L’Etoile, the leader and key expert in the Russian perfume and cosmetics market, told us what Korean brands are in demand among Russians.
The company L’Etoile is actively expanding the portfolio of Korean brands: if in 2023 there were 145 of them, today you can find products of more than 180 manufacturers in this chain. Many of them are presented exclusively, for example, About Me, Avotte, Butt!Tude, Nature Republic, Greyground, Herisson, Poiyan, Look at Me, Thank You Farmer, Too Cool For School and others. The number of SKUs, in turn, also increased: from 4655 to 5164.
L’Etoile analysts note that the demand for Korean cosmetics in the chain increased by 40%: more than 5,000,000 products sold in January-November 2023 against more than 7,000,000 in the same period of 2024. Consumers prefer to buy products on the website and mobile app: last year, products from Korea accounted for 22.52% of total sales online, and this year it is already 30.26%.
According to the company analysts, the most frequent buyers of cosmetics of Korean brands are women from 26 to 45 years old. The leading cities by sales are Moscow (41.65%), St. Petersburg (15.31%), Nizhny Novgorod (7.12%), Novosibirsk (6.53%) and Tyumen (6.34%).
Soothing body gel with aloe vera by Gaston
Made in Korea: top sellers
Experts have identified the most popular products among Korean cosmetics and compared the tops from year to year. In 2023, the most demanded were:
– Morocco Ghassoul anti-black spot nose cleansing strips from Too Cool For School;
– Avotte’s Moisturizing Banana Extract Face Mask;
– Natural BB Cream SPF30 PA++ Be Beautiful by Thank You Farmer.
Matting BB Face Cream by Holika Holika
In 2024, shoppers chose the following products (spoiler: products from brands Too Cool For School and Avotte are still in the top favorites):
– Morocco Ghassoul Anti-Black Spot Cleansing Nasal Strips from Too Cool For School;
– Avotte’s Lifting Avocado Mask with Avocado Extract;
– Oil Control Tissue by Cettua.
If we talk about Korean make-up cosmetics, then from year to year do not lose popularity BB-cream for face Petite, shimmer SPF45 PA+++ from Holika Holika and black mascara from Too Cool For School. Products from Make Prem, Gaston and Miracle Island brands are also holding the top positions.
Hits of the year:
– Natural BB cream SPF30 PA++ from Thank You Farmer;
– After School Silky Skin BB cream from Too Cool For School;
– I’m Enough Lengthening & Curling Mascara by BME.
Top 5 most interesting brands of Korean cosmetics
L’Etoile experts recommend to add the following newest products from Korea to the cosmetic bag:
1. Cell Fusion face mask. Centella asiatica in the composition of the product has anti-inflammatory and rejuvenating effect, promotes the synthesis of collagen types I and III, giving the skin elasticity.
2. Matting BB-cream for face by Holika Holika. Vitamin C is a powerful antioxidant that helps cells resist the damaging effects of free radicals.
3. Face mask with mulberry leaf extract from Poiyan. It contains glutathione, polyphenol and silk protein, which restore the skin’s barrier layer and make it soft and firm. In addition, green tea leaf extract, rose centifolia extract and sodium hyaluronate purify the skin and even out skin tone.
4- Thank You Farmer’s Glacier Water Facial Cleansing Foam. This product with 22% Icelandic Moss removes makeup, excess sebum and other impurities. It has exfoliating properties and helps to renew skin.
5. Gaston’s Aloe Vera Soothing Body Gel. Aloe vera juice contains more than a hundred biologically active and beneficial for the skin components: vitamins, minerals, amino acids, enzymes, polysaccharides and even phytohormones. The product has antibacterial properties, moisturizes the skin and enhances the synthesis of collagen and elastin.
