‘Daiso Sold-Out Frenzy’… Vegan Beauty ‘Dinto’ Ranks No. 1 in Japan as Well

The online mall of Daiso, a specialty store for household goods, was recently temporarily paralyzed. The cause was unexpected. The server crashed because color cosmetics produced in collaboration with the unfamiliar vegan beauty brand Dinto gained explosive popularity immediately after their release. All products from 'Frillude Dinto,' including lip tints and eye palettes, sold out at both Daiso offline stores and the online mall within just one day of their launch.

Dinto, which garnered attention by selling out, is regarded as a unique brand in the K-beauty industry. It primarily features products themed around the works of masters of classical literature, with inspiration drawn from Eastern and Western classics realized in its makeup products. The brand name Dinto, too... It is an abbreviation of the phrase 'Deeply Into'.

Dinto, established in 2021, has seen its sales grow by more than double every year. Sales, which stood in the 8 billion won range in 2023, surpassed 20 billion won last year. The target for this year is 50 billion won. Currently, about half of the revenue comes from overseas. It is particularly popular in Japan. The company has expanded into 5,000 offline stores and has ranked first in sales on platforms such as Qoo10 Japan. Responding to its popularity in Japan, the company has also adopted a haiku concept for its new products. It is employing a localization strategy tailored to the tastes and demands of consumers in each country.

It is also rapidly attracting external investment. Following a 100 million won investment from CNT Tech, an accelerator specializing in startup investments, it received an additional 100 million won. It secured 200 million won from Mark & ​​Company and the Yoonmin Creative Investment Foundation, and 800 million won from another private equity fund. It also attracted 600 million won from Kolmar Korea.

Dinto's future goal is to conquer the U.S. market. The aim is to establish K-beauty's presence in the U.S. market through "lip color." Dinto plans to launch a full-scale offensive on the North American market this year, using its entry into Amazon and the offline retailer TJ Maxx as a springboard. CEO Ahn stated, "I am convinced that K-beauty is an industry that will continue to grow rapidly," adding, "There are currently no Korean brands with a strong presence in the U.S. color cosmetics market, but I am confident that we can conquer the U.S. with lip products. We are also seeking to attract additional investment to expand our business."

CEO Ahn said, “The best brands in the U.S. are aiming for annual sales of 1 trillion won, and our goal is to make Dinto that as well,” adding, “We want Dinto to be remembered not simply as a brand that sells cosmetics, but as a brand that gives new inspiration to women around the world.”

Source: Chosun Biz

I didn't realize the Dinto brand was so popular. But I tried the cosmetics myself and they really were good.