Luxury cosmetics brands begin offering VIP skincare services

[Courtesy of Handsome Corp.]

Luxury cosmetic brands stationed on the first floors of department stores are now offering hotel spa-level skincare services exclusively to their VIP customers, adding a layer of differentiation in their marketing to the rich.

These services, typically reserved for customers who spend over 5 million won ($3,700) annually, are so sought after that waiting times can extend up to two months due to the fierce competition for a reservation.

According to sources on Monday, high-end cosmetics brands, including Guerlain, Cle de Peau, La Mer, Valmont, and Oera, in major Korean department stores are segmenting customers into different tiers based on their yearly spending to manage memberships. Under this system, spending around 5 million won within a year qualifies one for VIP membership.

The price tag for creams and serums from these brands are around 1 million won, making it relatively easy for regular buyers to hit the annual spending mark required for VIP status, as purchasing just one bottle per quarter will set them back 4 million won annually.

While most cosmetic brands devote significant effort to customer management overall, the VIP services offered by luxury cosmetic brands are notably more exclusive and opulent. Rather than providing discounts or free gifts to a limited number of VIPs, these brands focus on offering unique gifts, experience vouchers, and cultural experiences to enhance customer engagement.

Notably, these brands provide skincare services in secluded areas within the department stores that are accessible only to VIPs. Comparable to high-end hotel spas, which cost an average of 400,000 won per session, these services are conducted in locations that are unknown to non-VIPs.

In these elegantly designed spaces, customers can enjoy herbal tea while filling out a questionnaire about their skin, followed by personalized skincare services from a therapist. Many of these therapists have over a decade of experience, primarily in luxury hotel spas.

“After 13 years in a 5-star hotel spa, I joined Oera, and all my colleagues have over 15 years of experience,” Oera VIP therapist Lee Hanna said.

Although the offerings vary by brand, VIP customers typically receive up to 10 complimentary sessions per year. The goal is to use the brand’s products for skincare treatments while teaching the customers how to use the products effectively and thus maximize product benefits. Due to the personalized and time-consuming nature of these services, the number of clients who can be accommodated daily is limited, leading to intense competition for reservations.

“Reservations are usually full for the following one or two months,” an Oera official said, adding that maintaining their VIP status to access skincare services is a common motivation among the company’s clients, with the repurchase rate among customers who have received the service at 90 percent.