ZEROND is a startup operating the functional skincare brand 'BARHE,' specialized for outdoor environments. CEO Shin Jiyoung (47) founded the company in January 2025.
"The name ZEROND stands for 'A life with Zero Worry And More Worth,' that is, it embodies our core philosophy of pursuing ‘less worry and a more valuable life.' To realize this value, we develop optimal products based on the harmony of nature and science, delivering a positive impact on customers' daily lives."
BARHE is a brand that provides optimal skincare solutions for the outdoor lifestyle. "Recently, the domestic functional cosmetics market has shown solid growth, and along with rising interest in health, the number of people enjoying outdoor activities has been increasing exponentially. Accordingly, consumer demand for preventing skin damage from external environments and effectively restoring damaged skin is higher than ever. Despite the growing trend of people engaging in outdoor activities, many are not adequately protecting their skin in these environments. At present, the market does not offer specialized and effective products designed specifically for outdoor use that can cater to these sophisticated customer needs. We recognized this gap and the inconvenience it causes for consumers, which made us acutely aware of the necessity for skincare products that are perfectly optimized for outdoor activities. To meet this market demand, BARHE was born."
BARHE offers a specialized outdoor beauty solution designed to protect against various external irritants encountered during outdoor activities while promoting skin care and recovery. As outdoor activities have become part of our daily lives, BARHE is a skincare brand that supports a healthy lifestyle through high-performance solutions that combine skin protection, damage recovery, and the outstanding convenience of use.
The brand 'BARHE' is derived from the Jeju dialect, carrying the meanings of ‘sea (bareu),' 'wind (hea),' and 'white (heyeong-heoda).' This name represents BARHE's firm identity of capturing the pure vitality of Jeju's nature in its products and delivering ‘uninterrupted beauty in nature.'
BARHE's main products provide high-performance solutions optimized for use in outdoor environments and are currently available in two items.
BARHE Glutathione Whitening Sun Mist is an ultra-fine mist sunscreen designed to perfectly protect and care for the skin even during outdoor activities. Its light and refreshing formula adheres seamlessly to the skin while providing powerful sun protection with SPF50+ PA++++. It also helps improve pigmentation, soothes the skin, and provides excellent waterproof performance, effectively protecting the skin exposed to external environments. In addition to UV protection, this product is optimized to effectively address complex skin concerns that may arise during outdoor activities through its three functions of whitening, wrinkle improvement, and sun protection.
The BARHE Glutathione Whitening Cream-in-Essence is a dual-functional product that focuses on both whitening and wrinkle improvement. It innovatively blends the rich moisturizing benefits of a cream with the lightweight, refreshing absorption of an essence. Formulated with carefully selected key ingredients, including glutathione, hyaluronic acid, and pure, natural ingredients from Jeju, this cream has been clinically proven to enhance skin radiance, improve pigmentation and skin tone, and provide immediate pore-refining effects.
The competitiveness of BARHE products lies in four key elements. First, a product concept specialized for outdoor environments.
"Recently, as the number of people enjoying outdoor activities such as running, hiking, golf, and tennis has surged, the demand for products that can effectively protect the skin and maintain beauty in such environments has been growing. In line with these market needs and trends, we are meticulously designing and developing products specialized for outdoor activities by applying formulations that maximize ease of use and packaging that enhances portability."
Second, the use of clean Jeju natural ingredients. We have actively incorporated Jeju-derived botanical ingredients such as camellia, hallabong, cypress, and lemon, all nurtured by the Jeju wind, into our products. This not only supports the excellent efficacy of the products but also serves as an important element in building the unique storytelling and heritage of the brand.
Third, the design of outdoor-specialized products tailored to consumer lifestyles. "Beyond simple functional cosmetics, we develop products based on a deep understanding of the practical usage and skin concerns of consumers who enjoy outdoor activities."
Fourth, the realization of eco-friendly values. Currently, we are fulfilling our environmental responsibility by using FSC-certified packaging materials, and aiming to further strengthen ESG elements by introducing refillable containers and minimizing packaging in the future. CEO Shin said, "ZEROND deeply considers environmental and social sustainability and aims to fulfill its role as a responsible company."
ZEROND is currently operated by a core team of four members. Each member possesses years of in-depth expertise and extensive practical experience in the fields of cosmetics and health functional foods. This elite team creates synergy through swift execution and a high standard of excellence. Additionally, we support critical areas, such as accounting, distribution, design, product quality control (QC), and production management, through strategic collaboration with verified external experts and partner companies. This approach establishes an efficient and professional operating system.
Regarding future plans, CEO Shin stated, "Beyond achieving short-term results, ZEROND’s BARHE aims for long-term growth as a wellness brand that provides outdoor skincare solutions tailored to users’ lifestyles." He also added, "To achieve this, we will construct a clear, execution-oriented roadmap that includes product line expansion, market growth, brand asset development, and attracting investment. We will gradually realize our vision step by step."
Founded: January 2025
Main Business: Outdoor-specialized skincare brand
Achievements: Selected for the Jeju National University Early-Stage Startup Package Program
reporter jinho lee
jinho2323@hankyung.com
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