Why Maybelline and Wella are exiting South Korea

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 choice by the French magnificence large to deal with the model with probably the most development potential in Korea.

Magnificence professional Odile Monod mentioned color beauty manufacturers specifically can wrestle in South Korea as Korean magnificence requirements and product preferences are typically 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 acknowledged that Maybelline has continued to be a preferred model in Korea.

“Maybelline loved good reputation, 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 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 Decide 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 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 common mascaras, it has been powerful for L’Oréal to develop to extra classes.

“I believe that is what finally led to L’Oréal’s choice to withdraw the model to deal with different firms that align higher with the general style of Korean customers,” mentioned Monod.

“I consider the Korean market has reached a stage of maturity the place overseas manufacturers must create a transparent positioning technique and completely perceive native market dynamics to succeed. Make-up manufacturers specifically, can wrestle to adapt as a result of Korean magnificence requirements and product preferences are typically vastly completely different from these in Western markets.”

Nevertheless, Monod doesn’t consider these completely different are “essentially an obstacle” for overseas 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 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 copy on a drugstore stage 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 reputation by interesting to the identical demographic at a extra accessible worth level,” mentioned Monod.

“Finally, for overseas model to achieve Korea it’s essential to grasp these completely different market nuances and alter their methods accordingly.”

Shock at Wella’s withdrawal

Whereas it made sense as to why Maybelline was calling it quits, Wella’s choice 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 in the intervening time,” mentioned Monod.

Wella’s Korean distributor SPW Korea, posted a press release on Wella Korea’s e-commerce asserting 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 choice 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

In keeping with Monod, native media is at present reporting that hair salons struggling to seek out “legitimate options” for Wella, specifically, 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 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 affordable costs to home magnificence professionals.”

Different worldwide magnificence manufacturers which have withdrawn from Korea in recent times embody Contemporary (LVMH), THREE (Pola Orbis Holdings), and retailer Sephora (LVMH).