Currently, there is a phenomenon of opening rush to Daiso. This is because Daiso Beauty products are attracting the attention of the public. This all traces back to an influencer whose name is “Roro.” Daiso is on-trend by selling small amounts of cosmetics at relatively low prices.

  According to the Daiso concern, “In the Jan. to Oct. period of 2024, sales of basic cosmetics increased by 240% from the same period of the previous year (2023), and sales of color cosmetics increased by 130%.” On Feb. 8, 2025, Daiso purchased 58 brands and sold 682 products.

  The reason why Daiso’s products have become popular is their extreme cost-effectiveness. It increased sales by selling expensive cosmetics at reasonable prices in the form of samples. A typical example from last year would be Reedle Shot. Daiso experienced a sell-out crisis for this product. Another example would be Medipeel Modeling Pack. It is sold at Olive Young for 3,000 KRW, but you can buy it at Daiso for 2,000 KRW. This was consistent with consumersʼ demand to buy the same product at a reasonable price.

  However, there are still customers who have distrust toward Daiso cosmetics. The reason is that in the past Daiso beauty products had low functionality or caused skin trouble, which decreased customers’ trust. Daiso beauty products had a reputation of “Cheap prices, but poor quality.” Despite this assessment, recently, Daiso has been actively reflecting consumer reviews and collaborating with several street shops to release various cosmetics with good quality at reasonable prices.

  Kim (Dept. of economics, 24) usually considers not only the design of cosmetics but also reviews from consumers when she buys cosmetics. She has experienced buying functional products, eyeshadow, cushion foundation, etc. from Daiso. She revealed her first impressions, “I think the cost-effectiveness is great. Frankly speaking, I expected the quality to be lower than the cosmetics which I used before because of the price. Notwithstanding, I felt that the well-fitted products were better than the street shops’ ones. Even the ambiguous products were good enough quality considering the price.” Concerning the question of difference with high-end cosmetics, she said “There are similar skin care products. I thought that several products from Daiso were better than other expensive ones. However, in the case of eyeshadow or cushion foundation, I felt some difference as the texture was strangely rough and it would sometimes get cakey or pilling.” Another interviewee, Ms. Kim (22), living in Gyeonggi-do replied “At first, I tried a combination of cheap products and felt that my skin improved more than when I used expensive ones. It is cheaper to buy 3 to 4 products that you like than to buy an expensive cosmetic, and if you buy products that go well together, you will feel that the quality is much better. I am more satisfied with them than with the 10,000 KRW cosmetics which I used.” In addition, she was disappointed that “Daiso sells products in collaboration with various companies, so they do not seem to be much of a difference in terms of actual functionality. Rather, official distributions of products such as Reedle Shot were more expensive considering their volume.”

  Among the companies collaborating with Daiso a total of nine brands, including VT, Madeca21, IPKN, Tag, Danahan, Elastine, VPROVE, Hatherine, Steambase, and Donggubat are gaining great popularity at Daiso Mall (Daiso’s official online shopping mall). In addition, the popular products in Feb. 2025 include VT-Reedle Shot, Son&Park-Color Balm, IPKN-Correcting Pact, Mini Capsule Pack, Medipeel Modeling Pack, and Madeca21-Relief Spot Care Patch.

  On the other hand, Daiso has targeted Men’s Beauty as its new goal. It is selling 22 sorts of cosmetics for men in collaboration with 4 brands, which are Sneaky, Daily Comma, BRTC., and JMsolution. Mr. Park, a man in his 20’s living in Suwon, Gyeonggi-do, uses its skin care products, modeling packs, and Reedle Shot. When asked how he first encountered Daiso Beauty, he answered, “I was mainly through reviews from consumers and famous influencers on social media (Instagram, Tiktok, Youtube).” He has consulted ▲Daiso official channel ▲Online community or blogs ▲Social media search when purchasing its cosmetics. He said, “The impression of Daiso cosmetics is ‘amazing cost-effectiveness and a wide range of products.’ Most of the products are priced between 1,000 and 5,000 KRW, which is one-tenth the price of costly brands, but the quality is evaluated to be very good. I recently came across an article that 350 products from over 40 brands, ranging from basic skin care products to color cosmetics used by women, have been launched. Because of this, I thought it was a great opportunity for consumers to use a wide range of cosmetics at affordable prices.” He also suggested that satisfaction was ambivalent. He expressed, “There were three advantages and two drawbacks. First, the range of skincare products has expanded not only for women but also for men. Second, the number of products designed for sensitive skin has increased. Personally, I was very satisfied with the low-irritant products that extract ingredients from plants like Houttuynia cordata. Lastly, social mediaʼs viral marketing played a significant role. Since men generally have fewer opportunities to access cosmetics compared to women, reviews labeling certain products as ‘hidden gems’ at Daiso were actively shared on YouTube Shorts and Instagram, making them more accessible.” On the other hand, he complained “The makeup products had slightly lower durability compared to high-end products from major brands. Additionally, there was a significant change in quality. Unlike popular products, less popular ones were very low quality, and the gap was so wide that it felt like there were only a few products worth buying, which was somewhat disappointing.”

  Daiso cosmetics have recently gained great popularity among consumers for offering both great value for money and quality. The stereotype that products with low prices have poor quality will no longer be a concern. Through social media and short-form content, Daiso Beauty is advertised with a friendly image to the public. Daiso cosmetics, which sell products in small quantities, have the advantage of being able to consume everything within a short expiration date. Additionally, they meet the needs of consumers who try multiple cosmetics to find the ones that suit them best. Daiso Beauty generally receives positive reactions from consumers. Daisoʼs success is expected to continue even amid the recession.