Lotte On launches beauty brand TwinWhale amid retailers' wider push into beauty market
Published: 10 Nov. 2025, 17:58
Updated: 10 Nov. 2025, 18:36
![An image shows Lotte On's new brand TwinWhale. [LOTTE]](https://koreajoongangdaily.joins.com/data/photo/2025/11/10/3a086d9f-235a-463e-bd0f-a57bba301a61.jpg)
An image shows Lotte On's new brand TwinWhale. [LOTTE]
Major Korean retail companies are stepping up their push into the beauty market by launching in-house cosmetic brands and investing in original design manufacturers, or ODMs, as K-beauty continues to gain global recognition.
Lotte On, the online platform operated by Lotte Shopping, will showcase its new beauty brand TwinWhale at Lotte On's ongoing “Viewcera” beauty promotion event this month, the company said on Monday. The brand was co-developed with partner firms and focuses on skin-radiance products targeting consumers in their 20s and 30s.
The product line includes the Glow Collagen Serum, which uses a dual formula combining a moisture-rich glow layer and an oil capsule layer. The Glow Peptide Lip Jam features plant-derived oils.
“We focused on the glow and radiance segments within the basic care and makeup categories because those segments are seeing the fastest growth,” a Lotte On representative said. “We launched the lip jam to provide both moisture and shine for the lips, reflecting the recent trend for fuller-looking lip makeup.”
To mark the brand launch, Lotte On is offering discounts of up to 67 percent on select products through Nov. 19.
Shinsegae International, which identified beauty as a key growth area early on, has also accelerated its expansion in the sector this year.
The company acquired K-beauty brand Amuse — known for its lip tint worn by singer Jang Won-young — last year. In September, Shinsegae restructured its cosmetics division by establishing two dedicated units to strengthen its beauty portfolio.
Sales from Shinsegae International’s cosmetics business have shown steady growth, increasing from 360.3 billion won ($248 million) in 2022 to 379.7 billion won in 2023 and 414.9 billion won in 2024.
In the third quarter this year, Shinsegae International recorded 310.4 billion won in total sales. Despite an operating loss of 2 billion won, the cosmetics segment posted 111.1 billion won in quarterly revenue, its highest to date. Both imported and in-house brands contributed to the growth.
Separately, Shinsegae Food announced on Oct. 2 that it would invest 50 billion won in C&C International, a Korean ODM specializing in color cosmetics.
“We are participating as a financial investor,” a Shinsegae Food spokesperson said. “We decided to invest in the fast-growing beauty industry to secure a stable earnings base.”
This article was originally written in Korean and translated by a bilingual reporter with the help of generative AI tools. It was then edited by a native English-speaking editor. All AI-assisted translations are reviewed and refined by our newsroom.
BY KANG KI-HEON [[email protected]]
with the Korea JoongAng Daily
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