In the digital landscape, beauty isn't just being bought; it's being discovered, experienced and shared at lightning speed. At the epicenter of this shift lies a powerhouse category that shows no signs of stopping: K-Beauty.
While globally, the beauty industry remains competitive, Korean skin care and makeup have surged ahead, leveraging social commerce platforms to rewrite the rules of retail success. The numbers tell a staggering story. According to an October 2025 NIQ report, K-Beauty sales in the U.S. surged to $2 billion — up 37% year-over-year, with TikTok Shop proven to be a powerful launchpad.
The Discovery Engine: How Video Content Drives K-Beauty Sales
The days of browsing static aisles are fading. TikTok reports that 83% of all shoppers have discovered new products directly on the platform. What's more, NIQ data shows that 70% of K-Beauty sales now happen online, with TikTok Shop "contributing significantly to brand visibility and conversion."
Brand discovery is deeply personal and highly visual. According to iStock, in a GettyImages report, video content continues to dominate among Gen Z and Millennial consumers, who actively seek content that feels authentic, relatable and emotionally engaging.
For example, "Get Ready With Me" (GRWM) and behind‑the‑scenes (BTS) videos offer an honest look into daily routines, creative processes and the inner workings of a business. This visual proof is crucial. When a creator demonstrates a cushion foundation that blurs skin texture instantly, or a lip plumper that acts like a "real-life filter," the path from discovery to purchase can become viral, quickly selling out products.
Brands and influencers are highly aware of this video dynamic and have responded. In fact, more than 740,000 new short videos were created around K-Beauty in one quarter alone, TikTok Shop's Head of Beauty, Ajay Salpekar, told Forbes, in an Oct. 9, 2025, interview. This is a 97% increase quarter-over-quarter. Notably, the brands that are mastering TikTok's algorithm are reaping the biggest rewards, per AdCreative.AI.
Clearly, K-Beauty has captured consumers' attention — and capital. While TikTok has quickly has accelerated the discovery process, we wondered what it is about these products that makes them so successful. TikTok's Salpekar helped us dig a little deeper.
Defining K-Beauty
According Salpekar, K-Beauty has always treated skin care as self-care, and you see that in how thoughtfully formulas are designed.
"The hallmarks are clinically trusted ingredients like PDRN, collagen, peptides and bakuchiol, which are now becoming familiar to Western consumers, thanks to how visibly they perform on skin," he explained. "On TikTok Shop, we’ve seen brands rooted in clinical efficacy, like Medicube, Dr. Melaxin and COSRX, grow anywhere from 138% to 445% just in the second half of this year [2025]."
But K-Beauty innovation goes beyond the ingredient list. "There’s also a strong push toward making high-tech beauty more accessible at home," he added. "Skin care devices that mirror in-office treatments — like Medicube’s Booster Pro, which sold over 18,000 units in November alone — are gaining real traction. We’re also seeing major players like LG Pra.L and Centellian 24 enter the U.S. market, which speaks to the momentum behind Korean-born technology in beauty."
Why K-Beauty Captivates Consumers
In terms of the specific formula properties driving K-Beauty success, Salpekar shared: "K-Beauty lands at the intersection of what modern beauty consumers care about: gentle formulas, visible results and a sensory experience that makes routine feel fun."
He noted that many Korean formulations also lean on nature-derived ingredients like rice extract, mungbean and green tea, which support the skin barrier rather than overwhelm it. "That’s a big reason the products resonate with trends like 'clean girl' and 'quiet luxury' in the U.S.," he wrote.
"What really fuels K-Beauty’s success in discovery e-commerce is the way these products perform on camera," he continued. "Cushions that blur instantly, spicule serums billed as 'microneedling in a bottle,' jelly sheet masks — they’re tactile and transformative, which makes them ideal for creators to demonstrate in short-form video," he explained.
Per Salpekar, when you combine that creativity with approachable pricing and clever packaging, you get beauty that "spreads organically and still feels premium."
The K-Beauty Manufacturing Advantage
One huge advantage Korea has, according to Salpekar, is its manufacturing ecosystem. "The country’s original equipment and design manufacturing capabilities allow brands to move from idea to finished product incredibly fast, often inspired by real-time trends across food, fashion, pop culture and viral content," he noted.
