SkinCupid gears up to open first flagship store near London Oxford Street as K‑beauty demand surges

The 3,000 sq ft flagship, located just 100 metres from Tottenham Court Road underground station, marks a milestone for the UK’s fast growing Korean skincare retailer and taps into a booming £5 billion market.

SkinCupid, the UK-based Korean skincare platform, is preparing to open its first ever physical store. This will be located at Ilona Rose House, a new mixed use development on Charing Cross Road.

Announced via a TikTok video posted by the official SkinCupid account, the company revealed: “We signed the lease to our first ever flagship store in central London. It'll be 3,000 square feet, just 100 metres down from Tottenham Court Road station, and we've designed the whole space to feel like a home to all of you.”

TikTok reveals behind the scenes plans

The announcement was later followed by a second video posted by founder and CEO Melody Yuan, who has created a personal TikTok account to document the behind-the-scenes journey.

In the post, Yuan walks through the empty retail unit and writes: “From packing orders in my bedroom to a flagship store in London.” The caption continues: “Stepping into our flagship store for the first time felt so surreal. From humble beginnings to building UK's largest K-beauty destination in the heart of London! It's been a journey we've grown through together with our cherubs.”

SkinCupid has named the upcoming store the “House of Cupid” and confirmed that episode one of the flagship’s build-out series will be posted soon. The store design is focused on community, with an emphasis on interactivity and brand storytelling.

Strategic growth and new locations

The flagship opening follows a pop-up at The Outernet in December 2024, and comes as SkinCupid continues to expand its UK operations. Late last year, the company opened a new 34,500 sq ft national distribution centre in Peterborough, designed to support both domestic and international orders.

Yuan, who founded SkinCupid in 2020, said at the time: “This strategically located facility will enhance our UK distribution network, enabling faster delivery of our curated Asian beauty products both domestically and internationally.”

The company serves as a direct partner and exclusive distributor for over 80 leading Asian beauty brands, including Anua, Ongredients, Nacific and Kundal.

K-beauty’s rising influence in the UK

Korean skincare continues to gain traction with UK consumers, with TikTok trends and online communities helping fuel demand for brands that were previously hard to find.

Korean beauty isn’t a niche anymore. In 2022 the UK, the K-beauty market reached $7.2 billion, projected to nearly double to $14.4 billion by 2030, growing at around 9% annually, and Boots reports products flying off shelves with a product selling every 15 seconds.

SkinCupid has positioned itself as one of the most recognisable UK-based destinations for this growing market, pairing digital first engagement with curated brand access.

Community first retail vision

In an on-screen caption from the store announcement video, the company wrote: “Over a year ago, Team Cupid began dreaming of a permanent home - a space where our cherubs could come together, explore, and feel the magic of our community in real-life. The road here had its twists and turns, but we couldn't be more grateful to have found the space of our dreams.”

It continued: “We've poured so much love and care into bringing this store to life, and every corner has been designed to reflect what SkinCupid is all about: community.”

Further updates and store previews are expected via Yuan’s personal TikTok account, where she concludes: “Episode one of the flagship journey drops in soon... any guesses what might be inside the store?”

2025 RTIH INNOVATION AWARDS

Physical stores will be a key focus area at the 2025 RTIH Innovation Awards.

The awards, which are now open for entries, celebrate global tech innovation in a fast moving omnichannel world.

Our 2024 hall of fame entrants were revealed during an event which took place at RIBA’s 66 Portland Place HQ in Central London on 21st November, and consisted of a drinks reception, three course meal, and awards ceremony presided over by comedian Lucy Porter.

In his welcome speech, Scott Thompson, Founder and Editor, RTIH, said: “The event is now into its sixth year and what a journey it has been. The awards started life as an online only affair during the Covid outbreak, before launching as a small scale in real life event and growing year on year to the point where we’re now selling out this fine, historic venue.”

He added: “Congratulations to all of our finalists. Many submissions did not make it through to the final stage, and getting to this point is no mean feat. Checkout-free stores, automated supply chains, immersive experiences, on-demand delivery, next generation loyalty offerings, inclusive retail, green technology. We’ve got all the cool stuff covered this evening.”

“But just importantly we’ve got lots of great examples of companies taking innovative tech and making it usable in everyday operations - resulting in more efficiency and profitability in all areas.”

Congratulations to our 2024 winners, and a big thank you to our sponsors, judging panel, the legend that is Lucy Porter, and all those who attended November's gathering. 

For further information on the 2025 RTIH Innovation Awards, please fill in the below form and we will get back to you asap.