South Korea's cosmetics exports reached $11.1 billion in the first three quarters of this year, approaching the full-year total for 2025. Shipments to the United States rose more than 40% while China's share slipped to the 14% range, signaling a rapid realignment of the export market toward the U.S.
The Ministry of Food and Drug Safety said on the 2nd that cumulative cosmetics exports through the third quarter totaled $11.1 billion, up 31.1% from a year earlier. It was the largest figure ever for a nine-month period. The total amounted to about 97% of last year's annual exports of $11.42 billion, achieved in just nine months.
Exports also climbed on a quarterly basis. Third-quarter shipments came to $4.17 billion, up 7.5% from $3.88 billion in the second quarter. Cumulative third-quarter exports rose from $6 billion in 2022 to $6.2 billion in 2023, $7.4 billion in 2024 and $8.5 billion in 2025, before jumping to $11.1 billion this year.
The U.S. market drove the growth. Exports to the United States totaled $2.35 billion from January through September, a 40.6% increase from a year earlier. The U.S. also accounted for the largest share of total cosmetics exports at 21.1%. The United States became the top destination for Korean cosmetics for the first time last year and held the position through the third quarter of this year.
Exports to China, by contrast, edged up just 0.4% from a year earlier to $1.58 billion. Its share of total exports fell to 14.2%. On a cumulative third-quarter basis, China's share has declined from 46.7% in 2022 to 33.9% in 2023, 24.3% in 2024, 18.5% in 2025 and 14.2% this year. Over the same period, the U.S. share roughly doubled from 10.8% to 21.1%.
Export destinations are also diversifying. Shipments to the United Kingdom rose 179.3% from a year earlier to $443 million, while exports to the Netherlands climbed 292.6% to $369 million and shipments to Canada increased 124.4% to $285 million. Exports to Japan rose 8.6% to $889 million.
By product category, skincare led the overall increase. Skincare exports surged 45.1% from a year earlier to $8.72 billion. Body cleansing products rose 30.1% to $560 million, while color cosmetics fell 3.6% to $1.11 billion. Skincare shipments to the United States also rose 48.8%, from $1.21 billion to $1.8 billion.
"We will strengthen bilateral and multilateral cooperation among regulatory agencies and continue export support, including providing regulatory information by country and halal certification consulting, so that K-beauty can further raise its standing in the global market," a ministry official said.
