EUROPE. Harding+ is strengthening its Korean beauty (K-beauty) offering with the introduction of three skincare brands – Medicube, Biodance and Thank You Farmer – onboard European ships, starting this month.
Launching as a first at sea, the expansion reflects growing guest demand for ingredient-led skincare.
The new additions build on Harding+’s growing K-beauty offer. As reported, Korean skincare brand Anua recently expanded its presence with the retailer from 14 to 27 ships following encouraging sales since launch.
Rather than merchandising products by brand alone, the cruise retailer has designed the onboard experience around a simple skincare journey, guiding guests through cleansing, toning, treatment, moisturising and sun protection factor (SPF).
The launch includes some of the category’s most recognisable products, including Medicube’s Collagen range and Zero Pore Cleansing Pads, Biodance’s bestselling collagen sheet masks and Thank You Farmer’s SPF collection.
The partnership was sparked by a chance meeting between Harding+ Beauty Category Manager Caitlin Allen and Luneia Brands Managing Director Gemma Murari during the annual Women in Travel Retail+ event during TFWA World Exhibition & Conference in Cannes last year.
What began as a conversation about the growing influence of Korean beauty evolved into plans to bring the three brands to the cruise channel.
Allen remarked: “It’s incredibly rewarding to see a conversation that started in Cannes become a reality onboard our ships.
“Meeting Gemma at Women in Travel Retail+ highlighted just how much momentum K-beauty was building globally, and we immediately recognised the opportunity it presented for our guests.
“At Harding+, every category decision starts with our guests. We’re constantly looking for products and brands that excite them, introduce them to something new and make their time onboard even more memorable.
“K-beauty is one of the fastest-growing trends in skincare, and we’re delighted to expand the category with three brands that offer genuine innovation, proven results and exceptional value.
“We know our guests increasingly want to discover products, and these first-at-sea launches are another example of how we’re continuing to deliver that experience.”
Murari added: “Working with Caitlin and the brilliant team at Harding+ on this launch has been genuinely exciting from that very first conversation in Cannes.
“K-beauty is one of the fastest-growing beauty categories we work with at Luneia Brands, with consumer demand seemingly insatiable.
“Bringing Medicube, Biodance and Thank You Farmer to sea is a real marker of how far the category has come – this is K-beauty maturing from niche discovery into household-name status, now reaching consumers in entirely new environments and retail verticals.
“Cruise retail gives these brands access to guests who might never have encountered them before, in a setting that’s all about discovery and experience; the perfect stage for K-beauty’s next chapter.
“We’re thrilled to be partnering with such a brilliant, forward-thinking team to bring this to life onboard.” 🛳️
