If you've scrolled past a photo of a Seoul store that looks more like an art installation than a shop, there's a good chance it was TAMBURINS. Launched in Sinsa-dong in 2017, TAMBURINS is the beauty and fragrance label from IICOMBINED — the same company behind the eyewear giant Gentle Monster. And that lineage shows: instead of leading with ingredients and claims like a typical skincare brand, TAMBURINS leads with space. Giant mushroom installations, surreal galleries, sculptural displays — every store is designed to feel like a gallery you happen to be able to shop in.

Rather than launching with makeup or serums, the brand actually started with something refreshingly humble: a hand cream. That choice was deliberate — a hand cream is something you carry every day, almost like an accessory, which made it the perfect first product to express TAMBURINS' fashion-driven DNA. From there, the brand expanded into fragrance, body care, and home scent, evolving into what it now calls itself: a fragrance brand exploring "anomalous beauty."

Meet the Lineup: From Cult Hand Creams to Statement Perfumes

Perfume Hand Cream — The product that built the brand. Rich, long-lasting, and genuinely perfume-strength on the skin, these come in dozens of scent stories (from sweet chamomile-clary sage blends to citrusy bergamot-cardamom mixes). They're beloved for lingering on the skin for hours, and they're consistently one of the brand's top gifting items in Korea.

SHELL X Perfume Hand Cream — A creamy, fast-absorbing version in a distinctive shell-shaped case, prized for how quickly it melts in without any greasy residue while still leaving that signature Tamburins trail.

Chain Hand & Lip — Compact, clip-on hand and lip balms designed to be worn like a little fashion accessory — very on-brand for a company with a fashion pedigree.

Perfume (Eau de Parfum line) — Unisex, nature-inspired scents that have become the brand's calling card as it repositions itself as a full-on fragrance house rather than "just" a cosmetics label.

Body & Home Fragrance — Perfumed body washes and home scent pieces that extend the signature fragrance world beyond skin and into your space

The Celebrity Moment That Put It on the Global Map

TAMBURINS quietly built buzz for years in Korea, but two moments pushed it onto the world stage. Singer Tiffany Young featured the brand's hand sanitizer in a Vogue Korea "What's In My Bag" video, and the resulting viral attention gave sales a real boost. Even bigger, though, has been the brand's connection to BLACKPINK's Jennie — her mural and association with the Sinsa store turned it into a pilgrimage site, with fans regularly lining up outside just to take a photo. More recently, the Seongsu flagship has drawn its own K-pop crowd, having featured Stray Kids' Felix.

Price Range

TAMBURINS sits in the accessible-luxury zone — pricier than a drugstore brand, but nowhere near department-store fragrance house prices.

• Perfume Hand Cream (30–50ml): roughly ₩25,000–₩38,000 (about US$18–$28)
• Chain Hand & Lip: roughly ₩20,000–₩30,000 (about US$15–$22)
• Eau de Parfum: roughly ₩120,000–₩200,000 (about US$85–$145), depending on size
• Body wash / home fragrance: roughly ₩35,000–₩70,000 (about US$25–$50)

Where to Buy in Seoul

TAMBURINS is very much a Seoul-shopping-trip destination in itself — the stores are half the reason to go.

• TAMBURINS Flagship Store Sinsa (Garosugil) — 44 Apgujeong-ro 10-gil, Gangnam-gu. The original flagship and the one with the famous Jennie mural — expect a line for photos. Naver map
• HAUS DOSAN — Dosan Park area, Gangnam-gu. TAMBURINS shares this multi-brand IICOMBINED building with Gentle Monster and Nudake (the group's dessert brand), spread across several floors themed around nature and scent. Naver map
• TAMBURINS Flagship Store Seongsu — 8 Yeonmujang 5-gil, Seongdong-gu (about a 4-minute walk from Seongsu Station Exit 4). The newest and most dramatic space, known for its giant mushroom art installation. Naver map
• TAMBURINS Samcheong — a smaller flagship near Samcheong-dong/Anguk, popular for a quieter, more intimate scent-discovery experience. Naver map
• Department store counters (e.g., Shinsegae) and the official online store (tamburins.com) are also options if you can't make it to a flagship.

Tip for tourists: most flagship locations offer tax refunds on the spot, and staff are used to helping international shoppers pick a scent — so budget extra time to actually sit down and sample before you buy.

Website https://www.tamburins.com/

Instagram @tamburinsofficial

Photo tamburins