E-commerce has transformed the beauty industry, enabling traditional beauty rituals from different cultures to reach a worldwide audience. Global marketplaces like Amazon, Walmart, and eBay now serve as major platforms for cultural beauty brands, making once-exclusive products accessible to consumers everywhere.
Cultural Beauty Goes Global
A report by Euromonitor International highlights the expansion of French skincare, Ayurvedic beauty, and Korean skincare beyond their home markets. Previously, finding authentic K-beauty or J-beauty products required travel or niche specialty stores. Today, Amazon dominates the industry, with beauty and personal care contributing to 70% of FMCG e-commerce sales. In 2024, Amazon alone accounted for 38% of online sales for leading cultural beauty brands.
Social Media and E-Commerce Powering Growth
Korean beauty brand COSRX saw 72% of its e-commerce sales come from Amazon, proving the platform’s dominance. Social media further fuels this trend—hashtags like #Kbeauty have over 7.7 million posts on Instagram and 1.4 million on TikTok, showcasing the power of user-generated content in shaping global beauty trends.
Emerging Markets and AI in Beauty
Asian beauty brands, particularly from Korea and Japan, are thriving overseas, with only 22% of their sales coming from their home markets. However, Indian beauty brands face challenges despite a strong diaspora. Forest Essentials, for example, sees just 28% of its e-commerce sales from international markets. Meanwhile, African beauty brands are gaining traction by catering to darker skin tones and promoting unique ingredients.
AI is also revolutionizing the beauty industry. Nearly 47% of beauty professionals report that AI-driven solutions like personalized recommendations, DNA-based skincare analysis, and virtual beauty advisors have enhanced customer engagement.
Future of Beauty E-Commerce
E-commerce in emerging markets is set for rapid growth. Beauty and personal care sales in Africa, Latin America, and the Middle East reached $47 billion in 2024 and are expected to soar to $75 billion by 2028. With AI-powered personalization, social media influence, and expanding global marketplaces, cultural beauty brands have unprecedented opportunities to scale internationally.
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