Men make up third of Olive Young customers, data shows

Customers browse products at an Olive Young store in Seoul on June 19. [YONHAP]

The number of first-time male customers in Olive Young has increased 1.5-fold from 2021, the health and beauty retailer said Thursday.

Now, one out of three customers who have made a purchase for the first time is a man, according to Olive Young data.

The types of products male customers purchase have become more diverse, including whitening sunscreen, hair treatment products or tinted lip balms, in contrast to mainly buying skincare or shaving-related items in the past.

Olive Young said it will actively promote more men's brands in its stores, considering that their popularity is increasing every year due to heightened interest in beauty products.

Meanwhile, the makeup and skincare industry for men in Korea has grown to a scale of 1.11 trillion won ($827.3 million) last year, market researcher Euromonitor said earlier this year.

BY SHIN MIN-HEE [shin.minhee@joongang.co.kr]