Perfume is becoming the main category in the beauty market. In the past, perfume was confined to a corner of cosmetics stores, but nowadays sports brands, fashion platforms, and department stores are scrambling to enter the fragrance business. The scale of the perfume market is rising rapidly. Selling perfume is not only selling the scent, but it is also used as a way to showcase a brand’s image.

According to the industry on the 18th, sports brand Adidas is recently strengthening domestic marketing of fragrance line "Adidas vibes”. Adidas Vibe is a line that can be used casually in daily lifeand recently appointed actor Jae-won Kim as its domestic ambassador.

Global perfume company Coty is handling the license business and LG Household & Health Care is distributing domestically. It’s an attempt to expand the brand experience beyond sports wear. 

The expansion of the fragrance market is not just about sports brands. Fashion platforms are also entering the fragrance business as they see it as a new growth area. According to the industry, 29CM, operated by Musinsa, recently launched a fragrance collection through its private brand, 29CM First Trophy. The collection expresses the atmosphere of Seongsu-dong through scent.

Perfume is no longer just a cosmetic product. It is becoming a consumer item that shows personal taste and lifestyle. Along with perfumes, home fragrance products such as diffusers and room sprays are also gaining popularity. In fact, 29CM's beauty sales in the first half of this year jumped 301% from a year earlier, led by fragrance products.

Department stores are also beefing up their fragrance business. Lotte Department Store's Jamsil branch recently expanded its fragrance section. More than 20 brands, including global niche perfume brands such as Kilian and Ex Nihilo, have opened stores there.

Niche perfumes focus on exclusivity and individuality rather than mass production. As more consumers look for scents that are different from others, niche perfumes are becoming one of the main categories in beauty stores.

The way perfume is sold is also changing. In the past, customers simply bought products displayed on shelves. Nowadays, more experiential stores allow customers to try different scents and receive consultations from fragrance experts. Choosing a fragrance itself is becoming part of the shopping experience.

Seongsu-dong is one of the places where this trend is most noticeable. As more fragrance brands open flagship stores and hold pop-up events, the number of foreign tourists continues to increase. At some beauty stores, foreign customers account for as much as 74% of total sales.

Industry experts expect fragrances to become a new growth engine for the beauty market. Compared with makeup and skincare products, fragrances have a longer trend cycle and can attract consumers across all ages and genders.

An industry official said, "Perfume is no longer just a beauty product. It has become a consumer item that represents personal taste and lifestyle. In the future, providing a unique brand experience will be more important than simply creating a new scent."

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