"These Days, Everyone's Going Here": 30s and 40s Flock to Daiso Instead of Department Stores

Daiso Beauty Sales: 40s Take the Lead by Age Group
Large Supermarkets and Beauty Specialty Channels Join the Ultra-Low-Priced Market

Consumers in their 30s and 40s are increasingly entering the ultra-low-priced beauty market, which was previously dominated by those in their teens and twenties.

People lining up and waiting to enter Daiso. The Asia Business Daily DB.

Even 30s and 40s, with purchasing power and brand loyalty, are turning from established brands to Daiso

According to the beauty industry on January 29, purchases of ultra-low-priced cosmetics by consumers in their 30s and 40s have been on the rise. Last year, Daiso's cosmetics category sales by age group showed that those in their 40s accounted for the highest share at 27%, followed by those in their 30s at 25%, those in their 20s at 22%, those in their 50s at 17%, and those aged 60 and above at 6%.

Market research firm Embrain Trend Monitor analyzed panelists' receipt data in November of last year and found that the rate of increase in purchase amounts by age group was particularly notable among those in their 30s and 40s. From October 2024 to September 2025, the amount spent by consumers in their 40s on Daiso beauty products increased by 114% compared to the same period the previous year. This is 25.9 percentage points higher than the 88.1% growth rate among consumers in their 20s.

Daiso Emart Mokdong Branch, Yangcheon-gu, Seoul. Photo by Jin-Hyung Kang

Consumers in their 30s and 40s have long been considered a key demographic in the beauty market due to their high purchasing power and strong brand loyalty. For this reason, it was common for them to choose luxury brands or beauty specialty channels, even at higher prices. However, as the ultra-low-priced beauty market has expanded, it has begun to attract the attention of this demographic. As consumers in their teens and twenties use ultra-low-priced cosmetics as a kind of "laboratory" for experimentation, major beauty companies such as Amorepacific and LG Household & Health Care have also entered the market. With the growing variety of Daiso-exclusive product lines, the perception of "trusted Daiso" has spread among consumers in their 30s and 40s as well.

Buoyed by the expanding demand for ultra-low-priced beauty products, Daiso's beauty category sales increased by more than 70% year-on-year. After a 144% growth in 2024, Daiso continued to post double-digit growth last year, solidifying its position as a key player in the ultra-low-priced beauty market.

A model is promoting ultra-low-priced cosmetics at an Emart store. Emart

Large discount stores also launch ultra-low-priced lines in response... "Focusing on functional products"

As seismic shifts are detected in the beauty market, large discount stores are also rapidly expanding their ultra-low-priced beauty product lines. Reflecting the relatively older customer base of these stores, they are focusing on launching functional products such as those for skin elasticity and wrinkle improvement, rather than color cosmetics.

In June of last year, Lotte Mart introduced a "value-for-money beauty product zone" at its Grand Grocery Guri branch. More recently, it partnered with cosmetics manufacturers Dermafirm and Jayjun Cosmetic to launch nine new skincare products. According to Lotte Mart, sales from the value-for-money beauty zone in November and December of last year increased by about 70% compared to the same period the previous year.

Emart is also accelerating its efforts to keep pace with the market. In April of last year, it collaborated with LG Household & Health Care to launch eight basic skincare products priced under 5,000 won, and has since expanded its lineup of collaboration brands such as "One Thing" and "Danahan" to 12. According to Emart, sales of ultra-low-priced cosmetics in November and December of last year increased by about 27% compared to the same period the previous year.