U.S. Overtakes China as Top Market for South Korean Cosmetics
The shift marks a major change in K-beauty’s export map as growth in the U.S. offsets a prolonged decline in shipments to China.
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Mamonde to Shut China Online Stores After 21 Years
The closure adds to the retreat of legacy K-beauty brands in China as weaker channel performance and tougher local competition continue to pressure older market-entry models.
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Why Vietnamese Beauty Brands Sell Low and Buy High
Vietnamese beauty brands represent less than 10% of their own domestic market – a $2.66 billion industry where over 90% of value is imported product. Vietnam imports cosmetics at $27,313 per ton and exports them at $13,201. The country is buying premium and selling commodity – and that single data point describes V-beauty’s structural challenge…
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Clöud Café Enters Ulta Beauty With Ingestible K-Beauty Range
The launch pushes K-beauty further into ingestible wellness at Ulta, adding collagen drinks to a retail mix still dominated by topical products.
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Landing International Expands K-Beauty Into U.S. Military Retail Channels
The deal gives selected Korean beauty brands access to a global military retail network that Landing International says reaches more than 10 million consumers.
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Foreign Investors Rotate Into K-Beauty Despite Broader Korea Selloff
Selective foreign buying in APR and d’Alba Global suggests investors still see export-led K-beauty as a relative growth trade despite wider outflows from South Korean equities.
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Beauty of Joseon Stages UK Pop-Up to Deepen Retail Engagement
Beauty of Joseon will host an experiential pop-up at Westfield Stratford City over the Easter bank holiday weekend on April 3, 4, and 6. The activation is designed to strengthen the brand’s UK position as competition in Korean skincare continues to intensify. Interactive Format and Product Education The pop-up will present the brand’s story and…
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Rice Water Skincare: Does It Actually Work?
Rice water has been used in Asian beauty rituals for over a thousand years. Women in Heian-era Japan (794–1185 AD) rinsed their hair and skin in leftover rice water. Vietnamese women have used it as a facial rinse and hair treatment for generations. Korean beauty brands now list it as a hero ingredient on product…
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JiYu Raises $6.5 Million to Expand in North America
JiYu has raised $6.5 million in growth capital to expand across North America and accelerate clinical product development. The Korean skincare brand said the funding will support its U.S. market push as it tracks toward more than $70 million in annual revenue in 2026. North America Expansion Plan The company said the round included private…
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Ulta Expands K-Beauty and Wellness Through Marketplace and Stores
Ulta Beauty has expanded its K-beauty and wellness offerings through a mix of marketplace launches and store rollouts in March 2026. The latest moves included Landing International’s K-Beauty World expansion with 17 Korean brands, Dr. Melaxin’s rollout into all 1,500 Ulta Beauty stores, and Cymbiotika’s entry into more than 1,000 locations. Marketplace-Led Brand Scaling The…
