Olive Young, the biggest beauty retailer from Korea, finally opened in the US. Many people had a bit different expectations for OY, especially after learning that the sunscreens aren't the same as they used to order or that their favourite brands aren't available at OY at the moment. Is there a way to still order from Olive Young Global? Are there any alternatives?
If you've spent any time on skincare TikTok or beauty YouTube in the past few years, you already know Olive Young. South Korea's answer to Sephora, but with a focus on K-beauty, or at least that's what everyone expects.
What's Olive Young?
Olive Young is a South Korean retail chain focused on Health and Beauty. It has stores all over SK and, a few years ago, opened a global website. Olive Young has self-developed brands like Bioheal BOH or Bring Green, but you can buy from other Korean brands (and non-Korean brands if you’re visiting SK stores).
The first Olive Young store in Korea was opened in 1999. It is part of the CJ Group, a conglomerate with interests in various industries, including food, entertainment, and retail. Olive Young has over 1200 stores all around Korea. In 2012, Olive Young launched the skincare brand Shingmulnara. In 2013, the first Olive Young overseas store was opened in Shanghai. The same year, Olive Young introduced a new brand - Bioheal BOH. In 2015, the company added two other brands to its portfolio - WAKEMAKE and Round A'Round. The stores are designed to create a vibrant shopping experience. They often incorporate modern aesthetics. As of May 2026, Olive Young opened its first flagship store in Pasadena, CA, and all US customers were moved from the Global store to the US store.
The US store is a bit different from the Global version. I would say that the US version reminds me more of the Korean OY than the Global shop because there are many Western brands like CeraVe, La Roche-Posay, Coach, Jimmy Choo, Kiehl's, L'Oreal Paris, Maybelline, NYX, Supergoop!, Thayers, and Urban Decay. People are a bit annoyed since they were thinking that Olive Young is going to sell only Korean or Asian beauty, and I understand that, but we have to remember that even if K-beauty is in high demands, there are still customers who don't know Korean brands and these Western brands are going to bring OY these customers who might get convinced to buy something new, that's outside their regular shoping interests.
From my own experience, K-beauty in my country is huge, it's actually the biggest market for Korean skincare in Europe and as a person who worked for a beauty retailer from the "purchase" team, aka I was analysing brands, and I was trying to bring them to the store before competitors see that these brands are trending or worth a purchase, I had to bring US and EU brands as well because when your competitions are not only stores that sell mostly K-beauty, your competition are also stores with Western beauty that are currently trying to follow the trend.
Sephora in SK
One of my friends who lives in SK reminded me that there were similar cases with Sephora in Korea. The first Sephora in South Korea was opened in 2019 on October 24th at Parnas Mall in Seoul. Although Sephora is a French brand, this store has a long history in Asia. Since 2005, Sephora has been operating in China. You can spot Sephora in Singapore, Thailand, Malaysia or even India.
While for many people, Olive Young seems to be a competition for Sephora, I feel like the other competition in the Korean market was Chicor since this store is focused more on luxury brands, but it doesn't mean that Olive Young doesn't have luxurious brands - they do. Olive Young sells brands like Lancome, Sulwhasoo, Kiehl's, Hera, Estee Lauder, Kerastase, L'Oreal Professionnel, MAC, Urban Decay, Bobbi Brown, Biotherm, L'occitane, Hourglass, O Hui, The Whoo, (Malin+Goetz), RMK and bareMinerals. Some of them, like Sulwhasoo or The Whoo, are Korean. Some are from France or other Western countries. I feel like Chicor, in this case, is focused more on Luxurious brands (Nars, Laura Mercier, Tamburins) and niche K-beauty brands like Chwi or Ameli, which I wish we could see more globally.
Sephora came to Korea with brands like Fenty Beauty, but they also sold some Korean brands to fit the market. After less than 5 years, Sephora decided to stop operating in Korea. There were a few reasons behind that. Sephora was unlucky to open right before the pandemic, and competition from Olive Young was high. There was one other problem - brand exclusivity and products that don't always fit the needs of Korean customers. In Europe and the US, you can spot brands that are exclusively sold at Sephora. For example, in Europe, these brands are Tatcha and Gisou. The products available at Sephora don't always fit the Korean trends. Even if brands now try to have more shades, the finish of many western foundations is so heavy that once I switched from JSM cushion to Rare Beauty foundation, the next day I started to notice acne that left me with pigmentation and scars for a few good months.
Although Sephora is no longer available in Korea, they now have a partnership with Olive Young.
Back to Olive Young in the USA. Some of you might notice that sunscreens at OY US are different from what you got before on OY Global. I don't know if skincare or makeup sold in the US needs proper documentation and registration, like in Europe, where everything is regulated by the Cosmetics Products Regulation (EC) No 1223/2009 and needs to be registered in CNPN before you can legally sell the product. There's one regulation I'm aware of, and it's the fact that sunscreens are classified as OTC drugs in the US. The main problem with this regulation is that for ages, the FDA didn't approve any new sunscreen agents, so no Tinosorbs for the US customers. That's why Korean skincare brands release formulas only for the US market. Sound sweet? Yes, and now, if you used K-beauty sunscreens for the Korean/Global market, you might feel the difference. Still, even such sunscreen is better than no sunscreen.
