Convenience Stores Also Challenge 'Beauty Hotspots'... CU Launches 3,000 Won Serum and Moisturizing Cream

Angeluca Launches 3 Small-Volume Cosmetics
Price per 1ml 80% Cheaper than Full-Size Products
CU Beauty Sales Show Double-Digit Growth Annually
Popular Among 1020 Customers

CU is launching affordable cosmetics in small sizes priced at 3,000 won. This move aims to target its main customers, the Jalpa Generation (Generation Z + Alpha Generation), as the 'cost-effective beauty' consumption trend continues in lifestyle stores and other outlets.

Convenience store CU, operated by BGF Retail, announced on the 24th that it will release three products in collaboration with the cosmetics brand Angeluca: 'Collagen Wrapping Water Glow Pack,' 'Pure Vitamin C Serum,' and 'Glutathione Moisture Cream.' All these products are priced at 3,000 won each.

CU, a convenience store operated by BGF Retail, announced on the 24th that it will release three products in collaboration with the cosmetics brand Angeluca: 'Collagen Wrapping Water Glow Pack,' 'Pure Vitamin C Serum,' and 'Glutathione Moisture Cream.'
[Photo by BGF Retail]

These products contain the same ingredients as the full-sized versions but reduce the volume by more than one-third while keeping the price fixed at 3,000 won. The price per 1㎖ of each product is up to 80% cheaper than the full-sized versions.

The Pure Vitamin C Serum (4㎖) is Angeluca’s flagship product, containing 25% high-concentration premium pure vitamin C sourced from the UK. The Glutathione Moisture Cream (12㎖) is a vegan-certified product made with 99% high-purity glutathione and only natural, eco-friendly ingredients. The Collagen Wrapping Water Glow Pack (20㎖) contains ultra-low molecular weight 33 Dalton collagen and 11 types of natural plant oils, which can help improve skin elasticity and radiance.

CU is introducing these small-sized, cost-effective cosmetic products because sales of such items at convenience stores have been increasing annually. According to CU, the year-over-year sales growth rates for cosmetics were 24.0% in 2022, 28.3% in 2023, and 14.7% from January to September 2024 (as of September 22), showing double-digit growth every year.

CU has identified a rising demand for single-use mask packs and small-sized skincare products at convenience stores. Analyzing sales by cosmetics category from January 1 to September 22 this year, mask packs showed the highest growth with a 37.8% increase compared to the same period last year. This was followed by skin lotion (24.7%), cleansing products (18.2%), lip care (11.6%), and deodorants (11.2%). CU explained that in the past, cleansing tissues and lip care products had the highest sales volume among cosmetics.

Notably, the 10-20-year-old Jalpa Generation has become the main customer base for convenience store beauty products. As of this month, the age-wise sales share of cosmetics at CU shows that teenagers account for 42.3% and people in their 20s for 32.3%, making the Jalpa Generation over 70% of the total. This is followed by people in their 30s at 11.8%, 40s at 10.1%, and 50s and above at 3.5%.

Jobea-yeon, a product planner (MD) for lifestyle goods at BGF Retail, said, "To respond to the cost-effective beauty trend of the Jalpa Generation, we discovered small and medium-sized partner companies that mainly sold online and introduced these products at reasonable prices. Going forward, CU plans to continuously offer cost-effective beauty products through collaboration with competitive small and medium-sized companies."

Meanwhile, CU also introduced hologram trouble patches (4,500 won) featuring four designs: octagon, rhombus, heart, and butterfly shapes. These uniquely designed patches are said to cover skin imperfections while providing spot care to help alleviate troubles.

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