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Amazon Prime Day: Medicube out-searched the iPad, K-beauty sets records
At Amazon Prime Day (June 23–26), K-beauty set new records again. Highlights APR's Medicube was No. 1 in overall Amazon US search terms, ahead of iPad, Lego and AirPods. Its Zero Pore Pad topped beauty for a second strai
0 0Korea just passed a law to make K-beauty the world's No. 1 cosmetics industry
Korea has a new law aimed squarely at beauty. The Act on the Promotion and Support of the Cosmetics Industry was promulgated on September 15, 2026, and the government says a cross-ministry strategy follows this year. Wha
0 0K-beauty exports hit $7 billion in six months, and Europe is the surprise
Korea's cosmetics exports reached a provisional $7 billion in the first half of 2026, up 27.3% year on year and the biggest first half on record. The numbers worth a look: US: $1.45 billion, 20.7% of the total, up 41.5%.
0 0Kolmar Korea and Cosmax post record Q2, lifted by indie brands
Korea's two biggest cosmetics ODMs both posted their best quarter ever. Kolmar Korea Operating profit ₩110.3B (+50.2%) Revenue ₩861.3B (+17.9%) Cosmax Operating profit ₩73.7B (+21.3%) Revenue ₩794.9B (+27.5%) What drove
0 0'Tanmaxxing' is trending on TikTok. Dermatologists are not fans
While K-beauty feeds are full of SPF reapplication hacks, another corner of TikTok is doing the opposite. Tanmaxxing means deliberately maximising sun exposure to get as dark as possible. What the trend involves, per a J
0 0China fell from 19.6% to 14.4% of K-beauty exports. Time to pull back?
If there's one number export teams stared at in the H1 data, it's this: China's share dropped from 19.6% to 14.4%. Exports there fell 6.6% to $1.01B. China once took close to half of Korea's cosmetics exports, so opinion
0 0K-beauty exports hit $7B in H1 2026, with the US now above 20%
Korea's cosmetics exports reached a provisional $7 billion in the first half of 2026, up 27.3% year on year and the best January–June on record. By market US: $1.45B (+41.5%, 20.7% share) China: $1.01B (−6.6%, 14.4% shar
0 0K-beauty’s off-season is fading: July became the top export month
An analysis says the old "winter is the slow season" rule in Korean cosmetics is breaking down. The numbers Cosmax made 172.47M units in Q1 2026, more than Q4 2025 (148.75M). Historically Q1 ran at about 91% of Q4. July
0 0TikTok’s K-beauty formula: bring creators in at the idea stage
TikTok's global product marketing lead explained to Korean press why K-beauty works so well on the platform. Examples from TikTok Shop US Medicube (APR): No. 1 with $16.77M in sales over 30 days Dr. Melaxin (Brand501): N
0 0One year of the 15% US tariff: how did you adjust your pricing?
It's been a year since the 15% US tariff on Korean goods took effect on Aug. 7, 2025. What happened then In the first 10 days of August, cosmetics exports to the US fell 37.2% month on month to $36.9M Basic skincare near
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0 0UAE cosmetics exports up 67%, but Hormuz risk is the wild card
The Middle East is one of the markets K-beauty export teams mention most. Korean cosmetics exports to the UAE jumped 67.2% to $286.5M. What the article says The Middle East cosmetics market is projected to grow from $19.
0 0Rare in Korean neighbourhood stores, huge abroad: the Beauty of Joseon puzzle
A post in r/KoreanBeauty from someone who has lived in Korea for close to ten years: they had never seen Beauty of Joseon on a shelf, even at Olive Young, and did not know a single Korean who used it. They understood it
0 1Kolmar Korea retakes the market-cap lead over Cosmax after 560 days
The ODM ranking flipped again on the stock market. As of May 20, Kolmar Korea was worth ₩2.1669 trillion and Cosmax ₩2.0089 trillion, ending Cosmax's lead that had run since Oct. 30, 2024, 560 days in all. Numbers behind
0 0Princess packaging, witch concepts, fruit tubes: miss "old K-beauty"?
A nostalgic post in r/AsianBeauty from a Korean user who grew up with these brands. They miss the K-beauty of around 2012–2013: Skinfood's fruit-shaped hand creams and food theme, cupcake lip balms, Etude's princess look
0 1Daiso Myeongdong Station: which of the 12 floors to hit first
Right outside Myeongdong Station stands a twelve-floor Daiso — the store reopened even bigger in 2023 and local reporting calls it one of the largest branches in the country. It doesn't look much like a dollar-store chai
0 0Korea's VAT refund on cosmetic procedures for tourists has lapsed — a bill to revive it is under review
Foreign tourists used to get back the VAT paid on cosmetic surgery and skin treatments in Korea. The special rule began in 2016 and was extended several times, but it ended at the close of 2025. Where things stand: In Ap
0 0The Hyundai Seoul
The Hyundai Seoul is the largest shopping mall in Seoul, covering an area the size of 13 soccer fields. Built in 2021, this mall offers shoppers a spacious and diverse shopping experience, along with excellent rest areas
0 0A 5,000-won Daiso serum vs a department-store serum: are the ingredients enough?
A recent Korean report describes the Myeongdong Daiso skincare aisle packed not only with tourists but also with men who didn't used to shop for skincare. Prices sit around 1,000–5,000 won, and products made with pharma
0 0Korean skincare for oily skin? The brand Japanese answers named most
On the @cosme Q&A board in Japan, someone with oily skin asked: "Do fewer Koreans have oily skin? I want to switch to Korean skincare, but it all seems to be about preventing dryness." The question collected 24 answers b
0 0Back acne and chest breakouts: Is the care different from facial skincare?
Body breakouts are heavily affected by sweat, clothing friction, and shower habits. Rather than simply copying your facial routine, it’s faster to start with your daily habits.
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