K-beauty spurs structural shift in Europe’s cosmetics industry

European startups like Yepoda and Hwarang embrace Korean beauty model beyond imports

As K-beauty continues to expand its global footprint, an increasing number of European entrepreneurs are launching their own K-beauty-inspired brands—moving beyond the role of importers to adopting Korean-style planning, formulation, and manufacturing models.

According to industry sources on June. 17, locally developed brands modeled on South Korea’s skincare philosophy, ingredient science, and production expertise are emerging across Europe. These startups are embracing the hallmarks of K-beauty to create regional variants tailored to local markets. The rise of K-beauty is challenging long-established norms in Western premium cosmetics—particularly in countries like France, where high prices have traditionally signaled quality. By focusing on functional efficacy at accessible price points, K-beauty is reshaping the global beauty market.

South Korea’s cosmetics exports are setting new records. According to the Korea Customs Service, the country’s outbound shipments of cosmetics surpassed $10 billion for the first time in 2024, amounting to roughly 13.6 trillion won. Skincare and sun care products have been the primary growth drivers, with exports to Europe climbing steadily.

A view of the K-beauty brand Yepoda’s pop-up store, which opened this past September at Milan Central Station in Italy /Yepoda

The appeal of K-beauty lies in its combination of high-performance, low-irritation formulations, multi-step skincare routines, rapid product development cycles, content-driven social media marketing, and its advanced original design manufacturing (ODM) ecosystem. These features are now being localized by European entrepreneurs eager to replicate the model.

One prominent example is Germany’s Yepoda, co-founded in 2020 by Korean-German entrepreneur Sander Joon-young and her German partner Veronika Strotmann. The brand reimagines Korean-manufactured products through a European lens, emphasizing vegan ingredients, clean beauty standards, and sustainability. Through content-led marketing and environmentally friendly packaging, Yepoda has quickly built brand recognition in Germany, France, Italy, and other major markets.

Finland’s Hwarang further illustrates K-beauty’s deepening influence. Launched in 2023 by local entrepreneur Elisa Ahonpää-Kim, the brand collaborates with Korean ODM suppliers and draws on the cosmetic culture of Korea’s Silla Dynasty as its storytelling foundation. Within a year, Hwarang secured placement in 1,191 stores across 16 European countries, including Germany’s Müller chain and prominent Nordic retailers like Sokos and Åhléns. The company has also recently entered the South Korean market via the Naver Store, marking a reverse expansion into its model’s country of origin.

In the United Kingdom, Pure Seoul operates not as a brand but as a dedicated K-beauty retail platform. Founded by local entrepreneurs in 2019, the company curates more than 60 Korean beauty brands and runs eight brick-and-mortar stores across London. Going beyond product distribution, Pure Seoul engages consumers through in-store consultations, skincare education, and product demonstrations, offering what it calls a “space-based strategy” to immerse local shoppers in Korean beauty culture.

Industry observers say the current wave of K-beauty adoption signals more than the globalization of Korean cosmetics. What is being exported now is the entire industrial model—including planning, formulation, and branding.

“The real expansion of K-beauty is happening in Europe,” said one beauty industry insider. “It’s no longer just about exporting products. Local founders are adopting the entire K-beauty framework as a business model. That shift marks a transformation in the industry’s global stature.”