In the Gulf, K-Beauty moves beyond the trend

Korean beauty is gaining scale across in the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC). In 2025, the United Arab Emirates became the world’s eighth-largest market for Korean cosmetics exports, up from twelfth place in 2023. Exports to the UAE reached US$286.5 million (approximately €247.2 million), up 67.2% year on year; they also rose by 34.1% in Saudi Arabia and 55.5% in Kuwait.

In a sign of the market’s growing maturity, consumers are no longer simply seeking out K-Beauty as a category, but are looking for specific ingredients by name, from Centella asiatica and niacinamide to rice ferments. Distribution is now catching up with demand: CJ Olive Young is notably preparing a presence with Sephora in the GCC in 2027, while Korea Town plans to open 50 stores across the region.