Trends & Consumer Insights by Datum
Explore the explosive growth of Korean beauty products in the Indian market. This comprehensive report covers consumer preferences, brand switching, channel trends, and the influence of social media on purchase decisions across metro and non-metro cities.
What's Inside
Korean beauty is the fastest-growing beauty segment in India. Datum and kindlife size the market and surveyed 2,018 beauty buyers across 30 cities on what they buy, why they buy it and what holds them back.
The report looks at how K-dramas, K-pop and creators drive discovery, and at how skincare routines are changing among Gen Z and millennial buyers.
Buyers are split into adopters, explorers and observers, with purchase habits, spend, channels and barriers reported for each group.
Most adopters buy through beauty marketplaces and large e-commerce platforms. For people new to the category, not knowing where to start is the most common barrier.
Key Findings
Korean beauty is forecast to grow 25.9% a year to $1.5 billion by 2030, the fastest of any beauty segment in India.
76% of respondents say social platforms influence what they buy, and 49% discovered K-beauty through influencers.
Moisturisers (47%), face masks (46%) and serums (45%) are the most tried K-beauty products among adopters.
Social media trends (51%) and recommendations from friends (47%) are the top purchase drivers for Gen Z buyers.
Among people not yet buying, price (33%) and poor availability in local stores (33%) are the biggest obstacles.
Marketplaces and large e-commerce platforms are the main channel for 49% of adopters, ahead of brand websites at 23%.
Inside the Report
Small, and growing faster than any other beauty segment. Datum sizes Korean beauty at $0.4 billion in 2024, rising to $1.5 billion by 2030, a 25.9% annual growth rate. Buyers are expected to rise from 11.9 million to 27.2 million over the same period, with spend per buyer going from $33.3 to $56.3 a year.
The wider beauty and personal care market is forecast to reach $45 billion by 2030, growing 11.7% a year. Premium beauty, products priced above ₹1,000, grows at 15.3% a year and should reach 35 million buyers by 2030, up from 19 million in 2024.
The study surveyed 2,018 beauty buyers between 24 February and 15 March 2025 and split them by attitude. 59% are adopters already using K-beauty, 27% are explorers who plan to try it and 14% are observers who are curious but not buying.
Culture opens the door and reviews close the sale. Among adopters, the top reason for buying is the influence of Korean culture, K-dramas or K-pop (50%), followed closely by positive reviews (49%) and efficacy for their skin type (48%). 77% of respondents say they are likely to buy a product endorsed by a K-pop idol, and 86% say ratings influence what they buy.
Adopters are careful shoppers. 80% research before buying and only 3% buy on impulse. Moisturisers (47%), skincare devices (47%), face masks (46%) and serums (45%) are the most tried products, and 70% repurchase at least every two to three months.
51% of adopters spend ₹1,001 to ₹3,000 a month on K-beauty and 17% spend more than ₹3,000. 43% raised their spend in the previous three months, and 72% plan to keep using or expand their use.
Buying is mostly digital. Beauty marketplaces and large e-commerce platforms are the main channel for 49% of adopters, and brand websites for 23%. Loyalty sits with products more than brands: 52% of beauty buyers say they switch skincare brands often, and 18% of adopters use only Korean brands.
Uncertainty and price. 42% of first-time users do not know where to start and 39% cite high prices or limited availability. Among explorers, the top barriers are not knowing which product to begin with (38%), cost (37%) and products being hard to find (36%). Sunscreen (48%) and moisturiser (43%) are their most common first purchases.
Observers hold back mainly on price (33%), availability in local stores (33%) and a preference for familiar brands (32%). 32% of them see K-beauty as overhyped and expensive, though 43% still describe it as high quality and innovative. Positive reviews from trusted sources (33%) and local availability (32%) would do most to change their minds.
Rise of Korean Beauty in India is a joint report by Datum Intelligence and kindlife, authored by Satish Meena. The online survey of 2,018 beauty buyers covered 30 cities, including Delhi NCR, Mumbai, Bengaluru, Guwahati, Imphal and Visakhapatnam.
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Research Partners: Kindlife