[Edaily Reporter Kim Jeong-yu] A trend toward "unique ingredients" is sweeping the domestic cosmetics (K-Beauty) industry. As the K-Beauty industry grows rapidly, attempts to differentiate products based on the ingredients themselves—rather than relying solely on marketing—appear to be spreading. K-Beauty brands are engaged in fierce competition to effectively establish their brand concepts and images using unique ingredients alone, even before emphasizing functionality.

According to industry sources on the 2nd, "Labope," the beauty brand of the domestic company StarTech, recently launched at "Mellow Pharmacy," a curated pharmacy in Seongsu-dong, Seoul. Curated pharmacies are a new type of store model that combines a pharmacy with beauty content, and they have recently been gaining popularity among young people in their 20s and 30s as well as foreign tourists.

A company representative stated, "We are actively launching related marketing campaigns, including showcasing Labope’s key products in a dedicated brand display zone within the Mellow Pharmacy store and on the exterior digital billboard."

Labope’s decision to enter a curated pharmacy is largely driven by a desire to emphasize its brand identity. As a dermaskin care brand, Labope has developed the “Penelagen” ingredient, which combines collagen extracted from starfish—a marine organism—with nano-delivery technology. Since the brand utilizes starfish—which have historically harmed marine ecosystems through overconsumption of shellfish—as a beauty ingredient, it is actively marketing to young consumers and foreigners who value social responsibility. This entry into Mellow Pharmacy is part of that strategy.

"Sapin," a skincare brand launched by SIL, the beauty subsidiary of Taekwang Group, has also emphasized "ingredients sourced from the sea" from the very beginning. It has made a strong impression on consumers by highlighting specific regional names, such as “Reverse Marine” (an ingredient extracted from Korean waters), “Kelp” (seaweed from the South Sea), deep-sea water from Goseong in the East Sea, and “Sea Silt” from Sinan in the West Sea. As K-Beauty gains popularity in the global market, the brand has emphasized “Korean-sourced” ingredients from the outset and strengthened its “eco-friendly” credentials by excluding ingredients harmful to the marine ecosystem.

There are also brands that highlight “soybeans,” a food ingredient. The protagonist here is “Sunchaol,” the beauty brand of food company #Pulmuone. Sunchaol is based on plant-derived PDRN from soybean extract, soybean peptides, and fermented soybean extracts. Its concept is “from edible tofu to topical tofu.” This concept intuitively explains a beauty brand created by a food company. It is another example of a brand that has strengthened its identity by highlighting unique ingredients.

In some cases, the vitality or environmental characteristics of the ingredients are linked to the brand image. Aiden Lab’s serum brand “SerumKind” is attracting attention by introducing products made with Icelandic moss. Icelandic moss is known for withstanding sub-zero temperatures and harsh environments, and SerumKind has built its image around the concept of “a serum infused with the vitality of moss.” An industry insider commented, “The ingredient itself explains the product’s function while also serving as a mnemonic device to help consumers remember the brand.”

This competition among K-Beauty brands to use unique ingredients was a predictable development. K-Beauty’s rise to prominence in the global market over the past two to three years has been driven by the exceptional production capabilities of major research, development, and manufacturing (ODM) companies such as #KolmarKorea and #Cosmax. As barriers to entry in manufacturing have lowered, the number of indie K-Beauty brands has surged, and marketing competition has intensified. The industry explains that ingredients are now the only remaining factor that can be leveraged for differentiation.

However, if K-Beauty brands limit themselves to simply highlighting unique ingredients, achieving sustainable differentiation may prove difficult. Experts point out that a strategy is needed to effectively design and integrate ingredient sourcing, evidence of functionality, brand identity, and user experience.

A beauty industry insider stated, “In the current beauty market, it is becoming increasingly important to consider how specific ingredients combine with certain product lines to create new usage contexts,” adding, “It is crucial not to stop at simply using the ingredients, but to connect them as tools that concretize the brand image and user experience.”