Korea’s position as a beauty trend setter has transitioned to being a global leader in the manufacture of skincare, makeup and sun care. Growing numbers of brands — especially new or startup beauty brands — now choose to work with Korean OEM/ODM cosmetic manufacturers to create high-quality, high-performance products with rapid turnaround times, reliability and high volume output capabilities.
The growing demand for premium textures, clinically-tested and proven skincare benefits and trendy make-up across the Gulf Region (UAE, Saudi Arabia and the wider GCC) has created a new pathway for many founders and teams behind new brands to access ‘world-class’ products — without having to build their own research & development and manufacturing infrastructures.
While choosing to work with Korean cosmetic manufacturing companies is strategically astute, there are however real-world challenges to successfully execute the partnership.
To achieve success in GCC markets, the brand team must understand the market and communicate clearly to the Korean manufacturing company the product and technical specifications. To ensure smooth execution and minimize delays or costly changes, it is essential to have hands-on experience of the Korean market.
Having spent over 10 years in Korea as a Saudi national, working in the cosmetic industry and testing numerous Korean cosmetics, supporting clients in GCC countries, I have identified the key successes and failures of partnerships and the optimal relationship between Korean manufacturing capabilities and GCC consumer preferences and specifications.
Understanding OEM vs ODM in Cosmetic Manufacturing
To select a suitable manufacturing partner, most brands will need to decide if they require an OEM (Original Equipment Manufacturer) or an ODM (Original Design Manufacturer):
• OEM: The brand creates the formulation/specifications and the factory produces and packs the product with the brand name.
• ODM: The factory develops the product by creating the formulation, testing and optimizing it — typically with pre-existing base formulations that may be adapted by the brand.
Korea is renowned for its ODM cosmetic manufacturing capabilities, enabling brands to rapidly bring new products to market.From my experience in working with GCC clients, I find that ODM is the fastest way to launch a new cosmetic product in the GCC — provided that the client has chosen to customize features that are in line with what GCC consumers prefer (e.g., feel of texture, tolerance to fragrance, finish, performance in hot climates) and not merely emulate trends in isolation.
1) Time-to-Market: A Competitive Advantage for Indie and New-Start-Up Brands
Modern beauty trends are driven primarily by social media, influencer marketing and micro-trends that may only last for weeks. Korea’s OEM/ODM manufacturing companies are designed to enable brands to execute at rapid pace, so that brands can:
• Rapidly create prototypes
• Develop, test and refine formulas and textures quickly
• Coordinate packaging and branding while product testing occurs
• Bring new products to market quickly and restock as needed
Speed-to-market can ultimately determine the success of GCC brands operating in crowded categories, including serums, lip products and sunscreens. Korea’s manufacturing ecosystem is specifically designed to expedite product launches — especially for contract manufacturing and start-up beauty brands.
I commonly see issues among GCC founders not with the speed of the factory itself, but with the feedback loop: when product feedback is based on emotion (“make it more luxurious”) rather than specificity (“less sticky after-feel,” “quicker absorption,” “no white cast in indoor light,” “lower fragrance intensity”), sample cycles take longer. However, when the specification is factory-relevant and market-focused, Korea’s speed provides a true competitive advantage.
2) Quality Assurance and the Prestige of "Made in Korea"
Global recognition for the quality and reliability of products bearing the “Made in Korea” label is a primary reason for its increasing popularity. The strong growth in Korea’s export of cosmetics products reflects international trust in Korean-manufactured beauty products.
For GCC brands, the prestige of “Made in Korea” can often reinforce brand positioning since it is linked to:
• Clean, modern textures
• High-performance skincare ingredients
• Consistency and reliability in the manufacturing process
• Strong innovation in sun care and foundation makeup
Working with a Korean manufacturer can strengthen the brand image — especially for high-end product lines.
In GCC markets, the “Made in Korea” label can be extremely influential; however, achieving success depends on the relevance to the GCC market. For example, Gulf customers usually seek to visibly hydrate and glow without excessive weight, and sun care that feels wearable in the heat. Korean factories can satisfy this well — as long as the specification emphasizes climate comfort and day-to-day wearability — not merely scientific-based claims.
