What IT’S HANBUL does

IT'S HANBUL (잇츠한불) is a South Korea-based, KOSDAQ-listed cosmetics manufacturer that designs, formulates, and sells skincare and beauty products across nine owned brand labels spanning mass-market, premium, clean derma, medical, body care, baby/kids, and pregnancy-safe positioning. Founded formally in 2006 as It'S Skin and absorbing Hanbul Cosmetics via a 2017 merger before rebranding to IT'S HANBUL, the company operates across Korea, China, and Japan through owned brand retail stores, department stores, dedicated brand e-commerce storefronts, wholesale to authorized retailers, and international export channels. Headquartered in Seoul (Gangnam) with manufacturing and a dedicated Convergence Research Institute in Eumseong County, Chungcheongbuk-do, plus a factory in Huzhou, China.

The company's technological backbone is the proprietary MLE® (Multi-Lamellar Emulsion) skin barrier platform developed by its wholly-owned subsidiary NeoPharm Co., Ltd., which powers the Atopalm, Real Barrier, Derma B, and Zeroid derma-cosmetic brands. The IP portfolio extends to 105 registered patents covering unsaturated lecithin nano-liposome delivery systems (Patent 10-0544442), soluble polyurethane hydrogel masks (Patents 10-1500987 and ZL 2015 1 0898504.4), piezoelectric PVDF formulations (Patents 10-2041748, 10-2385408), a 3-stage pure vitamin C stabilization method, probiotic strains (Lactobacillus pentosus HB-8023, Bacillus subtilis HB-31, Lactobacillus sakei AMP 5104, Bacillus jejuensis HB-20), low-molecular-weight pectin oligomer from Jeju citrus peel (Patent 10-1220091), and an eco-friendly betaine-citric acid deep eutectic solvent (Patent 10-2493443).

Revenue is generated primarily through one-time cosmetics product sales across the brand portfolio, supplemented by licensing and royalty income from the proprietary MLE® technology and brand portfolio licensed to other manufacturers and distributors. The company targets broad consumer demand for personalized skincare (It'S Skin, ICS), sensitive and dry skin barrier care (Atopalm, Real Barrier, Zeroid), high-end alchemedic anti-aging (Flamel MD), clean derma (Dixionist), body moisturizing (Derma B), and infant and maternal skincare. Direct-to-consumer sales through brand-owned stores and e-commerce sit alongside channel partners including department stores and authorized multi-brand retailers domestically and in export markets.

Name

IT’S HANBUL

Legal name

주식회사 잇츠한불 (IT'S HANBUL CO.,LTD.)

Website

https://itshanbul.com

Company type

Public

Founded year

2006

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

101–250 employees

Short description

IT'S HANBUL is a KOSDAQ-listed South Korean cosmetics manufacturer operating nine skincare brands (It'S Skin, Flamel MD, Atopalm, Real Barrier, Derma B, Zeroid, and others) powered by its NeoPharm subsidiary's proprietary MLE® skin barrier technology, selling across Korea, China, and Japan via owned retail, e-commerce, department stores, and wholesale channels.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Yeoksamdong

HQ country

South Korea

HQ region

Asia

Offices3 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

Supply Chain, Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Cosmetics Product Sales: IT'S HANBUL generates revenue primarily through the sale of cosmetics products across its portfolio of nine brands (잇츠스킨, 플라멜엠디, 딕셔니스트, ICS, 아토팜, 리얼베리어, 더마비, 제로이드, 체이싱래빗). Products are sold through direct retail stores, department stores, online channels, and wholesale distribution to authorized retailers.
2. Brand Licensing and OEM: The company licenses its proprietary technologies (MLE®) and brand portfolio to other manufacturers and distributors, generating licensing and royalty revenue.

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels6 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

IT'S HANBUL is a Korean cosmetics manufacturer that develops, produces, and sells branded skincare, body care, and dermo-cosmetic products across nine consumer brands (It'S Skin, Flamel MD, Dixionist, ICS, Atopalm, Real Barrier, Derma B, Zeroid, Chasing Rabbit). The portfolio is built on a proprietary MLE® (Multi-Lamellar Emulsion) skin barrier technology developed by its subsidiary/family company NeoPharm, with products sold through own retail stores, department stores, brand e-commerce sites, and authorized wholesalers domestically and abroad.

Product overview

IT'S HANBUL is a comprehensive Korean cosmetics company operating multiple skincare brands under its portfolio. The company's product ecosystem includes 9+ brands spanning various skincare positioning: It'S SKIN (general consumer skincare), Flamel MD (high-end alchemedic solutions), Dixionist (clean derma), ICS (personalized diagnosis), Atopalm/Real Barrier/Derma B/Zeroid (medical skincare using proprietary MLE® technology). Core to the portfolio is Neopharm's MLE® (Multi Lamellar Emulsion) technology—a proprietary skin barrier technology that reproduces healthy skin structure. The company also maintains a research pipeline with 105 patents covering various cosmetic formulations, delivery systems, and bioactive ingredients.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• 잇츠스킨 (It'S Skin): Personalized skincare brand researching individual skin types and providing authentic skin concern solutions with balanced healthy skin products
• 플라멜엠디 (Flamel MD)
• 딕셔니스트 (dixionist)
• ICS
• 아토팜 (Atopalm)
• 제로이드 (Zeroid)
• 더마비 (Derma B)
• 리얼베리어 (Real Barrier)

