Miniature cosmetics gain popularity among K-beauty consumers amid rising inflation, demand shifts

Miniature cosmetic products on display at an Olive Young store in Jongno 1-ga, central Seoul [NOH YU-RIM]

 
For many K-beauty consumers, smaller is better. Miniature cosmetics — also referred to as “petite” products — are seeing a surge in popularity as consumers navigate high inflation and sluggish domestic demand, on top of the trend favoring more personalized, experience-based spending.
 
On Nov. 3 afternoon, at the Olive Young branch near Jongno 1-ga in central Seoul, customers were seen browsing through rows of cosmetics, especially pausing in front of mini-sized lipsticks. Some even asked staff whether the store carried miniature versions of other products.
 

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“I buy mini beauty products when I want to try out a new color or a brand I don’t normally use," said Im Yeon-ji, 25, who purchased a mini primer and a mini lipstick at the store. "They’re a cost-effective way to experiment with new makeup.”
 
K-beauty brands are increasingly rolling out mini versions of their products. These products are typically sold at half or even one-third the volume of regular items, with correspondingly lower price points, and also allow consumers to try out new products without feeling the pressure to use up a whole product like samples.
 
For example, Banila Co reduced its 30-milliliter (1-ounce) foundation, which retails for 34,000 won ($24), to 14 milliliters for 16,000 won. Another brand, Lilybyred, downsized its 6-gram (0.21-ounce) lip tint to 2.5 grams, cutting the price from 14,000 won to around 8,000 won.
 

Miniature cosmetic products on display at an Olive Young store in Jongno 1-ga, central Seoul [NOH YU-RIM]

 
Online retailers are also seeing rising demand. On fashion and beauty platform Ably Corporation, searches for the term “mini shadow” rose 440 percent from Oct. 1 to 19 compared to the same period last year.
 
Sales figures reflect this growing trend. According to Ably, one of Hince’s 2-milliliter mini-sized tint products saw a 1,692 percent jump in transaction volume in the third quarter compared to the previous quarter. The company also reported a 611 percent year-on-year increase in searches for “lip balm keyrings” last month, highlighting the popularity of keyring-sized beauty items.
 
On Zigzag, a fashion and beauty platform operated by KakaoStyle, searches for mini cosmetics saw a sharp increase from Jan. 1 to Oct. 19 this year. Compared to the same period last year, searches for “mini lipstick” were up 817 percent, “mini shadow” 390 percent, “mini blush” 1,582 percent and “mini perfume” 1,030 percent. On Musinsa Beauty, searches for “small-sized beauty” and “keyring tint” rose 245 percent and 1,200 percent, respectively.
 
Industry insiders say this is no longer a short-term marketing gimmick but a sustained trend.
 

Miniature cosmetic products on display at an Olive Young store in Jongno 1-ga, central Seoul [NOH YU-RIM]

 
“Search volume — which directly reflects consumer interest — shows a steep increase in mini beauty product keywords," said a KakaoStyle official. "Their practical use and design appeal to younger consumers, making this a lasting beauty trend.”
 
“Beauty brands are now launching a wide range of small-volume products, often debuting them first through e-commerce platforms," said another industry insider. "These mini versions serve both as a test bed for new releases and a strategy to attract first-time customers.”
 
Kim Joo-deok, a professor of beauty industry studies at Sungshin Women’s University, noted, “Young consumers are quick to follow trends and tend to seek rational spending choices amid economic uncertainty. Buying a variety of smaller, more affordable products for a broader experience has become a defining trend in K-beauty.”


This article was originally written in Korean and translated by a bilingual reporter with the help of generative AI tools. It was then edited by a native English-speaking editor. All AI-assisted translations are reviewed and refined by our newsroom.
BY NOH YU-RIM [yoon.soyeon@joongang.co.kr]