Sephora and Olive Young bring K-beauty to global audiences

Sephora and Olive Young have announced a strategic partnership to bring K-beauty to Sephora consumers globally. The collaboration is set to debut in the autumn of 2026 as an omnichannel partnership in the US, Canada, Hong Kong SAR, and Southeast Asia. The retailers also plan to expand further into markets, including the Middle East, the UK, and Australia, in 2027.

Both companies are currently following expansion strategies. Sephora is set to open another 200 stores in 2026 and launch in several new countries. It confirmed its arrival in Belgium last week and announced its first store in Belfast, Northern Ireland, as part of the UK expansion. Meanwhile, Olive Young continues its international expansion through store launches in the US and its Sephora collaboration.

Through the partnership, Sephora’s online and brick-and-mortar stores will host dedicated zones curated by the K-beauty retailer. The introduction of Olive Young into the LVMH-owned retailer will allow Sephora consumers to explore K-beauty brands and trends. In turn, K-beauty will gain broader exposure while diversifying the Sephora portfolio.

The collaboration leverages the strengths of the two retail giants by incorporating Olive Young’s K-beauty access and curation with Sephora’s global reach and in-store experience.

“Korean beauty is one of the most innovative, fastest-growing, and desirable categories in beauty right now,” says Priya Venkatesh, global chief merchandising officer at Sephora.

Olive Young anticipates the collaboration will reduce the global market-entry threshold for smaller and mid-sized K-beauty brands.

“As global interest in K-beauty continues to accelerate, we see this collaboration as a meaningful opportunity to work together in expanding the reach of Korean brands in key international markets,” says Youngah Lee, chief strategy officer at CJ Olive Young.

Sephora

The collaboration leverages the strengths of the two retail giants

expansions

In the era of e-commerce-led consumption, Sephora is not slowing down its in-store expansion momentum.

In 2024, Sephora reported sales growth across all regions. In North America, its largest market, sales grew by 9%. In Europe, revenue increased by 21%. In the Middle East, sales rose by 22%. In Latin America, revenue surged by 39%.

The beauty retail giant is also set to open another 20 stores in the UK in addition to the ten already operational in big cities. It also plans to continue expansion in 2027 and 2028, with more brick-and-mortar stores and potential work on a flagship store.

Olive Young International

Late last year, Olive Young announced its plans to open its first store in the US. With stores set to open in California in May 2026, its partnership with Sephora aligns with its approach to expand into the international market.

Korean derma-cosmetic brand Mediheal has demonstrated a cross-market red thread between Korea and the US. It achieved the number one brand in total sales at Olive Young for a second year in a row, while also offering products that ranked first on Amazon during its Black Friday and Cyber Monday period.

Mediheal’s attention in Korea indicates the brand’s ongoing expansion and potential influence among US consumers.