Chinese and Japanese beauty brands expand on shelves K-Beauty helped open
A 26 October Seoul Economic Daily report describes global retailers widening Asian beauty assortments, naming Proya, Florasis, Curel and others.
Published
27 October 2026 — Seoul Economic Daily reported on 26 October that Chinese and Japanese cosmetics brands are expanding into U.S. and European retail channels where Korean beauty has grown strongly. The report says A.S. Watson, which operates about 17,000 stores in 31 markets, has launched BrandLab, a platform for developing Asian beauty brands that names Korean, Japanese and Chinese beauty.
Brands and retailers named
According to the article, Chinese skincare brand Proya is due to begin selling in about 400 Ulta Beauty stores and online in the United States next month, while Boots in the United Kingdom stocks SHEGLAM and Flower Knows. On the Japanese side, it notes Curel's expansion into European pharmacies, &honey's presence at Ulta and Boots, and a dedicated J-Beauty category on the Boots website.
The article also cites trade data: China's cosmetics exports rose from USD 4.84 billion in 2021 to USD 7.82 billion last year, while Japan's cosmetics exports recovered to 572.8 billion yen last year after several years of decline.
THE CAST shopping perspective
Broader Asian beauty assortments mean more choice for shoppers. A useful comparison still starts with the exact product, its size, its directions and the full cost, whichever country the brand comes from. A brand's origin is helpful context, but on its own it does not establish suitability or quality.