New data shows how Nordic consumers engage with K-Beauty, and Andrada Arhire explains how that benefits both the retailer and the brand.
When a trend reaches the Nordics, it has often been launched in Korea a season or more before, so being there in person is obviously key to get a first read on what is coming next rather than waiting for it to arrive. Copenhagen-based online department store Boozt is marking 15 years this summer, currently expanding its beauty offer across the Nordics, most recently in Iceland. This summer, representatives from the Buying & Merchandising department spent a week in Korea to keep track of many of the biggest trends on the global beauty agenda.
– We visited Korea both to meet some of our top Korean beauty brands and to scout the market for the ‘next big thing,’ innovations and trends, says Andrada Arhire, Senior Buyer, Buying & Merchandising. We attended the major beauty event Cosmobeauty Seoul and sat down with several brands at their headquarters. For us, that is a buying discipline as much as inspiration. The closer we stay to where the category is actually moving, the sharper the assortment we can build for our customers.
What were the highlights?
– Definitely learning the brands’ new way of positioning themselves amongst beauty leaders across both the US and Europe, and how, together, we can get closer to the consumer. The most valuable part was sitting down face to face. We met brands like Some By Mi, Anua, and Beauty of Joseon at their headquarters, which gives you a much closer look at the products and opens a direct conversation about how they can cater to the Nordic market.
– One concrete outcome is already in sight: limited editions and custom-made sets built together with the brands for our consumers. Those conversations are also where our business case and position work in our favour. Because we own our platform and our data, we can show a brand in detail how Nordic shoppers engage with their products, and that makes us a partner to build with rather than just another point of sale.
What else can you say about this data?
– We can look at how customers engage with brands and products across our own platform. That gives us a more nuanced picture of what resonates with Nordic consumers, for example, which products and product types attract interest, how customers move within a category, and where we see emerging patterns across our markets. It also means we can have more informed conversations with brands about how their assortment is performing in a Nordic context.
– When it comes to K-Beauty specifically, we see signs that Nordic customers engage with the category in a very solution-oriented way. K-Beauty puts a strong emphasis on ingredients, formulations and products designed for specific skincare needs, and that appears to resonate well with customers who are looking beyond broad claims such as products for dry skin or mature complexions.
– We also see a willingness to discover and try new products. The relatively accessible price points can make experimentation easier, while the variety of formulations, textures and ways of applying the products adds to the appeal. From Boozt’s perspective, that combination of innovation, accessibility, and a strong focus on specific skincare needs is part of what makes K-Beauty an interesting and dynamic category for Nordic consumers.
And how can the data help you?
– Data is knowledge, and this can also, as mentioned, make us an attractive partner to our K-beauty brands. It helps us daily to create a curated portfolio of brands and products, and to differentiate ourselves locally, in each market. The data is genuinely ours. Boozt owns its platform and builds its core systems in-house, so we are not reading a trend provided by a third party. We can see how a product actually performs, in which market, and with which customer, and act on it quickly, Arhire shares. She adds:
– Being a multi-category department store adds yet another layer. A customer might arrive for skincare and leave with a fragrance and something from an entirely different category, and that cross-category view tells us far more about real behaviour than beauty data alone would. It also gives us the confidence to be selective. Curation only means something if you are willing to say no to the products that do not contribute, and good data is what lets us make that call with conviction.
How has the conversation around K-beauty changed recently?
– No longer a trend, K-beauty is obviously a legitimate player and a force to be reckoned with. Consumers are hungry for more. They turn to K-beauty for new actives-dense, problem-solving products, but also smarter, more effective applications. The conversation has shifted from novelty to credibility. In 2025, South Korea overtook the US to become the world’s second-largest cosmetics exporter after France, and that legitimacy is exactly what we see reflected in our own customers’ behaviour.
– In the Nordics, the demand is less about a single viral product and more about efficacy and routine. People want ingredients that genuinely do something, and they stay loyal to the brands that keep delivering. That is a durable shift, not a spike, and it is why we keep investing in the category.
What else were the hot topics and trends in Korea?
– Bodycare will be the biggest next expansion in routine, with very interesting products coming up. In addition, new formulas and ways of applying products are paving the way for the next wave. Beyond that, a few clear signals stood out. There is a strong focus on inner beauty and on ingredients, particularly around lifting and longevity, and on new formats such as mists and sticks. In haircare, with the attention moving to the scalp, we saw a lot of fresh development in serums, scalp toners, and dedicated devices. These are the kinds of signals that tend to reach the wider market a season or two later, which is exactly why it pays to be there early and start the buying conversations now.
And, all in all, what are your next major investments?
– Applications and formulas are very much a focus right now; smarter ways to apply products with built-in skincare devices, which make application fun and playful, but also far more effective. Sprays, mists, and balms are all the rage when it comes to formulations. For us, the question is not only what is trending, but what will hold in a Nordic routine and where we can genuinely be first to market. Bodycare and scalp care are two areas we are watching closely, alongside the device-led applications, and the custom sets coming out of the Korea meetings are a first concrete step. We would rather move early and deliberately on a few of the right things than chase everything at once.
Looking at the industry now, what are the hot topics?
– It is an ever-evolving living organism. Nowadays, more than ever, you need to be able to adjust, adapt, or move on. Being at the forefront of what’s new, taking chances and challenging the status quo is key to moving alongside the customer and not against them. If I add one observation for the industry, it is that the centre of gravity in beauty innovation is genuinely shifting. Korea passing the US to become the second-largest cosmetics exporter is not just a trade statistic. It reflects how quickly Korean brands and manufacturers can take a new formula from lab to shelf, often faster than the established players can respond.
– The other shift worth watching is geographic. Europe is now one of the fastest-growing destinations for that innovation, with markets like Poland moving very fast. For any beauty business, the lesson is the same. Speed from idea to shelf, and the willingness to follow the consumer wherever they are heading, is critical and at the heart of how we operate.