Korean Cosmetics Export Glossary
Plain-English definitions of the ingredient, formulation, regulatory, packaging and trade terms you meet when sourcing Korean cosmetics — written for overseas B2B buyers.
A
Formulation
Acne patch (spot patch)
A hydrocolloid dot applied over a blemish to absorb exudate and stop picking.
Ingredients
Adenosine
The nucleoside designated by Korea's MFDS as an approved active for anti-wrinkle functional cosmetics, normally at 0.04%.
Ingredients
AHA / BHA / PHA
Exfoliating acids: water-soluble alpha hydroxy acids such as glycolic and lactic; oil-soluble salicylic acid (BHA) for pores; and larger, g…
Regulatory
AICIS (Australia)
Australia regulates cosmetic ingredients as industrial chemicals through AICIS, with importers required to register annually and to check e…
Packaging
Airless pump
A dispenser using a piston or collapsing pouch so the formula never contacts air inside the container.
Packaging
Airtight vs airless
Airtight only means the closed pack does not exchange air; airless means the formula never contacts air even in use.
Ingredients
Alcohol denat.
Denatured ethanol used as a solvent and for a fast-drying finish, common in Korean toners and sunscreens.
Ingredients
Allantoin
A soothing and keratolytic ingredient used at low percentages in sensitive-skin and after-sun formulas.
Ingredients
Aloe vera
A soothing, cooling humectant with near-universal consumer recognition, central to after-sun and sensitive-skin lines.
Formulation
Ampoule
The most concentrated leave-on step in a Korean routine, typically sold in a small dropper bottle for short intensive courses.
Formulation
Anhydrous formula
A formula containing no water — balms, oils, sticks, powders.
Regulatory
Animal testing ban
The EU prohibits both animal testing of cosmetics and the sale of products whose ingredients were animal-tested for cosmetic purposes; Kore…
Marketing & claims
Anti-pollution claim
Positioning around protection from particulate matter and urban stressors, strong in East and Southeast Asian markets.
Regulatory
ANVISA (Brazil)
Brazil's health regulator. Cosmetics are split into Grade 1 (notification) and Grade 2 (registration, covering sunscreen, hair dye and chil…
Marketing & claims
AOV (Average Order Value)
Average revenue per order. Bundling a hero product with a small companion SKU is the standard lever, which is why Korean brands build so ma…
Trade & logistics
Arbitration clause
Names the forum and rules for resolving a dispute — for Korean export contracts usually the KCAB in Seoul or the SIAC in Singapore.
Ingredients
Arbutin
A brightening active derived from bearberry, used in Korean whitening functional cosmetics at defined concentrations.
Trade & logistics
Artwork approval cycle
The rounds of proofing between the buyer, the regulatory reviewer and the printer before packaging goes to press.
Regulatory
ASEAN Cosmetic Directive
The harmonised notification framework used across ASEAN member states, closely modelled on the EU regulation.
Marketing & claims
Assortment planning
Choosing which SKUs to list and how deep to go on each.
Trade & logistics
AWB (Air Waybill)
The air-freight equivalent of a bill of lading.
Ingredients
Azelaic acid
An acid used for blemish-prone and uneven-tone claims.
B
Trade & logistics
B/L (Bill of Lading)
The ocean carrier's document that acts as receipt, contract of carriage and — for an original negotiable B/L — title to the goods.
Formulation
Baby and kids products
Products for children under three carry the strictest safety assessment, microbiological limits and ingredient restrictions in every major…
Ingredients
Bakuchiol
A plant-derived ingredient marketed as a gentler alternative to retinol for smoothing and tone claims.
Trade & logistics
Bank guarantee / L/G
A bank undertaking to pay if one party defaults, sometimes required from a new distributor in place of a large deposit.
Packaging
Barcode / GTIN
The global trade item number encoded in the retail barcode, unique per sellable variant.
Packaging
Batch code (lot number)
The production lot identifier printed on the unit and the carton, linking the goods to their certificate of analysis and manufacturing reco…
Regulatory
Batch traceability
The ability to link a finished unit back to its bulk batch, raw-material lots and production record.
Formulation
BB cream
Blemish Balm — a tinted multi-function base combining light coverage, skincare and usually SPF.
Marketing & claims
Beauty seasonality
Suncare peaks before summer, rich creams and gifting before winter.
Trade & logistics
Beauty trade shows
The sourcing calendar runs on Cosmoprof (Bologna, Hong Kong, Las Vegas), in-cosmetics, Beautyworld, and Korea's own K-Beauty Expo and Cosmo…
Marketing & claims
Before/after claim
A visual or numeric comparison used to demonstrate a result.
Ingredients
Beta-glucan
A polysaccharide, usually oat- or yeast-derived, used for soothing and moisture-retention claims.
Ingredients
Bisabolol and chamomile
Soothing actives derived from chamomile or candeia, used where a calming claim must hold up on sensitised skin.
Formulation
Body care
Lotions, washes, scrubs and body serums. The category skinification has pushed hardest into, with facial actives such as niacinamide and AH…
Trade & logistics
Bonded warehouse
A customs-supervised facility where imported goods sit before duty is paid.
Marketing & claims
Brand book
The guidelines governing logo use, colour, tone and imagery.
Marketing & claims
Branded import vs private label
Importing an existing Korean brand buys recognition and marketing support but leaves you competing with other territories on price.
Formulation
Broad spectrum
A US labelling term certifying protection across both UVA and UVB, earned through a specific FDA test method.
