The news: Sephora is teaming up with Korean beauty retailer Olive Young to expand its K-beauty selection in the US and internationally.

The details: Beginning in fall 2026, Olive Young will curate an assortment of popular and trending K-beauty products for Sephora’s stores and website.

• The selection will be available in 650 stores in the US and Canada, as well as 48 locations in Thailand, Singapore, Malaysia, and Hong Kong.
• The two retailers will extend their partnership to the Middle East, UK, and Australia in 2027.

The trend: Beauty retailers and conglomerates are racing to capitalize on K-beauty's popularity. Sales rose 37.2% YoY to $2 billion for the year ended July 31, 2025, per Nielsen, and are poised to continue expanding at a healthy pace thanks to a blend of innovation and affordability.

• Sephora rival Ulta Beauty is increasing its K-beauty assortment via exclusive brand deals, a partnership with online retailer K-Beauty World, and its curated marketplace.
• Amazon launched a dedicated storefront for Korean products last year. The segment is growing three times faster than the average beauty category on Amazon, per the retailer.
• Olive Young will open its first US stores later this year—which could eventually complicate its relationship with Sephora.

Implications for retailers: While K-beauty’s growth has been heavily influenced by the Hallyu wave, its longevity speaks to the rising influence of ecommerce channels like TikTok and Amazon on beauty purchases.

Having a robust selection of Korean products is increasingly a must for any retailer hoping to cash in on the beauty category.

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