Korean Cosmetics Export Glossary

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.

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…

Packaging

Bulk

The finished formula before it is filled into packaging, quoted by weight rather than by unit.

Packaging

Child-resistant closure

A closure requiring a deliberate two-step action.

Packaging

CoA (Certificate of Analysis)

The batch-level quality report listing appearance, odour, pH, viscosity, specific gravity and microbial counts against the agreed specifica…

Packaging

Container materials (PET, PP, PE, glass, acrylic)

Material choice drives cost, barrier performance, recyclability and how the formula behaves in the pack.

Packaging

Decoration (silk screen, hot stamping, UV printing)

The methods used to print directly onto a container.

Packaging

Desiccant

A moisture-absorbing sachet included with powder products and patches.

Packaging

Dropper bottle

A glass or PETG bottle with a pipette cap, standard for ampoules and serums.

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.

Packaging

Filling

The operation of dosing bulk into primary packaging, with its own tolerance, hygiene and line-clearance controls.

Packaging

Induction seal and liner

The foil membrane heat-sealed over a jar or bottle mouth.

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.

Packaging

Jar

A wide-mouth container for creams, balms and patches, with strong shelf presence and a premium feel.

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.

Packaging

Lotion pump

A dip-tube dispenser specified by dosage per stroke and by the viscosity range it can handle.

Packaging

Manufacturing date (MFD)

The production date, and the Korean domestic default marking.

Packaging

Mono-material packaging

Packaging built from a single polymer family so it can be recycled without separation.

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.

Packaging

PAO (Period After Opening)

The open-jar symbol with a figure such as 12M, showing how long the product stays safe once opened.

Packaging

PCR plastic

Post-consumer recycled resin used in bottles, jars and caps, specified as a percentage of the component.

Packaging

Primary packaging

The container in direct contact with the formula — the bottle, tube, jar, sachet or compact.

Packaging

Refill pack

A replacement insert or pouch sold for an existing container, standard in Korean cushion compacts and increasingly used across skincare.

Packaging

Sachet

Single-use foil or laminate packets, the cheapest sampling format and a mainstream retail format across Southeast Asia.

Packaging

Secondary packaging

The outer wrapping around one or more primary containers — typically the printed unit carton.

Packaging

Shrink sleeve

A printed plastic sleeve heat-shrunk onto a container, giving full-surface decoration and often doubling as a tamper-evident seal.

Packaging

Spatula and applicator

The scoop supplied with a jar or balm, plus puffs, wands and cushion sponges.

Packaging

Spray pump / atomiser

A fine-mist dispenser used for toners, mists and setting sprays.

Packaging

Sustainable packaging

An umbrella term covering recycled content, recyclability, refillability and material reduction.

Packaging

Tamper-evident packaging

Any feature that visibly shows a pack has been opened — shrink band, induction seal, breakaway cap.

Packaging

Tester and sample units

Units supplied for in-store trial or seeding.

Packaging

Tube

The default pack for cleansers, sunscreens and lighter creams — light, cheap to ship and easy to decorate.

Packaging

Unit carton and export carton

The printed folding box around a single unit, and the master shipping carton holding many units.