Import Korean Cosmetics — Country Guides

Dubai is the re-export gateway for the entire GCC, and Korean beauty is one of its fastest-growing import categories. Distributors serving the UAE, Saudi Arabia and the wider Gulf typically consolidate Korean brands through Jebel Ali, the largest port in the Middle East.

Thailand is one of the largest K-beauty markets in Southeast Asia, with Korean skincare consistently ranking among its top imported beauty categories. Bangkok-based distributors supply pharmacies, beauty chains and online marketplaces across the country.

Korea is the No.1 cosmetics supplier to Vietnam, holding roughly a third of the imported beauty market. Ho Chi Minh City and Hanoi distributors move Korean skincare through modern trade, beauty chains and booming livestream commerce.

With 270+ million consumers and the world’s largest Muslim population, Indonesia is Southeast Asia’s biggest beauty market by volume. K-beauty is a top-tier import segment, and halal readiness is becoming the key differentiator for new brands.

Malaysia combines a mature modern retail sector with strong halal purchasing power, making it a natural second market after Singapore for K-beauty distributors. Port Klang offers some of the fastest, cheapest LCL access from Busan in the region.

Singapore is the lowest-friction entry point in Southeast Asia: no customs duty on cosmetics, a simple notification regime and a retail scene that sets beauty trends for the region. Many distributors use it as their ASEAN hub before expanding to Malaysia and Indonesia.

The Philippines is one of the most K-culture-friendly markets in the world — Korean beauty rides Hallyu demand across drugstores, malls and fast-growing e-commerce. Manila-based importers supply both retail chains and online sellers nationwide.

Mexico is Latin America’s second-largest beauty market and one of the fastest-growing destinations for K-beauty, driven by young consumers and marketplace commerce. Ordinary cosmetics do not require pre-market registration, making entry faster than most of the region. Since January 2026, however, Mexico has raised tariffs on imports from countries without an FTA — Korea included — so landed cost has to be checked per HS code.

Chile pairs Latin America’s most open trade regime with the region’s first FTA with Korea — most Korean cosmetics enter duty-free. Santiago distributors serve a compact, high-income market that often previews trends for the Andean region.

Colombia is one of Latin America’s larger beauty markets, and Korean skincare is gaining ground fast through e-commerce, pharmacy chains and department stores in Bogotá and Medellín. With a Korea–Colombia FTA in force since 2016 and a single Andean notification system, it is a practical base for expanding into Peru and Ecuador.

Peru’s beauty market is growing steadily, led by young consumers in Lima who discover K-beauty through social media and online marketplaces. The Korea–Peru FTA (2011) removed tariffs on most industrial goods, and Callao gives direct Pacific access from Busan.

Brazil is Latin America’s largest beauty market and K-beauty’s fastest-climbing destination in the region — Korean cosmetics exports to Brazil grew 86.4% year-on-year in the first half of 2026 to USD 43.4 million. Entry is slower than in Mexico because every product passes ANVISA first, but the payoff is a market of 200 million consumers with strong skincare habits.

Paraguay is small but strategically placed: the lowest VAT in the region at 10%, a Mercosur member, and Ciudad del Este acting as a re-export hub toward Brazil and Argentina. It is landlocked, so the logistics — not the paperwork — decide whether a K-beauty launch here works.

The US is the largest export market for Korean cosmetics — Korea overtook France as the top cosmetics supplier to the US in 2024. It is also the most competitive: success depends on Amazon FBA readiness, MoCRA compliance and reliable replenishment logistics.