CreatripTeam

Amid recession-driven ‘value shopping,’ ultra-cheap cosmetics are surging in South Korea. Daiso’s beauty sales jumped 90% Jan–Sep year-on-year, offering about 1,100 items from 100 brands; buyers now include more 30–40s, with 40s making up 30% of purchases. Other retailers joined the low-price beauty race: fashion platform Musinsa launched a budget beauty line that saw skincare sales soar (up to 14x in a line with cheap items), and supermarket E-Mart sold roughly 50 low-priced items via collaborations (including LG Household & Health Care), lifting skincare sales 148% in September. Major cosmetic firms (Amorepacific, Etude) have created or placed affordable sub-brands in Daiso. The trend reflects broader demand for cost-effective personal care during tough economic times.