Customers who previously bought clothing on fashion platforms are now purchasing cosmetics as well. The increase in beauty purchases among existing fashion customers indicates a shift from clothing-centered consumption to include cosmetics. In response to this demand, platforms are diversifying their skincare product lines and increasing their own brands and exclusive items.
According to industry reports, about 86% of beauty customers on the women's fashion platform Queenit made their first cosmetic purchase after buying fashion items in the first half of this year. During the same period, the number of beauty customers increased by approximately 45% compared to the previous year, with transaction volume rising by 35%.
At Musinsa, 83.1% of customers who made their first beauty purchase between January and August this year had prior experience buying clothing, shoes, or accessories. This indicates that customers drawn in by fashion purchases are now also buying cosmetics, making existing members a key demographic for beauty sales.
Fashion platforms already have a substantial user base. According to WiseApp & Retail, the monthly active users (MAU) for Ably reached 10.27 million in September, a 10% increase from the same month last year. Musinsa had 7.53 million users, up 7%, while Zigzag reported 4.73 million, a 16% increase. Queenit and W Concept had 2.64 million and 930,000 users, respectively.
In online shopping, the transaction volume for cosmetics is growing faster than that for clothing. According to the National Data Agency's 'Online Shopping Trends for August 2026,' the transaction volume for online cosmetics from January to August this year reached 10.3788 trillion won, a 13.4% increase from 9.1485 trillion won during the same period last year. In contrast, clothing transaction volume rose only 1.5%, from 14.0613 trillion won to 14.2703 trillion won. This presents an opportunity for fashion platforms to expand into the growing cosmetics market based on their existing customer base.
Cosmetics have a shorter repurchase cycle than clothing, making them a product that can encourage repeat purchases from existing customers. Musinsa plans to strengthen its skincare product line, building on its existing strengths in color cosmetics and fragrances. From January to August this year, transaction volumes for brands like Estra and Ilyoon on the Musinsa app increased by 193% and 289%, respectively. In response to the growing sales of basic skincare products, Musinsa established a separate 'Dermatological Cosmetics' category on its online store last month, emphasizing functionality and efficacy based on skin concerns.
Ably launched its first beauty private brand, 'Biblee,' in April, adding a color line called 'Be Collection.' The makeup brand Espoir also released a new cushion color exclusively. Last month, W Concept sold exclusive planned products from the cosmetics brands Hera and Estra. In the first half of this year, W Concept's beauty exclusive product transaction volume surged by 986%, outpacing the 102% increase in fashion exclusive products.
An industry insider noted, "Recently, consumers in their 10s to 30s tend to purchase makeup products that match their clothing style. As the trend shifts towards selecting fashion and beauty products together rather than separately, demand for cosmetics on fashion platforms is expected to continue growing."
* This article has been translated by AI.
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