Korean skincare used to be something Americans discovered on YouTube and ordered from specialty sites. It is now a mass-retail category: Target set out to put K-beauty sections in all 1,978 of its stores, Ulta added a slate of Korean brands, and Korea’s food and drug ministry describes the country as the world’s second-largest cosmetics exporter.
The shift shows up in trade data before it shows up in your cart. Here is what the export figures say, what changed on US shelves and in factories, and what it means for prices and product choice.
Trend Signal
80/100 Strong momentum
- Emerging
- Rising
- Mainstream
- Peaking
- Cooling
US shipments still growing by double digits into 2026
Korean cosmetics exports to the US rose 15.1% to about $2.2 billion in 2025 and 40.9% to about $620 million in the first quarter of 2026, as reported by Personal Care Insights and Global Cosmetics News.
Our editorial reading of the cited data, not a forecast. How it is scored
By the numbers
- $11.43BSouth Korea’s cosmetics exports worldwide in 2025, up 12.3% from 2024Personal Care Insights
- $2.2BKorean cosmetics exports to the US in 2025, up 15.1%; the US was the top destinationPersonal Care Insights
- +40.9%Korean cosmetics exports to the US, first quarter of 2026, to about $620 millionGlobal Cosmetics News
- 1,978Target stores slated for expanded K-beauty sections by the end of 2025Personal Care Insights
What the numbers show
South Korea’s cosmetics exports reached $11.43 billion in 2025, up 12.3%, and every month of 2025 set a year-over-year record, Personal Care Insights reported in January 2026. The US was the largest destination at about $2.2 billion, up 15.1%, while exports to China, long the main market, fell 19.2% to about $2 billion. The combined US and China share dropped from 43.1% to 36.7%, so growth came from a wider set of countries.
The pace picked up in 2026. First-quarter exports hit a record $3.1 billion, up 19%, and shipments to the US rose 40.9% to about $620 million, according to Global Cosmetics News, citing Seoul Economic Daily. China fell another 9.6%. Skincare accounted for $2.43 billion of the quarter’s total, so this is mostly a skincare story, not a makeup one.
Korea’s Ministry of Food and Drug Safety put the 2025 cosmetics trade surplus at $10.1 billion and calls Korea the world’s second-largest cosmetics exporter by size. The crossover was visible in mid-2025: for January through April 2025, Korea exported $3.61 billion of cosmetics against $3.57 billion for the US, trailing only France, Personal Care Insights reported from Korean trade data.
The US is now K-beauty’s biggest customer, and US demand accelerated in early 2026.
From haul videos to store aisles
The retail change happened mostly in 2025. Ulta Beauty added 13 Korean brands, including Medicube, Mixsoon, Some By Mi, Tirtir, Kaja and Rom&nd, through a partnership with Landing International; Sephora doubled its Korean lineup; Walmart and Costco broadened their ranges; and Target planned K-beauty sections across all 1,978 stores by the end of 2025, Personal Care Insights reported in July 2025.
An Ulta merchandising executive, quoted by the outlet, said the retailer had featured Korean skincare before, “but now customers can find a wider range of categories and price points.” That is the practical change for shoppers: Korean brands sit next to US brands in the same aisles instead of living mainly on marketplaces and specialty sites, which makes it easier to see the product, check the label and return it.
Manufacturing is following demand. Kolmar Korea completed its second US plant, in Pennsylvania, which it said would lift its US capacity from 180 million to 300 million units a year, and the plant is certified for over-the-counter sunscreen production, according to the same report. Cosmax and Cosmecca Korea expanded capacity by 30% and 21% in 2025. Producing in the US shortens supply lines for the retailers now carrying these brands.
Prices, tariffs and what could slow it
Import costs are the main risk. In early July 2025, President Trump announced a 25% tariff on nearly all South Korean imports starting August 1 unless a deal was struck, and shoppers responded with stock-up videos under tags such as #kbeautyhaul and #tariffprep, Personal Care Insights reported. KraveBeauty’s founder told The New York Times the brand did not plan to raise prices immediately. The legal footing then shifted: on February 20, 2026, the Supreme Court ruled that the emergency-powers law behind the reciprocal tariffs does not authorize the President to impose tariffs. Whatever the rate in a given month, the export data shows US shipments kept growing through the first quarter of 2026.
On prices, the BLS index for cosmetics, perfume, bath and nail products rose 2.8% between August 2025 and August 2026, by our calculation from published index levels, faster than the 0.3% of the prior twelve months but below overall inflation of 3.4%. That index does not isolate Korean products, so treat it as the backdrop, not a K-beauty price tag.
The counter-signals are concentration and crowding. China’s decline shows how fast a big export market can turn, and more shelf space means Korean brands increasingly compete with each other, not only with US brands. If US growth slows from the roughly 41% of early 2026 toward the 15% of 2025, we would expect promotions to be the first visible sign.
