ETUDE

What ETUDE does

ETUDE is a Korean beauty brand founded in December 1985 and headquartered at 100 Hangang-daero, Yongsan-gu, Seoul, South Korea, operating as ETUDE Corporation. It is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Amorepacific, one of Korea's largest cosmetics conglomerates, and operates under CEO LEE SU YOUN. The brand sells color cosmetics, skincare, sun care, cleansers, nail products, body and hair care, and beauty tools across multiple sub-brands including SoonJung (low-irritation skincare backed by 30+ years of sensitive-skin science, low-pH formulations at pH 5.5 and 6.5), Dear Darling (lip tints), Sunprise (SPF50+ PA++++ sun care), Ginger Sugar (lip care), Moistfull Collagen (collagen skincare), Baking Powder (pore cleansing), MODI (nail), and a dedicated vegan-certified line. Products are priced at unit retail between roughly USD 5 and USD 35, positioning ETUDE as a mass-tige accessible K-beauty brand.

ETUDE's business model is consumer-retail D2C plus marketplace and physical retail. The company sells directly to end consumers through its owned global e-commerce site (int.etude.com, launched in English in May 2025), through Amazon Marketplace with exclusive SKUs (SoonJung 2x Barrier Intensive Cream, Soonjung Whip Cleanser, Soonjung Relief Toner), through Olive Young's global online marketplace and Korean physical stores, and through its own ETUDE-branded retail stores in Korea including the Sinchon Flagship Store. The company offers a custom Foundation Factory shade-matching service at flagship stores on a monthly reservation cycle. Pricing is pay-as-you-go unit retail with no subscription or contract layer.

The brand supports multiple consumer segments simultaneously: general beauty consumers seeking playful K-beauty color cosmetics, sensitive-skin consumers served by the SoonJung line, vegan/cruelty-free consumers served by certified vegan SKUs, and personalized-beauty consumers using Foundation Factory. Marketing is digital-first through Instagram (@etudeofficial.global), TikTok (@etudeusa_official), hashtag campaigns (#deardarling, #SoonJung, #Vegan), and the ZEPETO virtual world. ETUDE is integrated into Amorepacific's Beauty Point cross-brand loyalty program, allowing points earned at ETUDE to be redeemed across Amorepacific partner brands. Brand recognition includes the 2021 Glowpick Award in the Tint category and a 10-consecutive-week #1 ranking on Naver Beauty Window's makeup category for Fixing Tint. No public revenue, headcount, or financing figures are disclosed; ETUDE is a private subsidiary of publicly listed Amorepacific.

Name

ETUDE

Legal name

ETUDE Corporation

Website

https://int.etude.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1985

Operating status

Operating

Short description

ETUDE is a Seoul-headquartered Korean beauty brand (founded 1985) and Amorepacific subsidiary that sells mass-tige color cosmetics, low-irritation skincare (SoonJung), lip tints (Dear Darling), and sun care to global consumers through owned DTC, Amazon, Olive Young, and Korean physical retail.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Cosmetics

NAICS

Cosmetics, Beauty Supplies, and Perfume Retailers (456120)

SIC

Perfumes, Cosmetics & Other Toilet Preparations (2844)

akta.pro primary industry

Beauty & Personal Care Omnichannel (CRAFAEAB)

akta.pro secondary industry

Beauty & Personal Care Online Retailers (CRAFADAC)

Keywords

• Korean cosmetics
• Color makeup products
• Low-irritation skincare
• Lip tint formulations
• Vegan beauty products

Headquarters

HQ city

Seoul

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, Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Direct Product Sales: ETUDE generates revenue through direct sales of cosmetics and skincare products via its global e-commerce website, with products ranging from $7.99 to $34.80. The company sells directly to consumers with global shipping capabilities.
2. Marketplace Sales: Products are sold through Amazon (with Amazon Exclusive items like SoonJung 2x Barrier Intensive Cream and Soonjung pH 6.5 Whip Cleanser) and Olive Young (international marketplace). These marketplace channels provide additional revenue streams and international reach.
3. Physical Retail: Products sold through ETUDE brand stores and retail partners in South Korea. The company maintains physical retail presence including flagship stores like ETUDE Sinchon Flagship Store (02-313-1916).

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

ETUDE is a Korean beauty brand that manufactures and sells color cosmetics (lip tints, mascaras, foundations, eye palettes), skincare (SoonJung low-irritation line, Moistfull Collagen), sun care (Sunprise), cleansers, and beauty tools. The brand sells through its global e-commerce website (int.etude.com), Amazon marketplace (with Amazon Exclusives), Olive Young, and physical ETUDE retail stores in South Korea.

