'Inner Beauty' Supplements Emerge as Next Growth Engine for K-Beauty Industry | Be Korea-savvy

‘Inner Beauty’ Supplements Emerge as Next Growth Engine for K-Beauty Industry


As interest in not only external beauty but also inner health grows, "Inner Beauty" is gaining attention. (Image courtesy of W CONCEPT)

As interest in not only external beauty but also inner health grows, “Inner Beauty” is gaining attention. (Image courtesy of W CONCEPT)

SEOUL, Jan. 30 (Korea Bizwire) — In a significant shift within South Korea’s beauty industry, “inner beauty” supplements are gaining momentum as the next frontier of K-beauty, marking a transition from traditional cosmetics to ingestible beauty products.

According to industry sources, the inner beauty segment is experiencing rapid growth, driven by increasing consumer interest in holistic health approaches that promote beauty from within, focusing on benefits such as skin elasticity and whitening.

Olive Young, a major health and beauty retailer, has seen remarkable growth in its inner beauty category, with average annual sales increasing by 30% over the past two years. Sales surged 40% in 2023, followed by a 27% increase last year. The company had previously announced plans to develop inner beauty as its next growth engine in 2023.

While inner beauty products have existed before, primarily focusing on weight management, the category has evolved to include ingredients commonly found in functional cosmetics, such as collagen and retinol.

“The inner beauty market has expanded beyond its traditional slimming focus,” an Olive Young representative explained. “Products are now diversified into blood sugar management, diet probiotics, and skincare supplements featuring antioxidant glutathione and anti-aging retinol components.” 

Major cosmetics companies are investing heavily in inner beauty product research. Amorepacific launched Super Retinol C in October 2023, positioning it as a market leader in ingestible retinol supplements.

The product’s development leveraged the company’s extensive retinol research dating back to 1994, including multiple patents and scientific papers, with dermatologists participating in the development process.

Super Retinol C has seen remarkable success, with sales increasing approximately 500% in the second half of last year compared to the same period in the previous year. The company has reported strong reception even in Japan’s mature health supplement market.

“We plan to focus investment on inner beauty products, adapting the familiar cosmetic ingredient retinol into an ingestible format,” said an Amorepacific spokesperson.

LG Household & Health Care is also maintaining steady investment in the inner beauty sector. Through its health supplement brand Vital Garden (Saenghwal Jeongwon), the company offers products such as Hanami, which uses fermented placenta extract for skin beauty, and Bifium for weight management support, both of which continue to receive positive consumer response.

Inner beauty companies reported more than doubled sales last year compared to the previous year and are planning to strengthen their export initiatives. An LG Household & Health Care representative said, “We are preparing new products for launch in Vietnam and Singapore, and aim to expand our portfolio of differentiated health supplements and inner beauty products based on our R&D capabilities.”

Lina Jang (linajang@koreabizwire.com)

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