Skinfood
Skinfood is a Seoul-based K-beauty manufacturer founded in 1957 that sells food-ingredient skincare across 35+ lines via direct-to-consumer e-commerce in 10+ countries; the brand was acquired by Gudai Global in 2024.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1957
- HeadquartersSeoul, South Korea
- Headcount51–100
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingHardware or Manufacturing
What Skinfood does
Skinfood (주)스킨푸드 is a South Korea-based cosmetics and personal care manufacturer founded in 1957 in Seoul, operating the original "food cosmetics" brand concept built on the premise that ingredients beneficial for consumption also benefit skin. The company develops and sells a broad portfolio of ingredient-themed skincare lines — including Carrot Carotene (vegan-certified), Gold Caviar, Royal Honey Propolis, Red Bean Tranexamic Acid, Banana PDRN, Lemongrass Niacinamide, Black Sugar, Yuzu Vitamin C, and Blue Chamomile — across pads, toners, serums, creams, sheet masks, cleansers, and sun care. Formulation differentiation is centered on real food-derived ingredients (carrot, rice, acorn, honey, banana, parsley, basil) rather than synthetic fragrance, with proprietary methods including solvent-free carrot steaming extraction and sous vide mask preparation; R&D is conducted through the affiliated I.P. Iris research institute.
The business model is direct-to-consumer e-commerce, anchored by the official theskinfood.com storefront in Korea and nine regional storefronts covering the US, Japan, Hong Kong, Vietnam, Thailand, Turkey, Iraq, Guatemala, and Bangladesh. Pricing is tiered across entry (2,000–10,000 KRW), mid-range (15,000–27,000 KRW), and premium (21,900–38,000+ KRW) SKUs, supported by a mobile app, Naver Pay, Kakao/Facebook/Apple login, and membership/rewards programs. Skinfood serves two primary consumer segments — general K-beauty/skincare enthusiasts and vegan/sensitive-skin buyers — through both the general catalog and dedicated vegan lines. The company has been privately held since its 2024 acquisition by Gudai Global (Goodai Global) for an aggregate ~$521 million alongside Serin Company, positioning Skinfood as a flagship asset in a K-beauty roll-up targeting a 2026 IPO at a reported KRW 10 trillion valuation.
Skinfood firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Skinfood
- Legal name
- (주)스킨푸드
- Website
- https://theskinfood.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1957
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 51–100 employees
- Short description
- Skinfood is a Seoul-based K-beauty manufacturer founded in 1957 that sells food-ingredient skincare across 35+ lines via direct-to-consumer e-commerce in 10+ countries; the brand was acquired by Gudai Global in 2024.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Skinfood industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Skincare and Cosmetics
- NAICS
- Cosmetics, Beauty Supplies, and Perfume Retailers (456120)
- SIC
- Perfumes, Cosmetics & Other Toilet Preparations (2844)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Natural/Organic & Clean Skincare (CRABAAAH)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Sensitive Skin & Barrier Repair (CRABAAAG), Body Skincare (Lotions, Creams, Body Oils) (CRABAAAD), Skincare Sets, Kits & Travel Sizes (CRABAAAL)
Keywords
Where Skinfood is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Seoul
- HQ country
- South Korea
- HQ region
- Asia
Offices1 record
Markets served
Skinfood business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Hardware or Manufacturing
- Cost components
- Supply Chain, Marketing or Sales
Revenue model
- Direct Product Sales: Skinfood generates revenue through direct sales of skincare, mask, cleansing, and sun care products to consumers via its official e-commerce website and potentially through retail partners. Products are sold at various price points ranging from entry-level to premium.
- Acquisition by Goodai Global: Skinfood was acquired by Goodai Global (Gudai Global) for approximately $521 million as part of a portfolio expansion strategy, indicating significant company valuation through acquisition.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Entry-level products (pads, masks, daily care) |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Mid-range products (serums, toners, creams) |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Premium products (Gold Caviar, Collagen Plus lines) |
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels2 records
Marketing channels5 records
Skinfood product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Skinfood manufactures and sells a wide range of food-based skincare and personal care products organized into ingredient-themed product lines (e.g., Carrot, Royal Honey, Gold Caviar, Red Bean, Black Sugar, Rice, Yuzu, Banana). The portfolio covers pads, toners, essences, serums, creams, sheet masks, cleansers, sun care, spot treatments, and beauty tools sold primarily through its official e-commerce channels in South Korea and across 10+ international regional websites.
Product overview
Skinfood is an original food cosmetics brand established in 1957, operating under the philosophy that 'what is good to eat is also good for the skin.' The company offers a diverse portfolio of food-based skincare products organized into ingredient-themed product lines including Carrot Carotene (vegan-certified), Gold Caviar (premium anti-aging), Royal Honey Propolis, Red Bean Tranexamic Acid (brightening), Banana PDRN (vitality), and over 35 other lines such as Lemongrass, Yuzu Vitamin C, Black Sugar, Blue Chamomile, and Peach. The product range encompasses pads, toners, essences, serums, creams, masks, cleansers, and sun care across these lines. The brand also offers an 'ONLY Official Mall' exclusive channel with larger sizes and special bundles, plus beauty tools like eyelash curlers and spot patches. Skinfood's differentiated approach uses actual food ingredients (carrots, honey, caviar, vegetables) rather than synthetic fragrance, positioning itself as a natural cosmetics brand with 60+ years of heritage, and was acquired by Goodai Global in a reported $521 million deal in 2024.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Carrot Carotene Line Skincare line featuring carrot extract rich in beta-carotene for moisture and soothing care; the brand's first vegan-certified line using natural carrot extraction without chemical solvents.
- Gold Caviar Line
Quantifiable outcome
- Products exported and sold in 10+ countries globally
- +1 more outcomes
Companies that use Skinfood
Customer profileSegments2 records
Ideal customer profiles2 records
Skinfood technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Integration4 records
Feature3 records
Skinfood partnerships and signals
Strategic signalScale indicators3 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights6 records
Skinfood competitors and assessment
Company assessmentMarket position
Strengths2 records
Competitive moat3 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
Skinfood social profiles
Digital presenceSkinfood financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Skinfood leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles1 record
Skinfood funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds1 record
Investors1 record
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Skinfood M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Skinfood
What does Skinfood do?
Skinfood manufactures and sells a wide range of food-based skincare and personal care products organized into ingredient-themed product lines (e.g., Carrot, Royal Honey, Gold Caviar, Red Bean, Black Sugar, Rice, Yuzu, Banana). The portfolio covers pads, toners, essences, serums, creams, sheet masks, cleansers, sun care, spot treatments, and beauty tools sold primarily through its official e-commerce channels in South Korea and across 10+ international regional websites.
Is Skinfood a public or private company?
Skinfood is a private company. It is classified as corporate owned and is currently operating.
When was Skinfood founded?
Skinfood was founded in 1957. It employs 51 to 100 people.
Where is Skinfood based?
Skinfood is headquartered in Seoul, South Korea, in the Asia region.
How does Skinfood make money?
Two revenue lines are on record. Direct Product Sales are the primary driver. The others are acquisition by Goodai Global.
Does Skinfood have an API?
No public API is recorded for Skinfood.
What industry is Skinfood in?
Skinfood's product category is Skincare and Cosmetics. Its primary akta.pro industry code is CRABAAAH, Natural/Organic & Clean Skincare, with a secondary code of CRABAAAG, Sensitive Skin & Barrier Repair. Its NAICS code is 456120 and its SIC code is 2844.