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 capable of 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 give attention to the model with probably 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 sweetness marketer who has labored for internationally famend magnificence conglomerates throughout Europe and Asia. She additionally based the web site, The Monodist.
However, she said that Maybelline has continued to be a preferred 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 essential Korean awards. Between 2020 to 2025, Maybelline has received 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 Choose Magnificence Awards within the Tone-up Base and Lengthening Mascara classes respectively.
The Maybelline New York Superstay Lumi-Matte Basis received the second place in one of the best basis class within the mid-year Powder Room awards in 2024. The Lash Sensational Sky-Excessive Mascara additionally scored the third prize in one of the best mascara class.
Behind the wrestle
Regardless of having well-liked mascaras, it has been robust for L’Oréal to increase to extra classes.
“I believe that is what in the end led to L’Oréal’s resolution to withdraw the model to give attention to different firms that align higher with the general style of Korean shoppers,” mentioned Monod.
“I consider the Korean market has reached a stage of maturity the place international manufacturers have to create a transparent positioning technique and completely 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 consider these completely different are “essentially a drawback” for international manufacturers, citing the recognition of manufacturers reminiscent of 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 shoppers 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 would possibly argue that this mannequin is more durable to copy on a drugstore stage the place manufacturers can’t depend on aspirational advertising and marketing, 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 international model to reach Korea it’s essential to grasp 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 subject.
“Wella had established a powerful presence in skilled hair salons so their sudden exit caught everybody off-guard… The explanations behind their exit stay a thriller in the meanwhile,” mentioned Monod.
Wella’s Korean distributor SPW Korea, posted an announcement on Wella Korea’s e-commerce saying that provides of Wella merchandise will stop by February.
The assertion additionally defined that the choice to “utterly 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 beloved Wella for a very long time.”
Wella replacements wanted
In line with Monod, native media is at present reporting that hair salons struggling to seek out “legitimate alternate 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 classy sensibility… In-depth testing by the Wella Korea coaching workforce 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 embody Contemporary (LVMH), THREE (Pola Orbis Holdings), and retailer Sephora (LVMH).