Packaging
Bulk
The finished formula before it is filled into packaging, quoted by weight rather than by unit.
Ingredients
Butylene glycol / propanediol
Solvents and humectants that carry botanical extracts into a formula.
C
Marketing & claims
CAC and LTV
Cost to acquire a customer versus the gross profit they generate over time.
Ingredients
Caffeine
A vasoconstrictor used in eye and body formulas for puffiness and firmness claims.
Regulatory
California Proposition 65
A Californian law requiring a warning when a product can expose consumers to listed substances above safe-harbour levels.
Regulatory
Canada Cosmetic Notification Form
Canada requires a Cosmetic Notification Form within ten days of first sale, plus bilingual English and French labelling and compliance with…
Trade & logistics
CBM (cubic metre)
The volume measure ocean freight is priced on, calculated from carton dimensions rather than weight.
Formulation
CC cream
Colour Correcting cream — lighter than a BB cream and aimed at evening out redness or sallowness rather than covering.
Ingredients
Centella asiatica (Cica)
A soothing botanical and the signature ingredient of Korea's "cica" category, standardised into actives such as madecassoside, asiaticoside…
Ingredients
Ceramide
A lipid naturally present in the skin barrier, added to replace what dry or compromised skin lacks.
Trade & logistics
Certificate of Origin (C/O)
A document certifying where the goods were produced, issued in Korea by a chamber of commerce or by customs.
Trade & logistics
CFR (Cost and Freight)
Like CIF but without insurance: the seller pays ocean freight to the destination port, and the buyer carries both the risk and the duty to…
Regulatory
CFS (Certificate of Free Sale)
An official certificate stating that a product is freely sold in its country of origin, issued in Korea by the MFDS or a designated associa…
Regulatory
CGMP (Korea)
Korea's MFDS-audited Good Manufacturing Practice certification for cosmetics manufacturers.
Formulation
Challenge test (PET)
A preservative efficacy test, usually to ISO 11930, in which the product is deliberately inoculated with microorganisms and monitored.
Packaging
Child-resistant closure
A closure requiring a deliberate two-step action.
Regulatory
Chinese domestic responsible person
The China-registered entity that files or registers the product with the NMPA and bears legal responsibility for it in China.
Ingredients
Cholesterol and fatty acids
The other two components of the skin barrier lipid matrix alongside ceramides.
Trade & logistics
CIF (Cost, Insurance and Freight)
The seller pays ocean freight and minimum marine insurance to the named destination port, but risk still transfers to the buyer once the go…
Trade & logistics
CIP (Carriage and Insurance Paid To)
The seller pays carriage and insurance to a named destination, usable for any transport mode.
Regulatory
Claim substantiation
The evidence file behind every claim on the pack and in advertising.
Marketing & claims
Clean beauty
A retailer-defined rather than regulator-defined positioning, built on exclusion lists of ingredients.
Formulation
Cleansing balm
A solid-to-oil first cleanser sold in a jar with a spatula.
Formulation
Cleansing foam
The water-based second cleanser, usually a tube-packed surfactant cream that lathers on contact.
Formulation
Cleansing oil
An oil-phase first cleanser that emulsifies with water so it rinses away cleanly.
Packaging
CoA (Certificate of Analysis)
The batch-level quality report listing appearance, odour, pH, viscosity, specific gravity and microbial counts against the agreed specifica…
Ingredients
Collagen (topical)
A structural protein used topically as a humectant and film-former; hydrolysed or low-molecular-weight forms are common in Korean products.
Trade & logistics
Commercial invoice
The final invoice issued at shipment and used by customs on both sides to assess duty and value.
Formulation
Concealer
High-coverage colour correction for a small area.
Trade & logistics
Consignment stock
Stock held by the retailer or distributor but still owned by the supplier, paid for only as it sells.
Packaging
Container materials (PET, PP, PE, glass, acrylic)
Material choice drives cost, barrier performance, recyclability and how the formula behaves in the pack.
Trade & logistics
Container types (20GP / 40HQ)
The standard dry containers: a 20ft general purpose holds roughly 28 CBM in practice and a 40ft high cube roughly 68 CBM.
Marketing & claims
Conversion rate
The share of visitors who buy. On a B2B sourcing site the equivalent metric is the share of catalog visitors who submit an RFQ, which is wh…
Ingredients
Copper tripeptide-1 (GHK-Cu)
A well-known firming and repair peptide. It is blue-green and reacts with vitamin C and some acids, so it usually sits in a standalone ampo…
Regulatory
Cosmetic vs drug boundary
A claim that a product treats or prevents a condition, or alters body structure, moves it out of the cosmetic category and into drug or qua…
Regulatory
COSMOS / ECOCERT
A voluntary European standard for organic and natural cosmetics covering ingredient origin, processing methods and packaging.
Regulatory
CPNP (EU Cosmetic Products Notification Portal)
The EU portal where every cosmetic product must be notified before being placed on the market.
Regulatory
CPSR (Cosmetic Product Safety Report)
The two-part safety assessment inside the PIF: Part A gathers the safety data on ingredients, exposure and impurities; Part B is the qualif…
Formulation
Cream
The occlusive final skincare step, formulated to seal in the preceding layers.
Trade & logistics
Cross-border e-commerce (CBEC)
Selling directly to overseas consumers from stock held outside their country, or from a bonded warehouse.
Marketing & claims
Cruelty-free
A claim that neither the finished product nor its ingredients were tested on animals, certified by schemes such as Leaping Bunny.
