Retail sales prove K-beauty is now mainstream

Korean beauty has shifted from fringe to mainstream in the US, with major retailers including Ulta, Costco, and Walmart expanding their K-beauty offerings.

Driven by TikTok virality, younger, more diverse shoppers, and aggressive retail expansion, K-beauty sales in the US are projected to exceed $2 billion in 2025, according to NielsenIQ. That is up 37% from last year, and it outpaces the broader beauty market’s single-digit growth.

South Korea has now overtaken France as the top cosmetics supplier to the US. Up till June of this year, the Southeast Asian country shipped a record $5.5 billion worth of cosmetics—an increase of nearly 15% from the previous year.

The boom has continued despite tariff pressures. A recent US–South Korea agreement set tariffs at 15% instead of the initially planned 25%, and many brands have temporarily absorbed costs to keep prices steady.

Popular K-beauty products include sunscreens, tints, masks, and cushion foundations, several of which appear on viral videos.

Posts tagged “K-beauty” or “Korean skin care” draw 250 million weekly views, according to consumer data firm Spate. Gen Z and millennial shoppers make up roughly three-quarters of consumers, according to a report.

Not just the US
Statista data shows 61% of Mexicans and nearly 50% of Brazilians report that K-beauty is popular in their countries.