By Uyen Nguyen

"This is the darkest shade of a Korean foundation."

This was the verdict in May 2024 from Canadian beauty influencer MissDarcei, who has 4.1 million subscribers, after testing Tirtir's cushion foundation in a YouTube Shorts video. Even the brand's darkest shade did not match her deep skin tone.

"If Tirtir wants to expand more, call me," she said jokingly. Her video quickly went viral with 64.9 million views and sparked widespread discussion about shade diversity in Korean beauty and cosmetics.

The brand responded almost immediately. In just a month, it expanded its shade range from three to 11 and now has 45, the most for a Korean foundation brand. In June 2024, this product topped the overall beauty category on the e-commerce giant Amazon.

Canadian beauty influencer MissDarcei in May 2024 criticized the limited shade range of Korean cushion foundations for Black skin in a YouTube Shorts video. The next month, TirTir released additional shades to accommodate a wider range of skin tones. (Screenshots from MissDarcei's official YouTube channel)

The company's swift response to consumer feedback from abroad produced remarkable export growth. The U.S. International Trade Commission said Korea (USD 1.7 billion) overtook traditional market leader France (USD 1.3 billion) for the first time in 2024 as the largest cosmetics supplier to America.

The Ministry of Food and Drug Safety in Seoul also said such exports to the U.S. reached USD 2.2 billion last year. Once heavily dependent on China, Korean beauty and cosmetics are now rapidly shifting to the U.S. and other global regions.

Shoppers on May 29 wait in line to enter Olive Young's first U.S. branch in Pasadena, California, on opening day. (CJ Olive Young)

Given surging global demand, Korean cosmetics companies are moving beyond exports and directly engaging consumers in expanding into markets abroad.

In April, Medicube attracted around 50,000 visitors to its interactive booth at Coachella, the world's largest music festival. The next month, domestic beauty and cosmetics giant CJ Olive Young opened its first U.S. branch in Pasadena, California, followed in June by its second at the shopping mall Westfield Century City in Los Angeles.

Skincare brand Anua, building on its success with TikTok Shop in the U.S., has partnered with Selfridges, a British luxury department store chain, to host summer pop-up events in London and other major cities as it expands to the European market.

A product promotional image (left) features a model for the official U.S. online store of Laneige, while a large image (right) of models with diverse skin tones and ethnic backgrounds is displayed at a cosmetics store in the shopping neighborhood of Myeong-dong in Seoul's Jung-gu District. (Laneige U.S.'s official website and Uyen Nguyen)

The manner through which Korean beauty and cosmetics brands promote themselves has also evolved.

The faces on billboards advertising such companies now feature a more diverse range of models. While Korean and other Asian models once dominated, recent campaigns increasingly include white, Black and Hispanic counterparts.

This strategy seeks to attract consumers of varying ethnicities and cultures to convey the message that Korean beauty and cosmetics are for everyone.

The global prominence of the sector is also evident in the shopping baskets of foreign visitors to Korea. In Myeong-dong, one of Seoul's top shopping districts, tourists from around the world shared why they choose Korean beauty and cosmetics.

Roxanne Wright, a Jamaican resident of Japan in her 20s, filled her bag with products like sheet masks, body lotion, lip balm and foot scrubs. "I live in Japan, but when it comes to cosmetics, I only use Korean brands," she said while giving a thumbs up. "Their skincare technology for keeping skin hydrated is simply the best."

Roxanne Wright of Jamaica on June 24 smiles after finding the product she was looking for at a beauty store in the Myeong-dong neighborhood of Seoul's Jung-gu District. (Uyen Nguyen)

Elizabeth Tracy, an American in her 30s, said she regularly uses Korean brands of lotions and sunscreen, adding, "Korean cosmetics are reasonably priced and their ingredients are gentle on the skin."

Russian teen Anna said, "Korean lip glosses and foundations come in a wide range of shades, and I really like the makeup results."

Like such feedback from international tourists demonstrates, the greatest strengths of Korean cosmetics are affordability and high quality. Their combination of inclusivity and adaptability to consumer demand by market has further accelerated the sector's global expansion.

uyen81@korea.kr