Take Off Your Mask and Go on Vacation...Cosmetics Sales Have Soared

Increase in Color Cosmetics and Sun Care Sales Ahead of Summer Vacation
Slimming and Hair Removal Product Sales Also Rise

A customer is selecting cosmetics at Yves Saint Laurent in the Lotte Department Store main branch.

[Asia Economy Reporter Jeon Jinyoung] Office worker Im is planning to go to a water park for this summer vacation. It is the first time in two years since the start of COVID-19 that Im is visiting a water park. Since the pandemic began, Im rarely used color cosmetics such as lip products or foundation while wearing a mask. However, to prepare for this summer, Im recently visited department stores and Olive Young to pick out waterproof mascara, tints, and sunscreen with a high sun protection factor, which had not been purchased for a while.

As COVID-19 transitions to an endemic phase and the outdoor mask mandate is relaxed, more vacationers are buying color cosmetics and sun care products for their summer holidays. Consequently, sales of color cosmetics at department stores and e-commerce platforms surged significantly in July.

According to CJ Olive Young on the 6th, sales of sun care products such as sunscreen and tanning items from July 1 to 20 increased by 52% compared to the same period last year. Tint products jumped by 136%. With shorter clothing, slimming products for body management saw a 44% sales increase, and hair removal product sales rose by 45%.

The growth rate of color cosmetics at department stores also rose, benefiting vacationers. Lotte Department Store’s overall beauty sales in July increased by 25% compared to the same period last year. In particular, color cosmetics grew by 30%, and perfumes surged by 60%. Shinsegae Department Store’s cosmetics sales in July also rose by 24.8% year-on-year. Hyundai Department Store saw a 46.0% increase in color cosmetics sales during the same period. Unlike during the severe COVID-19 period, the ability to remove masks and test cosmetics appears to have contributed to the sales growth.

Compared to the period when social distancing was intensified due to COVID-19, the sales growth trend is even more pronounced. According to 11st, sales of sun powder and sun cushions in July 2022 increased by 108% compared to the same period in 2020, while sales of sunblock, eye shadow, and lip makeup products rose by 55%, 14%, and 15%, respectively.

An industry insider analyzed, "Due to the lifting of the outdoor mask mandate this summer, sales of sunscreen and long-lasting lip tints for outdoor activities surged. Slimming and hair removal products for exposure are also on the rise. Additionally, with more customers going on summer vacations, sales appear to have increased further."

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