What Grafen does

Grafen (그라펜) is a South Korean direct-to-consumer men's grooming and cosmetics brand operated by Xation Co., Ltd. (주식회사 세이션), with corporate headquarters in Seoul and roots in Gangneung. The company sells men's skincare (pore care, sebum control, moisturizing), hair styling (pomades, sprays, tonics formulated with Jeju seawater), base makeup (cushions, foundations, brow products), lip care (TripleLip magnetic refill balms), and fragrances (Tattoo Perfume line) through a multi-channel distribution model combining its own e-commerce storefront on Cafe24, Naver-based marketplaces, and offline retail presence in chains such as Olive Young. The product portfolio is anchored by a set of registered sub-brands (TripleLip, Pore All-Kill, Tattoo Perfume, Sun Pocket, Jeju Sea Water, Handsome) with proprietary formats such as a patented magnetic lip balm refill mechanism and an all-in-one oil-control sunscreen stick. Pricing is positioned in the mass-premium range, with individual SKUs priced approximately ₩14,000 to ₩49,000 and an average order threshold of ₩50,000 for free shipping.

Grafen's business model is direct-to-consumer unit sales supplemented by a regular delivery (subscription) option and a membership/loyalty points program. The company does not appear to have raised external venture or private equity capital, remaining wholly founder-owned with representative director Gu Gyeong-mo (구경모) at the helm. Marketing relies on Naver Shopping/Naver Pay, customer review programs on the official site, and periodic promotional collaborations (e.g., Fitbli x Grafen market events) offering discounts up to 59%. International/world shipping is available from the official online store, with a dedicated overseas B2B/export inquiry channel and localized storefronts in English and Chinese, indicating nascent cross-border intent though domestic South Korea remains the primary market. The company employs 51-100 people and was founded in 2012, operating as a private, profitable-by-default consumer brand with no disclosed AI/ML capabilities and a conventional commerce technology stack.

Name

Grafen

Legal name

(주)세이션

Website

https://grafen.co.kr

Company type

Private

Founded year

2012

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

51–100 employees

Short description

Grafen (그라펜) is a South Korean direct-to-consumer men's grooming and cosmetics brand selling skincare, hair styling, makeup, and fragrance products online via Cafe24, on Naver marketplaces, and through Olive Young offline retail, serving individual male consumers primarily in South Korea.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Men's Grooming & Personal Care

NAICS

Cosmetics, Beauty Supplies, and Perfume Retailers (456120)

SIC

Perfumes, Cosmetics & Other Toilet Preparations (2844)

akta.pro primary industry

Men’s Facial Skincare (Cleansers, Moisturizers, Anti-aging) (CRABAGAD)

akta.pro secondary industries

Aftershaves & Fragranced Grooming (Splash/Balm) (CRABADAK), Lip Makeup (Lipstick, Lip Gloss, Lip Liner, Lip Stain, Lip Balm-Tint) (CRABACAC), Makeup Palettes & Sets (Curated Palettes, Gift Sets, Multi-use Kits) (CRABACAF)

Keywords

• Men's grooming products
• Men's skincare
• Men's cosmetics
• Hair styling products
• Men's fragrances

Headquarters

HQ city

Gangneung

HQ country

South Korea

HQ region

Asia

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Direct Product Sales (B2C E-commerce): The brand sells men's grooming, skincare, makeup, and fragrance products directly to consumers through its official online store at graf en.co.kr, operating on the Cafe24 e-commerce platform. Products include hair styling (pomades, sprays, tonics), base makeup (cushions, foundations), lip products, and fragrances. Pricing ranges from approximately ₩14,000 to ₩49,000 per item. Revenue is one-time per transaction, with periodic subscription/regular delivery options.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels3 records

