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I wasn't planning to write about this. I went to Olive Young to restock my sunscreen and walked out with a Hello Kitty lip tint keychain. This is the power of Sanrio collaboration packaging — you go in for SPF and leave with a tiny cartoon cat on your keychain that also happens to be a lip balm.
Amuse, the Korean vegan beauty brand that's been quietly building a cult following, just dropped a full collaboration with Sanrio — Hello Kitty, Kuromi, the whole crew. It's all over Olive Young right now, taking up prime real estate on the display shelves with that unmistakable pink-and-white Sanrio aesthetic. And honestly? The products underneath the cute packaging are legitimately good.
Medical Disclaimer: The information provided in this article is for educational and informational purposes only and is not intended as medical advice. Everyone's skin is unique, and what works for one person may not work for another. If you have specific skin concerns, underlying health conditions, or are experiencing persistent skin issues, please consult with a licensed dermatologist or healthcare professional before starting any new skincare routine. This content does not constitute a diagnosis or treatment recommendation.
If you're not familiar with Amuse, we did a full deep dive on the brand a few months ago. Short version: they're a Korean vegan beauty brand founded in 2018 that makes makeup-skincare hybrids with clean, minimal ingredient lists. They're huge in Korea, especially among younger consumers, and they're starting to gain traction internationally. This Sanrio collab is going to accelerate that.
What's in the Collaboration
The collab covers several of Amuse's hero products, all repackaged with Sanrio characters. Here's what I found on the shelves at Olive Young:
Dew Tint (한촉 신뜰 홍플레이 워터 틴트) — ₩20,000
The Dew Tint is Amuse's flagship lip product — the one that put them on the map. It's a water-based tint that gives a sheer, buildable wash of color with a dewy finish. Think "I just ate a popsicle" lips but intentional and pretty.
The Hello Kitty version comes in the same shades as the regular Dew Tint but with Sanrio character packaging. The bottles have that signature Amuse shape — small, rounded, with a doe-foot applicator — but now they've got Hello Kitty and friends printed on them.
What makes the Dew Tint worth ₩20,000 (about $15 USD) is the formula. It's genuinely hydrating — the base includes hyaluronic acid and plant-derived squalane, so it doesn't dry your lips out the way most Korean lip tints do. If you've ever used a water tint that left your lips looking like cracked desert by 3 PM, this is the antidote. The color payoff is light on the first layer but builds to medium opacity. It lasts through light eating and drinking but won't survive a full meal.
The shade range is organized into cool and warm tones on the display, which is genuinely helpful. Most lip tint displays just line everything up by shade number and leave you guessing. Amuse actually tells you which side of the spectrum you're on.
Jel-Fit Tint — ₩20,000 (on sale for ₩18,000)
The Jel-Fit Tint is a newer product from Amuse — a jelly-textured lip tint that's somewhere between a gloss and a stain. The texture is bouncy and gel-like, almost like a lip jelly that melts into color on contact with your lips.
This one was on sale at the Olive Young I visited — ₩18,000 instead of ₩20,000. The display showed twelve shades (more than the Dew Tint), organized by color family. The Jel-Fit is slightly more pigmented than the Dew Tint on the first swipe, but it still has that characteristic Amuse "I'm not trying too hard" sheer quality.
The Jel-Fit Tint has a slightly glossier finish than the Dew Tint. If the Dew Tint is "dewy lips," the Jel-Fit is "glass lips" — that reflective, almost wet-looking finish that's been trending in K-beauty for the past year. It's not sticky though. Amuse is very intentional about avoiding tackiness in their formulas.
For the Hello Kitty collab, the bottles feature character designs and the same Sanrio color palette. They look adorable sitting in a row on the display.
Care & Tint Balm Keyring — ₩13,500-₩15,000
This is the product that got me. It's a miniature tinted lip balm designed to clip onto your keychain or bag. The packaging is shaped like a tiny Amuse bottle with a keyring loop, and each one features a different Sanrio character — Hello Kitty in pink, Kuromi in purple, Keroppi in green, My Melody in coral.
It's essentially a hydrating lip balm with a hint of color. Not a full lip tint — more like "my lips but slightly more alive." The balm base has shea butter and jojoba oil, so it actually functions as lip care, not just decoration.
Is it a little gimmicky? Sure. Am I carrying a tiny Hello Kitty lip balm on my keys right now? Also yes. These are perfect for gifting, by the way. Under $12 USD, cute enough to photograph, and useful enough that the recipient will actually use it.
Cushion Compacts — ₩38,000
This is where the collab gets serious. Amuse put Sanrio characters on their cushion compact lids, and the result is genuinely some of the cutest makeup packaging I've ever seen.
There are two cushion types:
Dew Jelly Master Cushion (SPF 38 PA+++) — The jelly-finish cushion for that "glass skin from the inside out" look. The lid features Hello Kitty with flowers (the "Bloomi" design) or Kuromi with a mischievous expression. This cushion gives a luminous, almost translucent finish. It's meant for people who want their base makeup to look like skin, not foundation. Coverage is light to medium.
Dew Power Vegan Cushion (SPF 50+ PA++++) — The workhorse cushion with serious sun protection. This one is fully vegan (certified by the EVE Vegan label) and has the higher SPF rating, making it a better choice for daily wear, especially in summer. The finish is slightly more matte than the Jelly version — "semi-dewy" is how I'd describe it. Coverage is medium to full.
Both cushions are ₩38,000 (about $28 USD), which is standard for mid-range Korean cushion compacts. The shade range on the display showed about 4-5 shades, which is typical for Korean cushions but limiting if you're outside the East Asian skin tone range.
The packaging is the real draw here. The compact lids are thick, weighted, and have embossed Sanrio characters with metallic details. They don't feel cheap. When you're reapplying in public and pull out a Hello Kitty cushion compact, people will notice — and ask about it.