Formulation
Cushion compact
A Korean invention: liquid base makeup held in a sponge and applied with a puff, usually with SPF.
Trade & logistics
Customs clearance
The import formalities of declaring goods, paying duty and tax and satisfying any product-specific controls before release.
Ingredients
Cypress and pine extracts
Korean forest-derived botanicals used for calming and sebum claims, often marketed around phytoncide.
D
Marketing & claims
Daigou
Personal shoppers who buy in one market — typically Korean duty free or Olive Young — and resell into China outside official channels.
Trade & logistics
Dangerous goods (DG)
Cargo classified as hazardous for transport — for cosmetics that mainly means aerosols and high-alcohol products.
Trade & logistics
DAP (Delivered At Place)
The seller delivers to a named destination ready for unloading, but import duty, tax and clearance remain the buyer's responsibility.
Trade & logistics
DDP (Delivered Duty Paid)
The seller delivers to the buyer's address with all export and import duties, taxes and clearance paid — the maximum obligation on the sell…
Packaging
Decoration (silk screen, hot stamping, UV printing)
The methods used to print directly onto a container.
Trade & logistics
Demurrage and detention
Penalty charges for leaving a container at the terminal beyond the free days (demurrage) or keeping the carrier's equipment too long after…
Formulation
Deodorant and antiperspirant
Deodorant masks odour and is a cosmetic; antiperspirant blocks sweat with aluminium salts and is an OTC drug in the US and a quasi-drug in…
Marketing & claims
Derma cosmetics / cosmeceutical
Positioning that borrows clinical credibility through dermatologist involvement, clinical testing or pharmacy distribution.
Marketing & claims
Dermatologist tested
A claim that a dermatological test — usually a patch test — was conducted under specialist supervision.
Packaging
Desiccant
A moisture-absorbing sachet included with powder products and patches.
Trade & logistics
Distribution agreement
The contract governing territory, channel, exclusivity, minimum volumes, pricing policy, trademark use, marketing contribution and terminat…
Formulation
Double cleansing
The Korean two-step method: an oil-based cleanser to dissolve makeup and sunscreen, followed by a water-based cleanser to remove what is le…
Packaging
Dropper bottle
A glass or PETG bottle with a pipette cap, standard for ampoules and serums.
Regulatory
Drug Facts panel
The standardised US panel listing active ingredients, uses, warnings and directions, mandatory on OTC drug products.
Marketing & claims
Dupe
A lower-priced product marketed as delivering the same result as a prestige original.
E
Regulatory
EAEU TR CU 009/2011
The technical regulation covering cosmetics across Russia, Kazakhstan, Belarus, Armenia and Kyrgyzstan.
Ingredients
Ectoin
A bacterial-derived osmolyte used for barrier protection and anti-pollution claims.
Formulation
Efficacy test (clinical substantiation)
Instrumental or consumer-panel testing that substantiates a performance claim — improved hydration by corneometer, reduced wrinkle depth by…
Ingredients
EGF and growth factors
Bio-engineered proteins positioned for regeneration claims in premium Korean lines.
Formulation
Emollient
An oil or ester that softens and smooths skin by filling the gaps between surface cells.
Formulation
Emulsifier
The ingredient that holds oil and water phases together in a stable mixture.
Formulation
Emulsion
A light milky moisturiser sitting between essence and cream — the Korean equivalent of a fluid lotion.
Marketing & claims
Endcap and feature space
Premium display positions at the end of an aisle or in a feature bay, sold as paid promotional slots.
Formulation
Essence
A watery-to-slightly-viscous hydrating layer applied between toner and serum, and the format most associated with K-beauty routines abroad.
Ingredients
Essential oil
Volatile plant extracts used for scent and marketing appeal.
Trade & logistics
Exclusive distribution
A contract granting one buyer the sole right to sell a brand in a defined territory and channel.
Ingredients
Exosome
Vesicles derived from plant or cultured-cell sources, used in premium Korean regenerative-positioning products.
Packaging
Expiry date / best before
The date until which the product meets its specification, printed as EXP or as a best-before-end figure.
Packaging
Extended producer responsibility (EPR)
Schemes making the brand owner pay for the end-of-life handling of its packaging, now in force across the EU, Korea and elsewhere.
Trade & logistics
EXW (Ex Works)
The buyer collects the goods at the seller's factory or warehouse and takes on every subsequent cost, including Korean export clearance.
Formulation
Eye patch
Hydrogel or fabric under-eye patches, usually sold as 60 pieces in a jar, positioned for puffiness and fine lines.
Formulation
Eyeshadow palette
Multi-pan colour sets. Colour additive rules differ sharply by market — a pigment approved in Korea may be banned for eye-area use in the U…
F
Formulation
Facial mist
A spray-applied hydrating or setting product.
Formulation
Facial oil
An anhydrous leave-on product built on plant oils and esters.
Marketing & claims
FBA (Fulfilment by Amazon)
Amazon holds and ships your stock. It requires FNSKU labelling, expiry-date marking on beauty products and a minimum remaining shelf life o…
Trade & logistics
FCA (Free Carrier)
The seller delivers the goods, cleared for export, to a carrier the buyer nominates at a named place.
Trade & logistics
FCL (Full Container Load)
Ocean freight where you book a whole 20ft or 40ft container.
Regulatory
FDA facility registration
The MoCRA obligation for every facility that manufactures or processes cosmetics for the US market to register with the FDA, including fore…
Ingredients
Fermented ingredient (ferment filtrate)
Botanical or yeast material processed by fermentation, appearing on INCI as a ferment filtrate, ferment lysate or ferment extract.
