On the Pulse

K Beauty’s Rapid Rise and How Suppliers Can Lean In

Across the United States, Korean Beauty, or K Beauty, as it is known, is moving from niche curiosity to everyday favorite at remarkable speed. Rooted in South Korean skincare and makeup routines that emphasize layered care, gentle actives and sensorial textures, these brands are now breaking out of specialty circles and into mainstream retail. TikTok and other social platforms are putting Korean products in front of millions of shoppers, while national retailers are building dedicated space for them in stores and online. The same momentum is now visible in markets globally, giving K Beauty a prominent place in the wider beauty conversation.

MPG Specialty Beauty Director Jennifer Cutelli shares what she is seeing in the market and how brands and suppliers can position themselves to capture this demand.

A powerful growth story in the US

In the past year, shoppers in the US have spent close to two billion dollars on Korean beauty products, with sales growing at well over thirty percent compared with the prior year. And on TikTok Shop alone, K Beauty has become the leading beauty category, with sales more than doubling in 2025. That growth is not happening by accident.

First, product discovery is often occurring long before the shopper enters the store, and TikTok sits at the center of that behavior. Short, informal TikTok videos and live streams show how a sunscreen blends, how a cushion foundation sits on the skin or how a serum spreads and absorbs. Clips from other platforms then reinforce the message. Shoppers are able to judge texture, finish and payoff in a few seconds, which lowers the barrier to trying brands that are new to them and makes K Beauty feel accessible rather than unfamiliar.

Second, Korean culture now has strong visibility in the US, from music and dramas to fashion and food. Beauty is moving along the same path. K Beauty taps into existing consumer interest in routine, self-expression and skin health, but delivers it with different textures, ingredient stories and visual cues that feel fresh.

Third, value and quality sit side by side. Many Korean brands combine accessible prices with formulas that feel advanced and enjoyable to use. For shoppers who are watching budgets but still want products that feel special and deliver results, that combination is appealing.

Other parts of the Beauty category continue to play significant roles as well, from dermatology inspired skincare and clinical brands to fragrance, hair and color. K Beauty is not a replacement for those segments. It is a fast-growing addition that is helping to keep energy high in beauty, especially with younger and more digitally engaged shoppers.

How US retailers are treating K Beauty

Retailers across the US are treating K Beauty as a way to draw attention, give shoppers something new to explore and learn from different ways of doing business.

Specialty beauty chains have created focused Korean assortments that bring together skincare, color and devices. Ulta initiatives around K Beauty and the addition of brands such as Medicube, and Sephora’s expanded roster of Korean lines like Beauty of Joseon, Hanyul and Aestura, show that this is no longer an occasional feature. Korean brands are being woven into the core offering.

Mass and club retailers are also expanding their Korean lineups. In these environments, K Beauty often serves as a bridge between sharp price points and elevated experience. A well performing Korean toner or sunscreen can feel like a treat while still fitting into a weekly shopping trip.

At the same time, Korean and Asian beauty specialists such as Olive Young and Sukoshi are bringing curated assortments and distinctive merchandising into US cities. That raises shopper expectations for what a beauty experience can look like, and that influence extends well beyond Korean brands alone.

Behind these moves is an active effort to secure exclusive launches, shorten replenishment times and create more flexible merchandising options. Korean origin brands are attractive partners because they tend to move quickly from idea to launch, engage consumers on social platforms and perform across both ecommerce and in store channels.

Jennifer notes that retailers are looking at this momentum in the context of their whole beauty business. They’re looking at which brands, regardless of origin, can match that level of pace, distinctiveness and digital strength. Suppliers who can bring credible answers to that question will stand out.

Even if you don’t work directly with Korean brands, K Beauty offers useful guidance on where opportunities are emerging and how expectations are changing, says Jennifer:

Create a faster track for innovation. The domestic beauty market in South Korea is intensely competitive, and that environment has encouraged shorter development cycles and a willingness to test in market. Some products move from concept to shelf in just a few months.

Most US and global brands do not need to move everything at that speed. However, Jennifer often recommends that suppliers develop a faster track alongside their core pipeline. That can include limited runs tied to specific trends, retailer exclusives that explore new formats or ingredients, and digital first launches that can be scaled up or retired quickly based on performance. In the end, the aim is not to imitate Korean brands, but to demonstrate to retail partners that you can respond when they see heightened interest in a format, benefit or ingredient.

Make sure products work on camera as well as in real life. K Beauty has been particularly skilled at creating products that are visually interesting in use. Cushions that bounce, serums that glide cleanly over the skin, watery toners that pour easily but feel substantial on application all show up well on video.
Suppliers across beauty can borrow that way of thinking. Practical questions include whether a formula looks appealing in a short swipe video, whether the texture and finish help tell the benefit story without heavy explanation, and whether the packaging is distinctive enough to be recognized in user generated content. These considerations now apply across the category, from derm led serums and prestige lip color to masstige hair care and fragrance adjacencies.
Treat digital-first channels as part of the main strategy. Many Korean brands in the US context embraced Amazon and TikTok Shop early as core routes to the shopper. That approach gave them direct visibility into what works, tighter feedback loops for reformulation and range expansion, and strong connections between influencer content and purchase.

K Beauty’s rise is a clear sign that US beauty shoppers remain eager for new textures, formats and stories, and that they are willing to discover and adopt brands in new ways. It is one of the most dynamic sources of growth in the category right now, sitting alongside other important engines such as derm led innovation, wellness influences, hair care and fragrance.

For suppliers, the key is to understand what sits behind this momentum and decide which elements fit your brands, your capabilities and your retail partners. That may involve adjusting innovation timelines, taking a fresh look at whether your hero products are ready for digital discovery, sharpening how you show up on TikTok, Amazon and other fast-growing platforms, or exploring partnerships that align your strengths with the energy around Korean beauty.

If you would like to explore how the K Beauty opportunity can support your growth, while keeping the rest of your portfolio firmly in view, reach out to Jennifer Cutelli at Jennifer.cutelli@mpgllc.com for a conversation. She and MPG’s experienced Specialty Beauty team can help you translate what you are seeing today into a clear and actionable path forward.