K-Beauty invasion: Sephora, Ulta, Olive Young vie for US market

From Seoul’s beauty labs to shelves at Sephora and Ulta, Korean brands are redefining what global skincare looks like. The U.S. K-Beauty market is now valued at over $22 billion, and South Korea’s cosmetics exports have surged 21% year-on-year to $10.2 billion. What’s driving this global obsession with the “Korean glow”? Is it innovation, accessibility, or the promise of results without the luxury markup? As Olive Young prepares its U.S. debut in 2026, and Western consumers embrace routines once considered niche, one question stands out: has K-Beauty become the new global standard for skincare? Read the full story @globalbrandsmagazine.com https://lnkd.in/gCaaQp7t and explore how Korean skincare is reshaping the beauty industry worldwide. What is your favourite brand? Tell us in the comments below ! #KBeauty #GlobalBeauty #KoreanSkincare #BeautyIndustry #BrandStrategy #Sephora #UltaBeauty #OliveYoung #COSRX #GlobalBrandsMagazine #KoreanCosmetics #BeautyInnovation #SkincareTrends #GlobalMarket #BeautyBusiness

Founded in 2017, Judydoll has quickly risen to the top of China’s color cosmetics scene by reimagining what “国货彩妆” can mean for Gen Z consumers. Its secret? A unique blend of playfulness, affordability, and cultural savvy. 💄 National leader in less than a decade: Within just a few years, Judydoll turned “play makeup” into a serious business. Affordable palettes and single shadows made experimenting with color easy, building a reputation as the “light of domestic beauty”. 👁️Extensive product line tailored to Chinese needs: With 800+ SKUs, Judydoll doesn’t just follow trends—it solves local beauty pain points. From its “Iron Mascara” for short, straight lashes to contour palettes matching Asian skin tones, the brand turns consumer conversations into viral hits. 🥤Winning the dupe culture: At milk-tea prices, Judydoll products are marketed as smart alternatives to luxury. By embracing “平替” culture instead of fighting it, the brand transformed affordability into savviness, keeping consumers loyal even as their incomes rise. 🎨Building a “cool girl” brand image: Colorful campaigns, Gen Z collaborations, and relatable ambassadors create a fun-yet-approachable personality. Judydoll isn’t an untouchable luxury—it’s the cool girl next door who knows the trends and makes you feel included. Judydoll proves that in today’s China, success doesn’t always come from premiumization. By staying accessible, trend-driven, and culturally fluent, the brand has built a loyal fanbase that sees it not just as makeup, but as a lifestyle companion. Read more here: https://lnkd.in/gc8hk4eF #ChinaBeauty #GenZConsumers #Judydoll #CBeauty #Daxueconsulting #Daxuestories

Ever since the early 1990’s, Korean beauty and skincare products have had undeniable dominance on Asia’s beauty market – with products that have penetrated international markets, the standards of these cosmetic items have strongly evolved. Current K-beauty products are progressive and innovative; they fuse treatments which were once exclusive to professional clinics into accessible, everyday essentials. These products are no longer just beauty hacks; they have become the cheat code that enable normal consumers to seize medical-grade results. The standards created by Korean beauty, shown not only through visuals but also the tools which help enhance them, have been recognised globally. Popularly represented through media content like K-pop, the K-beauty hype among Southeast Asian countries is infectious. Read the full story: https://lnkd.in/gzPR6edY ✍️ Phoonyaras (Jane) N. 📸 Getty Images -- #BurdaLuxury #LuxuryInsights

The beauty industry is booming — up +10% globally in the past year. Asia Pacific leads with +14.3% growth, powered by China and South Korea. Fragrance is the fastest-growing category, but skin care and cosmetics are surging too. 📈 Want to see what’s driving this momentum? Mid-Year State of Beauty 2025 Report https://lnkd.in/guCruNfR #DigitalBeauty #Ecommerce #NIQInsights #BeautyRetail #FutureRetail #RetailInsights #ShoppingTrends #BeautySector #BeautyBrands #BeautyConsumer #DigitalRetail #globalbeauty