Packaging
Filling
The operation of dosing bulk into primary packaging, with its own tolerance, hygiene and line-clearance controls.
Formulation
First treatment essence
A watery ferment-based step applied immediately after cleansing, before toner.
Trade & logistics
FOB (Free On Board)
The seller delivers the goods on board the vessel at the named port of shipment and clears them for export; from that point freight, insura…
Trade & logistics
Force majeure
A contract clause excusing performance during events outside either party's control.
Ingredients
Fragrance / parfum
A collective INCI term covering a proprietary scent blend, which is why a single word can hide dozens of individual materials.
Regulatory
Fragrance allergen declaration
The EU obligation to name specified fragrance allergens individually on the label once they exceed 0.001% in leave-on or 0.01% in rinse-off…
Trade & logistics
Freight forwarder
The agent who books carriage, consolidates cargo, prepares transport documents and coordinates customs on your behalf.
Regulatory
Functional cosmetics
A Korean regulatory category, defined under the Cosmetics Act, covering products that make specified efficacy claims.
Trade & logistics
FX exposure
Korean exports are usually invoiced in USD, so both sides carry currency risk against KRW and against the buyer's local currency.
G
Formulation
Gel cream
A water-rich, low-oil moisturiser with a bouncy texture that absorbs quickly.
Ingredients
Ginseng (Panax)
The anchor ingredient of Korea's premium anti-ageing segment, used as white, red or black ginseng and often as a ferment.
Marketing & claims
Glass skin
The Korean aesthetic goal of luminous, poreless, well-hydrated skin.
Ingredients
Glutathione
An antioxidant tripeptide used in brightening positioning, strongest as a consumer story in Southeast Asia.
Ingredients
Glycerin
The most widely used humectant in cosmetics, cheap and effective.
Regulatory
GMP / ISO 22716
Good Manufacturing Practice for cosmetics, expressed internationally as ISO 22716 and in Korea as CGMP.
Regulatory
Green claims rules
Tightening rules across the EU and other markets against vague environmental claims such as "eco-friendly", "climate neutral" or unqualifie…
Ingredients
Green tea extract (EGCG)
An antioxidant botanical used for soothing and sebum claims, standardised on EGCG.
Marketing & claims
GWP (Gift With Purchase)
A free item given at a purchase threshold, and a core K-beauty trade-marketing tool — sheet masks and mini sizes are cheap, light and highl…
H
Marketing & claims
H&B store (health and beauty retail)
The multi-brand drugstore-style channel that dominates Korean beauty retail, with Olive Young the clear leader.
Formulation
Hair essence and hair oil
Leave-in treatments for ends and frizz, one of the fastest-growing Korean export sub-categories on the back of the scalp-care wave.
Formulation
Hair mask and treatment
A rinse-off conditioning treatment, usually in a tub or tube.
Regulatory
Halal certification
Certification that a product contains no ingredients or processing aids forbidden under Islamic law — most commonly ethanol and animal deri…
Ingredients
Hanbang
Korean traditional herbal medicine, and by extension the skincare tradition built on ingredients such as ginseng, mugwort, licorice root an…
Formulation
Hand cream
Small, cheap and highly giftable, which makes it the default GWP and travel-retail impulse SKU.
Ingredients
Heartleaf (Houttuynia cordata)
A Korean botanical used in soothing and blemish-prone lines, frequently at very high extract percentages as the base of a toner or essence…
Regulatory
Heavy metal limits
Trace lead, arsenic, mercury, cadmium and antimony limits set per market, tightest for products used near the eyes and lips.
Marketing & claims
Hero product
The single SKU that carries a brand's story and the bulk of its repeat sales.
Ingredients
Honey and royal jelly extracts
Bee-derived humectant and soothing ingredients used in glow and nourishing lines.
Trade & logistics
HS code
The Harmonized System tariff classification that determines your import duty rate and any regulatory controls.
Formulation
Humectant
An ingredient that draws and holds water in the stratum corneum — glycerin, hyaluronic acid, panthenol, butylene glycol.
Ingredients
Hyaluronic acid
A humectant that binds water in the upper skin layers, appearing on INCI as hyaluronic acid or sodium hyaluronate.
Formulation
Hydrogel
A gel-type mask or patch material that clings closely to the skin and releases actives slowly.
Marketing & claims
Hypoallergenic
A claim of reduced allergy potential with no harmonised legal definition.
I
Regulatory
INCI name
The International Nomenclature of Cosmetic Ingredients name — the standardised ingredient identifier used on labels worldwide, based on Lat…
Trade & logistics
Incoterms
The International Chamber of Commerce's standard three-letter trade terms — EXW, FOB, CIF, DAP, DDP and others — that define exactly where…
Packaging
Induction seal and liner
The foil membrane heat-sealed over a jar or bottle mouth.
Marketing & claims
Influencer seeding
Sending free product to creators without a paid contract, hoping for organic coverage.
Regulatory
Ingredient list (label declaration)
The mandatory on-pack list of every ingredient by INCI name.
Marketing & claims
Ingredient minimalism
Short INCI lists sold as a reassurance signal.
Marketing & claims
Ingredient-first marketing
Leading with a named active and a percentage rather than a benefit.
Packaging
Inner and master carton quantity
How many units sit in an inner box and how many inners in a master carton.
Packaging
Insert leaflet
A folded paper insert inside the unit carton.
J
Regulatory
Japan quasi-drug (医薬部外品)
Japan splits personal care into cosmetics and quasi-drugs.
