In a bold move that reflects the changing face of the global beauty industry, COSMAX, a leading South Korean cosmetics manufacturer, has joined forces with aCommerce, Southeast Asia’s top e-commerce enabler, to launch a new skincare brand in Thailand. The brand, YOUTHLABO, was officially unveiled on August 22, 2025, and is being positioned as a “Made in Thailand, K-Science Inside” derma care line—an approach that fuses Korean scientific expertise with local production to meet the fast-evolving needs of Thai consumers.
The partnership is being hailed as a strategic leap for both companies, and perhaps for Thailand’s role in the global skincare supply chain. According to COSMAX, the collaboration leverages the manufacturing prowess of their state-of-the-art facilities in Thailand with aCommerce’s deep understanding of digital consumer behavior and e-commerce market dynamics. The result, they say, is a brand that’s not just locally produced, but also deeply attuned to what Thai customers want right now.
“Even though the global economy faces challenges, the beauty market continues to grow, especially in the skincare and derma care segments,” said Min-Koo Kang, CEO of COSMAX (Thailand), in remarks reported by Thai media. “Consumers are more informed and have greater access to information, making skincare an essential part of daily life. YOUTHLABO was designed to meet this trend head-on.”
At the heart of YOUTHLABO’s development is a data-driven philosophy. aCommerce CEO Veerapong Srivorakul emphasized that the brand’s five-product lineup was formulated based on actual consumer search data and trends from e-commerce platforms. “YOUTHLABO was developed from real consumer search data on e-commerce platforms, ensuring that the main ingredients in all five SKUs directly address the highest demands in the market,” Srivorakul explained. “The result is a range of products that are effective, easy to use, and perfectly suited to the fast-paced lifestyles of modern consumers.”
The “K-Science Inside” label is more than just marketing speak. COSMAX, which has earned a global reputation as an OEM/ODM powerhouse in the beauty sector, brings Korean scientific rigor and innovation to the table, while local manufacturing allows the brand to offer world-class quality at competitive prices. “Our development process puts data at its core,” Kang said. “We analyze consumer insights to continuously refine our product formulas, making YOUTHLABO distinct, strong, and truly responsive to the needs of Thai consumers. That’s value you can trust, proven performance, and sincerity beyond just image.”
But why launch a new skincare brand in Thailand, and why now? The answer, according to both companies, is rooted in the rapid evolution of consumer habits and the rise of digital-first shopping. Thai consumers—especially younger generations—are increasingly savvy, using AI tools and chatbots to analyze ingredients and skin compatibility before making purchases. The trend toward “natural face” looks, emphasizing healthy and natural skin, is particularly strong among Thai youth. This, coupled with the broader growth of the beauty market (which Kang noted is expanding at over 10% annually, with skincare and derma care outpacing color cosmetics), made the timing irresistible.
YOUTHLABO’s go-to-market strategy is unapologetically digital. The brand’s initial distribution is 100% online, available through major platforms like Lazada, Shopee, TikTok, and Facebook. This approach allows the team to collect real-time behavioral data, which can then be fed back into product development and marketing. There are also plans to expand into modern trade channels in the near future, but for now, the focus remains on building a robust online presence.
Marketing for YOUTHLABO is equally data-driven and comprehensive. The brand is working with a full spectrum of influencers, from ambassadors to nano-influencers, and is actively building a consumer community. Artificial intelligence tools are being employed to aggregate and analyze reviews and feedback, ensuring that product improvements are rapid and responsive. “We are confident in YOUTHLABO because aCommerce has experience managing world-class beauty brands, accounting for over 35% of our portfolio,” Srivorakul said. “We understand the consumer deeply and believe that YOUTHLABO will create a new dimension in the Thai skincare market. Our goal is to capture a 1% share of the derma care segment in the first year, and to lay the foundation for sustained growth in the future.”
What sets YOUTHLABO apart, both companies argue, is the synergy between global expertise and local insight. By manufacturing in Thailand, the brand avoids import duties and can offer lower prices without sacrificing quality. At the same time, Korean scientific know-how—long regarded as a gold standard in beauty innovation—ensures that the products deliver on their promises. “YOUTHLABO is more than just a new skincare brand,” Kang said. “It’s the result of combining world-class manufacturing expertise with Thailand’s leading e-commerce capabilities. We’re leveraging the advantages of local production, Korean technology, and a data-first approach to create products that meet every dimension of consumer demand. This aligns with new beauty trends that prioritize value, efficacy, and sustainability, and paves the way for Thailand to become a global hub for quality skincare manufacturing in the future.”
For aCommerce, the YOUTHLABO partnership is another validation of its strategy to build brands that are truly native to the digital age. “Our experience with global beauty brands gives us unique insights into what Thai consumers want,” Srivorakul noted. “We’re not just launching another product—we’re building a community, listening to feedback, and using AI to make sure we’re always one step ahead.”
As the global beauty landscape continues to shift, YOUTHLABO’s launch offers an intriguing case study in how data, technology, and cross-border collaboration can create new opportunities for both businesses and consumers. If COSMAX and aCommerce hit their ambitious 1% market share target, it could signal not just the rise of a new player in the Thai skincare market, but a broader transformation in how beauty brands are conceived, built, and delivered in the digital era.
With its blend of Korean science, Thai manufacturing, and digital-first strategy, YOUTHLABO is setting out to prove that the future of skincare is as much about data and partnership as it is about ingredients and packaging. The coming year will reveal whether this innovative approach can truly reshape the market—and perhaps, the industry as a whole.