyeshadow palette, lip tint, lip oil, and solid perfume. As news of the collection's release spread, both domestic and international fans shared enthusiastic reviews, saying, "It perfectly captures the Twilight vibe," and "The design is so beautiful, it's moving."

Previously, SHEIN filed a trademark application for "SHEGLAM" with the Korean Intellectual Property Office in December last year and began selling products through a site targeting Korean users. Launched in 2019, SHEGLAM has drawn attention for its affordable prices under 10,000 won and collaborative collections with well-known intellectual properties. Notably, following its collaboration with the "Harry Potter" film in 2023, the brand also introduced collections in partnership with "Hello Kitty," "Sanrio," and, most recently, the movie "The Matrix." These products have become a hot topic on social networking services such as TikTok and Instagram, which are popular among people in their teens and twenties.

This ultra-low-priced cosmetics strategy by SHEIN has proven successful. According to Mobile Index by IGAWorks, SHEIN's monthly active users (MAU) have shown a sharp increase this year. In March, the MAU reached approximately 945,000, a 71% jump from the previous month, and the number has continued to rise by over 10% each month since then. In August 2023, the user count was around 470,000, but by August this year, it had surged to 2.06 million.

The domestic cosmetics market has experienced explosive growth in recent years, driven by cost-effective products. As a result, the retail industry is also expanding its lineup of ultra-low-priced cosmetics. For example, last September, convenience store CU, operated by BGF Retail, partnered with cosmetics brand Angel Luca to introduce affordable cosmetics, and this year expanded its lineup to include products specifically for color cosmetics. In April, Emart collaborated with LG Household & Health Care to launch the "Glow:Up by Beyond" line under the Beyond Second brand, with all products priced at 4,950 won. Musinsa recently launched a cost-effective cosmetics line through "Musinsa Standard Beauty," with products priced between 3,900 and 5,900 won.

Major cosmetics companies such as Amorepacific (Mimo by Mamonde), LG Household & Health Care (Carezone Plus), Aekyung Industrial (Toedit), and Able C&C (A'PIEU The Pure) have also released exclusive brands for Daiso, achieving notable sales. Amorepacific's Mimo by Mamonde, which entered Daiso in September last year, surpassed 1 million cumulative sales within four months of launch and reached 2 million in seven months. Aekyung Industrial's Toedit, which entered the market in November last year, achieved sales of 1.3 million units within seven months. Toedit began entering offline channels in the United States in July, becoming the first Daiso-exclusive brand to expand into overseas markets.