Packaging
Jar
A wide-mouth container for creams, balms and patches, with strong shelf presence and a premium feel.
Ingredients
Jojoba oil
Technically a liquid wax ester, structurally close to skin sebum and highly stable against oxidation.
K
L
Trade & logistics
L/C (Letter of Credit)
A bank undertaking to pay the seller once compliant shipping documents are presented, which protects both sides on larger orders.
Packaging
Label artwork
The print-ready file carrying the ingredient list, claims, net content, batch, PAO, and the manufacturer's and responsible person's details.
Ingredients
Lactobionic acid
A polyhydroxy acid used as a gentle exfoliant and humectant, popular in barrier-friendly and post-procedure formulas where a conventional A…
Trade & logistics
Landed cost
The true per-unit cost at your warehouse: ex-works price plus freight, insurance, duty, tax, clearance fees and inland delivery.
Trade & logistics
Late delivery penalty
A pre-agreed deduction when the supplier misses the shipment window, usually a percentage per week up to a cap.
Trade & logistics
LCL (Less than Container Load)
Ocean freight where your cargo shares a container with other shippers, priced by cubic metre.
Trade & logistics
Lead time
The elapsed time from confirmed order to goods ready for shipment.
Ingredients
Licorice root extract
A soothing and brightening botanical whose active glabridin is used in tone-evenness claims.
Formulation
Lip sleeping mask
An overnight lip treatment in a small jar, a Korean-origin format that became a global hero product.
Formulation
Lip tint
A long-wear, high-pigment lip format that stains rather than coats.
Marketing & claims
Listing fee / slotting fee
The payment a retailer charges to take on a new SKU, sometimes structured as a fee and sometimes as guaranteed promotional spend.
Trade & logistics
LOI (Letter of Intent)
A non-binding statement of intended volumes and terms, used to open serious negotiation or to secure exclusivity discussions before a full…
Packaging
Lotion pump
A dip-tube dispenser specified by dosage per stroke and by the viscosity range it can handle.
M
Trade & logistics
Made in Korea labelling
The mandatory origin statement on pack. It follows where the product was substantially manufactured, not where the brand is registered, so…
Ingredients
Mandelic acid
A large-molecule AHA that penetrates slowly, giving gentler exfoliation suited to sensitive and deeper skin tones.
Packaging
Manufacturing date (MFD)
The production date, and the Korean domestic default marking.
Marketing & claims
MAP (Minimum Advertised Price)
A policy setting the lowest price a reseller may advertise.
Trade & logistics
Marine cargo insurance
Cover for loss or damage in transit, usually written on Institute Cargo Clauses A (all risks), B or C.
Regulatory
Market surveillance
Post-market inspection by an authority, which typically means asking the responsible person to produce the PIF and claim substantiation wit…
Marketing & claims
Marketplaces (Amazon, Shopee, Lazada, Tmall, Qoo10)
Third-party platforms where a large share of K-beauty volume moves.
Formulation
Mascara
Eye-area colour cosmetic, subject to the strictest microbiological limits of any category and typically the shortest PAO.
Formulation
Men's grooming
All-in-one lotions, shaving and scalp products.
Regulatory
MFDS (Korean Ministry of Food and Drug Safety)
Korea's regulator for cosmetics, drugs and food, formerly known as the KFDA.
Regulatory
MHLW (Japan)
Japan's Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare, which regulates cosmetics and quasi-drugs under the PMD Act.
Formulation
Micellar water
A no-rinse cleanser using micelles to lift makeup and oil, wiped off with a cotton pad.
Regulatory
Microbiological limits
Maximum total viable counts plus absence of specified pathogens, with a stricter tier for products for the eye area and children under thre…
Regulatory
Microplastics restriction
The EU restriction on intentionally added synthetic polymer microparticles removes rinse-off microbeads and, on staged deadlines, affects l…
Regulatory
MoCRA
The Modernization of Cosmetics Regulation Act of 2022, the biggest overhaul of US cosmetics law in more than eighty years.
Packaging
Mono-material packaging
Packaging built from a single polymer family so it can be recycled without separation.
Trade & logistics
MOQ (Minimum Order Quantity)
The smallest quantity a supplier will produce or ship in a single order.
Trade & logistics
MSQ (Minimum Shipment Quantity)
The smallest quantity that can move in one consignment, which is not always the same as the MOQ.
Ingredients
Mugwort (Artemisia)
A traditional Korean botanical used for calming and clarifying claims, common in hanbang-positioned and sensitive-skin lines.
N
Regulatory
Nagoya Protocol
International rules on access and benefit-sharing for genetic resources.
Formulation
Nail products
Polishes and gels. Solvent content makes them dangerous goods for air freight, and several markets restrict specific monomers used in gel s…
Trade & logistics
NDA (Non-Disclosure Agreement)
A mutual confidentiality agreement, normally signed before a manufacturer shares a full formulation, cost breakdown or clinical data.
Packaging
Net content
The declared quantity of product in the pack, shown in metric units and, for the US market, in both metric and US customary units.
Trade & logistics
Net terms / open account
Payment due a set number of days after invoice or delivery — net 30, net 60 — rather than before shipment.
Regulatory
New cosmetic ingredient (NCI)
An ingredient not yet on a market's permitted inventory, which must be notified or registered separately before it can be used there.
Ingredients
Niacinamide
A vitamin B3 derivative used for tone evenness, sebum control and barrier support, typically at 2–10%.
