Information has been circulating on Korean native media that German hair care model Wella and L’Oreal Group’s Maybelline New York will withdraw from the market.
On 3 February, Korea outlet Biz.Hankook revealed that Maybelline, one of many L’Oreal Group’s most recognisable color beauty manufacturers, will finish its operations in Korea.
CosmeticsDesign-Asia was in a position to affirm with a L’Oreal Korea consultant that Maybelline will stop its operations by the primary half of 2025.
This was a strategic resolution by the French magnificence big to deal with the model with essentially the most development potential in Korea.
Magnificence professional Odile Monod mentioned color beauty manufacturers particularly can wrestle in South Korea as Korean magnificence requirements and product preferences are usually vastly completely different from these within the West.
Monod is a Seoul-based artwork director and wonder marketer who has labored for internationally famend magnificence conglomerates throughout Europe and Asia. She additionally based the web site, The Monodist.
Nonetheless, she said that Maybelline has continued to be a well-liked model in Korea.
“Maybelline loved good recognition, particularly with their Colossal Mascara franchise, which has been a high vendor in Korea for years.”
Along with the Colossal Mascara, different Maybelline merchandise have garnered necessary Korean awards. Between 2020 to 2025, Maybelline has gained awards from Olive Younger, Glowpick and Powder Room.
Final yr, Maybelline’s Match Me Pores and skin Tint and Lash Sensational Sky-Excessive Mascara scored Glow Decide Magnificence Awards within the Tone-up Base and Lengthening Mascara classes respectively.
The Maybelline New York Superstay Lumi-Matte Basis gained the second place in the most effective basis class within the mid-year Powder Room awards in 2024. The Lash Sensational Sky-Excessive Mascara additionally scored the third prize in the most effective mascara class.
Behind the wrestle
Regardless of having fashionable mascaras, it has been robust for L’Oréal to broaden to extra classes.
“I believe that is what in the end led to L’Oréal’s resolution to withdraw the model to deal with different corporations that align higher with the general style of Korean customers,” mentioned Monod.
“I imagine the Korean market has reached a degree of maturity the place overseas manufacturers have to create a transparent positioning technique and totally perceive native market dynamics to succeed. Make-up manufacturers particularly, can wrestle to adapt as a result of Korean magnificence requirements and product preferences are usually vastly completely different from these in Western markets.”
Nevertheless, Monod doesn’t imagine these completely different are “essentially a drawback” for overseas manufacturers, citing the recognition of manufacturers resembling MAC Cosmetics (Estée Lauder Corporations) and NARS (Shiseido Firm).
“Manufacturers like MAC and NARS have thrived in Korea exactly as a result of they capitalised on this distinction by specializing in professionals and customers preferring gyopo-style (Western-style) make-up.”
Korean Color cosmetics model 3CE, which was acquired by L’Oréal in 2018 additionally managed to thrive on its variations.
“Some may argue that this mannequin is more durable to duplicate on a drugstore degree the place manufacturers can’t depend on aspirational advertising, however I believe the unique success of the Korean drugstore model 3CE says in any other case since they gained recognition by interesting to the identical demographic at a extra accessible value level,” mentioned Monod.
“In the end, for overseas model to reach Korea it’s essential to know these completely different market nuances and regulate their methods accordingly.”
Shock at Wella’s withdrawal
Whereas it made sense as to why Maybelline was calling it quits, Wella’s resolution got here out of left discipline.
“Wella had established a robust presence in skilled hair salons so their sudden exit caught everybody off-guard… The explanations behind their exit stay a thriller for the time being,” mentioned Monod.
Wella’s Korean distributor SPW Korea, posted a press release on Wella Korea’s e-commerce saying that provides of Wella merchandise will stop by February.
The assertion additionally defined that the choice to “fully withdraw from the Korean market” was made by Wella headquarters.
The distributor additionally described the choice as “sudden” and that it had “strongly requested Wella to reverse this resolution on a number of events”.
“Sadly, the choice couldn’t be reversed,” it concluded.
SPW Korea prolonged its “honest gratitude to our clients who’ve liked Wella for a very long time.”
Wella replacements wanted
Based on Monod, native media is presently reporting that hair salons struggling to search out “legitimate options” for Wella, particularly, their hair dyes.
In the identical assertion, SPW Korea introduced that it launched Japanese model FIOLE in January.
“FIOLE is a high model main the Japanese magnificence market with wonderful product capabilities and a younger and stylish sensibility… In-depth testing by the Wella Korea coaching staff have satisfied us that FIOLA’s colors and product vary are a worthy substitute for Wella. FIOLE is able to confidently present higher product expertise and cheap costs to home magnificence professionals.”
Different worldwide magnificence manufacturers which have withdrawn from Korea lately embrace Recent (LVMH), THREE (Pola Orbis Holdings), and retailer Sephora (LVMH).
