Korea has 33,000 beauty brands. We’re launching anyway.

On what it takes to be the 33,001st player in the market. 

 

The Why

 

I spent the last four years at a management consulting firm. Being a management consultant paid well (what more to ask for in this economy) — but I felt lost. Where was the version of me who loved to create art, dress up conspicuously, and do things just for the sake of it? 

The only times I felt real was when applying skincare.

Because the physical act of rubbing moisturizer in your face is intimate and comforting, skincare was my coping ritual. It’s kind of like when you fake a smile, you actually feel better. Skincare reminded me I was doing all of this, for me.

But then the whole skincare domain became more advanced — a commendable achievement for science, but a little overwhelming for consumers like myself who viewed skincare not as mathematics but as… recess.

So there I uncovered an aspiration: To build a brand that embodies skincare as a relief ritual. That meant using only clinically-proven, sensitive skin-safe ingredients, and applying the right amount of actives (Niacinamide 10% is too strong for most sensitive skin, 2% is a more gentle yet effective formula).

 

First beauty conference we attended: Seoul Beauty Week 2024

 

The How

 

Building a new brand is like building a new world. You can’t do it alone.

I met my Co-Founder, Semin, at my previous job in management consulting. We bonded over our skincare rituals like under-eye masks and de-caffeinated matcha. Who knew we’d be building a world together? We were lucky to have met a partner, a friend to support each other on this journey. We both quit consulting this February.

The first week after I quit, I had nightmares. When Semin and I started configuring the brand last September, I was full of nothing but confidence. The idea of us flopping deemed plausible in my head but not in my heart. And yet, my heart started to throb when it all became real — I committed myself to no income, and heaps of responsibility. It was the countless all-nighters I had with Semin that brought me back down to earth.

Hi there, nice to meet you :)

 

Our first couple weeks were hectic. Each day was like a week.

To name the most formidable challenge is a difficult task — everything was. The first wall we ran into was branding. A huuuuge concept, a million ways to approach it, and there’s no right answer.

We knew what our skincare products should deliver, but communicating our aspirations justly? A whole different task. Our brand name existed as (blank) for the longest time, even after we camped out for two days just listing names. ChatGPT is a monumental invention but could step up its game in brand-naming.

After spending weeks as (blank), we took a step back. Why did we need another skincare brand? When there’s 33,000 beauty brands in Korea, why do we need to be the 33,001st? What are we offering that’s different?

We embody Korea’s ground-breaking skincare innovations. We artfully source our ingredients. But most importantly — we stick to the essence. The essence being that we give only what you need, do not over-stimulate, and respect your time to rest.

Life is already difficult without a 12-step skincare routine. This is particularly for all working women out there who have to juggle so many responsibilities at once — being a team lead, a daughter, a creator, a friend. We wanted our skincare brand to be for such working women to indulge in without stress, irritation, or flare-ups.

There we came to “AROOM” (uh-room) — derived from the quote “A woman must have money and a room of her own if she is to write fiction”, by the legend herself, Virginia Woolf.

 

The day we came to "AROOM"

 

This is the start of a saga. I only got to naming, but there’s so much more to come: Skincare formulation, B2B sales (tips on contracting with the right manufacturer), finding an office, fundraising, to name a few.

 

Next up is product development. 

Find us on Instagram → @aroom_global