Korean Wave Lashes Over Beauty Industry

A wave of K-pop and K-dramas swept Indians along. Now, consumer brands hope to reinvigorate growth and shine in a crowded market with K-beauty.

- Sowmya Ramasubramanian

K-beauty comprises a range of skincare and cosmetic products based on the South Korean beauty regimen. It is known for its unique ingredients and formulations like snail mucin and Jeju volcanic ash, and multi-step routines to get a hydrated, glowing complexion, often called 'glass skin'.

Indian personal care companies such as Sugar Cosmetics and Pilgrim are betting on a surge in demand for Korean-inspired skincare in a market saturated with new companies and mimicking brands that are chasing young and affluent customers who are willing to experiment. Even Korean brands are swooping in, with India being the fastest-growing market for Innisfree after the US.

Mumbai-based Pilgrim, backed by Vertex Ventures SEAI and Anicut Equity Continuum Fund, currently gets more than half its revenue from its K-beauty range of over 40 products, co-founder Anurag Kedia told Mint. It logged a revenue of ₹400 crore in the financial year ended March 2025.