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Mask Fit Red Cushion (TIRTIR)


This is an interview series spotlighting creative leaders behind Korea’s most influential brands, exploring how they are shaping the next chapter of fashion, beauty, and lifestyle. -- Ed.
When K-beauty first began winning over Western consume 체리마스터pc용다운로드 rs, the gateway was skincare. Complexions came before color, and innovation was measured in essences and ampoules rather than foundations and lipsticks. For TirTir, a Seoul-based brand founded in 2017 바다이야기고래출현 , the bet was different: Makeup could be the frontier where Korean technology, inclusivity and speed would redefine global standards.
That conviction paid off. In 2024, TirTir’s hero product 카카오야마토 , the Mask Fit Red Cushion, became the first Korean cushion foundation to top Amazon’s foundation category.
“We believed early on that what consumers truly want, regardless of trends like ‘g 야마토게임장 lass skin’ or ‘butter skin,’ is natural, healthy-looking skin,” Lee Sun-young, chief marketing officer of TirTir, told The Korea Herald. “The language changes, but the essence doesn’t. Our role has be 황금성게임랜드 en to design products that enhance your own tone and texture, rather than cover them.”



TirTir CMO Lee Sun-young (TirTir)


Lee, who joined TirTir in September 2024, serves as the brand’s chief marketing officer and creative director, overseeing global branding strategy, product development and integrated marketing. Before joining TirTir, she spent more than a decade at Amorepacific, most recently as global marketing director and brand creative director of Sulwhasoo, where she led brand and product innovation, portfolio planning and global collaborations. With more than 13 years of experience across luxury skincare and global beauty branding, Lee now steers TirTir’s creative vision and international expansion.
Positioned between luxury and mass brands, TirTir built its reputation on high performance at an accessible price. The Mask Fit Red Cushion, retailing in the high-20,000-won range, is known for its thin yet long-lasting coverage and a “no-transfer” promise tested for up to 72 hours ? a claim that resonated during the pandemic-era mask-wearing. Its egg-shaped compact, developed over 18 months of research, was engineered to better follow facial contours, while the formula delivers SPF 40 PA++, brightening and wrinkle-improving functions in one tap.
But what truly set the brand apart in the global arena was shade diversity. While many K-beauty brands were criticized for limited color ranges, TirTir chose a head-on approach. Its cushion now comes in 40 shades globally ? 45 in Korea, with Asia-specific tones.



Screen shot from content creator Miss Darcei's review of TirTir's Mask Fit Red Cushion (YouTube)


The turning point came in 2023, when Canadian beauty creator Miss Darcei posted a review saying even the darkest shade of the Red Cushion was still too light for her skin. Instead of retreating, TirTir responded by developing more than 20 deeper shades and sending them to her. A follow-up video in which she finally found her perfect match went viral, drawing more than 50 million views across platforms and igniting a surge in demand for darker tones.
“That moment showed us that listening, sincerely and quickly, builds trust far more than any planned campaign,” Lee said. “We didn’t start with a strategy to ‘create viral content.’ We focused on creating an experience people wanted to share.”
The episode evolved into the global #FindYourShade campaign and the brand’s first overarching message: “Your Shade, Our Standard.” Launched last November alongside a global ambassador, BTS member V, the slogan marked a broader redefinition of TirTir’s identity. “It was a declaration of our values ? diversity, confidence and communication,” Lee said. “At the same time, we refined our visual language, from logo to typography, to make the brand’s direction unmistakable.”



TirTir's pop-up in Los Angeles in November 2025 (TirTir)


TirTir’s recent pop-ups in cities from Los Angeles to Dubai have followed the same philosophy. Rather than focusing on spectacle, they center on hands-on testing, allowing visitors to compare shades and discover their own match. “The core experience ? understanding our philosophy through trying ? stays the same everywhere,” Lee said. “The way it’s expressed changes according to local culture.”
The strategy reflects her view of K-makeup’s competitive edge: rapid innovation, quality at a reasonable price, and the agility to adapt to different beauty ideals. “Each market has its own definition of beauty,” she said. “Our task is not to impose a single image, but to respect those differences while offering a distinct K-beauty standard.”



TirTir's pop-up in Los Angeles in November 2025 (TirTir)


As TirTir expands across Japan, North America and Europe, the brand aims to be recognized not merely as a Korean label, but as a global beauty player grounded in inclusivity. Skincare, long overshadowed by its base-makeup success, is also gaining momentum, with lines such as Milk Skin and the newly launched Matcha series drawing steady interest.
Looking ahead, Lee sees 2026 not as a year of louder messaging, but of deeper resonance. “If 2025 was about clearly stating who we are, the next chapter is about proving it through what people choose again and again,” she said. “True growth comes when the brand’s direction is felt in the product and the experience, without needing explanation.”