Product overview

ETUDE is a Korean beauty brand inspired by Chopin's Études, offering playful self-discovery through beauty. The brand operates primarily through its ETUDE House main brand supplemented by specialized sub-brands and product lines. Key sub-brands include SoonJung (low-irritation skincare for sensitive skin), Dear Darling (beloved lip tints), Ginger Sugar (moisturizing lip care), and Sunprise (sun protection). The comprehensive product portfolio spans eye makeup (mascaras, eyeliners, eyeshadows, brow products), lip products (tints, lipsticks, lip balms, lip masks), face makeup (foundations, blushers, highlighters, base products), skincare (toners, serums, creams, emulsions), cleansers, nail products (MODI line), and body/hair care. Notable flagship products include the Curl Fix Mascara, Fixing Tint (award-winning), SoonJung 2x Barrier Intensive Cream, and Nymph Aura Volumer. ETUDE also offers custom services like the Foundation Factory for personalized foundation matching. The brand is part of the Amorepacific group and maintains a strong presence through its global e-commerce platform, Amazon exclusives, and Olive Young marketplace listings.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• SoonJung (순정): Low-irritation skincare line with 30+ years of sensitive skin science, designed for sensitive skin approved products including barrier creams, toners, and cleansers.
• Sunprise
• Dear Darling
• Vegan Line

Products and services

• ETUDE House Main Brand Comprehensive Korean beauty product line spanning eye, lip, face, nail, body, and hair categories with hundreds of SKUs including lip tints, lipsticks, mascaras, eyeliners, eyeshadow palettes, foundations, blushers, brushes, and beauty tools. Targeted at general beauty consumers seeking playful K-beauty products.
• SoonJung Skincare Line Low-irritation skincare line powered by 30+ years of sensitive skin science. Includes barrier creams, gentle cleansers, toners, emulsions, and calming ampoules formulated at low pH (5.5/6.5) for sensitive and easily irritated skin.
• Dear Darling Tint Lip tint collection featuring marker tints and water tints with hydrating, vibrant color payoff and dewy finish. Long-loved Korean favorite in the lip tint category.
• Fixing Tint Award-winning tint that softly sets with a natural, blurred finish. Comfortable on lips with long-lasting wear and vibrant color payoff. Won 10 consecutive weeks as #1 on Naver Beauty Window and the 2021 Glowpick Award in the Tint category.
• Curl Fix Mascara Vegan mascara with all-day hold and zero-smudge formula providing lifted, curled, clean, and defined lashes. Marketed as ETUDE's No.1 mascara.
• Double Lasting Foundation 24-hour wear foundation with strong adherence, coverage, and soft matte finish. Available in SPF35/PA++ variant and 12+ shades.
• Ginger Sugar Lip Care Lip care line featuring overnight masks, tint balms, essential balms, lip balm sticks, melting balms, and lip serums formulated with ginger extract for moisturizing and nourishing lips.
• Sunprise Sun Care Sun care line including sun milk and stick formats with SPF50+ PA++++ protection, featuring mild and lightweight formulas.
• Moistfull Collagen Collagen-infused skincare and cleansing line featuring deep creams, intense serums, toners, emulsions, sheet masks, and cleansing foams for plump and dewy skin.
• MODI Nail Care Nail care line including nail colors (MODI Glam Nails), top coats, and nail removers for daily and glamorous nail looks.
• Play Color Eyes Multi-color eyeshadow palettes in various color stories (Autumn Closet, Hype Khaki, REPLAY, Cookie Chips) with diverse textures and finishes, including 30+ color options.
• Nymph Aura Volumer Vegan hydrating radiant multi-cream for face and body glow that boosts skin moisture and provides transparent glow.
• Foundation Factory Custom Service In-store custom foundation matching service that creates foundation customized to a customer's skin tone and coverage preferences. Reservations open on the 26th of each month at ETUDE flagship stores in South Korea.
• SoonJung 2x Barrier Intensive Cream Vegan intensive barrier cream formulated to strengthen the skin barrier for sensitive skin. Available as an Amazon Exclusive product.
• Kong Kong Blusher Soft-liquid blusher with sponge-tip applicator that blends seamlessly and provides a lively glow. Available in 5 shades.
• My Best Tone Eye Palette Tonal eye palette with a variety of textures and colors tailored to personal tone, including warm tone and mocha mousse shades.
• Baking Powder Pore Cleanser Deep cleansing line featuring pore cleansing foams, creams, and scrubs formulated with baking powder for effective pore cleaning and firm foam textures.
• CAREddict All-in-One Base Multi-functional skincare-makeup hybrid base products for soothing balance.
• 0.2 Therapy Air Mask Daily low-irritation sheet masks available in 10 variants including Green Tea, Snail, Lemon, Manuka Honey, Ceramide, Aloe, Pearl, Hyaluronic Acid, Collagen, and Tea Tree.
• Soft Fix Makeup Fixer Vegan makeup fixer spray that helps makeup stay in place with a natural finish.