This agility keeps K-Beauty competitive on innovation, not just aesthetics, and ensures new products feel relevant the moment they launch, he explained.
The 'White Space' for K-Beauty
"We’re really only seeing the beginning of what K-Beauty can do in the U.S.," Salpekar added. "The brands that have broken through so far — Medicube, Anua, TirTir, COSRX — represent a fraction of the innovation happening in Korea right now.
"On TikTok Shop alone, K-Beauty has grown 132% year-over-year, outpacing the platform’s already strong 120% YoY overall sales growth. That kind of momentum tells us demand isn’t just strong, it’s accelerating as more shoppers discover the category through creators and as Korean brands mature their U.S. strategies."
He added that what excites him is how quickly the next chapter is unfolding. "Korean brands are already beginning to localize their portfolios based on what resonates most with American consumers," he wrote, adding that TikTok Shop is seeing that product preferences in the U.S. differ meaningfully from what sells in Korea. "That signals a healthy evolution, one driven by understanding local needs rather than simply importing trends," he noted.
Looking ahead, Salpekar sees continued strength in clinically grounded skin care, which remains K-Beauty’s core. "But there’s also tremendous white space in categories like color cosmetics, where brands are already seeing explosive growth," he shared. For example, he points to Missha's 3,600% increase; TirTir's 550% growth; and Rom&nd 595% climb in the second half of 2025.
"We’re also seeing a fast-rising opportunity in hair care, particularly around scalp health and salon-style treatments with brands like Dr. Groot growing +173% in the second half of the year," Salpekar highlighted.
"And wellness is emerging as an adjacent frontier, with Korean innovators introducing formats like jelly supplements and dissolvable strips that complement beauty from the inside out (for example, Foodology's Cutting Jelly or Estherformula Glutathione Strips)," he said.
But ultimately, according to Salpekar, "K-Beauty’s ability to evolve at the speed of culture — and its emphasis on both efficacy and experience — are what will carry this demand forward. The growth we’ve seen so far is just the foundation. The biggest breakthroughs are still ahead."
K-Beauty Success Stories
Rarely a week goes by that we at C&T don't get a press announcement about a new K-Beauty Launch. Following are a few of the latest.
COSRX: The Viral Powerhouse
COSRX's Peptide Collagen Hydrogel Eye Patch, highlighted by creator Mikayla Nogueira
Leading the pack in the U.S. market is COSRX, whose success is a case study in leveraging consumer demand and viral moments. The brand maintained explosive growth in Q3 (2025), boasting an average quarterly rate of +182%. September sales alone nearly doubled July's, per the brand, proving its momentum is accelerating.
The star of the show? The Peptide Collagen Hydrogel Eye Patch. According to the company, this product didn't just sell well; it dominated, ranking #1 in the Eye Treatment category on TikTok Shop in mid-September.
The catalyst for this surge was a classic viral moment. When creator Mikayla Nogueira highlighted the eye patch's cooling and de-puffing benefits, her content surpassed 12 million views in just five days, Teen Vogue reported. This single piece of content drove unprecedented visibility, helping propel COSRX into the Top 5 skincare brands on TikTok Shop US. By combining efficacious products with creator-led buzz, COSRX solidified its status as a U.S. skincare powerhouse.
Medicube: High-Tech Skin Care at Home
By pairing advanced devices with potent topical formulas, Medicube aims to offer a comprehensive routine that mimics professional treatmentsImage courtesy of Medicube
While COSRX dominates the viral scene, Medicube is redefining what home skin care looks like by merging dermatology with technology. Known for delivering clinic-quality transformations, Medicube made headlines in 2025 by expanding into Ulta Beauty, making its high-tech products and devices more accessible than ever.
Medicube's approach is rooted in rigorous clinical testing. The brand's flagship device, the Booster Pro, has become a must-have tool for skin care enthusiasts. It features six key functions — including electroporation, microcurrent and LED therapy — designed to enhance product absorption and improve radiance, giving skin a glass glow. Clinical tests show significant results, with skin permeability improving by 785% in booster mode, per the company.