Regulatory
NMPA filing / registration (China)
China's market-entry route via the National Medical Products Administration.
Marketing & claims
Non-comedogenic
A claim that the product does not clog pores, normally supported by a comedogenicity test on human panellists.
O
Formulation
Occlusive
An ingredient forming a surface film that slows water loss — petrolatum, dimethicone, shea butter, certain waxes.
Trade & logistics
ODM (Original Design Manufacturing)
The manufacturer supplies its own existing formula and design, which the buyer brands as its own.
Trade & logistics
OEM (Original Equipment Manufacturing)
Manufacturing to the buyer's own specification and formula, sold under the buyer's brand.
Marketing & claims
Olive Young
Korea's dominant health-and-beauty retail chain, operated by CJ, and the country's principal launchpad for new beauty brands.
Formulation
Overfill and fill tolerance
The allowed deviation between declared and actual fill.
P
Formulation
PA rating
The Japanese-origin UVA protection grade, from PA+ to PA++++, used on Korean and Japanese sunscreens.
Formulation
Packaging compatibility test
Storing the finished formula in its actual packaging under stress conditions to check for leaching, discolouration, deformation or seal fai…
Trade & logistics
Packing list
A shipment document listing carton contents, carton counts, net and gross weights and dimensions.
Trade & logistics
Pallet and palletisation
Cartons stacked and stretch-wrapped onto a standard pallet for handling.
Ingredients
Panthenol
Provitamin B5, a humectant and soothing agent common in barrier-repair and post-sun formulas.
Packaging
PAO (Period After Opening)
The open-jar symbol with a figure such as 12M, showing how long the product stays safe once opened.
Trade & logistics
Parallel import (grey market)
Genuine product imported outside the brand's authorised channel, usually bought cheaply in one market and resold in another.
Formulation
Patch test
A dermatological skin-irritation test on human panellists, and the usual basis for "dermatologist tested" or "hypoallergenic"-style claims.
Trade & logistics
Payment terms
The agreed timing and instrument of payment, such as "30% deposit / 70% before shipment by T/T" or "L/C at sight".
Packaging
PCR plastic
Post-consumer recycled resin used in bottles, jars and caps, specified as a percentage of the component.
Ingredients
PDRN / polynucleotide
Polydeoxyribonucleotide, a DNA fragment ingredient — usually salmon-derived — that moved from aesthetic clinics into Korean skincare and be…
Formulation
Peeling gel
A rinse-off gel that balls up as it is rubbed, giving a visible exfoliation effect.
Ingredients
Peptide
Short amino-acid chains used for firmness and wrinkle claims — copper tripeptide-1, acetyl hexapeptide-8, palmitoyl tripeptide-1 and many o…
Regulatory
PFAS restriction
Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances, used in some long-wear and water-resistant formulas, are being restricted across the EU and several US…
Formulation
pH
The acidity of a formula, controlled tightly in Korean skincare because it governs skin compatibility, acid efficacy and preservative perfo…
Formulation
Physical scrub
A rinse-off exfoliant with abrasive particles, now built on sugar, salt or cellulose after microbead restrictions removed plastic exfoliant…
Regulatory
PIF (Product Information File)
The dossier the EU Responsible Person must hold and keep available to authorities for ten years after the last batch was placed on the mark…
Marketing & claims
Planogram
The retailer's shelf layout specifying which product sits where and with how many facings.
Trade & logistics
PO (Purchase Order)
The buyer's binding order document referencing the agreed proforma invoice, quantities, prices, Incoterms and delivery window.
Ingredients
Polyglutamic acid
A fermentation-derived humectant, often positioned as holding more water than hyaluronic acid and forming a light surface film.
Regulatory
Positive / negative ingredient list
Regulator-maintained lists of ingredients that are permitted — often with concentration limits and conditions of use — or prohibited outrig…
Marketing & claims
POSM (point-of-sale materials)
Shelf talkers, testers, display units and header cards.
Trade & logistics
Pre-shipment inspection (PSI)
A third-party or buyer-side check of quantity, labelling, packaging and visible quality before the goods leave Korea, usually against an AQ…
Ingredients
Preservative system
The ingredients preventing microbial growth over a product's shelf life — commonly phenoxyethanol, ethylhexylglycerin, organic acids, or 1,…
Trade & logistics
Price validity
How long a quoted price stands, typically 30 to 90 days for Korean cosmetics.
Packaging
Primary packaging
The container in direct contact with the formula — the bottle, tube, jar, sachet or compact.
Formulation
Primer
A base step that smooths texture and extends makeup wear, usually silicone-based.
Trade & logistics
Private label
A product manufactured by one company and sold under a retailer's or distributor's own brand, typically on an ODM basis.
Ingredients
Probiotic and postbiotic ingredients
Lactobacillus and bifida ferment lysates used for barrier and microbiome claims.
Regulatory
Product listing (US)
The MoCRA requirement to list each cosmetic product with the FDA, including its ingredients, its responsible person and the facilities wher…
Regulatory
Product recall
Withdrawal of a batch from the market for a safety or compliance failure.
Trade & logistics
Proforma invoice (PI)
A pre-shipment quotation in invoice form covering products, quantities, unit prices, Incoterms, payment terms and validity.
Ingredients
Propolis
A bee-derived resin used in Korean glow and soothing formulas, often in high-percentage "ampoule" positioning.
R
Trade & logistics
Rebate
A retrospective discount paid once an annual volume target is met, common in exclusive distribution deals.
