Chinese cosmetics brands are rapidly expanding in global markets, narrowing the gap with South Korea's K-beauty powerhouse. In the first 11 months of 2025, China's exports reached $3.99 billion, up 8.7 percent, while Korea's hit a record $10.3 billion, rising 11.8 percent, though China's faster growth signals intensifying rivalry.
South Korea's cosmetics sector has become the world's second-largest exporter after France, propelled by K-pop, K-dramas, and the 'glass skin' ideal. Yet China is steadily expanding its global presence, backed by robust domestic demand and aggressive overseas pushes. Euromonitor International consultant Chloe Zhu noted, 'Chinese beauty brands may arguably already exceed K-beauty in absolute value and consumer reach,' highlighting the scale of local demand as a key advantage. From 2020 to 2024, Korean exports grew 6 percent annually, far below China's 18 percent surge, per International Trade Centre data. The 'guochao' wave of patriotic consumption boosted Chinese local brands to 55.7 percent domestic market share in 2024, per the Korea Trade-Investment Promotion Agency, eroding foreign rivals. Korea's exports to China, once 69 percent of total, fell to 23 percent between 2022 and 2025, partly due to the 2016 THAAD backlash. Ushopal Group acquired century-old French brand Payot in March last year, while Flower Knows launched a Seoul pop-up in October. Korean skin care holds sway through 15 years of global trust, but Chinese color cosmetics gain traction via affordable trends on platforms like Temu. Seoul makeup artist Hong Ju-mi said she buys Chinese eyeshadows for low prices but hesitates on foreign skin care. Bloomberg's Catherine Lim added that premium breakthroughs demand sustained trust. An anonymous Korean executive remarked, 'Only a handful of brands can realistically compete with the speed and scale at which local Chinese brands are investing.' In Southeast Asia, Chinese mass-market skin care saw 115 percent compound annual growth from 2019 to 2024. Economist Intelligence Unit's Xu Tianchen suggested micro-dramas could serve as a 'cultural carrier' for Chinese brands, akin to K-pop. Meanwhile, First Lady Kim Hea Kyung promoted Korean cosmetics at a Shanghai event on January 7 amid improving ties.
