"Now It's Time to Wear Makeup Properly" Industry Brightens Up as Indoor Mask Mandate Is Lifted

Jungdaebon, Indoor Mask Wearing Mandate to be Gradually Lifted
Cosmetics Industry Expects "Increased Demand for Color Cosmetics"
Effective Even When Outdoor Mask Mandate is Lifted... Active New Products and Promotions

At the time when social distancing was fully lifted last April, citizens visiting Starfield COEX Mall in Gangnam-gu, Seoul, are seen looking at cosmetics. Photo by Jinhyung Kang aymsdream@

"Next month, I plan to buy the cosmetics I've been putting off."

A, a young professional in their 20s, had no real need to wear makeup due to extended remote work and mask-wearing during the COVID-19 pandemic. Naturally, A did not purchase cosmetics. After reading the article about the lifting of indoor mask mandates, A said, "I only wore basic makeup to work every day, but now that masks will be removed indoors as well, I want to buy lipstick."

On the 23rd, the Central Disease Control Headquarters decided to gradually lift the indoor mask-wearing mandate. The authorities plan to proceed with the first phase of lifting the indoor mask mandate when at least two of the following four indicators are met: ▲stabilization of new cases ▲decrease in severe cases and deaths ▲stable medical response capacity ▲immunity acquisition among high-risk groups.

This has raised expectations in the cosmetics industry. If the indoor mask mandate is fully lifted early next year, demand for color cosmetics is expected to increase. In fact, when the outdoor mask mandate was lifted earlier this year, sales of color cosmetics also rose.

CJ Olive Young reported that from January to November, sales of color cosmetics increased by 50% compared to the same period last year. Among these, base makeup products such as cushions and foundations rose by 70%, and lip makeup increased by 65%. Lotte Home Shopping also saw a 25% increase in beauty product orders in the second half of this year compared to the same period last year, with orders for color cosmetics increasing by more than 30%.

Some cosmetics companies are launching new products and promotional discounts timed with the lifting of the indoor mask mandate. Able C&C, which operates brands like Missha and A'PIEU, expects an increase in consumers seeking color cosmetics due to the anticipation of mask mandate removal and is running the 'BEAUTY-FULL CHRISTMAS' promotion until the end of this month.

Meanwhile, due to the prolonged COVID-19 pandemic and sluggish market changes, many road shop cosmetics stores have closed down one after another. According to the Fair Trade Commission's report on franchise business status, the new opening rate for cosmetics stores was 1.8% in 2020, while the closure rate was 28.8%. However, recent profitability turnarounds by Skin Food and Able C&C have raised hopes for a rebound in the road shop cosmetics industry.

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