The Beauty of Joseon pop-up store that opened last month at Galeries Lafayette department store. (Yonhap)
PARIS, Aug. 11 (Korea Bizwire) — South Korean cosmetics are making waves in global beauty markets, with a notable surge in sales, particularly in Europe. According to Le Monde, Korean brands are increasingly dominating beauty stores in France, despite challenges such as rising U.S. tariffs.
The rise of K-beauty products like sheet masks, snail mucin creams, and sunscreen from brands such as Toriden, COSRX, and Beauty of Joseon is reshaping the European market.
Sales of Korean cosmetics in major French department stores like Sephora, Printemps, and Galeries Lafayette have grown substantially. Printemps recently opened a pop-up store featuring 13 Korean brands, and Monoprix, a large supermarket chain, has begun offering popular products from Beauty of Joseon and COSRX in over 100 of its stores across France.
These stores have become essential destinations for Korean tourists seeking local beauty products, further fueling the demand for K-beauty items.
The expansion of the Korean beauty industry is also marked by the rapid growth of “Myein,” a chain of Korean cosmetic stores established in Spain that has now expanded to 43 locations in Europe, including two in Paris. The company’s co-founder, Li Lin Yang, sees potential for up to 200 stores across the continent.
Korean cosmetics are also making significant strides in France’s beauty sector, with stores like “Oh My Cream” reporting that 5% of their revenue comes from Korean brands.
Oh My Cream, which has created a dedicated section for Korean cosmetics. (Image source: Oh My Cream website capture.)
Industry experts predict that the K-beauty trend is not a passing fad but a growing global force, with Korean products increasingly taking hold across diverse consumer demographics, including Asian and white customers in the U.S.
This success has not gone unnoticed. With the slowdown of Chinese demand for cosmetics, Europe has become an even more crucial market for Korean beauty exports, particularly as the U.S. plans to impose a 15% tariff on imports.
Analysts predict that European expansion will intensify, posing a challenge to established European brands like L’Oréal and Clarins, who may now face direct competition both in their home markets and abroad.
Thanks to strong government backing, South Korea’s cosmetics industry has risen to become the world’s fourth-largest exporter of beauty and personal care products by 2024, trailing only France, the U.S., and Germany.
In 2024, South Korea’s cosmetics exports surpassed €10 billion, with the country now holding the second-largest export market share in France.
Industry insiders are concerned that Korean brands may continue to expand into new areas, including scalp care, beauty devices, and dietary supplements, potentially posing a further challenge to European manufacturers.
Lina Jang (linajang@koreabizwire.com)
