Korea continues to grow and Korean cosmetics are a triumph. Beauty exports from Korea are on track to surpass those from the United States, becoming the second largest export category for cosmetics, as pointed out by Global Cosmetics News.
Korean cosmetics have managed to consolidate themselves in key markets such as Europe, the United States, and Asia, and are in development in Latin America and the Middle East. As indicated by data from the Ministry of Food and Drug Safety of Korea, Korean cosmetic exports reached 10.2 billion dollars in 2024, more than 20% compared to 2023, thus placing Korea in third place in terms of cosmetic exporters, only behind France and the United States.
Korean media outlets have already reported on the boom in their cosmetic exports, especially from SMEs that have seen their operations grow. In the first half of the year, cosmetic exports reached $5.51 billion, an increase of 14.8% compared to last year, when the figure was $4.8 billion, as indicated by the Ministry of Food and Drug Safety last July, marking the third consecutive year of growth in the first half of the year. The number of countries to which exports have been made has also seen a slight increase, from 172 countries to 176. As Korea JoongAng Daily points out, Poland has emerged as a growing market. Exports to Poland have grown exponentially from $3 million in 2023 to $150 million in the first half of 2025, making it the main European destination for Korean cosmetics.