3) Leading Edge R&D: Innovation That Can Be Readily Converted to Manufacturing
As a result of leading edge R&D capabilities, extensive formulation libraries and process expertise, top Korean ODMs can assist brands in developing innovative and competitive products — particularly in product areas where Korea has a global lead, e.g.,:
• High-performance skincare (serums, moisturizers, ampoules)
• Mask and treatment formats
• Sun care innovation (light textures, high protection, comfortable application)
• Trend-driven makeup textures and base products
For brands wishing to manufacture custom formulated cosmetics or develop custom formulated cosmetics, Korea represents a highly developed environment that enables innovation to be readily converted to commercially viable products faster than almost all other regions.
An important GCC-specific observation: While many successful launches in the Gulf do not rely on “more actives”, they do focus on delivering better performance and better sensory feel — an expensive feel, fast absorption, good layering under makeup, and comfortable to wear in hot climates. Korean R&D is therefore particularly skilled at balancing these sensory and performance aspects — which is why Korean formulated products often secure repeat business — particularly in moisturizers, sunscreens and tone-up or glow products.
4) Global Recognition: Why Celebrity and Luxury Brands Choose to Manufacture in Korea
When global brands rely on the same manufacturing ecosystem as smaller brands, it serves as validation of that ecosystem’s manufacturing excellence. There are several published articles detailing that some celebrity beauty and luxury brands have products manufactured in Korea — and there are a number of high-profile examples, including Rare Beauty and luxury houses such as Yves Saint Laurent (YSL) Beauty and Dior Beauty for certain products/categories.
For new brands, this represents significant proof that Korea’s manufacturing base can support the standards of premium beauty: precision, consistency and scalable output — the same standards applied by global brands to protect product performance across multiple markets and large volumes.
From a GCC perspective, “premium” encompasses more than just the packaging — it includes the initial user-experience: texture, finish, absorption, scent levels, appearance on different skin types in varying lighting conditions. Korea’s manufacturing ecosystem is designed to deliver the right product experiences at scale.
5) Why OEM/ODM Korean Manufacturing Supports the GCC Markets
Commonly, brand teams in GCC countries seek:
• Private label cosmetics manufacturer
• Private label skincare manufacturer
• OEM/ODM cosmetics manufacturer
• Low Minimum Order Quantity (MOQ) cosmetics manufacturer
• One-stop-shop/turn-key cosmetics manufacturing
• Halal cosmetics manufacturer (if required)
• Third party cosmetic manufacturer
• Export-ready partner with experience in documentation requirements
Korean OEM/ODM manufacturing companies combine quality and flexibility, making them a popular choice for GCC brands. Many Korean OEM/ODM companies have a structured product development process: concept → sampling → testing → production. This structure enables brand owners to maintain control during the product development phase and to rapidly launch new products.
While “good enough” products can be achieved by working with a Korean manufacturer, achieving a product that GCC customers truly enjoy is dependent on the ability to translate what the GCC customer means by “light but rich,” “luxurious feel,” “not sticky,” “glow,” “brightening,” etc. into measurable and factory-relevant requirements. This is where experience working in both markets can be invaluable — as it minimizes misunderstandings, minimizes rework and accelerates approvals.
CONCLUSION: Korea is more than simply a trend — it is a manufacturing strategy
Korean OEM/ODM cosmetic factories represent a trusted global source for the beauty industry to obtain what modern beauty brands require today: speed, innovation, quality assurance, and scalability. Partnering with a Korean private-label cosmetics manufacturer can benefit GCC brand founders, brand managers and product teams by accelerating product launches, enhancing competition, and increasing consumer confidence — especially in high-speed categories such as skincare, sun care and cosmetics.
In terms of practical implementation, successful outcomes occur when the manufacturing capabilities of Korea are informed by local market knowledge. As someone who has worked in Korean cosmetics, supported GCC clients, and lived in Korea for over a decade, I believe that brands that succeed are those that establish alignment with three critical elements early: (1) Korea’s manufacturing capabilities, (2) GCC consumer preferences, and (3) direct and professional communication with the manufacturer.
If your goal is to launch or expand successfully, Korean contract manufacturing is not simply an option — it is a strategic opportunity.
