Bonajour

Bonajour is a South Korean skincare brand based in Seoul, founded in 2010 by Kim Dahae [1]. It develops vegan, naturally derived cosmetics aimed at people with sensitive and troubled skin, and trades under the company Better For You, where Kim serves as chief executive [2]. The brand sits in the indie, affordably priced end of K-beauty and is certified vegan by the Vegan Society in the United Kingdom [3].

The company remains active. It distributes across more than 30 countries through marketplaces and retail partners, and editorial reviews of its products appeared as recently as October 2025 [4].

Bonajour grew out of its founder's own skin problems. Kim Dahae began the brand in 2010 at the age of 19, having struggled since childhood with sensitive skin, atopic dermatitis, acne and allergies [5]. According to the company, she could not find products that suited her, so she started making her own natural skincare from herbs. Editorial coverage describes her taking time off from school and, with no prior experience, building the company over the following decade in Korea's competitive beauty market [6].

The brand name is stylised as BONAJOUR. The founder later described her motivation in the company's words as a commitment to "honesty" in how cosmetics are made and sold.

From its founding, Bonajour positioned itself around natural formulation and certification. In 2011 it launched lines free of parabens and silicones, and over the following years it expanded into organic essential oils, sulfate-free body and hair products, and a cica (centella) range. The company says it became cruelty-free certified in 2016 and introduced a non-nano physical sunscreen the same year. In 2017 it released what it describes as Korea's first eggplant-based skincare line.

The brand's international footprint widened in the early 2020s. It entered Douglas in Europe and Poland's Superpharm in 2021, was featured in an IPSY Glambox shipment, and joined Olive Young's online store in 2022 [7]. Its own history record runs through 2024, when it adopted recyclable tube packaging for its skincare line.

Bonajour operates under the corporate name Better For You, registered in South Korea, with Kim Dahae as chief executive [2]. No acquisition history is recorded, and the brand reports no sister brands.

The company centres its identity on "honesty," which it frames as investing in quality rather than quantity and being transparent about what goes into its products [8]. It favours naturally derived, highly concentrated ingredients over synthetic ones to reduce the risk of irritation, reflecting its origins as a brand made for sensitive skin. Bonajour also emphasises affordability, saying it keeps consistent pricing despite higher production costs.

Its public positioning leans on clean and vegan beauty; the brand's global Instagram presents it under the line "Clean beauty." A 2024 social-driven review described it as an underrated vegan skincare brand.

Bonajour's range concentrates on skincare and body care, organised around plant-derived hero ingredients including green tea, eggplant, ginger, propolis, rice bran oil and bakuchiol, a plant-based alternative to retinol. The company also markets formulas using EGF (epidermal growth factor) and an in-house "AQUA system" it credits with delivering moisture and nutrients.

Several products anchor the line. The Green Tea Water Bomb Cream is among its longest-running items, and the Eggplant Daily BHA Toner was named an editor's pick by the Korean edition of Singles magazine in 2019 [9]. The Peptide Water Bomb Cream has been highlighted as a repeat top seller, rated 4.8 stars on Korea's Naver Smart Store [10].

On sustainability, Bonajour says it moved to fully FSC-certified recyclable packaging in 2019 and has since pursued tape-free delivery boxes, biodegradable cotton pads and recyclable tubes. The company states that it shares a percentage of sales profits with people in need.

Bonajour reports winning a First Brand Award in natural cosmetics for six consecutive years from 2018 to 2023, a Korean industry recognition [11]. It received an Amazon Choice designation in the United States in 2017 and, in 2023, a "One Million Dollar Export Tower" award recognising its export volume. Independent editorial coverage has come largely from K-beauty and skincare blogs rather than major beauty press.

Bonajour is an active brand. It ships to more than 30 markets and sells through partners such as Amazon, Douglas, Superpharm and Olive Young. Its own milestone record extends to 2024, and third-party reviews of its products were still being published in late 2025.