Trade & logistics
Reefer container
A temperature-controlled container. Rarely needed for finished cosmetics, but worth pricing for balm, high-actives or probiotic formats cro…
Packaging
Refill pack
A replacement insert or pouch sold for an existing container, standard in Korean cushion compacts and increasingly used across skincare.
Marketing & claims
Repurchase rate
The share of buyers who order again within a period.
Regulatory
Responsible distributor (Korea)
The Korean licence class that actually places a cosmetic on the market — distinct from the manufacturer.
Regulatory
Responsible Person (RP)
The legal entity established in the market that carries regulatory responsibility for a cosmetic product.
Marketing & claims
Retail margin
The retailer's gross margin on RRP, typically 40–55% in beauty specialty and higher in department stores.
Trade & logistics
Retention of title
A clause keeping legal ownership with the seller until payment clears, even after delivery.
Ingredients
Retinol and retinoids
Vitamin A derivatives used for wrinkle and texture claims, ranging from gentle retinyl esters through retinol to stronger retinal.
Marketing & claims
Review rating and volume
Average star rating and review count, the primary trust signal in online beauty.
Trade & logistics
RFQ (Request for Quotation)
A formal request asking a supplier to quote price, MOQ, lead time and terms against a defined specification.
Ingredients
Rice extract and rice water
Rice bran, rice ferment filtrate and rice water used for brightening and softening claims.
Ingredients
Rosehip oil
A polyunsaturated oil rich in linoleic acid and natural trans-retinoic acid traces, used in regenerating and tone claims.
Marketing & claims
RRP / MSRP
The recommended retail price, used to model channel margin backwards to your landed cost.
S
Packaging
Sachet
Single-use foil or laminate packets, the cheapest sampling format and a mainstream retail format across Southeast Asia.
Regulatory
Safety assessment
A documented evaluation that a formula is safe for its intended use at the declared concentrations and exposure levels.
Ingredients
Salicylic acid restrictions
Beyond concentration caps, the EU requires specific warnings and restricts use in products for children under three.
Trade & logistics
Sample order
A small paid shipment — typically a few units per SKU by courier — for formulation, texture and packaging evaluation before committing to M…
Marketing & claims
Scalp care
Treating the scalp as skin — serums, scalp masks, exfoliants and targeted tonics.
Regulatory
SDS / MSDS
The Safety Data Sheet describing hazards, handling and transport classification for a material or finished product.
Ingredients
Sea buckthorn
A carotenoid-rich oil used for barrier and radiance claims.
Packaging
Secondary packaging
The outer wrapping around one or more primary containers — typically the printed unit carton.
Marketing & claims
Sell-in
The volume shipped from brand or distributor into the retailer.
Marketing & claims
Sell-through
The share of shipped stock actually sold to consumers in a period, and the metric that decides whether a listing is renewed.
Marketing & claims
Sensitive skin positioning
The fastest-growing segment in Korean skincare exports, built on barrier ingredients and short ingredient lists.
Regulatory
Serious adverse event reporting (SAER)
The MoCRA duty on the responsible person to report serious adverse events to the FDA within fifteen business days and to keep records of al…
Formulation
Serum
A concentrated, fast-absorbing treatment step positioned between essence and cream.
Formulation
Setting powder and setting spray
Products that lock makeup in place. Loose powders carry additional inhalation-related restrictions on some mineral ingredients, and sprays…
Regulatory
SFDA / GSO (Gulf)
Gulf market entry runs through the SFDA in Saudi Arabia and the GSO technical regulations across the GCC.
Marketing & claims
Shade range
The set of colour variants offered in a base or lip line.
Formulation
Shampoo
Surfactant-based hair cleanser. Anti-dandruff and hair-loss claims move it into quasi-drug or OTC territory in Japan, Korea and the US, so…
Ingredients
Shea butter
A rich occlusive and emollient used in balms, hand and body care.
Formulation
Sheet mask
A single-use fabric sheet soaked in essence, historically Korea's highest-volume export format.
Trade & logistics
Shipping mark
The printed markings on an export carton — consignee, order number, carton number, gross and net weight, origin.
Packaging
Shrink sleeve
A printed plastic sleeve heat-shrunk onto a container, giving full-surface decoration and often doubling as a tamper-evident seal.
Ingredients
Silicones (dimethicone, cyclopentasiloxane)
Film-forming ingredients that give the slip and blur of primers and base makeup.
Marketing & claims
Skin barrier
The stratum corneum's protective lipid-and-cell structure, and the organising concept behind Korea's largest skincare segment.
Marketing & claims
Skinification
The trend of bringing skincare actives and claims into adjacent categories — body, scalp, hair, lip and makeup.
Marketing & claims
Skip-care
The Korean counter-trend to the 10-step routine: fewer, more multifunctional products.
Marketing & claims
SKU
Stock Keeping Unit — one uniquely sellable variant, so every shade, size and refill is its own SKU.
Formulation
Sleeping mask (overnight mask)
A leave-on overnight treatment applied as the final step and rinsed off in the morning.
Marketing & claims
Slugging
Sealing the final skincare step under a heavy occlusive overnight.
Ingredients
Snail secretion filtrate
A humectant and film-forming ingredient popularised by Korean essences, declared on INCI as snail secretion filtrate.
Trade & logistics
Sourcing agent
A local intermediary who finds suppliers, negotiates and inspects on the buyer's behalf, paid by commission or retainer.
Packaging
Spatula and applicator
The scoop supplied with a jar or balm, plus puffs, wands and cushion sponges.
