Rising Popularity of Golf Amid Heatwave Boosts Sales of 'Cooling Cosmetics'

VidiVici 'UV Shield Golf Patch' (Photo by Shinsegae International)

[Asia Economy Reporter Seungjin Lee] As golf remains popular even in the height of summer, sales of 'cooling cosmetics' that help soothe the heat are increasing.

On the 4th, Shinsegae International analyzed related purchase items on its own mall SI Village for the month of July and found that more than half of the customers who bought golf brands such as J.Lindeberg also purchased cooling cosmetics together. Typically, July and August are considered the off-season for golf due to the heat, but the ongoing golf craze is attributed to the rising popularity of outdoor sports influenced by social distancing measures.

The product with the highest sales rate is the high-performance skincare brand Yeonjak’s sensitive line ‘Calming & Comforting,’ launched last June. It was released in three types: toner pads, ampoules, and moisturizing cream. Among these, the ampoule and toner pads sold out their initial stock within two weeks of launch, prompting a reproduction. The additional production stock arrived earlier this month and is currently on sale.

The Calming & Comforting products contain an exclusive ingredient, ‘Sophora Flavescens Extract,’ developed jointly by Shinsegae International and the raw material supplier, which shows excellent skin-soothing effects. Clinical trials demonstrated an immediate cooling effect, lowering skin temperature by 4 degrees after applying the Yeonjak ampoule. Shinsegae International also co-authored a paper on the efficacy of Sophora Flavescens Extract, which was published in the Journal of the Korean Society of Cosmetic Scientists.

At Roybi, the ‘Real Aloe Calming Body Gel,’ which has excellent skin-soothing effects, was launched at the end of June and has received a positive response. This product is non-sticky, quickly absorbed, and soothes skin tired from heat, with 80% of the initial stock sold within a month of release.

Functional cosmetics directly targeting golf enthusiasts have also been newly launched. Vidivici released the ‘UV Shield Golf Patch,’ made from UV-certified functional fabric. This product is applied to the face and blocks ultraviolet rays during golf and outdoor activities while offering excellent breathability. Vidivici also launched the ‘UV Essence Sun Stick,’ a matte primer-type sunstick that can be easily reapplied along with the sun patch.

A Shinsegae International official said, “As golf has gained widespread popularity to the extent that various golf entertainment shows have appeared recently, sales of cooling cosmetics that are effective for skin soothing have greatly increased,” adding, “Since golf is an outdoor sport, we expect more people to seek cooling cosmetics not only in summer but also in spring and autumn, so we have increased production of related products.”

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.