Korean beauty, especially skin care, has become quite popular in recent years. And now that Kbeauty has become a global category unto itself, multinationals and indie beauty brands are advancing Kbeauty color too.
In the indie space brands like JUNGSAEMMOOL, Son & Park, Koh Gen Do, and Touch In Sol are making a name for themselves in the US and elsewhere beyond Korea. And it was not quite one year ago that L’Oréal bought into the Kbeauty color category, acquiring Stylenanda, as Cosmetics Design reported.
At the time of the deal, Yann Le Bourdon, president of L’Oréal Korea explained that “with this acquisition, L’Oreal Korea will substantially reinforce its presence in the accessible makeup market;” adding that “We are very proud to welcome the Group’s first Korean beauty brand and contribute to [bringing] Korean beauty and style to the rest of the world.”
VDL Cosmetics arrives in Canada
Now, LG Household & Health Care is bringing its Kbeauty products to Canada. LG Household & Health Care has been in business since 1947 and owns brands such as Belif, The Face Shop, and Fruit & Passion.
The company’s first North American VDL Cosmetics flagship store is in the Queen West neighborhood of Toronto. And in April, elsewhere in the same city, VDL will have an interactive pop-up shop as well. “I've been visiting Korea for years now and having VDL here in North America is beyond exciting,” says Martin Younan, a makeup artist working with the brand since 2012. “They are,” he adds in the company’s media release, “a brand that truly delivers high-quality ingredients, innovation and performance unlike any other makeup brand out there.”
Product portfolio and new launches
The VDL product portfolio comprises not only color cosmetics but also skin care, body care, and fragrance as well as applicators, tools, and accessories. Some of the brand's more renowned products are the VDL Expert Lip Cube, a square bullet lipstick design that promises “clean application fitting the curves of your lips….[and] up to 12 hours of wear-time,” according to the media release; the brand’s Lumilayer Primer, which is said to give a dewy, glowy, glassy finish; and the Expert Metal Cushion Foundation, which is a cushion compact with “a hygienic metal plate that helps prevent bacteria build-up and product dry-out.”
In April, VDL will be again launching a Pantone Colour of the Year collection. (The beauty maker has been partnering with Pantone since 2014.) “The 2019 limited edition Living Coral range consists of beautiful velvet matte lipsticks, a vivid eyeshadow palette containing 12 pigments and a brush set – amongst other eye-catching products,” according to the media release.
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Deanna Utroske, CosmeticsDesign.com Editor, covers beauty business news in the Americas region and publishes the weekly Indie Beauty Profile column, showcasing the inspiring work of entrepreneurs and innovative brands.