NBC Select compares Korea's own bestsellers with U.S. K-Beauty favourites
NBC Select used Olive Young's Korean bestseller lists and a dermatologist's input to separate Korea's own favourites from export brands popular in the U.S.
Published
29 October 2026 — NBC Select published a report on 27 October comparing the K-Beauty products that sell well in Korea with those that dominate U.S. social media. The reporter compared Olive Young's Korean bestseller rankings with its U.S. site and with Ulta and Sephora lists, and asked New York dermatologist Dr. Jane Yoo to separate domestic favourites from export brands.
The domestic picks
The eight featured products came from Aestura, Torriden, Anua, Cell Fusion C, VT Cosmetics, Celimax, Dr. Althea and Mediheal, covering a barrier cream, serums, a mist, a cooling sheet mask and toner pads. The report described COSRX, Medicube and Beauty of Joseon as export-oriented brands that mainly serve international demand.
Where Korean and U.S. habits differ
The report noted that PDRN and fermented ingredients are routine in Korea, that toner pads, ampoules and sheet masks are everyday steps rather than extras, and that Korean routines layer light products. It also explained that sunscreens are regulated as cosmetics in Korea but as over-the-counter drugs in the United States, where the FDA approved the filter bemotrizinol in June 2026.
THE CAST shopping perspective
What is famous abroad, what is popular in Korea and what is newly launched are three different lists. None of them is the whole of Korean beauty. If you want to go beyond the names you already know, look for brands sold through their own channels and curated shops, and compare each product by its label, size and role in your routine.