Musinsa Beauty to Launch Dedicated Dermocosmetics Category

Musinsa Beauty is preparing a dedicated online section for dermocosmetics, responding to strong growth in skincare products marketed around targeted performance and skin concerns. Seoul Economic Daily reported that the company will begin operating the new “Derma Cosmetics” category in its app next month.

The move follows the opening of Musinsa Beauty Hongdae, where the retailer has already given pharmacy-linked and high-function skincare a distinct presence. The company is using both its physical store and mobile platform to expand its skincare business and make specialist products easier for shoppers to find.

Sales growth drives the expansion

Musinsa’s decision comes after several derma brands recorded sharp increases in transaction volume on its beauty platform. Between January and August this year, Aestura’s transaction volume was 193% higher than during the same period a year earlier. It ranked first among skincare brands on Musinsa Beauty during that period.

Other brands also posted substantial gains. Illiyoon’s transaction volume increased by 289%, while COSRX rose 72% and Cell Fusion C advanced 69%. The figures point to growing activity around products positioned as more functional or purpose-led than conventional skincare, giving Musinsa a reason to organize the category separately rather than placing all products within a broader skincare section.

The new lineup will include established international names, including Bioderma, as well as leading Korean brands such as Aestura and Cell Fusion C. Musinsa also plans to add newer companies whose products draw on pharmaceutical or biotechnology expertise. Rejuexcell was cited as one example of the type of emerging brand the retailer wants to bring into the category.

For Musinsa, the category is intended not only to gather existing sellers but also to create a more selective assortment. The company plans to assess potential brands using several criteria, including skin-related tests and certifications from Korea and abroad. It will also consider pharmaceutical research and development capabilities, clinical knowledge and experience connected to dermatology clinics, and the trust associated with distribution through pharmacies.

A broader push into skincare

Skincare has become an important source of new additions to Musinsa Beauty. It represented roughly one-fifth of the brands added to the platform this year, the largest proportion among all beauty categories.

The company is also pointing to the early performance of recently introduced labels as evidence that smaller skincare businesses can gain traction on its platform. Layer Lab, a high-efficacy skincare brand that joined in April, recorded August transaction volume exceeding its combined total for June and July. Its performance followed promotional activity and an offline pop-up event.

Revive for You, which entered the platform in late July, reached the top of Musinsa Beauty’s brand rankings on its first day. These examples support Musinsa’s plan to use the beauty platform to develop newer labels alongside better-known domestic and global names.

The strategy gives the retailer a role beyond selling established products. By setting requirements around testing, research, clinical expertise and pharmacy credibility, Musinsa is seeking to distinguish brands through evidence and specialist associations as it expands its skincare range.

Linking the store and the app

Musinsa Beauty Hongdae opened on the 11th of this month and includes a skincare area on its second floor. Its basement level contains a “Pharmacy Beauty” space created with Onnuri Pharmacy, bringing together pharmacy cosmetics and products promoted for high functionality.

The physical store provides the starting point for a more specialized presentation of skincare, while the new app category will make the selection available online. Together, the two formats allow Musinsa to present derma products as a defined part of its beauty business rather than as a small segment within a general cosmetics assortment.

A Musinsa official said the company would use the pharmacy-focused store concept as a foundation for developing the derma section online. The retailer said it intends to broaden the portfolio from international dermocosmetics brands to new Korean labels while continuing to build its skincare competitiveness.

The timing reflects the performance of the category on Musinsa Beauty. With established brands growing rapidly and recently added companies producing strong early results, the company is now giving derma cosmetics a clearer identity across its retail operations.