A 5,000-won Daiso serum vs a department-store serum: are the ingredients enough?
A recent Korean report describes the Myeongdong Daiso skincare aisle packed not only with tourists but also with menwho didn't used to shop for skincare. Prices sit around 1,000–5,000 won, andproducts made with pharma companies such as Dongwha Pharm, Dong-A Pharm and Chong Kun Dang Health have widened the choice.
What set things off was a dermatologist's YouTube video comparing a 5,000-won Daiso serum to a pricey department-store one and saying the ingredients are almost the same. It reportedly passed 2 million views. An industry insider added that on a per-millilitre basis the gap is often small, and much of the price difference is marketing.
On skincare forums, pushback keeps coming up:
- A similar INCI list doesn't tell you concentrations or formulation
- Texture, scent and packaging are what keep people using something
- On the other hand, what you'll actually use daily is whatever doesn't hurt your wallet
Where do you land? If the ingredient lists look alike, do you go cheap, or pay more for how it feels?
Source: Newsis — "Same ingredients as department-store serum": 5,000-won cosmetics draw foreigners and men
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