K-Beauty Just Outsold Chanel and Lancôme — And America Is Obsessed

If you thought Korean culture peaked with BTS and Squid Game, think again. K-Beauty just slapped on some toner, hit the global market, and outranked Chanel and Lancôme to become the No. 1 imported beauty brand in the US and Japan.

According to new industry data from Korea Economic Daily , Korean cosmetics brands like Cosrx, Beauty of Joseon, and Tirtir are flying off Amazon’s virtual shelves faster than you can say “glass skin.” Imports of Korean cosmetics to the US hit $1.41 billion last year, beating France’s $1.03 billion — marking the first time American shoppers chose Korean sheet masks over Parisian luxury. In Japan, the numbers are equally jaw-dropping: Korean beauty brands now control nearly 29% of the imported makeup market.

What’s fueling this? Think skincare smarter than your last five self-help books (hello, anti-aging serums) and a dash of K-pop idol envy. Also, indie brands with no brick-and-mortar baggage are crushing it on Amazon and eBay, making K-Beauty the ecommerce juggernaut to watch.

Of course, there’s a small cloud on the horizon: a potential Trump 2.0 tariff could hike up K-Beauty prices. But Korean companies are already hedging their bets by building factories in Pennsylvania and New Jersey because nothing says “radiant skin” like East Coast humidity.

Moral of the story: If you’re not investing in SPF 50, snail mucin serums, or South Korean cosmetic stocks yet, you might be aging wrong.