How TIRTIR’s Viral Red Cushion Foundation Went From 3 to 40 Shades in Less Than a Year

If you have spent some time on BeautyTok, i.e., the side of TikTok filled with makeup reviews, GRWMs, hacks, and tutorials, then you’ve probably stumbled upon TIRTIR. The South Korean makeup and skin care brand is a viral topic among creators thanks to its Mask Fit Red Cushion Foundation. The little red egg-shaped compact, which was already the number-one foundation in Japan, has now climbed the popularity ranks internationally, claiming the top spot in Amazon’s best-selling foundation list. But how did it get there? It all goes back to inclusivity.

If you were to look up TIRTIR’s Mask Fit Red Cushion Foundation in 2023, you would have only found three shades available in the market: 17C Porcelain, 21N Ivory, and 23N Sand. A three-shade configuration is pretty typical for Korean cushion foundations, but when you want to target a wider, global audience, it’s abysmal.

After a few videos from creators trying out the darkest shade and struggling to find a match. racked up views on social media, TIRTIR went back to the drawing board. In February of 2024, the brand announced that, due to the growing popularity, it would be adding six more shades for a total of nine — but it still was not enough.

In May, TIRTIR expanded to 20 shades. In June, the number had reached 30. And by August, the brand had rolled out yet another 10-shade expansion, bringing the total of shades to 40, the most inclusive range of any cushion foundation. It also has the most extensive shade range readily available for purchase in the K-beauty industry, where only some "custom" offerings go up to 150, though with limitations on deeper tones.

TIRTIR’s shade expansion went from making ripples to making waves in BeautyTok, with influencers like Mikayla Nogueira, Golloria, and Robert Welsh featuring the product on their channels. However, Darcei, in particular, who initially called TIRTIR out for its limited share range, made the brand blow up in popularity after the first few expansions.

Speaking to Teen Vogue ahead of the latest shade launch, Lyla Kim, Global Business Manager for TIRTIR, and Rahee Lim, Global Business Director, reveal the scheme to become the most inclusive Korean foundation had been set in motion long before then.

“We had already had a plan, but it was a good chance to collaborate with Darcei,” Kim says on a Zoom call from Seoul. Lim adds: “Before collaborating with Darcei, we already did a survey [on] what kind of shades we need to expand, so, actually, we are listening to customers' needs.”

TIRTIR’s latest expansion introduces shades 10C Shell, 13W Cream, 22C Peach Beige, 22N Shell Beige, 22W Sheer Beige, 28N Oat, 29C Taupe Beige, 45N Saddle Brown, 45W Chestnut, and 47N Ebony. Listening to the customer’s demands, the brand decided to add one lighter shade to its roster after many on social media complained the light was not light enough while filling the gap between two of their previous darkest shades, 43N Deep Cocoa and 51N Fudge, as many, like Toni Bravo, denounced the stark “jump” between the two.

“We got a lot of feedback [saying] our shade range between 43N to 51N was a kind of a big gap, so we [got to work] to launch more shades between them,” Kim says.

TIRTIR

Mask Fit Red Cushion Foundation

$25

Amazon

The speed with which TIRTIR has expanded its shade range has become almost a gag in BeautyTok. Even before new shades had even reached the stands, people quipped that the brand was seemingly working on more — and that’s because it was. The process of marketing new shades is actually not as simple as it looks, so the team always has to be one step ahead. “For other brands, it takes around four months at least,” Lim explains. “But we are developing the new shade within two months, including the production. We have a very big market in Japan so, [because] we have [large] sales volume in Japan as well, the factory customizes [the process] for us a little bit, so, it takes the two months.”

Even though the general consensus seems to be a big yes for the Mask Fit Red Cushion Foundation and how its shade range just keeps growing, if you spend some time eyeing reviews, you’ll find not everyone is sold on the formula, with many claims of oxidation filling forums and comment sections online.

“The fact is, the oxidation formula is the original three shades. They're called 17C, 21N, and 23N,” Kim explains. “Recently, we developed all the new shades not to oxidize, but some people still claim they do. I think it’s because of the formula, because our formula has some air holes, and it's very, very lightweight. It's just like a coating on your skin.”

If you are experiencing oxidation with any of the new shades, Kim says the best way to counteract it is to change how you apply the product. “[Westerners] usually apply the foundation in big amounts compared to Koreans,” she explains. “We apply our foundation very lightly. So, you need to apply it very lightly. And then it does not oxidize so much.”

Another thing you’ll notice is that it’s different from most Korean cushion foundations and TIRTIR’s Mask Fit Red Cushion Foundation is that the latter does not have SPF, which Lim explains was a practical decision. “In order to claim the SPF, we needed to register it with OTC.” Lim shares that the process of getting an OTC certification is lengthy and costly. “So, not only for the cost but also the lead time, we decided to remove SPF claims from our product.” (Though fret not, because TIRTIR will be launching its own sunscreen in the U.S. very soon to get your SPF covered under your foundation.)

With SPF on the way and the Mask Fit Red Cushion Foundation boasting a shade range akin to most Western brands like Fenty, which famously launched with a 40-shade offering that’s now expanded to 50, Rare Beauty, and MAC Cosmetics, now TIRTIR’s focus is to get the rest of the family up to speed. In September, the brand plans to start expanding its Pink Cushion, also known as the Mask Fit All Over cushion, which promises long-lasting coverage, and Silver Cushion, the Mask Fit Aura Cushion with a glowier finish, to work on even more people.

“Our goal is to change the customers' makeup routines,” Lim says. “Global customers usually use foundation, but they usually do full makeup or no makeup, but with the cushion foundation, they can do makeup [more naturally].”

However, makeup is not TITIR’s only forte. The brand, whose name actually stands for "Trust In Radiance," was founded in 2018 by a Korean beauty influencer with skin care as a focus as the “glass skin” trend dominated the market both in South Korea and beyond, and it has only expanded since then. On TikTok, TIRTIR might be becoming synonymous with just the Red Cushion foundation but skin care is still a core part of the brand’s DNA.

“Currently, our Cushion foundation and Milk Skin Toner are our best-selling products,” Lim shares. Kim adds: “Our Milk Skin Toner is the first bestselling toner on Amazon as well. We [also recommend] the Milk Ampoule, which has a good synergy with the toner as well. They are all vegan and very good at multiplying your barrier as well. Kind of a game-changer for dehydrated, dry skin. And sensitive skin because our toner is acne-safe as well.”

Standing out in the saturated Korean beauty scene is no small feat, but for TIRTIR, the key is in communication with the customer. The clear example is not only the shade expansion but also the introduction of a light version of the toner. “Our customers said [the original toner] was a little bit heavy to acne-prone or oily skin, so we just launched the Milk Skin Toner Light version, which is more lightweight and contains more niacinamide.”

TIRTIR is always monitoring customers’ opinions, whether it’s via surveys or scouring reviews on Amazon. It’s also why it launched its own U.S. store earlier this summer, to have a direct line of communication with the people using the products. “We want to communicate and interact more with the customers,” Lim says of the decision. “Currently, we just have Amazon, and it is very hard to communicate with the customers on the Amazon site. We want to show more about our new product. And we want to send some samples to new customers [and] for our [returning] customers, so they can try our other product, too.”

“The biggest thing is we clearly listen to customer's opinions,” Lim says. “And we just make it happen.”