Lotte unveils cosmetics line for summer

Lotte Department Store launched its own cosmetics brand today in the hopes of taking a bite out of Korea’s surging makeup products industry, which just recently hit 10 trillion won ($8.6 billion).

As the first department store in Korea to enter this thriving industry, Lotte said it aims to develop more of its private brands that offer high-quality products at a reasonable price, minimizing the extra cost by handling the marketing and sale of products itself.

Under the brand name el&cos, the retail giant has joined forces with Kolmar Korea, a major cosmetics manufacturer, to roll out two seasonal products: Ice Cool Mist and Ice Cool Band.

Ice Cool Mist is, as its name suggests, a cooling and refreshing mist spray for the face and skin.

Ice Cool Band, on the other hand, takes the form of a foam shaving cream when initially applied to the skin. It soon solidifies into what resembles a patch of rubber that can be removed and applied to other parts of the body, temporarily lowering one’s sensible temperature by up to 10 degrees Celsius (18 degrees Fahrenheit).

The retailer explained it conducted a survey of visitors at its main branch in Jung District, central Seoul, asking what types of cosmetics they would like to see available in the summer.

The majority of respondents said they would like to see products that cool and moisturize at the same time.

For the time being, the new products will be available at the main branch as well as at branches in Jamsil, Nowon and Gimpo International Airport. The retailer’s drugstore brand, LOHB’s, in Hongdae, western Seoul, will also offer the products.

BY JIN EUN-SOO [jin.eunsoo@joongang.co.kr]