K-beauty is showing rapid growth not only in the United States and China but also in the European market. As the popularity of K-beauty rises even in traditional cosmetics powerhouses such as France and Italy, Korean companies are stepping up efforts to secure local production bases and distribution networks.

According to export and import statistics from the Korea Customs Service on the 17th, Korea’s cosmetics exports to Italy increased from USD 7 million (about KRW 10.6 billion) in 2022 to USD 27.47 million (about KRW 41.5 billion) last year, roughly a 3.9-fold increase. Exports to France also jumped significantly over the same period, from USD 53.85 million (about KRW 81.4 billion) to USD 115.257 million last year. In particular, exports to the United Kingdom reached USD 155.67 million (about KRW 235.4 billion) by May this year, equivalent to about 83% of last year’s full-year export value of USD 187.34 million (about KRW 283.3 billion).

In response, domestic companies are accelerating their push into Europe. On the 12th, during President Lee Jae-myung’s state visit to Italy, the Cosmax Group announced at the “Korea-Italy Business Round Table” that it plans to use Italy as a strategic base for K-beauty’s European business. Earlier this year, Cosmax acquired a 51% stake in ChemiNova, an Italian cosmetics original design manufacturing (ODM) company. The company is a local manufacturer with annual sales of about KRW 18 billion and an annual production capacity of around 20 million units. Cosmax plans to use this to fully launch a localization strategy based on local production and research and development (R&D).

Europe has long been regarded as a difficult market for K-beauty to gain a foothold in, as powerful local brands, including France’s L’Oréal Group, which leads the global cosmetics market, as well as Italy’s Santa Maria Novella and KIKO Milano, are firmly established there.

However, analysts say perceptions of K-beauty have recently shifted from simply “cost-effective cosmetics” to innovative brands, changing the market dynamics. In an April report, market research firm Global Market Insights stated, “Due to tighter regulations in Europe, K-beauty products not only meet ‘clean beauty’ requirements but are also gaining attention for their skin regeneration capabilities.” In line with this, on the 16th (local time), Kruidvat, the largest beauty select shop in Belgium and the Netherlands, announced that it would, for the first time, import Korean products and sell them under its own private brand (PB). Lee Eun-hee, emeritus professor of consumer studies at Inha University, noted, “In Europe, where the market has been formed mainly around high-end luxury beauty brands, the technological prowess and effectiveness of K-beauty—whose products are segmented according to consumers’ specific needs—are being recognized.”

Domestic cosmetics companies are also actively working to expand local distribution. Sulwhasoo, Amorepacific’s luxury brand, officially entered the UK online beauty platform Cult Beauty in January this year. MediCube, a brand of APR, plans to expand sales through about 450 offline stores and online channels by entering Sephora in 17 European countries including France, Germany, Italy, and Spain. Amuse, a brand of Shinsegae International, has also been broadening its contact points with local consumers by entering major UK drugstore chain Superdrug and “Pure Seoul,” a retailer specializing in K-beauty distribution, earlier this year.

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