“It’s great to see various cosmetics in one place, and with gifts and discounts, I plan to come every year.”
A woman in her 30s and her mother in her 60s shared this sentiment on November 12 at the Curly Beauty Festa 2026 held at the Dongdaemun Design Plaza (DDP) in Seoul. They mentioned they had come for a day out together and that this was their second visit after last year.
The Curly Beauty Festa, which allows attendees to try and compare cosmetics sold online, kicked off on November 12 and runs until the 15th at the DDP Art Hall. This year marks the third edition of the event, featuring 45 brands including SK-II, Eucerin, Sabon, and Amelie.
Before the 10 a.m. opening, a long line formed at the entrance as many visitors arrived early. The venue is organized into four themed zones: morning, day, evening, and night.
The Morning Zone showcases cleansers and gentle skincare products, while Dr. For Hair offers scalp diagnostic services. The Day Zone features sun care and makeup products, the Evening Zone highlights hair and body products along with foot care demonstrations, and the Night Zone allows visitors to experience high-performance skincare and beauty devices.
In the Curly Zone set up in each area, various events such as scent sampling and games took place. In the Morning Curly Zone, attendees could smell the “1450 Gobulso Breeze Jasmine Toothpaste,” co-developed by Curly and LG Household & Health Care, and receive the product. In the Night Curly Zone, samples of the “Duera 5X Two-Step Facial Film Mask” were provided after examining its formulation.
Upon entry, visitors received a welcome bag, and upon leaving, they were given a gift bag filled with beauty products. Throughout the venue, QR codes allowed attendees to check product discounts or request delivery for the items they experienced. This year, a new feature called “Beauty Curly Icon” introduced 48 popular beauty products.
Curly reduced the number of participating brands from 60 last year to 45 this year to enhance the quality of experiences rather than quantity. A Curly representative explained, “Visitors found it difficult to explore all booths while participating in events and waiting in line. We organized the layout to allow for focused experiences at each brand.” This year, approximately 14,000 visitors are expected.
Curly is investing in offline events to cultivate its beauty business as a new growth driver. In the third quarter of this year, the transaction volume for Beauty Curly increased by 25% compared to the same period last year. The transaction volume for brands participating in last year’s Beauty Festa also saw an average ninefold increase year-over-year.
Curly will hold an “November Grand Beauty Curly Festa” online until November 19, offering over 5,600 products at discounts of up to 90%. This strategy aims to connect on-site experiences with online purchases to broaden its customer base.
Kim Go-eun, head of Curly's brand marketing group, stated, “We aim to provide customers with intuitive and sensory beauty experiences through curated offerings across four daily time zones.”
* This article has been translated by AI.
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