How K-beauty is taking over US skincare aisles

SAN FRANCISCO — In the Next Big Thing section of a Sephora in San Francisco, customers compare bottles of toner, eyes catching on the sleek pastel labels reading “Made in Korea.”

“Korean skincare brands have a much wider range suited to different skin types and concerns,” said Jenny Kim, a Korean American customer. “K‑beauty responds quickly to trends like ‘glass skin’ or lighter formulations for ‘cosmetic dieting.’ That sensitivity to trend is impressive.”

Her comments reflect a broader shift in global beauty preferences. Last year, Korea surpassed France to become the top cosmetics exporter to the United States, according to the Korea International Trade Association. K‑beauty sales in the U.S. have surged 53 percent year‑on‑year, driven largely by the minimal skincare routines favored by Gen Z customers.

Ava Han, a Korean American makeup artist and sales executive for Amorepacific in the Bay Area, has witnessed the growing enthusiasm for Korean beauty up close.

“When I tell customers I’m Korean, they rush over saying, ‘Oh, your makeup is amazing!’ They say they love Korean people and our style. They’ve even learned Korean makeup from dramas,” she told The Korea Times.

After completing professional training at Make Up For Ever in Seoul, Han began her career in the U.S. in 2011. She said the COVID-19 pandemic marked a major turning point in American perceptions of K-beauty.

“During the lockdown, people started binge-watching K‑dramas and then grew curious about Korean makeup. I often hear clients say they want skin ‘like Koreans’ — fair or glowing, like K‑pop idols.”

Makeup artist Ava Han / Courtesy of Ava Han

Regarding the difference between American and Korean makeup styles, she summarized it as “Americans want to cover, while Koreans want to enhance.”

“Where the Western approach often builds ‘new faces’ through contouring and heavy base layers, K-beauty strives to bring forward each person’s natural charm. Our goal is to make you still look like you — just the best version of you. If the skin glows, everything else falls into place,” she said.

Han said the movement toward natural luminosity marks a cultural shift in beauty ideals.

“Nowadays, more people prefer looking naturally beautiful, and K-beauty has become its own genre. Even Americans in their 30s and 40s are trying Korean makeup styles,” she said.

For Han, the golden rule of makeup is simple. “It’s not foundation or cushion. It’s primer. Good skin comes first, and that’s where K‑beauty begins.”

Rise of affordable luxury

At the core of K-beauty’s global appeal is the idea of affordable luxury — high-quality products that are accessible to everyday shoppers.

“A Dior product might cost $500, but a Korean one is $200, with good ingredients like ginseng and subtle scents that Americans love,” Han said.

She currently supplies Amorepacific products to Sephora, promoting Korean skincare and makeup routines there and at other outlets. Although she has six months of experience working with Sephora, sales of the Korean beauty brand she manages have already surged by 580 percent compared to the previous quarter, signaling K-beauty’s growing popularity among American consumers.

TikTok content creators upload short videos of themselves doing Korean-style makeup. Captured from TikTok

Despite the hype surrounding K-beauty, Han believes education is still essential. “People buy what they see on YouTube, but they don’t know how to use it properly,” she said. In her Sephora workshops, Han tailors each lesson to skin type and tone, often helping customers fix mistakes in application.

“Sometimes they’ll tell me, ‘Korean products don’t work,’ and I tell them, ‘It’s not the product — it’s how you’re using it.’ Once they learn, they fall in love.”

Han’s passion lies in enhancing people’s natural beauty rather than transforming it.

“I like when people look at themselves and say, ‘This is me, but why do I look so pretty?’ Those moments when clients realize they were beautiful all along are what make me proud,” she said.

K‑culture effect

Silicon Valley entrepreneur Lee Sora, known online as “Soraunni,” is one of the most recognizable voices bringing K‑beauty to American audiences.

A former product marketing leader at Netflix, Meta and TikTok, she first gained public attention in Korea as a cast member of the dating reality series “Love After Divorce.”

Today, with more than 300,000 followers on Instagram, Lee uses her platform to share beauty advice, spotlight Korean cosmetic brands and provide practical guidance for young professionals navigating corporate life in the U. S.

“Gen Z and even Gen Alpha are huge fans of K‑beauty,” she said. “Because of things like ‘KPop Demon Hunters,’ even kids as young as 9, 10 or 11 are into Korean products — they love everything about K‑culture. I get a lot of DMs from teens asking about face masks and lip glosses. But most of my audience is in their late 20s and 30s, which shows K‑beauty definitely has a future.”

Lee Sora, influencer and CEO of Kurated Agency

In 2024, Lee founded beauty marketing firm Kurated Agency to connect Korean beauty brands with U.S. consumers. Her mission is to bridge cultures through beauty — helping Korean companies expand globally while introducing American consumers to K‑beauty’s philosophy of skin‑first elegance.

She points to broader beauty trends aligning with Korean values.

“Kylie Jenner used to go for that bold, Kardashian-style glam, but lately she has softened her look. With trends like matcha drinking, Pilates and the ‘clean girl aesthetic’ popularized by people like Hailey Bieber, it’s no surprise that K‑beauty is thriving. The focus is all about healthy, glowy skin,” she added.

Her company recently coordinated TIRTIR’s sponsorship of the Tony Awards, the first-ever for a K-beauty brand. Lee believes the next Korean success story will be determined not just by formula but also by marketing savvy.

“Americans already think Korean cosmetics have great ingredients and value. Because Korean shoppers are known to be very discerning, there’s also a sense that if a product succeeds in Korea and makes it to the U.S. market, it’s already been proven. But Korean firms still struggle with marketing. That’s where I want to help,” she said.

Lee Sora’s Instagram posts / Captured from Instagram

She pointed out that the ubiquitous white-colored cream formulas are notoriously difficult to market.

“There are already so many white creams in the world and, of course, every brand will claim theirs is the best. That’s why it’s important to think from the very start about how to differentiate your product — not just in terms of formula, but from a marketing perspective as well,” she explained.

To stand out in a saturated beauty market, Lee noted that strong marketing instincts — especially from those who understand global trends — are essential.

“In many big Korean beauty companies, the decision-makers are often the older generation who don’t fully understand American culture — they don’t know which celebrities or creators are trending here — and that makes it hard to connect with U.S. consumers.”

She described the current moment as a “history‑shaping time for K‑beauty,” emphasizing that the industry stands at a pivotal crossroads.

“The big question now,” according to Lee, “is which brands will go on to earn lasting trust. When you think of French beauty, certain names immediately come to mind, right? In the same way, we’re wondering which Korean brands will hold that kind of position in the future.”

With competition intensifying and the market rapidly evolving, she noted that Korean beauty brands are racing to establish their position.

“In the end, probably three to five major brands will dominate,” she said. “Right now, Korean companies are investing heavily to break into that top five and each of them is fighting hard to define what the future of K‑beauty will look like.”

In this shifting landscape, Lee’s ambition is to act as a bridge between Korea and the U.S.

“Many of the people handling international marketing for K‑beauty companies studied abroad — they speak English well but don’t fully understand the U.S. market. Conversely, when American professionals are hired, they often lack insight into how Korean companies operate,” she said. “There just aren’t many people who genuinely understand both sides. That’s my strength and unique advantage, and I want to use it to help make K‑beauty truly mainstream.”