K-beauty takes center stage on Amazon during Black Friday

K-beauty didn’t just have a good Black Friday on Amazon; it took center stage. Korean products claimed the top three spots in Amazon's beauty and personal care category in the United States during the Black Friday sales period from Nov. 20 to Dec. 1.

An APR pop-up store in Hong Kong [APR]

K-beauty didn’t just have a good Black Friday on Amazon; it took center stage.

Korean products claimed the top three spots in Amazon's beauty and personal care category in the United States during the Black Friday sales period from Nov. 20 to Dec. 1, industry sources said.

Medicube’s Zero Pore Pads ranked No. 1 in the category, leaping from 24th place a year earlier, according to the marketing management agency Navigo Marketing. Observers are attributing the jump to what they call the “Leavitt effect.”

Karoline Leavitt, the White House press secretary who accompanied U.S. President Donald Trump during his visit to Korea in October for the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation summit, posted photos of 13 K-beauty products she bought — including the Zero Pore Pad — on Instagram. With 2.64 million followers, her post helped drive brand visibility, industry insiders said.

White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt holds a press briefing at the White House in Washington on Dec. 1. [REUTERS/YONHAP]

“The U.S. beauty market is heavily influenced by social media, and when celebrities share the products they use, it can have a major impact,” said Lee Jong-woo, an adjunct professor of business administration at Ajou University. “High-profile figures like Levitt likely played a key role in boosting the popularity of K-beauty.”

Medicube's products also took the No. 2 and No. 3 spots: Its Collagen Niacinamide Jelly Cream rose from 46th place last year to second, and its Collagen Night Wrapping Mask jumped from 29th to third.

According to Navigo Marketing, Medicube accounted for 16.4 percent of all beauty and personal care purchases on Amazon during the Black Friday sales period.

APR, the parent company of Medicube and Aprilskin, said its U.S. sales across major online and offline platforms during Black Friday more than tripled from the previous year.

“Four of our products ranked in the top 10 on Amazon, and seven made the top 50,” an APR representative said. “We saw results not only from online word-of-mouth but also from customers who experienced the brand offline.”

K-beauty hair products also performed well. Amorepacific’s Mise-en Scène brand saw a 65 percent on-year sales increase on Amazon during the Black Friday period. Its Perfect Serum Original ranked No. 1 in the hair oil category.

A visitor tries an AI-powered K-beauty experience at the Amorepacific booth during a beauty and wellness event in Gyeongju, North Gyeongang, on Oct. 28. [NEWS1]

Aromatica, a scalp and skincare brand, more than doubled its global sales from last year's figures during the Black Friday period.

“This momentum in K-beauty comes from four factors working together: strong brand awareness, competitive pricing, quality and aggressive marketing,” Prof. Lee said.

Despite concerns about slowing U.S. consumer spending and tariff-related policies, overall online sales increased during the Black Friday period.

U.S. consumers spent $11.8 billion online from Nov. 27 to Dec. 1 — a 9.1 percent increase from the previous year, according to Adobe Analytics, a tool for web analytics.

This article was originally written in Korean and translated by a bilingual reporter with the help of generative AI tools. It was then edited by a native English-speaking editor. All AI-assisted translations are reviewed and refined by our newsroom. BY LIM SUN-YOUNG [paik.jihwan@joongang.co.kr]