The company describes Freshian as a ‘high-performance vegan brand’ and its first fully vegan-certified brand that it has launched.
The new brand debuted with two types of cushion compacts, a range of lip balms, and a sunscreen. According to the press statement, the products were designed to ‘soothe the skin’ with ingredients including five types of hyaluronic acid and madecassoside.
The company said that it would expand the brand’s product portfolio this year with eye make-up, foundation and lipsticks.
It is responding to the growing interest in vegan cosmetic products in South Korea, especially among younger consumers.
To reduce the brand’s impact on the environment, its cushion puffs are made from corn starch and its packaging is made from sugarcane-derived raw materials.
It is currently available on the online multi-label platform 29CM geared towards millennials and Gen Zs. Additionally, it is set to be available on more online platforms, including NAVER, Market Kurly, as well as Kaokao Gifting.
LG H&H owns a range of international beauty brands including the History of Whoo, The Face Shop, and Su:m37.
It previously tested the waters with a vegan make-up range co-developed with two of its brands, belif and VDL, that launched in August last year. Earlier this year, it introduced The Therapy, a skin care range under the banner of The Face Shop.
Launching niche or specialised ranges has become somewhat of a trend with the company.
Recently, the company launched an anti-hair loss range under Elastine targeted at millennials and Gen Zs. According to the firm, it received ‘good response’ from its target consumer, securing new consumer base and accelerating sales growth. In the first quarter, Elastine grew by 18%.
It also launched J Monsters under the brand Dr. Groot for teenagers. The range consists of a shampoo for troubled scalp and a body wash that relieves acne-prone skin. This seems to also have performed well, as the brand improved by 12% in the first quarter.
The company said that through such micro-segmentation, it can better understand consumers in-depth and “provide valuable experiences to a larger variety of consumers”.
A tough year ahead
After quarter after quarter of breaking records, LG H&H experienced a slump in the first quarter of 2022, with operating profit declining by 52.6%.
The beauty division struggled due to the pandemic woes in China, dropping 39.6% in sales and 72.9% in operating profits. The company’s flagship luxury brand The History of Whoo declined by 54%.
Excluding the business in China, first-quarter sales and operating profit decreased 6.4% and 0.7%, respectively, said the firm.
As a response to the difficult market, the company said it would continue to launch new products and pursue new avenues of business.