It started with snail slime.
Well…snail mucin, technically. A gooey, glossy ingredient packed with hydration and skin-healing properties that skyrocketed from niche status to full-blown obsession after going viral on TikTok, Reddit, and YouTube.
The buzzy ingredient made its way into serums and creams promising dewy, glass skin. And to the surprise of many skeptical first-timers, it delivered.
For a lot of U.S. consumers (myself included), this was the gateway into Korean beauty.
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Once I gave in and tried the famous COSRX Snail Mucin Essence, I never looked back. I stocked up on toners with fermented ingredients, jelly-like moisturizers, and sheet masks with packaging I didn’t understand but loved anyway.
And I wasn’t alone.
Scroll through any social platform, and you’ll find influencers raving about Korean skin care’s unmatched textures, layering rituals, and futuristic ingredients like ginseng, rice water, mugwort, and centella asiatica.
It’s no longer a niche — it’s a movement.
And now, one of the biggest names in American beauty retail is making a bold move to bring that movement mainstream.
Ulta bets big on a rising Korean beauty trend fans can’t get enough of.
Image source: Cheng Xin/Getty Images
Ulta enters the Korean Beauty era in a big way
In a newly announced national rollout, Ulta Beauty is partnering with K-Beauty World, a first-of-its-kind retail platform to bring Korean beauty brands directly to consumers in-store and online.
According to the official press release, this curated launch will debut with over 200 products spanning skin care and cosmetics, including hero brands like Rom&nd, Mixsoon, Some By Mi, and Unleashia.
The strategy isn’t just about stocking shelves — it’s about storytelling.
Each product assortment reflects Korean culture, beauty rituals, and ingredients with proven results and sensory appeal.
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It’s the kind of thoughtful, curated discovery that U.S. consumers have craved but previously had to seek through specialty e-retailers or international shipping.
Sarah Chung Park, the entrepreneur behind K-Beauty World, has been leading this charge with immersive pop-up activations, like the viral K-Beauty Mart convenience-store-style setups that have popped up everywhere from SXSW to Bryant Park.
Now, with Ulta’s massive reach and customer base, that immersive experience is hitting the mainstream.
Ulta’s K-beauty expansion sends strong signal to rivals
Ulta’s partnership with K-Beauty World isn’t just a trend play. It’s a strategic expansion into a rapidly growing market.
Korean beauty isn’t slowing down. According to Grand View Research, the global K-beauty products market was valued at $91.99 billion in 2022 and is projected to reach $187.4 billion by 2030.
Ulta’s move to house a full, curated K-beauty experience across its stores and website positions the retailer ahead of competitors like Sephora, which often stock some Korean products individually but without a fully immersive approach.
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It also strengthens Ulta’s positioning with Gen Z and millennial consumers — two demographics that routinely turn to social media for beauty discovery and love ingredient transparency, global influence, and inclusive product offerings.
By tapping into cultural relevance and exclusive access, Ulta is making itself a destination not just for products, but also for experience.
And if the viral track record of snail mucin is any indication, this rollout could be just the beginning of something much, much bigger.
I guess I’d better make room in my toiletry cabinet…