Why K-Beauty Collaborations Matter
If you're thinking "this is just cute packaging on existing products," you're not wrong. But you're also missing the point.
Korean beauty collaborations are a massive business strategy. Brands like Amuse, Etude House, and Innisfree regularly partner with characters, celebrities, and IP holders to create limited-edition collections. These drops drive foot traffic to Olive Young, create social media buzz, and introduce the brand to consumers who might not have tried it otherwise.
For international K-beauty fans, collab packaging also solves a practical problem: gifting. It's hard to gift someone a plain tube of lip tint without it feeling clinical. Wrap that same product in Hello Kitty packaging and suddenly it's a present. The collabs turn functional beauty products into collectible items that people actually want to display.
Amuse specifically benefits from this because their regular packaging, while sleek and minimalist, doesn't stand out in a crowded Olive Young display. The Sanrio collab gives them visual pop that draws foot traffic. I literally walked past their usual display a dozen times without stopping. The Hello Kitty display stopped me in my tracks.
Are the Products Different from Regular Amuse?
No. And that's actually the right move.
The formulas inside the collab packaging are identical to the regular Amuse products. Same Dew Tint formula, same Jel-Fit Tint formula, same cushion formulas. You're paying for the packaging, not a reformulated product.
Some brands use collabs to launch new or inferior formulas, which always feels like a bait-and-switch. Amuse didn't do that. If you already love the Dew Tint, the Hello Kitty version is the exact same product in cuter clothes. If you've never tried Amuse before, you're getting their best formulas, not a watered-down collab-exclusive version.
The only "new" products are the keychain balms, which are collab-exclusive and won't be part of the permanent line. If you want those, get them now.
Price Breakdown
| Product | Price (KRW) | Price (USD) | Worth It? |
|---|---|---|---|
| Dew Tint (Hello Kitty) | ₩20,000 | ~$15 | Yes — same price as regular, cuter packaging |
| Jel-Fit Tint (Hello Kitty) | ₩18,000 (sale) | ~$13 | Yes — on sale, great formula |
| Care & Tint Balm Keyring | ₩13,500-15,000 | ~$10-11 | Great gift, fun novelty |
| Dew Jelly Master Cushion | ₩38,000 | ~$28 | If you need a cushion, yes |
| Dew Power Vegan Cushion | ₩38,000 | ~$28 | Best value for daily SPF cushion |
None of these are overpriced relative to regular Amuse products. The Dew Tint and Jel-Fit Tint are the same price (or cheaper on sale) as the non-collab versions. The cushions are standard cushion pricing. The keyrings are the only collab-exclusive, and they're under $12.
How to Get These Outside Korea
This is the tricky part. Sanrio collaborations are typically Korea-exclusive and limited edition. Here's your best bet:
Olive Young Global (global.oliveyoung.com) — Olive Young's international shipping site. They usually stock popular collabs, but inventory moves fast on limited editions.
Amazon — Regular Amuse products (non-collab packaging) are available. Search for Amuse Dew Tint on Amazon or Amuse Jel-Fit Tint if you want the formula without the Sanrio packaging.
YesStyle / Stylevana — K-beauty retailers that sometimes stock limited editions. Shipping takes 2-4 weeks.
K-beauty resellers on Instagram — Search hashtags like #oliveyounghaul or #kbeautyreseller. Some people buy limited editions in Korea and resell internationally. Prices are marked up but it's sometimes the only option for sold-out items.
If you're planning a trip to Korea, add Olive Young to your itinerary. Seriously. Every K-beauty fan who visits Seoul says the same thing: "I spent three hours in Olive Young." The collab displays are usually right at the entrance.
Who Should Buy This
Buy the collab packaging if:
- You're already an Amuse fan and want the collector's edition
- You're buying a gift for someone who likes K-beauty and/or Sanrio
- You're visiting Korea and want a fun, practical souvenir
- You've never tried Amuse and the cute packaging is the push you need
- You're a Sanrio collector (no judgment — half of Korea is)
Buy regular Amuse if:
- You don't care about packaging and want the best price
- You prefer minimalist aesthetics
- The collab is sold out (the formula is identical)
Skip entirely if:
- You're not into lip tints or cushion compacts
- You have very deep skin tones (the cushion shade range is limited)
- You're looking for skincare, not makeup (Amuse is primarily a makeup brand — check out our skincare-focused guides instead)
My Take
I'm biased because I already love Amuse's products — the Dew Tint has been in my rotation for months, and I wrote a whole article about the brand. But the Hello Kitty collab is well-executed. The packaging is high quality (not flimsy or cheap-looking), the prices aren't inflated, and the formulas are unchanged.
The keychain balms are the standout for me. They're the most "collab-unique" product in the lineup, they're affordable, and they solve a real problem — having a tinted lip product accessible without digging through your bag. Plus, they're adorable. I've gotten more compliments on the tiny Hello Kitty on my keys than on any actual skincare result.
The cushion compacts are worth it if you're in the market for a new cushion anyway. The Dew Power Vegan Cushion with SPF 50+ is legitimately a good daily base product, and pulling out a Hello Kitty compact for midday touch-ups is objectively more fun than a plain compact.
If you can only buy one thing: get the Dew Tint. It's Amuse's best product, the Hello Kitty packaging is a nice bonus, and it's the right price for what you get. Pick a shade from the "warm" side if you want a natural, everyday color, or "cool" if you want something that reads more pink.
Limited editions sell out. If you want these, don't wait too long.
New to Amuse? Read our full guide to the brand. Building a K-beauty routine from scratch? Start with our glass skin guide or take our personalized skincare quiz for product recommendations tailored to your skin type.