K-Beauty Demon Hunters

Sacheu’s viral “peel-off” lip liner has been a rare category success at Ulta: Billie Eilish is posting about the product, the brand is profitable, and bankers are circling. But for an exit to actually happen, does the brand need to evolve beyond its made-for-TikTok vibe?

Both Sacheu and Wonderskin have enjoyed long-term viral status, an anomaly amid the fickle consumer trend cycle. Perhaps that’s because these products deliver on their promise of “longwear,” transfer-free lip color—a longtime moving target in the lip category. Photo: Courtesy of Wonderskin

Rachel Strugatz

January 7, 2026

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I’m sure most of you have yet to use “peel-off” lip color or liner, but you’ve probably seen the TikToks. People paint their lips with a generous coat of what looks like red wine or cobalt blue lacquer, wait anywhere from 30 seconds to 20 minutes, and peel it off, leaving a surprisingly wearable lip stain. Sure, it all seems gimmicky, but the stuff works. The K-beauty concept dates back to the mid-2010s, but two U.S.-based brands are responsible for its current popularity: Sacheu and Wonderskin, the leading players in a rising subcategory within the multibillion-dollar lip color sector.