Formulation
SPF
Sun Protection Factor, the measure of UVB protection, determined by an approved in-vivo or in-vitro test method.
Packaging
Spray pump / atomiser
A fine-mist dispenser used for toners, mists and setting sprays.
Ingredients
Squalane
A lightweight, highly stable emollient, now usually derived from sugarcane or olive rather than shark liver.
Formulation
Stability test
Accelerated and real-time storage testing that establishes shelf life and confirms the formula survives temperature cycling and packaging c…
Marketing & claims
Subscription and replenishment
Recurring delivery models. They suit consumables such as cleansers, masks and sunscreen and improve forecasting, which in turn makes MOQ co…
Formulation
Sun stick
A solid sunscreen in a twist-up balm format, a Korean-led sub-category driven by convenience and reapplication over makeup.
Formulation
Sunscreen
Korea's strongest export category, built on elegant high-protection textures that solved the white-cast and heaviness problems Western suns…
Formulation
Surfactant
The cleansing agent in any wash-off product.
Packaging
Sustainable packaging
An umbrella term covering recycled content, recyclability, refillability and material reduction.
T
Trade & logistics
T/T (Telegraphic Transfer)
A bank-to-bank wire transfer, and the default payment method in Korean cosmetics exports.
Packaging
Tamper-evident packaging
Any feature that visibly shows a pack has been opened — shrink band, induction seal, breakaway cap.
Trade & logistics
Telex release
An instruction from the shipper's forwarder to the destination agent to release cargo without the original bill of lading, used once the se…
Packaging
Tester and sample units
Units supplied for in-store trial or seeding.
Formulation
Texture and sensory claim
How a product feels on application — the differentiator Korean formulators compete on hardest.
Regulatory
TFDA (Taiwan)
Taiwan's regulator. General cosmetics are notified through an online system and specific-purpose products such as sunscreen and whitening r…
Trade & logistics
Tiered pricing
A price table that steps down at defined quantity breaks.
Ingredients
Titanium dioxide
A mineral UV filter and white pigment, and the main cause of white cast in mineral sunscreens.
Formulation
Tone-up cream
A lightly whitening base cream that brightens the complexion optically, usually with titanium dioxide, and often with SPF.
Formulation
Toner
In Korean routines a lightweight hydrating step applied straight after cleansing — not the astringent alcohol-based product the word still…
Formulation
Toner pad
Pre-soaked cotton or fabric pads in a tub, delivering a toner or mild exfoliating acid in one wipe.
Trade & logistics
Tooling / mould cost
The one-off charge for a custom bottle, cap or compact mould, typically several thousand to tens of thousands of dollars.
Ingredients
Tranexamic acid
A brightening active used for pigmentation and post-inflammatory marks.
Marketing & claims
Travel retail / duty free
Sales through airport, downtown duty-free and in-flight channels, historically a huge volume channel for Korean beauty.
Ingredients
Trehalose
A sugar-derived humectant valued for protecting cell structures against dehydration.
Ingredients
Tremella (snow mushroom)
A polysaccharide-rich mushroom extract used as a plant-based humectant, frequently positioned as a vegan alternative to hyaluronic acid.
Trade & logistics
Trial order
A reduced first production order used to test sell-through before scaling.
Packaging
Tube
The default pack for cleansers, sunscreens and lighter creams — light, cheap to ship and easy to decorate.
U
Marketing & claims
UGC (user-generated content)
Consumer-created reviews, photos and videos used in marketing.
Regulatory
UK SCPN and UK Responsible Person
Since Brexit the UK runs its own notification service, Submit Cosmetic Product Notification, and requires a UK-established Responsible Pers…
Packaging
Unit carton and export carton
The printed folding box around a single unit, and the master shipping carton holding many units.
Ingredients
Urea
A humectant and keratolytic used mostly in body and foot care.
Regulatory
US OTC drug monograph
Sunscreens, anti-acne, antiperspirants and anti-dandruff products are regulated in the US as over-the-counter drugs, not cosmetics.
Ingredients
UV filter (chemical vs mineral)
The actives that provide sun protection. Organic (chemical) filters absorb UV; mineral filters such as zinc oxide and titanium dioxide scat…
V
Regulatory
Vegan and cruelty-free certification bodies
The recognised marks are the Vegan Society and EVE Vegan in Europe, Leaping Bunny for cruelty-free, and KVAA in Korea.
Marketing & claims
Vegan cosmetics
Products free of animal-derived ingredients, commonly certified by bodies such as the Vegan Society, EVE Vegan or Korea's KVAA.
Formulation
Viscosity
The thickness of a formula, measured in centipoise and specified as a range on the product QC sheet.
Ingredients
Vitamin C (ascorbic acid and derivatives)
A brightening and antioxidant active used as pure L-ascorbic acid or as more stable derivatives such as ascorbyl glucoside or 3-O-ethyl asc…
W
Formulation
Wash-off mask
A clay, cream or gel mask applied for several minutes and rinsed away.
Marketing & claims
Wholesale price
The price at which the brand or distributor sells to a retailer, usually expressed as a percentage off RRP.
Ingredients
Witch hazel
An astringent botanical used in pore and oil-control toners.
Z
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Marketing & claims
10-step routine
The layered Korean skincare sequence — oil cleanse, foam cleanse, exfoliate, toner, essence, serum, mask, eye cream, moisturiser, sunscreen…
Trade & logistics
3PL (Third-Party Logistics)
An outsourced provider handling warehousing, pick-and-pack, and last-mile fulfilment in your market.
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