K-Beauty's 2025 Export Boom: Sunscreen Helps Korea Hit a $11.4B Record
The K-beauty wave on your TikTok feed is now a measurable economic story - and sunscreen is one of the products carrying it.
Korean cosmetics exports hit a record $11.4 billion in 2025 (up about 12% year over year), making Korea the world's No. 2 beauty exporter after France; the US became the top destination at $2.2 billion, with viral hits like Beauty of Joseon's Relief Sun cited as growth engines.
Industry analysts note that K-beauty's export surge has moved beyond a social-media trend into a durable economic story, with sunscreen among the categories driving demand.
Questions we get a lot
How big were Korea's cosmetics exports in 2025?
Korean cosmetics exports reached a record $11.4 billion in 2025, an increase of about 12% year over year. That made Korea the world's No. 2 beauty exporter after France. The US was the top destination, at $2.2 billion.
What role did sunscreen play in the boom?
Sunscreen was among the viral drivers of K-beauty's export growth, with hits like Beauty of Joseon's Relief Sun cited as growth engines. Cosmetically elegant Korean SPF has built a strong following abroad. Trade coverage links these products to the broader export surge.
Is K-beauty just a passing social media trend?
Industry analysts argue the export boom is no longer just a trend story but a measurable economic shift. Record export figures and Korea's No. 2 global ranking support that view. The social-media popularity and the trade data now point in the same direction.
r/AsianBeauty: 'Beauty of Joseon Relief Sun is sold out everywhere again - is K-beauty actually the No. 2 beauty exporter now?'