K-Beauty seeks to spread to EU, India markets after record exports last year

Customers try out Korean cosmetics at the K-Vibe from Seoul pop-up exhibition organized by the Seoul Metropolitan Government in Milan, Italy, in 2025. [JOONGANG ILBO]

K-beauty companies are accelerating efforts to expand into Europe and India as geopolitical tensions in the Middle East raise uncertainty in one of the industry’s emerging export markets. The shift comes as Korean cosmetics firms seek to diversify overseas sales after exports hit a record high last year.

Beauty tech company APR announced on Monday that it signed a strategic partnership with Nykaa, India’s largest online beauty platform, to sell its products. Nykaa, which generates about 90 percent of its revenue online and operates roughly 260 offline stores across India as part of an “omnichannel” strategy, serves more than 42 million customers, according to Nykaa’s 2025 report.

APR launched 40 products on the online platform with some already available through Nykaa’s online marketplace.

“The beauty and personal care market in India is projected to grow from $28 billion in 2024 to $34 billion in 2028, according to a report by the India Brand Equity Foundation,” APR said. “The Nykaa partnership is a strategic move to target the rapidly expanding Indian market.”

K-beauty brand d’Alba Global is also posting strong sales on Amazon’s European platform.

The company reported key products such as serums and sunscreen ranked among the top items in the beauty category during Amazon’s “Spring Deal” promotion from March 10 to 16. d’Alba Global’s European sales last year jumped 302 percent from a year earlier, outpacing growth in Japan, 210 percent, and North America, 155 percent.

“A number of our main products ranked within the top 10 in the beauty category in major markets including Spain, Germany and Italy,” a d’Alba Global official said. “Our ‘First Spray Serum’ ranked 42nd in Italy and No.5 in Germany during last year’s Spring Deal event, but rose to No.9 and No.3 this year.”

Foreign visitors look around the exhibition in Songpa District, southern Seoul on June 19, 2025. [NEWS1]

K-beauty companies had previously been expanding into emerging markets such as the Middle East as part of efforts to diversify exports.

Among export destinations for Korean cosmetics, the United Arab Emirates ranked No. 12 in 2023 with $90 million in exports but rose to No. 8 last year with $290 million.

However, analysts say rising geopolitical uncertainty in the region could affect expansion strategies.

“K-beauty has achieved strong results in major markets such as North America, Japan and China and is now stepping up efforts to target emerging markets, including those in Asia,” said Kim Ju-duck, the chair professor of the beauty industry department at Seoul Cyber University. “But with uncertainty increasing in the Middle East, companies may revise their strategies or prioritize markets such as India and Europe.”

Cosmetics original design manufacturers, or ODM companies — firms that develop and produce products later branded and sold by other companies — are also expanding their global manufacturing networks.

Foreign visitors browse cosmetics at shops in Myeongdong, Jung District, central Seoul, on Dec. 21, 2025. [YONHAP]

Two of Korea’s largest cosmetics ODM companies, Cosmax and Kolmar Korea, are increasing overseas production capacity to support global clients.

Cosmax recently acquired a 51 percent stake in Italian cosmetics ODM firm Keminova, securing its first production base in Europe as the company moves to strengthen its global supply chain.

Until now, Cosmax’s production facilities had been concentrated in Hwaseong and Pyeongtaek in Korea, Shanghai and Guangzhou in China and New Jersey in the United States. With the acquisition, the company plans to expand manufacturing in Europe to better serve regional clients.

Kolmar Korea, another major cosmetics ODM company, is also expanding its global production footprint. The company plans to target the Latin American market using its second U.S. factory, which began operations in July last year.

This article was originally written in Korean and translated by a bilingual reporter with the help of generative AI tools. It was then edited by a native English-speaking editor. All AI-assisted translations are reviewed and refined by our newsroom.

BY NOH YU-RIM [[email protected]]