Peek into some Korean skincare & beauty brands in India
We know that the skin and personal care industry is growing in India but, do you know the size of the Indian skincare & beauty Industry?
As per the 2021 reports, India is considered to be the fourth biggest skincare and personal care market generating revenue globally. The Indian skin care market is more than doubled in the last decade. The main reason behind this significant growth is the significant rise in population, especially youth. According to the data, Indian youth spend half of their income on personal care products which makes India's largest skincare market. The demand for skincare is increasing day by day due to the rising awareness about skincare and its importance. People are more concerned about their health and beauty as well. They want to look good, feel good and live a healthy life.
This is attracting a lot of brands and big brands are also showing their interest in this. As we can see, many local and international brands are entering the market, but the big question is how is the Indian audience taking these products. Which brands are able to make an impression on India? Which brands are capturing the heart and wallets of the Indian audience?
We talked about the craze of Korean skincare and beauty brands in India, and how that’s an opportunity for many brands in the last blog. So, in this one, let’s take a look at which Korean brands already grabbed the opportunity, and how they are doing.
Top 5 K-beauty brands that are Popular and Loved even in India:
1) Innisfree:
Let's talk about a brand that has always been my favorite. I've been using their products for more than seven years now. For those of you who don't know it yet, Innisfree is a South Korean beauty brand. It was founded in 2000, and is currently popular in Asia. Countries like India, United Arab Emirates, and others countries have welcomed the brand well. But what makes Innisfree stand out is its unique approach to beauty. They focus on natural ingredients and minimize the use of chemicals in their products. Their motto is to create “natural, eco-friendly products that fit your lifestyle”.
Source: Innisfree India Facebook
Source: Innisfree webpage
Innisfree is also finding a place in many Indians’ daily routine. One of the reason is their use of natural ingredients, and they are also trusted for high-quality standards and safe, trustworthy products. Not just that, Innisfree is making efforts too! They made their first move way before others did, at least in India. The first Indian store of Innisfree was opened in New Delhi on October 10, 2013. Yeah, in 2013 (almost 10 years ago), and recently they opened 7th store in India in Delhi. They started expanding slowly, they try to reach their customers directly with their online store customized for India and not just that, now they are available in almost all e-commerce online stores, Nyka, Myntra, Purplle and others too.
So, of course, they captured the hearts of many Indian customers. The reviews that the brand in India are also highly positive.
The brand seems to have its eye fixed on the Indian market. It will be fascinating to see what kind of strategies Innisfree adapt and how will it try to capture the Indian audiences’ heart.
2) The Face Shop
Korean Skincare & Beauty brands are making a huge splash in India right now. And the one skincare brand that is really taking the lead, is The Face Shop! The Face Shop is one of the most favorite shopping destinations for Indians, who are looking for skin care and just-good-stuff. Their tagline “The Natural Story” shows how they want to make the consumer fall in love with their products without using parabens and harmful chemicals. A South Korea based brand that boasts in natural ingredients, organic material, without any synthetic elements in their products along with some great marketing strategies that has made them reach the hearts of Indians.
source: the Face Shop India Facebook
What is it that makes a Brand popular? Or widely loved? The Face Shop India has been consistently going strong, first in Mumbai's Kala Ghoda, and now in many other cities. Hence, they must be doing something right. So let's just go into their stores and find out, na? The Face Shop is a chain of cosmetics stores, which first opened in South Korea in 2002. The brand has been expanding globally since then and now has more than 2,500 outlets across Asia, Europe, and Latin America. In India, they have stores in Mumbai (Kala Ghoda), Delhi, and Bangalore. They are a brand that has always been focused on innovation and new ideas which is why they have products that cater to all age groups and skin types. The brand has been making waves & not just in the 20-year-old crowd; even guys now prefer products coming from this Skincare & Beauty brand. Their products are on par with other brands like The Body Shop or Origins. The Face Shop is known for its innovative face masks, which come in different varieties.
For Indian customers, one of the most favorite products seems to be Rice water cleansing foam. This product contains the goodness of rice water and Moringa oil which helps in keeping the skin moisturized, detoxified, and bright - everything that Indian customers love. The brand is making strong grounds in India. Let’s see what they bring to the Indian market in upcoming future.
3) Etude house:
Soojin Jung is an amazing lady and the founder of Etude House. She launched a small brand in 1999, named ‘Etude' to introduce Korean culture to the world and make people fall in love with Korean cosmetics. Today, Etude house is one of the most popular brands for quality cosmetics.
Source: Etude India Facebook
Skincare products are the staple of Etude House. They provide a multitude of skin care products to cater to different skin types and range in price. Their cute packaging and affordable pricing options make many women across the globe fall in love with them. They also have other makeup products including eye shadows, lip tints, face color, and blush on's but they are best known for their skincare products. Etude houses packaging is extremely good and enchanting, making it an ultimate catch for any woman who loves makeup. The range of skincare products provided by them is almost endless and have a little something for everyone no matter your budget or skin type!
4) Belif:
Source: Belif India Facebook
Most people think that this apothecary-like label is an American or European brand, maybe because of simple, minimalistic but strong branding choice or how they market itself. However, Belif is actually a Korean brand and combines time-tested apothecary herbal traditions with modern Korean skincare science to bring the best positive results. The brand brings the best ancient, natural herbal ingredients from all over the world and is known for its vegan products. That is why their most popular “aqua bomb” is always sold out in any store we visit.
The social media of the brand is clean and to the point. Belif uses herbal ingredients like chickweed, oats, celandine, chickweed, raspberry, and wild indigo which boost skincare efficacy – and Korean modern skincare technology, which is the brand’s key story. There are no other words needed. This worked amazingly in Indian society. India also has a deep history of using all herbal (ayurvedic) ingredients in creating quality skincare. So, the approach of Belif works with the beliefs in India and attracting Indian customers like a magnet.
5) Laneige
Laneige, a Korean beauty brand, was exclusively launched in India by Nykaa.com in 2018. The products are now available on Nykaa.com and at select Nykaa Luxe stores in Delhi, Ahmadabad, Indore, Hyderabad, and Bengaluru.
The brand was born in 2000 with the launch of its first skincare product line called Laneige White Plus Renew Capsules. Today, it has expanded its range to include makeup and sun care products too.
Laneige’s philosophy is to provide solutions for all skin types by using natural ingredients like Jeju lava water and mineral water from Mt. Baekdu in Korea as well as botanical extracts (such as camellia flower). The brand uses very few preservatives and chemicals because it believes that these cause sensitivity reactions that lead to dryness or irritation on the skin instead of preventing them from happening. With its wide range of products like BB cushions and sleeping masks, Laneige has become a popular choice among Indian customers.
Laneige's flagship product, Water Bank Moisture Cream has been awarded the Cosmopolitan Beauty Award 2018 as 'Best Moisturiser'. The award was presented by Bollywood actor Anushka Sharma at the Cosmopolitan Beauty Awards 2018 held in Mumbai on March 1st, 2019.
Conclusion:
The Korean beauty industry has been booming in India over the past few years. With popular brands like Innisfree, The Face Shop, the country's beauty market is getting more attention from Korean brands. The popularity of these brands and the increasing awareness & curiosity of Indians in Korean culture, k-pop, and beauty will keep on getting other brands' attention. Korean companies are entering India at an increasing pace with a growing number of new launches and expansions.
In the future, we see many other Korean brands making India their next stop. It will be fascinating to see what entry strategy and marketing strategy they adapt to put themselves on the map.
See you guys in the next chapter~
By Nidhi Agrawal
Research by: Ankita Singh, Ritu Ghorai