K-beauty booms in Brazil with 10-fold spike in five years
The jump in exports of cosmetics to the South American country has caused Korean companies and the government to increase efforts to expand in the market.
Korean cosmetics advertised and sold on Shopee BrazilSCREEN CAPTURE
Brazil is emerging as one of the fastest-growing overseas markets for Korean cosmetics, with exports multiplying over 10-fold in five years.
Korea’s cosmetics exports to Brazil grew from$5.17 million in 2020 to $54.36 million in 2025, according to the Korea Customs Service late last month.
Cosmetics were also the largest export category for Korean small- and medium-sized enterprises in the first half of the year, according to the Ministry of SMEs and Startups. Cosmetics exports to Latin America rose 131.9 percent in the first half of this year from the same period last year, with exports to Brazil alone surging 237.4 percent.
Korean cosmetics’ popularity in Brazil is also clear online. Shopee Brazil carries dozens of K-beauty products, many of which advertise visible improvements in wrinkles. Many YouTube Shorts reviewing Korean cosmetics have also attracted hundreds of thousands of views.
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A video by Brazilian beauty creators Beleza com Du and Ariela Desu posted in May, in which they compared Korean and Brazilian cosmetics, drew comments such as “My skin glows like a Korean woman’s” and requests for them to “record a video showing a Korean skincare routine.”
Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva has publicly praised K-beauty.
“Korean cosmetics are why I’ve become more handsome,” Lula said during a speech in December 2025.
President Lee Jae Myung then included executives from several Korean beauty companies in the business delegation accompanying his state visit to Brazil last week, during which he identified K-beauty as one of three key areas for bilateral cooperation.
The delegation included Amorepacific Holdings CEO Lee Sang-mok, APR CEO Kim Byung-hoon, Goodai Global CEO Cheun Ju-hyuk and Silicon2 CEO Kim Sung-woon.
The Ministry of SMEs and Startups also hosted the “K-Beauty Glow Week” in São Paulo, Brazil, through Wednesday. The event showcased products from 21 Korean companies and was part of the government’s efforts to support their expansion in the South American country.
President Lee Jae Myung, right, inspects a K-beauty corporate exhibition booth and listens to an explanation from a company representative ahead of the Korea-Brazil business roundtable at a hotel in São Paulo, Brazil, on July 28.YONHAP
Amorepacific entered the Latin American market in 2023 and has been expanding its business through its hair care label Mise-en-scène, skincare brand Laneige and more. Goodai Global has done the same with skincare brands SKIN1004 and Beauty of Joseon in Brazil. Silicon2 aims to establish a subsidiary in Brazil this year.
Brazil’s expanding men’s beauty market is also seen as a growth opportunity for Korean beauty companies.
“Men’s cosmetics account for 13 percent of Brazil’s overall beauty market,” the Korea Trade-Investment Promotion Agency said. “Korean cosmetics companies with dedicated men’s product lines could expand their presence here.”
This article was originally written in Korean and translated by a bilingual reporter with the help of generative AI tools. It was then edited by a native English-speaking editor. All AI-assisted translations are reviewed and refined by our newsroom.