Complementing their devices is the PDRN Collection, which utilizes salmon-derived DNA to visibly firm and revitalize the skin. By pairing advanced devices with potent topical formulas, Medicube aims to offer a comprehensive routine that mimics professional treatments. The brand's commitment to evidence-based results resonates with a consumer base that is increasingly educated and skeptical of empty marketing claims.
Vitabrid C12: Pioneering Vitamin C Innovation and Scalp Care
The Dual Drop Serum combines stabilized vitamin C with proprietary peptides for potent antioxidant benefits.Image courtesy of Vitabrid
As the year 2025 winds down, Vitabrid C12 has emerged as a K-Beauty trendsetter redefining how vitamin C is delivered to both skin and hair. Powered by a patented 12-hr time-release vitamin C technology, Vitabrid C12 is said to ensure vitamin C penetrates deeper and remains active longer — unlocking benefits across the brand's skin care and shampoo lines.
The numbers speak volumes. Vitabrid C12 has sold more than 20 million products globally, according to the company, reaching consumers who seek results with lasting impact. The product formulas are anchored in the brand's Vitabrid CG technology (12-Hour Vitamin C), which uses LDH Technology to actively brighten, firm and strengthen skin.
Key products like the Dual Drop Serum combine stabilized vitamin C with proprietary peptides for potent antioxidant benefits — reducing fine lines, boosting hydration, and promoting a firmer, brighter complexion, per the company. In addition, the FACE Brightening powder delivers a stabilized dose of vitamin C to help even skin tone, fight free radicals and improve radiance.
Beyond skin care, Vitabrid C12 leads innovation in hair care with the Scalp + Shampoo. Korean shampoos are emerging as a category to watch in 2026. This formula delivers scalp and hair vitality through the brand's ingredients Vitabrid CG and Secret Code P-151. The product gently cleanses, blocks DHT to help prevent hair loss, and nurtures stronger, more voluminous hair — setting a new standard for scalp care, the company reports.
By pairing high-performance, science-driven formulations with broad consumer appeal, Vitabrid C12 is positioning itself at the forefront of both global K-Beauty and the next evolution in at-home skin care and hair innovation.
T-Stem Care: Scalp Science Breakthroughs
Image courtesly of T-Stem Care
Another rising star in the K-Beauty movement is T-Stem Care, a brand introducing stem cell science into everyday routines. Founded by stem cell researcher Youngshil Kim, M.D., T-Stem has developed MF StemCell— described as a first-of-its-kind, membrane-free stem cell compound that delivers results painlessly (without injection), safely and effectively at home, per the company.
The brand’s hero product, T Stem Scalp Essence, stands out in the crowded scalp care space. Clinically tested, dermatologist-approved and verified by Intertek Korea, this lightweight, fast-absorbing essence is designed to nourish the scalp, encourage healthy hair growth and strengthen hair from the root.
Incorporating glycerin, Zanthoxylum, Pulsatilla and Usnea barbata extract, T Stem Scalp Essence reportedly offers anti-inflammatory and angiogenic benefits. The product’s proven efficacy and real-world results make it a favorite, according to the company, highlighting how next-level science and visible beauty can go hand in hand.
Reshaping the Global Beauty Conversation
The success of these brands is part of a larger movement reshaping how consumers talk about beauty. Hashtags like #Koreanskincare (3.1 billion views), #Skincareroutine (3.3 billion views) and #KBeauty (2.1 billion views) are driving billions of impressions. These digital communities serve as global focus groups, vetting products and demanding transparency and efficacy.
This ecosystem supports a diverse range of players. From heritage luxury brands like Sulwhasoo, known for its ginseng-powered First Care Activating Serum, to dermatological staples like Dr.Jart+, the K-Beauty umbrella is vast. Retailers are also innovating, with Olive Young's private labels — Colorgram, Bringgreen and Bioheal BOH — delivering everything from playful, "Glinda-pink" Wicked makeup to probiotic-powered anti-aging solutions.
The Future of Beauty is Korean Innovation
As we look ahead to 2026, K-Beauty's trajectory is clear: it is no longer a niche category but a central pillar of the global beauty industry. By setting new standards in innovation — whether through high-tech devices or unique ingredients like PDRN — and mastering the art of digital engagement, these brands are doing more than selling products. They are building a future where professional-grade skin care is accessible, effective and just one swipe away.
