K-beauty wave lifts hair care exports to record highs

South Korea's hallyu-driven beauty boom is extending well beyond skincare, with exports of hair care products — including oils, conditioners and hair dyes — rising sharply.

Exports of hair care products totaled $232.72 million in the January–May period this year, up 30.6 percent from $178.15 million in the same period last year, according to trade statistics released Sunday by the Korea Customs Service.

Last year's full-year hair care exports hit a record $478.17 million. If the current pace holds through the second half, this year's tally is expected to surpass that mark.

Annual hair care exports fell from $416.51 million in 2021 to $341.86 million in 2022, then climbed steadily — $358.22 million in 2023, $413.08 million in 2024 and $478.17 million last year. The United States, China and Japan are the top export destinations.

Industry officials attribute the surge to the global spread of hallyu content. Domestic companies' technological capabilities have also played a significant role, with firms drawing on research and development expertise built up in the skincare sector to bring competitive products to market — ones formulated with low-irritant, high-performance ingredients that have earned consumer trust worldwide.

The industry expects hair care exports to maintain their growth trajectory for now.

Overall cosmetics exports, including hair care products, reached a record $11.4 billion last year, according to the Ministry of Food and Drug Safety.

In the first half of this year, cosmetics exports came to $7 billion (provisional), up 27.3 percent from the same period last year — the highest first-half figure on record.