The price of Kiss Me Mascara (at around $18 each) is 50% higher than comparable products such as Maybelline Sky High at $12, but the technical specs warrant the premium. According to Cosme’s 2023 test reports, its own “super elastic fiber brush head” (bend 145°, brush density 320 /cm²) can result in eyelash curl of up to 120°, 33% higher than the standard nylon brush head (80-90°). The makeup lasts for as long as 16 hours (only 3.2% mascara particles fall off at 40°C/80% humidity). The Consumer Lab report indicates that the waterproof effect of its “micro-wax film technology” (no smudge after immersion in salt water for 30 minutes) is 2.5 times the industry average, which is ideal for oil eyelid users (cutting down the frequency of makeup by 67%).
Pricing strategy is affected by production cost and R&D investment. Kiss Me Mascara’s unit production cost is around $4.50 (including the patent brush head mold cost $0.8), and the R&D investment is 18% (industry average 7%), mainly to “pH response formula” (pH 5.5-6.0 tears) and “hypoallergenic resin” (allergy rate is only 0.5%, industry average 3%). Its 70% gross margin, according to Statista data, is higher than L ‘Oreal Group products’ (50%), but the 65% re-purchase rate by consumers (industry average 35%) validates long-term revenues, and sales in Japan amounted to more than 8 million in 2022, with 29% of the market share of mascara.
Its life cycle and replacement costs need to be included in the analysis. The shelf life of a single kiss me mascara is three months (used daily) and you need to buy it four times annually (amounting to $72), while some others, such as Heroine Make Long & Curl, take the annual consumption to six (amounting to $90) as the paste tends to dry up easily (two months after opening). However, Kiss Me’s “anti-caking formula” achieves a viscosity deviation of only ±5% (industry standard ±15%) after 6 months of opening, reducing wastage by 12%. In addition, the difficulty in removing makeup (requires special eye and lip makeup remover) costs more for users ($15 per year), while European and American brands (e.g., L’ Oreal Lash Paradise) can be removed with regular makeup remover, which is a 30% cost savings overall.
Market feedback suggests claims of cost performance. According to the Amazon 2023 customer survey, Kiss Me Mascara has A five-star rating of 89% (4.8/5 in makeup and curling aspects), but 2% of the users give business reviews for “difficulty in removing makeup”, and 3% of the users complain that the brush head scratches the eye (due to the bristles hardness of 85 Shore A). On the other hand, Etude House Lash Perm has A bristle hardness of 70 Shore A, 15 percent more comfort, but 40 percent less curl durability. On a social media review, 72% of the 890,000 TikTok videos hashtag #KissMeMascara mentioned “reasonable prices,” but 18% of the users said “alternatives are similar and cheaper.”
In short, Kiss Me Mascara’s high price ($18) is unmatched in terms of technical performance (gain +33%, 16 hours of makeup) and hypoallergenization (0.5% allergy rate), making it perfect for those consumers who have oily skin and want long-lasting makeup effects but have to pay the full price of $87 annually (product + makeup removal). If you’re on a budget and prefer an easily removable experience, opt for the less expensive CLIO Kill Lash ($14, 12 hours of makeup, 1.2% allergy rate), which boasts 80% replacement effect in core functions.