K-beauty's global influence is extending beyond skincare into wellness categories like inner beauty supplements and hair care, driven by rising consumer trust in Korean health routines. For overseas buyers and distributors, this signals new opportunities in functional foods, scalp care, and premium beauty devices, with brands entering major US and Southeast Asian retail channels.
Market signal
According to a recent KOTRA survey, South Korea's health functional food exports have grown at an average annual rate of 19% over the past five years—more than double the global average of 8%. This surge is attributed to the strong trust built by Korean skincare products, which is now transferring to inner beauty and functional health foods. The Korean health management routine itself is emerging as a global consumption trend.
Inner beauty brands expand overseas
CJ Olive Young's Pasadena store in California, opened last month, features about 400 beauty and wellness brands with over 5,000 products. Inner beauty brand Onist, which entered Amazon US in 2021, has maintained top rankings in the inner beauty category. During Amazon's Big Spring Sale in April, Onist saw daily sales spike 400% compared to the previous month's average, demonstrating its competitiveness in North America.
Dong-A Pharmaceutical's inner beauty brand Aillo also entered the Pasadena store, marking its offline debut in the US. Aillo leverages high customer satisfaction on Olive Young's channel to offer specialized inner beauty solutions. It simultaneously launched on the local online mall, aiming to maximize online-offline synergy. Foodology became the first Korean inner beauty brand to participate in TikTok Shop's Super Brand Day in North America earlier this year. After being chosen by global celebrities like Kylie Jenner, the brand also ran ads on New York's Times Square billboard. TikTok Shop stated it plans to open the K-wellness category in the US market, selecting Foodology as the first partner. Health beverage company Tigen entered Malaysia's largest health and beauty store chain, Watsons, with 600 stores nationwide. It is accelerating overseas marketing with K-pop group TWICE as its new kombucha model.
Hair care brands enter premium US retail
Aromatica, an aromatherapy-based scalp and skin care brand, entered 88 Nordstrom stores in the US this month. Following its presence on Amazon and Ulta Beauty online, this expansion into premium offline channels strengthens its global distribution portfolio.
LG Household & Health Care's scalp care brand Dr.Groot installed special 'Hair Tower' displays in about 90 key Sephora stores in the US, featuring its SRS line. It plans a full launch in over 400 Sephora stores nationwide by August, using pre-launch data to ensure success. The brand is also collaborating with local creators on TikTok and Instagram and training Sephora staff on K-beauty trends. Aekyung Industrial's hair care brand Kerasis entered Walmart in March, launching in over 390 stores across 35 US states and online. It plans to gradually expand its store count.
What buyers should watch
For overseas importers and distributors, the expansion of K-beauty into inner beauty and hair care presents new sourcing opportunities. Brands like Onist, Aillo, and Foodology are proving their market fit through strong online sales and premium retail placements. Scalp and hair care brands such as Aromatica, Dr.Groot, and Kerasis are gaining traction in US department stores and mass retailers, indicating growing demand for specialized Korean wellness products.
Regulatory and channel signals
The entry of Korean wellness brands into major US retailers like Nordstrom, Sephora, and Walmart, as well as Southeast Asian chains like Watsons, signals a shift from online-only to omnichannel strategies. Distributors should monitor these channels for partnership opportunities, as brands seek local expertise to navigate regulatory requirements for functional foods and cosmetics in different markets.
Sourcing context
An industry insider noted, "While applied cosmetics started from curiosity about Hallyu, K-wellness centered on inner beauty and hair care has evolved into consuming the routine of managing health like Koreans." This suggests that buyers should look beyond individual products and consider comprehensive wellness lines that align with Korean lifestyle trends.
Source: Read the original report | Published: June 09, 2026