K-Beauty Curated Selection... Expanding Its Territory from UK Airlines to Major Drugstores

“K-beauty Sells Every 11 Seconds”

Sales in the UK Surge Fivefold in One Year

From Beauty of Joseon to Biodance... 140 Pounds Worth Offered at Just 35 Pounds

The UK distribution industry has launched a beauty box dedicated solely to Korean cosmetics. Following the trend of low-cost carriers (LCCs) presenting K-beauty sets as in-flight duty-free items, Boots, the UK's largest drugstore, is now also classifying K-beauty as a stand-alone category and starting to utilize it as a "curated product," according to industry analysis.

K+J Beauty Box sold on Boots, a health & beauty (H&B) drugstore online mall in the UK. Photo by Jaehee Kwon.

According to industry sources on August 4, Boots, the representative health and beauty (H&B) retailer in the UK, recently released the "K+J Beauty Box (Beauty Skin Edit)," which brings together Korean and Japanese skincare products. The set includes eight Korean brands—such as Beauty of Joseon Sun Cream, Biodance Collagen Toner Pads, Haruharu Wonder Eye Cream, Dr.Jart+ Sheet Mask, Jenabel PDRN Ampoule, Dr.Rejoule PDRN Cream, and Purito Cleanser—as well as one Japanese brand, Curel. While the regular retail price reaches about 140 pounds (approximately 270,000 won), it is being sold for 35 pounds (about 67,000 won). The box is available exclusively online and only in limited quantities; sales end once stock runs out. This approach lowers the entry barrier, enabling consumers to try a wide variety of brands at a reasonable price.

The background to Boots releasing a beauty box with such a lineup lies in the rapid growth of K-beauty in the UK market. According to Boots' "Beauty & Wellness Trend Report 2026," K-beauty sales within Boots have increased by more than fivefold over the past year. The company stated, "Korean skincare products are growing so rapidly that one item is sold every 11 seconds," adding, "Boots plans to further expand its K-beauty-specific portfolio this year."

Similar examples are also appearing in the airline industry. Last month, British LCC easyJet launched the "Passport to K-Beauty" box as an in-flight sales exclusive. This new set was planned after the "Bio Collagen Real Deep Mask" from Biodance, previously sold in-flight, gained significant popularity, prompting the inclusion of top K-beauty brands such as Beauty of Joseon and Skin1004. The price was set at 44 pounds (about 80,000 won).

Middle Eastern airlines are actively incorporating K-beauty into their premium services as well. Etihad Airways from the United Arab Emirates (UAE) recently collaborated with Amorepacific's Laneige to introduce amenity kits provided to business class passengers, featuring signature products like the Water Sleeping Mask and Lip Sleeping Mask, so that passengers can experience K-beauty on board.

The industry analyzes this trend as evidence that K-beauty has become established as a global trend, leading overseas distributors to participate directly in product planning.

An official in the cosmetics industry said, "In the past, the achievement used to be simply for K-beauty brands to enter overseas distribution channels. Now, we have reached a point where distributors themselves take the initiative in planning K-beauty-themed products and offering them to consumers," adding, "This means that beyond individual brand competition, 'K-beauty' itself is recognized as a proven category and a marketing asset."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.