💄✨ The #beautyindustry is on fire! #Global growth is up 10% and #AsiaPacific is leading the charge with a 14.3% surge, driven by strong performance in China and South Korea. 🌸 #Fragrance is stealing the spotlight as the fastest-growing category, but #skincare and #cosmetics are not far behind. Curious about what’s fueling this momentum? The Mid-Year State of #Beauty #2025 Report breaks it all down. 📊 Dive into the trends shaping the future of beauty: 🔗 https://lnkd.in/guCruNfR

Kim Kardashian has officially closed her standalone beauty brand, SKKN BY KIM, in mid-2025 as part of a deliberate consolidation strategy to bring all her beauty ventures under the umbrella of her lifestyle brand, SKIMS. SKKN BY KIM was launched in 2022 as a high-performance, clean skincare and makeup line developed in collaboration with Coty. However, by early 2025, Kim Kardashian reacquired Coty’s 20% minority stake, and SKIMS took over the majority stake, effectively integrating the beauty brand into her broader lifestyle empire.  https://lnkd.in/evBD_mUv #marketandtrade #cosmetics #kimkardashian #skknbykim #hpc #hpcusa #USA

𝐄𝐲𝐞 𝐌𝐚𝐤𝐞𝐮𝐩 𝐌𝐚𝐫𝐤𝐞𝐭: 𝐃𝐞𝐟𝐢𝐧𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐄𝐲𝐞𝐬 𝐨𝐟 𝐁𝐞𝐚𝐮𝐭𝐲 𝐃𝐨𝐰𝐧𝐥𝐨𝐚𝐝 𝐅𝐫𝐞𝐞𝐞 𝐏𝐃𝐅 𝐁𝐫𝐨𝐜𝐡𝐮𝐫𝐞: https://lnkd.in/dWVmScC5 𝐌𝐚𝐫𝐤𝐞𝐭 𝐎𝐯𝐞𝐫𝐯𝐢𝐞𝐰 The Eye Makeup Market is set to grow at a CAGR of 7.1%, reaching USD 29.05 Billion by 2030. From mascara, eye shadows, eyeliners, to mineral makeup, the demand for high-quality, safe, and innovative eye products continues to soar. 𝐊𝐞𝐲 𝐓𝐫𝐞𝐧𝐝𝐬 Mineral makeup is leading the market with benefits like better coverage, skin compatibility, and sun protection. North America holds the largest market share, thanks to well-established players and robust supply chains. Asia Pacific is rising fast, driven by growing awareness, working women, and beauty-conscious consumers. Eye makeup is not just a product—it's a statement of confidence and self-expression. Brands investing in quality, innovation, and sustainable products are capturing the eyes and hearts of global consumers. #EyeMakeup #BeautyIndustry #MineralMakeup #GlobalMarketTrends #CosmeticsInnovation

