Korean hair-care products gain traction amid K-beauty boom

(The Skin Factory)

South Korean hair-care products including shampoos and treatments are gaining traction abroad amid the global popularity of Korean basic skincare products.

According to sources from the cosmetics industry on Monday, The Skin Factory Co., which owns the hair treatment and shampoo brand Kundal, recorded estimated sales of 124.1 billion won ($84.64 million) last year, up 6 percent from a year earlier. It is the highest figure since its inception in 2016.

Overseas sales accounted for 52 percent of the company’s entire revenue, surpassing domestic sales for the first time.

The growth was driven by a combination of factors, including expanding its global reach to 80 countries, boosting sales through major offline retailers such as Emart, Traders, and Daiso, and increasing revenue from its online gift-focused brand, Objet by Kundal, via platforms like Kakao Gift.

Objet by Kundal has more than doubled in sales each year since its launch in 2022, generating approximately 7 billion won in sales last year.

It is expected to surpass 10 billion won in sales this year.

Wyatt Corp., which owns the shampoo brand Dr.FORHAIR and the hair treatment brand UNOVE, also achieved record sales last year, surpassing 100 billion won, according to industry sources.

“Just two or three years ago, our export volume was almost nonexistent,” said Kwon Kyu-seok, chief executive officer of Wyatt. “As K-Beauty gained massive popularity in markets like the United States and Japan, our hair care products also began to attract attention.”

Consequently, UNOVE sales surged in the U.S. and Japan, pushing its revenue above 100 billion won for the first time last year since its inception, he added.