Midha

Midha is a South Korean skincare brand built around rice-derived ingredients, based in the Songpa-gu district of Seoul. It is owned by MIDHA Cosmetic Co., Ltd., and describes its concept as "rice clean beauty" — gentle, vegan formulas inspired by Korea's long-standing rice culture. The brand remains active, with its most recent visible activity dated to mid-2024 [9].

The company positions rice not as a single hero extract but as the organising idea for an entire range, spanning toners, lotions, serums, cleansing oils and sun care. Its products are sold directly through its own websites and Korean platforms such as Naver Smartstore, as well as on Amazon, with stated shipping to several international markets.

The corporate entity behind Midha was first established in January 2017 under the name Freeport (주식회사 프리포트) and was renamed MIDHA Cosmetic Co., Ltd. (주식회사 미다코스메틱) in December 2018 [12]. The Midha rice cosmetics brand itself launched in April 2019, a date consistent with the company's Seoul Songpa-gu e-commerce registration recorded on its About page [2].

There is some divergence over how the brand's age is described. Midha and Korean business records point to an April 2019 brand launch [12], while a 2024 trade feature by Cosin Korea described "four years of continuous R&D on rice" as of July 2024, framing that implies a research start nearer 2020 [9]. The two accounts are not strictly contradictory, since the R&D framing refers to development work rather than the brand's public launch.

The company lists Namok Heo as its chief executive [2]. The brand's individual founders are not publicly disclosed.

Midha frames itself as a daily ritual rather than a corrective regimen. According to the company, "good skin begins not with dramatic change, but with small daily rituals," and it describes its purpose as creating rice clean beauty designed for everyday comfort [2]. The brand's name, as summarised by the retailer Seoul Beauty Hub, is presented as reflecting values of harmony, purity and calm, alongside an emphasis on transparency and tradition.

The range is pitched as mild and broadly suitable, with textures the company and its retail partners describe as friendly to sensitive and acne-prone skin. StyleKorean lists the line as "Vegan. Effective. Mild yet scientifically proven," and suitable "for the whole family." Midha uses several playful taglines, including "Rice Clean Beauty" and "Have a Rice Day" [1].

Midha's catalogue is organised across skincare, cleansing, body care and special care. Frequently featured items include the Rice Bran Scrub Foam, Rice Milk Lotion, Rice Pure Toner, Rice Cream and a UV Protect Rice Sun Cream (SPF 50+ PA+++). Beyond plain rice, individual lines draw on black rice, brown rice, mung bean, matcha and yuja.

At the centre of the range is the MIDHA RICE 8 COMPLEX, which the company describes as a patented ingredient combining glycolipids extracted from rice bran with seven plant extracts; it states the technology is designed to improve how well active ingredients penetrate the skin through the affinity of the rice-bran glycolipid fraction [7]. In its Cosin Korea feature, the brand explained the complex in terms of ceramide and cholesterol affinity within the skin's outer layer to aid that penetration [9]. Midha also markets a "RICE PDRN" — a vegan version of an ingredient more commonly derived from animal sources.

Sourcing is a recurring theme in Midha's communications. The company says it works under a memorandum of understanding with Gochang County in Jeollabuk-do — designated a UNESCO Biosphere Reserve — to obtain eco-friendly rice, with quality control carried out via the Gochang Agricultural Technology Center [7]. It states that its packaging is FSC-certified and printed with soy ink.

The brand also reports holding vegan certification. A Korean B2B listing describes its products as "Vegan cosmetics certified to strict and meticulous standards of the British Vegan Society," and the company cites Vegan Society UK certification alongside CGMP-certified manufacturing in South Korea [7].

In July 2024, the Korean cosmetics trade publication Cosin Korea featured Midha in its "2024 Indie Brand" series, highlighting its rice expertise and its eco-friendly Gochang rice sourcing [9]. On the Korean review platform Hwahae, the brand is listed with 55 products and an average rating of 4.58 stars across 693 user reviews [10].

Midha is an active brand. Its most recent documented activity dates to July 2024, when it launched a sheet mask line and was profiled by Cosin Korea [9]. The brand reports distribution through Lotte Department Store as an exclusive retailer, alongside its own global and Korean sites, Naver Smartstore and Amazon, with shipping to the United States, Canada, Australia and Mexico.