John Lewis is increasing its investment in beauty by partnering exclusively with Skin Cupid to launch its first Korean beauty shop-in-shops.
The partnership will bring the beauty brand’s “expertise and community” to customers outside London for the first time.
It will see John Lewis launch 20 Korean skin and haircare brands online, and open Skin Cupid shop-in-shops in Cambridge, Kingston and Leeds this summer.
The full assortment will be available to purchase online, with wider John Lewis Beauty Halls selling a curated edit.
The move forms part of a broader beauty push at the department store chain.
This focus includes the launch of MyJL Beauty, a beauty enhancement to the My John Lewis membership programme, and the recent expansion of The Beauty Society, the retailer’s brand-agnostic advisory service.
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It comes as John Lewis bets on beauty as a “strategic growth category” as customer behaviour shifts.
Beauty sales at the business have grown by 42 per cent since 2020, while searches for Korean skincare have soared nearly 800% over the past year, John Lewis said.
John Lewis director of beauty Helen Spencer said: “Beauty customers are changing the way they shop.
“They are increasingly researching ingredients, trends and products before coming to us for trusted advice and the chance to try products in person.
“Through Skin Cupid, MyJL Beauty, and The Beauty Society, we are giving customers new ways to discover brands, access expert guidance, and be rewarded for shopping beauty with John Lewis.”
She added: “These launches mark an important step in our broader beauty push as we continue to invest in the category across stores, loyalty and digital channels.”
Skin Cupid CEO Melody Yuan said: “We’re thrilled to be partnering with John Lewis to bring Korean beauty to more UK shoppers.
“Their reputation for quality and the trust they’ve built with customers made them the natural home for Skin Cupid, and we cannot wait to bring our expertise, brands, and community spirit to shoppers across the UK.”
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