Trends & market
K-beauty export trends, channel shifts and how overseas shoppers respond.
Most read
Views over the last 3 weeks, recent ones counting more.- 1UAE cosmetics exports up 67%, but Hormuz risk is the wild cardNEW
- 2Japan Qoo10 Mega-Wari Preparation ChecklistNEW
- 3Why does a Korean product cost double where you live? Let's talkNEW
- 4TikTok Shop beauty neared $1B a quarter, yet half of shops sold nothingNEW
- 5Lines around the block for a men's beauty popup: the numbers behind itNEW
뷰티업계노트Chat'Cruelty-free' claims and China sales: the Paula's Choice lawsuit
News that Paula's Choice was being sued over animal-testing claims was shared on r/30PlusSkinCare, with a link to the complaint. It's a class action filed in March 2024 in the US District Court for the Western District o
0 0- 뷰티업계노트News
K-beauty exports hit a record — where is the growth coming from?
Korean cosmetics exports reached a record of roughly USD 10 billion in 2024, according to Korean government announcements. The mix has shifted a lot over the past few years. China is still a major market but no longer th
0 3 Is Qoo10 safe? Worried about fakes, Japanese users say: stick to official shops
In March 2025, a "How is Qoo10?" thread went up on Girls Channel, a large Japanese women's forum. The poster wanted a pair of shoes and was unsure about signing up. It drew over 90 comments. What the replies said Some ai
0 0Sunscreen labels no longer show filter percentages? What changed in Taiwan
On Taiwan's PTT forum (BeautySalon board), someone noticed in a drugstore that the new version of Mentholatum's ACNES sunscreen primer lists its UV filters but not their concentrations, and newer batches of Biore sunscre
0 1Korean skincare not sold in Japan: is importing it yourself OK? 102 answers
In February 2025, someone asked on the @cosme Q&A board in Japan: "The Korean skincare product I want isn't in Japanese stores, but it is sold at Olive Young and other shops in Korea. That makes it a personal import. Is
0 1Qoo10 Mega Wari: great deals, or just a growing stash of sets and freebies?
When Qoo10 Japan's "Mega Wari" sale opened on 28 August at 5 pm, a "What are you buying?" thread went up on Girls Channel, a large Japanese women's forum. It passed 200 comments, mixing wish lists with the question of wh
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kbeauty.notesNewsKorean men’s grooming: why it is a category to watch
Korea is often cited as one of the markets where men use skincare most actively, and Korean brands have built products specifically for men: all-in-ones, tinted moisturisers, sun sticks and scalp care.
0 1- 뷰티업계노트Chat
“Dupe” culture: opportunity or threat from a brand’s perspective?
Abroad, content about “dupes”—similar alternatives to expensive products—is popular. K-beauty products sometimes become known as “dupes for ○○,” and sometimes dupes of our products come out, too.
0 1 - kbeauty.notesNews
Why European retailers keep adding K-beauty shelves (and what they ask brands for)
K-beauty sections have been showing up in more European drugstores and online retailers. Buyers are attracted by sunscreen textures, gentle actives and price points, but they also ask practical questions early.
0 1 - 뷰티업계노트News
Why "sold at Olive Young" has become a selling point abroad
For many overseas shoppers, Olive Young has become a shorthand for "this is what people in Korea actually buy." Brands mention it on export pages, and tourists use it as a shopping list. Tourist traffic turns store ranki
0 1 - 뷰티업계노트News
Korean dermocosmetics: why "pharmacy-style" skincare keeps growing
Brands with a clinical, minimal look — often linked to dermatology or pharma companies — have become a big part of Korean skincare shelves. Short ingredient lists and barrier-focused claims Clinic-adjacent storytelling S
0 1 - 뷰티업계노트Tips
How K-beauty brands price for export: the markup chain in plain numbers
A product that sells for a certain price in Seoul often ends up much higher abroad. The chain looks roughly like this:
0 1 - 뷰티업계노트Tips
Japan Qoo10 Mega-Wari Preparation Checklist
One of the periods when K-beauty sales see a major surge in Japan is the Qoo10 Mega-Wari sale. Many brands start preparing at least one or two months in advance.
0 1 - 뷰티업계노트Chat
Current skincare keywords: what’s making the biggest impact in the industry?
I’ve rounded up the keywords I often see in stores and online. I’m curious which trends you’re actually noticing in your work. PDRN·salmon — expanding to pads, serums, and sunscreens Gentle·barrier — ceramides, panthenol
0 1 - 뷰티업계노트Chat
Why are Daiso cosmetics selling so well in Korea?
On Clien's main community board, someone said they were surprised while reading Daiso's online-mall annual report: the top five best-selling new products of the year were all cosmetics. They knew about the buzz around Da
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notas.kbeautyChatWould a K-beauty shop survive in a mid-sized Spanish city?
On r/askspain, someone asked whether a mid-sized city could support a shop specialising in Korean beauty. Their reasoning: chains such as Druni and Primor already reach small towns, and big cities have dedicated K-beauty
0 0Lines around the block for a men's beauty popup: the numbers behind it
When CJ Olive Young opened its first Men's Beauty popup in Seoul, the turnout surprised a lot of people. The Korea Times put numbers on it. From the report: Over 12,000 visitors in 10 days (Aug. 30 to Sept. 8, 2024), wit
0 0Mainland China, Taiwan, Hong Kong: where do you usually buy K-beauty?
Even within the Chinese-speaking world, K-beauty shopping habits differ a lot. We'd like to collect how it works where you live. Things to share Your main channel: e-commerce platforms, cross-border sites, drugstores, de
0 0Why does a Korean product cost double where you live? Let's talk
It's one of the most common complaints in K-beauty groups in Mexico, Colombia, Chile, Argentina or Spain: the toner that's a casual buy in Seoul turns into a treat back home. The reasons that usually come up: Internation
0 0- notas.kbeautyNews
La cosmética coreana ya mueve US$92 millones en Latinoamérica
A NielsenIQ report (K-Beauty Goes Global), covered by Forbes Argentina in September 2026, puts numbers on what many of us had already noticed on social media: Korean cosmetics exports to Argentina, Brazil and Mexico grew
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