Patented raw material blending… Changing the market with scientific rigor.
– 'K-Inner Beauty' aims to become the global No. 1… Targeting KRW 100 billion in sales within 5 years
The inner beauty market, which prioritizes internal health, is growing rapidly. DataHorizzon Research estimates the global inner beauty market to be worth $7.2 billion in 2024 and projects it to grow at a compound annual growth rate of 7.5% through 2033. The domestic market is also experiencing steady growth, reaching the 2 trillion won mark by 2024.
There's a notable startup in the inner beauty market: Ownist. Just four years after its founding, Ownist achieved annual sales of 10 billion won in 2024, and is projected to grow to 14 billion won by 2025. Most notably, the company has consistently posted operating profits every year.
'Triple Collagen Orange' has sold a total of 15 million units, and 'Triple Shine Grape' surpassed 1 million units in just seven months since its launch. 'Kera Grow Mango', which was released in November of last year, sold out its first batch. It is also receiving recognition overseas. It ranked first in the inner beauty category on Amazon in the US, and recently became the first Korean inner beauty brand to enter the natural and organic cosmetics specialty store 'Cosme Kitchen' in Japan. Ownist continues to grow by securing a stable customer base, surpassing 100,000 members on its own online mall.
Before founding Ownist, CEO Jaehyun Kim was an ordinary office worker (working at a management consulting firm). Tired of frequent overtime, he developed an interest in nutritional supplements and health supplements. While consulting with health supplement companies, he discovered structural problems in the market. Objective criteria for product selection were lacking, and market information was insufficient. He particularly discovered that even health-promoting products often contained unnecessary and unhealthy additives. Determined to address this issue, CEO Kim founded Ownist in 2020.
We met with Ownist CEO Kim Jae-hyun at his office in Yeouido, Seoul, to discuss Ownist's unique selling points, the challenges facing the inner beauty market, and Onitsu's vision.
■ Competing with raw materials alone
You might think it's natural for health products to use healthy ingredients. But that's not the case. Existing inner beauty products extensively use chemical additives due to efficiency, cost-effectiveness, and mass production. Without preservatives, safety cannot be guaranteed, without excipients, consistent quality cannot be maintained, and without artificial flavoring, consistency of taste at a reasonable price cannot be achieved.
"Most inner beauty products are supposed to be health-promoting, but they use unhealthy ingredients. We established the principle that only healthy ingredients should be used. This is Ownist's most fundamental belief."
Ownist developed its products by eliminating unhealthy ingredients. However, development wasn't easy. Without chemical additives, it's difficult to manufacture the product itself. So how did Ownist achieve this without chemical additives? The secret lies in the research and formulation of the ingredients.
The R&D team, comprised of pharmacists, specialists, and doctoral researchers, leads product development based on scientific evidence. The first step in product development is researching relevant literature. For example, to develop a product that addresses skin issues, we begin by defining skin elasticity, conducting in-depth research into the causes of skin elasticity loss, and identifying the ingredients that help maintain skin elasticity.
"To develop a skin-firming product, we first began by defining skin elasticity. We discovered that skin loses elasticity and sags not because of the epidermis, but because the dermis layer beneath it collapses."
Ownist focused on the three key components of the dermis: fish collagen, hyaluronic acid, and elastin. They developed a product based solely on these three ingredients. Most existing products contained only one or two of these ingredients, or even if they did, they were often inadequate. They supplemented this deficiency with chemical additives. This is how Triple Collagen Orange was born.
We also conducted in-depth research on the phenomenon of freckles and skin darkening. The cause of freckles and skin darkening is excessive melanin production. To triple-block melanin production, we developed Triple Shine Grape using patented French ingredients, grape and licorice extracts.
Ownist recognized that 90% of hair is made up of keratin. Keratin is primarily used in external products like shampoos and hair packs. However, Ownist developed keratin into an inner beauty product. KeraGrow Mango, an edible keratin product, was also developed through continuous research into the raw material.
■ Raw material mixing technology to maximize effectiveness
The key to designing a product to ensure stability and efficacy using only raw materials without chemical additives is the mixing of raw materials.
For example, in the case of Triple Collagen Orange, OOmg of fish collagen, OOmg of elastin, OOmg of hyaluronic acid, and vitamin C must be mixed in the exact ratio so that each ingredient does not separate even in a liquid state while simultaneously maximizing skin absorption efficiency. In the case of Triple Shine Grape, the exact combination of OO% of grape extract powder and OO% of licorice extract powder determines the melanin production inhibition effect itself. Here, niacin (vitamin B3) is added to inhibit the movement of already formed melanin into the epidermis, and vitamin B complex and vitamin C are combined to prevent pigmentation. In order to implement a stable jelly formulation without chemical excipients while each ingredient works through a different mechanism, the interaction between these ingredients must be completely understood. Ownist holds a patent and trademark (Clean Principle) regarding the combination.
■ Manufacturing redesign, not mass production system
Production is just as important as raw material selection and blending. Ownist developed new protocols to replace chemical additives at every stage, from the powder blending ratio to mixing, packaging, and storage, and redesigned the manufacturing process.
"We continually asked manufacturers to eliminate unnecessary chemicals and find superior raw materials, even if it meant higher costs. At first, they were surprised. They wondered why we were making such unnecessary demands. But eventually, as we worked together, we realized that this approach was working in the market."
For this reason, Ownist has launched only three products in its six years of operation.
"Ownist's greatest strength is our uncompromising commitment to scientific rigor. While other companies develop products in three months, we invest two years. This is because we need to verify their effectiveness, side effects, and efficacy at the cellular level."
Because of this philosophy, there have been cases where products were abandoned during development.
■ Targeting 'K-Inner Beauty'
Ownist plans to launch two new products focused on specific areas, such as hair and skin, in the middle of this year. Ownist's next step is the global stage. Building on its success in the domestic market, it now aims to expand globally. It plans to set up its own direct-to-consumer (DTC) channel in the US starting this year.
Ultimately, the plan is to become the number one global inner beauty brand within five years.
Just as K-beauty has established a solid foothold in the global market, it's now time for K-inner Beauty, which pursues beauty, to take center stage. The global trend toward natural, clean beauty is gaining momentum, and Korean brands are positioned to lead this market. There's a growing consumer desire to break free from artificial ingredients and chemicals, a trend I believe aligns with Ownist's clean principles.
Ownist aims to achieve 100 billion won in sales within five years to achieve its goal of becoming a global inner beauty company. At current rates, this goal seems achievable.
A journey that began with the belief that health is beautiful is now heading to the global stage. I'm curious to see how Ownist's next chapter unfolds.
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