Core offering

Grafen designs, brands, and sells men's grooming, skincare, makeup, hair styling, and personal fragrance products directly to consumers through its e-commerce store and offline retail. Key product lines include TripleLip lip products with patented magnetic refill case, Tattoo Perfume fragrances, Pore All-Kill pore care system, Jeju Sea Water hair styling products, Sun Pocket sunscreen sticks, and Handsome men's base makeup. Products are priced from ₩14,000 to ₩49,000 and are formulated exclusively for male skin and hair characteristics.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• TripleLip Pro (트리플립™ 프로): Premium lip balm and lip color line for men, including lipsticks, lip senses, and refills in multiple color variants.
• Tattoo Perfume (타투 퍼퓸™)
• Pore All Kill (포어 올킬™)
• Jeju Sea Water (제주 해수)
• Sun Pocket (선 포켓™)

Quantifiable outcome

• Pore All-Kill product line addresses pore improvement and sebum control as primary functional claims

Named customers1 record

Segments1 record

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Seven partnerships are on record, tiered core and general.

• Cafe24 (주) 카페24coreTechnology or IntegrationCafe24 provides the e-commerce platform infrastructure (hosting, online store system) powering Grafen's official website and online operations.
• Korea Post / 우체국generalOthersKorea Post handles parcel delivery and shipping logistics for domestic orders across all regions of South Korea.
• Danal (주) 다날generalOthersDanal provides mobile payment processing services for Grafen's e-commerce transactions.
• KakaoPay (주) 카카오페이generalOthersKakaoPay provides simplified payment services enabling quick checkout for Grafen customers through the Kakao Pay platform.
• NHN Payco (주) NHN 페이코generalOthersNHN Payco provides simplified payment processing for Grafen's online store transactions.
• Blomn.AI (주) 블룸에이아이generalTechnology or IntegrationBlomn.AI handles KakaoTalk notification messages (informational alerts) and talk-based customer consultation services for Grafen.
• Snap Company (주) 스냅컴퍼니generalGTM or Marketing PartnerSnap Company uses customer personal information (name, ID, mobile number) to provide new product development, targeted services, event and advertising information, product review requests, and point/mileage rewards for Grafen.

Scale indicators2 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Broad incumbents

• Beiersdorf (Nivea Men): Global FMCG incumbent operating the Nivea Men line of face care, body, and shaving products worldwide — broad men's grooming incumbent with significantly larger R&D and marketing budget competing across categories Grafen operates in.
• Innisfree: Major Korean K-beauty brand owned by AmorePacific, selling skincare, makeup, and personal care across global retail and online — broader incumbent with overlapping men's and unisex categories competing for the same Korean consumer.
• L'Oréal Men Expert: Men's grooming line under L'Oréal spanning skincare, beard care, and anti-aging — global incumbent with mass-market distribution competing head-on with independent men's grooming brands for shelf and consumer mindshare.

Direct peers

• Tiege Hanley: Men's skincare D2C brand built around subscription boxes and direct online sales — comparable subscription/D2C model targeting male consumers with simplified skincare routines.
• Dr. Squatch: U.S.-based D2C men's grooming brand selling soaps, deodorants, skincare, and hair care direct to consumers online — closely comparable business model, male-only customer focus, and digital-first GTM to Grafen.
• Lumin: D2C men's skincare brand offering cleansers, moisturizers, and hair products through subscription and one-time purchase — directly comparable men's-only positioning, online-first model, and recurring-delivery mechanic.
• Some By Mi: Korean D2C skincare brand selling toners, serums, and acne-care SKUs via own storefront and global marketplaces — comparable Korean-origin DTC beauty brand competing on ingredient-led positioning and online channels.
• Bulldog Skincare: Men-only skincare and grooming brand selling face care, shave, and body products globally through retail and online — directly comparable male-only grooming positioning and multi-region retail presence.
• Duke Cannon: Men's grooming brand selling skincare, soaps, and beard care via D2C and major retail (Target, Walmart) — comparable male-only assortment and multi-channel (online + offline) distribution strategy.
• COSRX: Korean skincare brand with strong D2C and global retail distribution — comparable Korean-origin, ingredient-led positioning and similar online-plus-offline channel mix in the personal care category.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat2 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

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 Grafen