Quantifiable outcome

• Fixing Tint achieved 10 consecutive weeks #1 ranking on Naver Beauty Window makeup category
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers1 record

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Four partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• AmazoncoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorAmazon serves as a major marketplace channel for ETUDE products globally. The partnership includes Amazon Exclusive product lines such as SoonJung 2x Barrier Intensive Cream, Soonjung pH 6.5 Whip Cleanser, and Soonjung pH 5.5 Relief Toner. ETUDE maintains official Amazon storefronts and links to Amazon from product pages on their official website.
• Olive YoungcoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorOlive Young is a key retail partner for ETUDE in the Korean beauty market with both physical stores and global e-commerce platform (global.oliveyoung.com). Products sold include Kong Kong Blusher, My Best Tone Eye Palette Caffeine Addict, and Dear My Bestie Look At My Eyes Duo. The partnership enables international accessibility for ETUDE products.
• ZEPETOminorGTM or Marketing PartnerZEPETO is a virtual world platform partnership for digital beauty experiences. ETUDE maintains a presence on ZEPETO (@etudeofficial) allowing users to interact with the brand in virtual environments and potentially try virtual makeup looks.
• Amorepacific (Beauty Point)coreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorETUDE participates in Amorepacific's integrated membership program Beauty Point (beautypoint.co.kr). Beauty Point members can earn and redeem points at ETUDE stores and across all Amorepacific partner brands. 1 Beauty Point equals 1 won in value, and members can use points for product redemption or partial payment up to 100% of purchase amount.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• MISSHA: Independent K-beauty brand offering similar mass-market color cosmetics (Time Revolution skincare, M Perfect Cover BB Cream) at comparable price points with global e-commerce and Amazon presence — a direct challenger in the same consumer segment.
• 3CE (Stylenanda): K-beauty color cosmetics brand (lip tints, face products, eye palettes) targeting a similar young female demographic with comparable price points and viral-led social commerce; competes with ETUDE's Dear Darling and Fixing Tint hero SKUs.
• Skinfood: Established K-beauty brand (founded pre-ETUDE era) offering food-inspired skincare and color cosmetics at mass price points; comparable heritage, channel mix, and target demographic to ETUDE's core positioning.
• Dear, Klairs: K-beauty skincare brand focused on gentle, low-irritation, vegan formulations for sensitive skin — closely comparable to ETUDE's SoonJung line in formulation philosophy, target segment, and global DTC/Amazon distribution.
• Laneige: Another Amorepacific sister brand, focused on hydration-led skincare (Water Bank, Lip Sleeping Mask). Directly comparable omnichannel K-beauty positioning, shared Beauty Point membership, and overlapping global e-commerce and Sephora-tier distribution strategy.
• Innisfree: Sister Amorepacific brand and the closest direct peer — K-beauty mass-market color cosmetics + skincare with global e-commerce, Amazon presence, and overlapping Gen Z / millennial target audience. Both brands compete within the same Amorepacific portfolio for similar shelf space and the same Beauty Point loyalty members.
• The Face Shop: K-beauty mass-market brand spanning skincare, color cosmetics, and body care with global retail footprints and Amazon distribution; competes head-to-head with ETUDE in drugstore-tier channels across Asia and the West.
• COSRX: K-beauty skincare specialist built on snail mucin, AHA/BHA, and sensitive-skin formulations. Direct overlap with ETUDE's SoonJung low-irritation positioning and global Amazon/Shopify-led distribution to the same sensitive-skin Gen Z consumer.
• Peripera: Affordable K-beauty color cosmetics brand with a strong lip tint portfolio (Ink Mood, Ink Airy) at price points nearly identical to ETUDE's Dear Darling line — a direct rival in the lip tint subcategory globally.
• TONYMOLY: K-beauty brand known for playful, packaging-led positioning and affordable price points — a near-direct positioning analog to ETUDE's 'Beauty Play Culture' across color cosmetics, skincare, and masks.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Instagraminstagram.com/etudeofficial.global
• Facebookfacebook.com/etudeofficial
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/etudehouse

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 ETUDE