TikTok’s Favourite Sunscreen Brand Pushes Further Into the US

Seek for “sunscreen” on TikTok, and one title is certain to return up: Great thing about Joseon.

A seven-year-old skincare model primarily based in Seoul, the label is featured in 16 of the prime 20 movies about sunscreen on the platform; the hashtag for the model title has 1.7 billion views. Great thing about Joseon has been on an upward climb: It grew income from simply $83,000 in 2020 to $116.7 million in 2023 and estimates it should attain $250 million this yr, exceeding the forecasts of prime M&A targets like Summer season Fridays, Benefit, and Kosas. That’s regardless of the incontrovertible fact that the UV filters in its hero product, the Reduction Solar: Rice + Probiotics sunscreen, should not accredited by the US FDA and it isn’t accessible at any main US magnificence retailer.

“We thought, ‘Okay, this might be the top sales of our history, and in the future as well,’” stated Great thing about Joseon co-founder Sumin Lee, reflecting on the model’s largest viral moments by way of a Zoom name from Seoul. “But it grows every single year more than the last year.”

This week, Great thing about Joseon is cementing its US presence with its first pop-up in the nation in Los Angeles, which can run Nov. 8 to 16. In 2025, it plans to enter a significant US retailer. Up till now, it’s solely been accessible by means of on-line channels, small boutiques and low cost retailers, prompting a wave of counterfeits to flood Amazon and TikTok Store.

To formally enter the US market, Great thing about Joseon faces continued crimson tape on the subject of its hottest product. Trump’s US election victory on Tuesday means an unsure future for each FDA laws and costs on imports. The model, nonetheless, understands find out how to deliver Ok-beauty merchandise to a brand new market: its mother or father firm is Goodai World, which Great thing about Joseon co-founder Juhyuck Cheun began in 2017 as an export distributor of Ok-beauty manufacturers like Cosrx. It now focuses completely by itself manufacturers, which embrace TirTir, Laka, iUnik and Home of Hur.

World From the Begin

The present iteration of Great thing about Joseon, which was first based in 2017, arrived after Goodai purchased the model in 2019. Lee and Cheun revamped each aspect of it besides the title and emblem, launching a brand new set of merchandise.

Due to assist from prime US magnificence influencers like Hyram Yarbro and James Welsh, Great thing about Joseon’s serums noticed early stateside traction. Nevertheless it was the 2022 launch of its Reduction Solar sunscreen that served as a turning level for the model. Immediately, Reduction Solar sunscreen contains 35 % of gross sales; its different sunscreens take up one other 20 %. It has the sixth-highest month-to-month Google search quantity in the United States for sunscreen, in response to shopper traits analysis agency Spate.

“Sunscreen in the US does not feel nice to apply. It burns your eyes, gives you a white cast and can make your makeup slide off your face,” stated magnificence influencer Charlotte Palermino, including {that a} facial sunscreen with out these points at Great thing about Joseon’s worth level is difficult to return by. Its unapproved UV filters are additionally attractive. “It’s skincare street cred to say that you use international sunscreens,” she added. “When you say that, it’s like a wink to someone that you really know your skincare.”

Influencers say the worth level (a 50mL bottle of its Reduction Solar prices $18), dewy texture, the incontrovertible fact that it doesn’t go away a white solid and transparency on scientific trials are all a draw. Skincare-focused creators, together with Palermino, Sarah Palmrya and Ava Lee have been amongst the numerous influencers that gave the product a rave evaluation on social media. Lee stated that the model was in a position to double down on that curiosity.

“We tried to reach out to every single person who mentioned our products,” stated Lee, including that the model discovered methods to deepen these relationships with infatuated influencers, akin to making a product collectively. It teamed up with Ava Lee, for example, to create a moisturiser and gua sha instrument beneath the banner “Jelloskin,” and with UK-based influencer Ramón Pagán, often called Glow by Ramón, for the Matte Solar Stick sunscreen, which accommodates Korean UV filters accredited in the UK.

However even the influencers themselves are considerably perplexed at simply how massive it’s gotten and the way shortly, notably given the incontrovertible fact that energetic UV filters, which embrace ethylhexyl triazone and diethylamino hydroxybenzoyl hexyl benzoate, should not but accredited by the US FDA. To entry Korean filters not accredited by the FDA, prospects typically have to purchase from worldwide retailers and hope the field doesn’t get inspected by customs. TikTok has impressed customers to take the threat.

“It’s wild,” stated Palermino. “And also, just literally circumventing regulations. It’s crazy. But it’s the American dream. It’s kind of poetic in a way.”

US Ambitions

For Great thing about Joseon, nonetheless, the sunscreen being laborious to get has solely helped increase its attract. To purchase the remainder of its skincare merchandise, the checklist of authorised retailers in the US consists of small Ok-beauty boutiques like Senti Senti in Brooklyn in addition to low cost retailers Costco, TJ Maxx and Marshalls.

However because it prepares to maneuver into the US in an even bigger manner, a special technique is required.

The model would profit if Korean filters are accredited in the US, as they already are in different markets like the UK. Lee stated she hasn’t undertaken any policy-related initiatives relating to sunscreen laws or spoken to lawmakers. However at the very least one has taken an curiosity in the concern. Consultant Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, who referred to as Great thing about Joseon her “ride-or-die” sunscreen in an Instagram story, made a 2023 video with Palermino calling on individuals to contact their representatives to hurry up new UV filter approval.

Till that occurs, Great thing about Joseon presents a US-formulated model of its sunscreen completely on Amazon, and plans to enter a significant US retailer in 2025. It stays to be seen if customers are as fervent about the US-formulated model. Ava Lee stated that whereas the US-approved sunscreen is “really good,” noting that it’s extra light-weight than the unique, she nonetheless likes the unique another.

Even with out FDA approval of its unique UV filters, the model sees a chance to additional scale in its largest market. Its pink-walled LA pop-up is an enormous a part of that effort. Referred to as “Rice Wonderland,” the pop-up highlights rice as certainly one of its key elements and promotes its second US-formulated sunscreen product, its new Day by day Tinted Fluid Sunscreen made with zinc oxide.

“We’ve been a digital brand for five years. We want to be a brand in the real world that everyone can get from the beauty stores in their neighbourhood,” she stated.

Touchdown in a US retailer, albeit with a brand new formulation, might additionally assist it fight the flood of counterfeit merchandise and unauthorised sellers on Amazon and TikTok Store, which Lee stated they’re reporting “every single day, every single hour.” With the product extra simply accessible, there might be much less demand for dupes. Great thing about Joseon has additionally arrange official retailers on each TikTok and Amazon, and lately joined the Amazon Transparency Program. Nonetheless, it’s an uphill battle.

The purpose going ahead is to take the model from favorite for in-the-know skincare fans to mainstream phenomenon, in addition to develop Goodai’s portfolio. Great thing about Joseon was its first acquisition, whereas TikTok-viral make-up model TirTir was acquired in June 2024. Its subsequent acquisition might be Skin1004.

“In the long term, I want to be a brand like CeraVe or The Ordinary,” stated Lee. “We want to be a brand that lasts a long time, not a TikTok-viral brand.”

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