𝗞-𝗕𝗲𝗮𝘂𝘁𝘆 𝗶𝘀𝗻’𝘁 𝗷𝘂𝘀𝘁 𝗴𝗹𝗼𝘄𝗶𝗻𝗴.   𝗜𝘁’𝘀 𝗰𝗼𝗻𝗾𝘂𝗲𝗿𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗹𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗻 𝗮𝗺𝗲𝗿𝗶𝗰𝗮. 𝗣𝗲𝗿𝘂’𝘀 𝗯𝗶𝗴𝗴𝗲𝘀𝘁 𝗯𝗲𝗮𝘂𝘁𝘆 𝗿𝗲𝘁𝗮𝗶𝗹𝗲𝗿, 𝗔𝗿𝘂𝗺𝗮, 𝗵𝗮𝘀 𝘀𝗽𝗼𝗸𝗲𝗻:   “K-Beauty still has huge room to grow.” Between 2021 and 2025, imports of Korean cosmetics in Peru jumped nearly 100%.   K-beauty now ranks 7th among all imported cosmetic origins — up from outside the top 10 just a few years ago. 𝗛𝗲𝗿𝗲’𝘀 𝘄𝗵𝘆 𝗶𝘁’𝘀 𝗵𝗮𝗽𝗽𝗲𝗻𝗶𝗻𝗴: • 𝗦𝗸𝗶𝗻𝗰𝗮𝗿𝗲 𝗶𝘀 𝗱𝗼𝗺𝗶𝗻𝗮𝘁𝗲𝗱 — now spreading into makeup and haircare.   Peruvian consumers trust Korean skin solutions. The next frontier? Tonal makeup and scalp care. • 𝗔𝗿𝘂𝗺𝗮 𝗶𝘀 𝗴𝗼𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗴𝗹𝗼𝗯𝗮𝗹.   With 130 stores in Peru and expansion into Colombia and Mexico, they’re shaping beauty trends for Latin America — and Korean brands are on their shelves. • 𝗟𝗼𝗰𝗮𝗹 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗱𝗶𝗿𝗲𝗰𝘁 𝘀𝗼𝘂𝗿𝗰𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗮𝗿𝗲 𝗯𝗼𝘁𝗵 𝗯𝗼𝗼𝗺𝗶𝗻𝗴.   Through their import arm Glam Brands, Aruma now imports Korean products directly from Seoul — while local distributors can’t keep up with demand. 𝗔𝗿𝘂𝗺𝗮’𝘀 𝗸𝗲𝘆 𝗶𝗻𝘀𝗶𝗴𝗵𝘁: “Popularity in Korea doesn’t matter as much as recognition in Western markets.”   They scout brands that already have global traction — those trending on Sephora or Ulta before Olive Young. That’s why brands like 𝗦𝗸𝗶𝗻𝟭𝟬𝟬𝟰, 𝗔𝗻𝘂𝗮, 𝗧𝗼𝗰𝗼𝗯𝗼, and 𝗕𝗲𝗮𝘂𝘁𝘆 𝗼𝗳 𝗝𝗼𝘀𝗲𝗼𝗻 are thriving.   They fit Aruma’s sweet spot: affordable luxury — or what the industry calls “mass prestige.” 𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗹𝗲𝘀𝘀𝗼𝗻 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝗞𝗼𝗿𝗲𝗮𝗻 𝗯𝗿𝗮𝗻𝗱𝘀: Winning in Peru isn’t about being Korean.   It’s about being 𝗴𝗹𝗼𝗯𝗮𝗹, 𝗴𝗿𝗮𝘀𝗽𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗪𝗲𝘀𝘁𝗲𝗿𝗻 𝘁𝗿𝗲𝗻𝗱𝘀, 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗼𝗳𝗳𝗲𝗿𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗰𝗼𝗻𝘀𝗶𝘀𝘁𝗲𝗻𝘁, 𝘀𝗰𝗮𝗹𝗮𝗯𝗹𝗲 𝗹𝗶𝗻𝗲𝘀 𝘄𝗶𝘁𝗵 𝗰𝗹𝗲𝗮𝗿 𝗽𝗼𝘀𝗶𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝗶𝗻𝗴.  K-beauty’s next big market isn’t just Asia — it’s Latin America.   And Aruma is proof that the wave has only just begun. Source: KOTRA Lima Trade Office, October 13, 2025

According to Innova Market Insights' Top 10 Beauty Trends 2025, “function over form” ranked #1 on this list, as consumers globally seek long-lasting quality and functionality-driven performance in #beauty products. Europe accounted for half of global launches. Lip gloss/balm was the top subcategory, and ethical claims dominated product positionings. #beautytrends #cosmetics #makeup #beautynews Curious to learn more? Click the link in the comments to read the full personal care focus 👇

Beauty brands - now is the time to rethink your product focus heading into peak season to maximize your product assortment and sales: ✔ Fragrance continues to drive the vertical’s growth - even for brands that don’t offer perfume, mists, etc - there’s opportunity to speak to a scent story or scent layering for hair & body.  ✔️In hair, we’re seeing double-digit growth in styling products and growth led by innovation & new product launches.  ✔️Across both prestige and mass, we’re seeing lip continue to dominate, especially hybrid products and innovation (i.e. lip oil balms, lip stains, and lip contour products - same for cheek.) ✔️Masstige is killing it in skincare - and prestige body is booming. Via Circana 💡 https://lnkd.in/eRUbrzAX