In 2025, South Korean cosmetics exports reached an all-time high of $11.4 billion, an 11.8–12.3% increase year-over-year. South Korea rose to become the world's second-largest exporter behind France.
Major export categories included skincare at $8.54 billion and color cosmetics at $1.51 billion, reflecting growing demand for both high-performance and color products. The top export markets were the U.S., China, and Japan, with particularly notable expansion in European and Middle Eastern markets such as Poland (+111.7%) and the UAE (+67.2%).
Moving beyond its traditional 'value-for-money' image, K-beauty is expanding its global influence based on brand competitiveness centered on ingredients and efficacy.