What to check before you buy
Start with the label. A product bought from a US retailer’s own shelf is easier to check and return than a marketplace listing shipped from abroad. Sunscreen is the special case: US rules treat it as an over-the-counter drug with a fixed list of permitted filters, which is why Kolmar’s US plant certification for OTC sunscreen matters. Any sunscreen you buy should carry a US Drug Facts panel.
Compare price per ounce rather than sticker price. Sizes vary widely across Korean lines and across sellers of the same product, and a low sticker price on a small bottle can cost more per use than a larger one.
Buy now if a product you want is newly on shelves near you. Skip stock-up buying driven by tariff headlines: the 2025 tariff scare did not stop US shipments from rising in early 2026, and opened skincare does not keep indefinitely.
Buy from a shelf you can return to, check the label, and compare unit prices.
What to watch next
- Korea’s monthly cosmetics export figures for the US, for whether 2026 growth holds near the first-quarter pace
- Whether Target and Ulta keep or trim K-beauty space in their holiday 2026 resets
- Output from Korean-owned US plants, including Kolmar Korea’s Pennsylvania site certified for OTC sunscreen
Where to start
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K-beauty product types to compare
| Product type | Good fit for | Where to look |
|---|---|---|
| Snail mucin essence | Fits a simple first routine | See listings on AmazonOpens Amazon search results, not one listing: check the model on the product page. |
| Korean cleansing balm | Fits removing sunscreen and makeup | See listings on AmazonOpens Amazon search results, not one listing: check the model on the product page. |
| Korean sheet mask multipack | Fits a weekly add-on step | See listings on AmazonOpens Amazon search results, not one listing: check the model on the product page. |
Product types that fit the trend described above, not tested models. Check the exact listing before you buy. How we pick them.
Snail mucin essence
Where to look: Amazon
A common entry point into K-beauty skincare. Compare price per ounce across sellers, since the same essence is sold in several sizes.
- Adds one light layer
- Easy to fit into an existing routine
- Sizes vary by seller
- Easy to overbuy similar steps
Korean cleansing balm
Where to look: Amazon
Useful if you wear daily sunscreen or long-wear makeup. Check the ingredient list for added fragrance if your skin reacts to it.
- Melts makeup and sunscreen
- One jar lasts a while
- Needs a second rinse for some
- Jar format is less hygienic
Korean sheet mask multipack
Where to look: Amazon
A low-commitment way to test Korean brands. Buy multipacks from a seller whose label you can read.
- Low cost to try several types
- Single-use, nothing to store
- Single-use packaging waste
- Effects are short-lived
More: Beauty and Grooming trends and how the Trend Signal is scored.
Sources
- South Korea sets cosmetic export record as government pushes for further growth — Personal Care Insights
- K-Beauty exports reach record US$3.1 billion in Q1 — Global Cosmetics News
- K-beauty hits US mass retailers and scales domestic production as tariff clock ticks — Personal Care Insights
- K-beauty: South Korea overtakes US as second-largest cosmetics exporter — Personal Care Insights
- 2026 Cosmetics Day ceremony press release — Ministry of Food and Drug Safety, Republic of Korea
- CPI: Cosmetics, perfume, bath, nail preparations and implements, series CUUR0000SEGB02 — U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics
- CPI: All items, series CUUR0000SA0 — U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics
- Questions and Answers: FDA’s regulatory actions on over-the-counter sunscreen — U.S. Food and Drug Administration
- Learning Resources, Inc. v. Trump, decided February 20, 2026 — Supreme Court of the United States
Questions readers ask
Why is K-beauty so popular in the US?
The data shows the demand more than a single cause: Korean cosmetics exports to the US rose 15.1% to about $2.2 billion in 2025, and Target, Ulta Beauty and Sephora expanded Korean ranges in 2025, putting the products in front of more shoppers.
Are Korean skincare prices going up because of tariffs?
In July 2025 President Trump announced a 25% tariff on most South Korean imports unless a deal was reached, and some brands said they would not raise prices immediately. On February 20, 2026 the Supreme Court ruled that the emergency-powers law behind the reciprocal tariffs does not authorize tariffs. The broad BLS index for cosmetics rose 2.8% in the year to August 2026, by our calculation; it does not isolate Korean products.
Are Korean brands making products in the US?
Some contract manufacturers are. Kolmar Korea completed its second US plant, in Pennsylvania, which it said would lift US capacity to 300 million units a year and which is certified for OTC sunscreen, and Cosmax and Cosmecca expanded capacity in 2025.
Is the US the biggest market for K-beauty?
Yes. The US was Korea’s largest cosmetics export destination in 2025 at about $2.2 billion, ahead of China at about $2 billion, and US shipments rose 40.9% in the first quarter of 2026.
