K-beauty is expanding its sales channels into global pharmacy chains, moving beyond specialty beauty retailers such as Sephora and Ulta Beauty and big-box stores including Walmart and Target. As Korean cosmetics have become synonymous with high-performance skin care, overseas pharmacies are competing to stock K-beauty brands.
Beauty of Joseon, owned by Goodai Global, will officially launch this month at PSP Pharma, a major pharmacy chain in the country of Georgia, industry sources said on the 5th. PSP Pharma is one of that country's leading pharmacy chains and pharmaceutical distributors, handling medicines as well as skin care, sun care and health and hygiene products.
Beauty of Joseon plans to offer about 20 products at PSP Pharma, including its flagship Relief Sun rice sunscreen, a ginseng serum and the Beauty of Joseon cream. The brand earlier entered about 600 stores of Drogasil, a large Brazilian pharmacy chain with roughly 2,000 outlets.
"In Europe, pharmacies carry a strong reputation as places that sell products verified by pharmacists," an official at Goodai Global said. "This entry goes beyond simply adding a sales channel — it means our product quality has been recognized by the distribution network local consumers trust most."
Other overseas pharmacy chains are setting up separate K-beauty categories. Dr. Max, Europe's largest pharmacy chain, has created a "Korean cosmetics" category in the Czech Republic, selling about 500 K-beauty products from brands including COSRX, Anua, SKIN1004 and Dr. Jart+. Dr. Max outlets in Slovakia and Italy operate similar categories with about 500 and 100 K-beauty products, respectively.
Apotek Hjärtat, a large Swedish pharmacy chain, also runs a separate "Korean skin care" category on its online store. Life Pharmacy, a pharmacy chain in the United Arab Emirates, has set up a "Korean beauty" category online as well.
Industry officials say global pharmacy chains are showing growing interest in K-beauty as the dermocosmetics market expands worldwide, citing distinctive ingredients such as ceramides, centella asiatica and PDRN along with proven efficacy.
"Overseas pharmacies are an attractive distribution channel for Korean cosmetics companies because they handle dermocosmetics, sun care and health and hygiene products alongside medicines," a beauty industry official said. "K-beauty has moved beyond being a trend to become a category for managing skin concerns, so expansion into overseas pharmacies will accelerate."
