How to Import Korean Skincare and Cosmetics

K-beauty is one of the most reliable import categories in the Philippines. It is also one of the most regulated — and the sellers who get shut down are almost always the ones who skipped the notification step.

The market is real, and so are the rules

Korean skincare has moved well past trend status here. Sheet masks, cushion compacts, sunscreens and serums have durable demand, high repeat purchase and margins that survive freight.

What catches people out is that cosmetics are regulated products. The Philippine FDA governs them under Republic Act 9711 and the ASEAN Cosmetic Directive, which the Philippines applies as a member state. Selling unnotified cosmetics is not a paperwork oversight — it is grounds for seizure and penalties.

The two things you need, in order

That distinction matters. Cosmetics use a notification system, which is lighter than the full product registration food and drugs require. Lighter is not the same as optional.

Where the line sits: cosmetic or drug?

This is the trap in K-beauty specifically, because Korean products often make active claims.

A product that moisturises, cleanses, perfumes or changes appearance is a cosmetic. A product that claims to treat a condition, alter a bodily function, or contains certain actives may be classified as a drug — a completely different and far heavier registration path.

Whitening claims, acne treatment claims and anything promising a therapeutic effect are the usual triggers. If your supplier's marketing copy says the serum "treats" something, expect questions.

Labelling

Philippine requirements follow the ASEAN Cosmetic Directive. In practice you need the product name and function, full ingredient list in INCI naming, net content, batch number, country of manufacture, manufacturing or expiry date, precautions, and the name and address of the local importer or distributor.

Korean domestic packaging often carries none of this in English. Many Korean exporters will produce export-market packaging if you ask and your order justifies it; otherwise you will be applying compliant labels locally before distribution.

The duty position — and the second route people miss

Korea is not in ASEAN, so ATIGA Form D does not apply. Two preferential routes may:

• ASEAN–Korea Free Trade Agreement (AKFTA), using Form AK. Normal-track goods reached zero duty for the Philippines some years ago; sensitive-list items sit in a reduced band rather than at zero.
• The bilateral Philippines–Korea agreement, which now sits alongside AKFTA and has its own schedule.

Because two schemes exist, the cheaper one depends on your specific HS code. It is genuinely worth having your broker check both rather than defaulting to whichever form the supplier offers first. As with every preference scheme, the certificate must be issued in Korea before shipping.

A sensible first order

1. Decide your range first — every SKU needs its own notification, so ten products is ten filings and ten fees.
2. Secure the LTO.
3. Notify the products through the FDA e-portal.
4. Confirm labelling with the supplier and agree who applies compliant labels.
5. Request Form AK (or the bilateral certificate) before shipping.
6. Consolidate. Cosmetics are light and high-value — ideal for consolidation rather than a container.

Start narrow. Importers who begin with three or four strong SKUs and add range once the registrations are running have a far easier time than those who try to launch a forty-product catalogue at once.

Related reading

• Shipping from Korea to the Philippines
• Importing Korean food products to the Philippines
• How to compute your landed cost
• Starting a reselling business with imported stock

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