South Korea’s cosmetics industry extended its winning streak in the third quarter, with exports climbing 17.6% year-on-year to ₩4.1 trillion ($3 billion), according to data released Friday by the Korea Customs Service. The sector has now posted gains for nine consecutive quarters.
Total shipments for the first nine months reached ₩11.6 trillion ($8.52 billion), up 15.4% from the prior year and marking the strongest January-to-September performance on record. The figures put the country on track to surpass last year’s ₩13.9 trillion ($10.2 billion), which itself was a record.
Basic skincare products, including toners and lotions, accounted for 41.7% of exports through September. Other categories like sunscreens and color cosmetics comprised 25.5% and 15.4%, respectively.
The US remains the largest market, taking 19.7% of Korea’s beauty exports, followed by China at 18.5% and Japan at 9.7%. Korean brands now ship to 205 countries, up from 172 last year, the customs agency said.
The expansion comes as the industry faces mounting challenges, including potential US tariff increases and stricter regulatory requirements in key markets. China’s share of Korean cosmetics imports has declined since 2021, dropping below 20% for the first time.
