In-House Data Points to Premiumization as Volumes Decline
Cushion foundations—one of K-beauty’s most iconic color cosmetics categories—are entering a period of transition on China’s largest e-commerce platform, Tmall.
According to a two-year analysis of Tmall sales data conducted and compiled by this publication, the category is experiencing more than a cyclical slowdown. Instead, it is undergoing a structural shift toward qualitative expansion, marked by higher prices, stronger brand differentiation, and increased consumer involvement in purchase decisions.
2025: Age 20’s Dominates a Winner-Takes-All Market
In April 2025, total sales of the top 10 Korean cushion brands on Tmall reached 47,700 units. The market at the time exhibited a classic winner-takes-all structure, with sales heavily concentrated in a small number of hit products.
Age 20’s led decisively with 32,000 units, accounting for approximately 67% of total top-10 sales. Jung Saem Mool Beauty followed with 7,000 units. MISSHA and 3CE each recorded 2,000 units.
The category was largely driven by brand recognition and large-scale promotions, with cushion foundations still widely perceived as accessible, high-rotation color cosmetics rather than premium base makeup.
2026: Lower Volumes, Stronger Product Architecture
By April 2026, total top-10 sales declined to 28,800 units, a year-on-year drop of roughly 40%. Despite the contraction, market fundamentals appeared to strengthen.
Age 20’s Signature Essence Cover Pact maintained the top position with 20,000 units, though at a reduced scale. Jung Saem Mool Essential Skin Nuder Longwear Cushion sold 3,000 units. 3CE Glow Cushion followed with 2,000 units.
Meanwhile, brands such as Hera, Sulwhasoo, CNP, and Dr. Althea—all associated with premium or dermal-focused positioning—secured smaller but steady volumes, signaling a gradual redistribution of market weight.
Price Bands Rise: Cushions Become High-Involvement Products
One of the most consequential changes has been pricing.
In 2026, leading cushion products on Tmall were primarily priced in the 150–200 yuan range, with luxury-tier offerings exceeding 300 yuan.
Notable examples include:
Sulwhasoo Perfecting Cushion: 267–329 yuan, Laneige Neo Cushion: 199–209 yuan, Age 20’s Signature Cushion: 156–230 yuan.
The durability of demand at these price levels suggests Chinese consumers increasingly view cushions not as casual touch-up tools, but as high-involvement base makeup products, where coverage, glow, longevity, and formula stability are evaluated holistically.
Product Reframing: From Convenience to Skincare-Infused Base Makeup
Product messaging has evolved in parallel with pricing trends.
While 2025 campaigns emphasized coverage and ease of use, leading products in 2026 highlighted terms such as “essence,” “skin nuder,” and “ampoule-infused.” These cues underscore the growing convergence of skincare and color cosmetics within the cushion category.
Cushions are no longer positioned merely as simplified alternatives to liquid foundation. Instead, they are increasingly framed as core base makeup items that merge skin treatment benefits with complexion enhancement.
April Top 10 cushion sales volume on Tmall Korea Pavilion.
Conclusion: Volume Growth Ends, Formulation Quality Takes Center Stage
Based on this publication’s review of two years of Tmall sales data, the K-beauty cushion segment appears to be slimming in volume while advancing in technical sophistication and price architecture.
The promotion-driven, scale-first growth model that once defined the category is rapidly losing momentum. In its place, brand credibility, formula refinement, and nuanced skin-expression capabilities are emerging as the decisive factors for success.
As one industry source observed, future competitiveness will depend less on sheer coverage power and more on how effectively brands can communicate K-beauty’s signature expertise in refined skin expression.
In that sense, the contraction in unit sales may signal not decline, but a transition toward a more mature and premium phase for K-beauty cushions in China.
[Editor’s Note]
This publication does not rely on third‑party syndicated reports. We directly collect and aggregate publicly available sales data from official brand flagship stores on China’s Tmall platform, and have been tracking long‑term sales trends across eight core K‑beauty product categories since May 2019.
댓글
0