From 1994 when our research into retinol stabilization began to the current 10th generation IOPE Retinol – let's hear from IOPE Marketing 1 Team about the development process of IOPE's retinol product and recent achievements.

* Due to concerns over the spread of COVID-19 pandemic, the IOPE Retinol edition of Exciting Changes uses product image instead of a photoshoot.

Q. Please briefly introduce your team.

A. IOPE Marketing 1 Team in responsible for developing new IOPE products, product management, brand & product communication, and developing brand strategies.

Q. Share with us the background to the development and the development process of IOPE Retinol.

A. Retinol is an ingredient effective in managing wrinkles but has a fatal disadvantage. It is difficult to make it into a product. Prestigious research labs in the cosmetics industry all failed in stabilizing retinol.

IOPE, however, successfully made retinol into a product in 1997 and has continued to study the ingredient for more than 20 years, further advancing the product. As a result, we successfully launched a retinol product made by stabilizing high-content pure retinol early this year.

Even if you are successful in stabilizing retinol, capturing the ingredient, which easily oxidizes when exposed to light or air, requires advanced technology. IOPE Retinol applies a 3-step oxygen blocking system, allowing customers to enjoy the effect to the very last drop.

Q. We heard that the retinol sales achievement is amazing. Tell us more about the achievements.

A. IOPE Retinol Expert and For Wrinkle 0.1%, which were launched in January, and Retinol Expert and For Wrinkle 0.3%, which were launched in February, achieved accumulated sales of KRW 19.8 billion, selling 220,000 units. In addition, as of July, they ranked No. 1 in 5 indices – number of customers repurchasing, number of acquired customers, experience rate, new penetration rate, and number of purchased units – in the essence category in ARITAUM channel. The products also ranked No. 1 in the same 5 indices in the essence category in the mart channel as well.

Q. The numbers paint a clear picture of the achievements. What do you believe the secret is behind the success of the recent retinol product?

A. Retinol is a product with lots of real, genuine reviews about the changes to skin with improved wrinkles in only 2 weeks. It's popular because it is a product that delivers strong benefits and effect with high customer satisfaction. They say you can never not use it once you've tried it.

Also, we are developing content reflecting the thousands of real customer voices left by many customers through reviews this year in our IMC campaign in September, so please stay tuned!

Q. As mentioned, we'd like to know more about customers' response. Please share with us any memorable reviews.

A. As explained, our retinol products have real genuine reviews by customers proving that their wrinkles really improved.

Some customers said they were sorry they thought that it was obviously an exaggeration in advertising to say that wrinkles improved in only 2 weeks. Some said that they stopped using other wrinkle care products because most wrinkle care products are sticky or heavy to use, but that IOPE Retinol is light and soft so they continue to use it. Some customers said that they will use our product until the day they die!

I especially remember a review by a daughter who said her mother used our retinol for more than a decade and has wrinkle-free skin and that she too uses our product now.

Q. What plans does IOPE have for its retinol products?

A. IOPE plans to continue to further advance and develop retinol, our brand heritage and asset.

Our recently released Retinol Mini (5ml, KRW 13,500) is offered at a lower cost to make it more accessible to younger customers and enable them to experience our product, sold on ARITAUM Mall and Amorepacific Mall. We also plan to expand the scope of our regular delivery program from 6 months to 12 months so that our customers can receive the product every month at the convenience of their homes.

In the second half of this year, we plan to work with ARITAUM managers, Amorepacific members, and influencers among others from different backgrounds to take part in live commerce and expand our contact points with customers so that they can experience and buy our products through a new way of commerce.

We are dedicated in sharing the experience and effect of our products with more customers through upgraded products next year based on our continued research. So, please stay tuned!