Makeup Sales Rise as Koreans Doff Masks Outdoors

Sales of cosmetics have been rising since the outdoor mask mandate was lifted last month and people can show their faces again.

Makeup sales increased in the double digits at three major department stores since the mandate was lifted on April 18.

At Lotte Department store cosmetics sales surged 25 percent, at Hyundai Department Store 29.2 percent and at Shinsegae a whopping 40.5 percent.

Sales of perfume already hit a record last year and are expected to rise even more this year. Perfume sales at Lotte for the last two months surged 60 percent on-year and at Hyundai 58.6 percent.

People are also slimming down again to trim their pandemic couch-potato bodies.

According to iHerb which sells health supplements online, sales of weight-reducing products since late April increased eight percent on-year. An iHerb staffer said, "Nutrition aids to boost immunity were popular during the pandemic, but now sales of slimming products are on the rise."