More men interested in women's cosmetics

/ Yonhap

By Rachel Lee

An increasing number of men are scooping up women’s beauty products to use on themselves, industry insiders say.

According to 11ST, SK Planet’s shopping unit, the proportion of males shopping for women’s skincare products reached 36 percent in the second half last year, 9 percent up from the same period a year earlier.

“More men care about their appearance so the sales of make-up as well as basic skincare products are getting popular among them,” an 11ST spokesperson said.

Gmarket, a local e-commerce company, also said that the proportion of such males customers increased by 8 percent this year.

Men are most interested in facial masks, accounting for about 30 percent of total sales. Anti-aging products and cleanser came in second and third, respectively.