Products and services

• It'S Skin (잇츠스킨) A consumer skincare brand researching individual skin types and providing authentic skin concern solutions that respect skin-type diversity, offering balanced, healthy skin through products for normal to varied skin needs.
• Flamel MD (플라멜엠디) A high-end alchemedic skincare brand offering premium, science-driven 'real effect' professional skincare, including a 135 line that integrates galvanic device technology to deliver active ingredients via microcurrent.
• Dixionist (딕셔니스트) A clean derma skincare brand developed in close cooperation with skin science researchers, delivering high-efficacy products that are clean for skin and clean for the environment.
• ICS A cosmetics brand that accurately diagnoses individual skin types and conditions to provide optimal product selection and personalized solutions for healthy, beautiful skin.
• Atopalm (아토팜) A sensitive-skin specialized derma-cosmetic brand featuring the proprietary MLE® technology, including Maternity, Baby and Kids, and general sensitive-skin lines that strengthen and protect dry and sensitive skin barriers.
• Real Barrier (리얼베리어) A derma-cosmetic brand specializing in skin barrier care using the proprietary MLE® technology and MaltaCross® structure, which reproduces healthy skin lipid composition and structure to maintain a healthy skin barrier.
• Derma B (더마비) A daily moisturizing body care brand combining MLE® moisturizing science with cypress tree sap extract, formulated as a 5-free product (no parabens, phenoxyethanol, mineral oil, dyes, ethanol) with 48-hour moisturizing and skin irritation test completion.
• Zeroid (제로이드) A medical skincare brand based on NeoPharm's MLE® and Defensamide technologies, focused on restoring weakened skin barriers to health through continuous research and product development.
• Chasing Rabbit (체이싱래빗) A consumer brand within IT'S HANBUL's nine-brand portfolio.

Quantifiable outcome

• MLE® technology: skin barrier structurally similar to natural skin lipid layers, providing sustained moisture protection
• +3 more outcomes

Segments7 records

Ideal customer profiles7 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature10 records

Partnerships

Two partnerships are on record, tiered core.

• 네오팜 (NeoPharm Co., Ltd.)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 May 2017NeoPharm is IT'S HANBUL's family company (패밀리컴퍼니) and the developer of MLE® technology, the core proprietary technology used across IT'S HANBUL's brands (Atopalm, Real Barrier, Zeroid, Derma B). Founded by Dr. Park Byung-deok, NeoPharm develops the skin barrier technology that IT'S HANBUL's derma-cosmetics brands are built upon.
• 한불화장품 (Hanbul Cosmetics Co., Ltd.)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 May 2017Hanbul Cosmetics was merged into It'S Skin (now IT'S HANBUL) in May 2017. The merger aimed to enhance management efficiency and maximize synergies through integration of cosmetics manufacturing and sales businesses. Merger ratio: 1 (It'S Skin) : 8.1186341 (Hanbul Cosmetics). New capital increased by 2,229,007,500 KRW with 4,458,015 new common shares issued.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• AmorePacific: Korea's largest cosmetics conglomerate with multi-brand portfolio (Sulwhasoo, Laneige, Innisfree, Mamonde) covering mass, premium, and derma-cosmetic segments. Most direct comparable to IT'S HANBUL's nine-brand structure and MLE®-driven derma positioning.
• LG Household & Health Care: Operates The History of Whoo, Su:m37°, OHUI, belif and others, with AHC as a derma-cosmetics flagship. Comparable multi-brand Korean beauty model with similar premium/derma brand tiering to IT'S HANBUL's Atopalm, Real Barrier and Flamel MD.
• Cosmax: One of the largest Korean cosmetics ODM manufacturers with global R&D and manufacturing footprint. Comparable vertically integrated contract-plus-自有-brand model; both serve derma-cosmetics clients and invest heavily in delivery-system and ingredient patents.
• Kolmar Korea: Korean cosmetics and health-functional-food ODM with own brand portfolio (e.g., Witch's Garden, A'pieu via Able C&C stake). Competes with IT'S HANBUL for contract manufacturing and shares the multi-brand, science-led positioning.
• Able C&C (Cosrx): Owner of Cosrx and A'pieu, Korean skincare brands built on ingredient-led formulation (e.g., snail mucin, propolis). Closely comparable to IT'S HANBUL in marketing to global skincare enthusiasts via ingredient-efficacy narratives and K-beauty e-commerce.
• AHC (LG H&H): Korean derma-cosmetics brand owned by LG H&H, focused on sensitive-skin and barrier-strengthening products. Most directly comparable to IT'S HANBUL's Atopalm, Real Barrier and Zeroid in clinical-derma positioning.

Broad incumbents

• Innisfree (AmorePacific): AmorePacific-owned natural-ingredient skincare brand with strong global footprint. Comparable to It'S Skin and Atopalm in ingredient-led positioning but with significantly larger global distribution.
• Dr. Jart+ (Estée Lauder): Korean derma-cosmetics brand now owned by Estée Lauder, leveraging proprietary formulations and global Sephora distribution. Comparable to Real Barrier and Zeroid in derma-brand positioning but with the backing of a global luxury beauty parent.
• La Roche-Posay (L'Oréal): Global derma-cosmetics leader under L'Oréal, focused on sensitive skin, thermal spring water and barrier-care technology. Closest global analogue to IT'S HANBUL's MLE®-based barrier technology positioning but with vastly larger R&D and international distribution.
• Bioderma (NAOS): French derma-cosmetics brand under NAOS, built on ingredient-led formulation philosophy (D.A.F., micellar water). Comparable science-first derma positioning to IT'S HANBUL's Atopalm and Real Barrier brands.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks7 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UC2ESJiS4mPL1TYMGur0tmkw
• Instagraminstagram.com/realbarrier

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles6 records

Subsidiaries2 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about IT’S HANBUL