Don't give up on Olive Young yet. I see that lots of people are sharing their frustration on Olive Young's social media, but give this store time to learn from the launch. Still, some of your favourites might not be available at OY US yet, so is there a solution?
Can I still shop from Olive Young Global?
Yes and no. You can't order products from Olive Young Global to the US, but there's a way that still makes it possible or even better. You can shop for products from Olive Young straight from Korea through proxy services.
Proxy service or proxy buyer acts as an intermediary who purchases goods on your behalf from international online stores. This service helps bypass barriers like foreign language sites, international shipping restrictions, or local-only payment methods.
I don't use proxy services when I shop from Korea (I mostly do that for shopping on Japanese websites), but the two proxy services I recognise and that people recommend online are:
- Paysable
Obviously, you have to cover the cost of shipping, proxy service, taxes, etc, but for some products, this might be the only option to get them at the moment.
Are there alternatives for Olive Young?
Yes! I do love Olive Young, but even in Europe, it's not the most affordable website, because there are many other shops, including local ones, that have better pricing, some free shipping events, etc. So where do I usually shop?
YesStyle
YesStyle is one of the largest and most accessible K-beauty and Asian beauty retailers shipping to the US. It carries a wide range of Korean skincare, makeup, and hair care brands, often at competitive prices. Free shipping kicks in around $49, and the site frequently runs promotions. The problem is that you have to check availability because sometimes you have to wait for over a month before some products (especially new ones) are back in stock. YesStyle sells products not only from Korea, but also Japan, China, Europe, Asia and the US.
YesStyle usually has some codes that make shopping less expensive, and you can use points accumulated through purchases and reviews too. There's also a program in which you might get free product in exchange for a review, and you don't have to be an influencer to get it. If you plan to shop at YesStyle, feel free to use my referral code BETWEENDOTS.
Ps. If you have a social media account, I recommend applying for the YesStyle Influencer program to get additional benefits. If you use my link to register in this program*, I would appreciate it.
Stylevana
Stylevana (stylevana.com) positions itself as a curated K-beauty destination with a focus on trending and indie brands. It has exclusive partnerships with various Korean labels and often surfaces products you won't find on larger platforms. The site had some shipping reliability issues in earlier years but has improved significantly. Still, sometimes you have to wait for a month before the parcel is shipped because Stylevana is waiting for the stock, and usually you don't hear about the wait, but they do have some good deals, and you can also shop for some Japanese products there too.
Jolse
Jolse (jolse.com) ships directly from a Korean logistics centre, which appeals to K-beauty purists who want the assurance of authentic, Korea-sourced products. It covers a broad range of brands across skincare, makeup, and hair care, and is known for generous freebie policies — most orders come with several samples. Free shipping is available on orders over $40 via traceable airmail, but they also have free shipping events once a month, and I'm not sure how it works with the US, but in Europe, tax is added to the cart.
The website can feel a little overwhelming to navigate at first, but it's well worth exploring once you know what you're looking for.
StyleKorean
StyleKorean (stylekorean.com) is another direct-from-Korea retailer focused on trending and emerging K-beauty brands. It's particularly good for shoppers who want to stay current with what's actually popular in Korea right now, with regular new-arrival updates and competitive pricing. Worldwide shipping is available.
I have a love-and-hate relationship with this store, especially after the new influencer and ambassador programs. For years, I was promoting StyleKorean, but the way people were treated with the launch of the ambassador program and the influencer program being available only to ambassadors, lots of creators decided to stop promoting StyleKorean.
Amore Mall Global
Amore Mall Global is the official international e-commerce platform of Amorepacific Group — Korea's largest cosmetics conglomerate and the company behind beloved brands like Laneige, Sulwhasoo, Innisfree, Etude House, IOPE, HERA, and COSRX, among many others. If you're loyal to any of these brands, shopping through AmoreMall Global gives you direct access to the full official lineup with guaranteed authenticity.
The platform ships internationally with costs ranging from $5 to $30 depending on destination. US shoppers should note that since the suspension of the de minimis exemption in August 2025, orders to the US are subject to a 10% customs duty at checkout. Orders are capped at $300 per transaction for customs compliance purposes — if you need more, placing two separate orders is the recommended workaround.
It's the most official route for Amorepacific's brand portfolio, and a great option if you want to shop directly from the source. This is one of my favourite stores, even if I don't purchase there regularly. I'm jealous of the US customers because in Europe, I can no longer order Osulloc from Amore Mall to my country.
PS. You can use my invite link* to earn 10% off coupon.
BeautyBoxKorea
BeautyBoxKorea is a Korea-based online shop carrying over 15,000 products from a broad range of K-beauty brands, including premium lines like Sulwhasoo, The History of Whoo, and Re:NK that can be harder to find elsewhere. It ships worldwide, frequently offers gifts with purchases, and accepts wholesale and customised product requests — making it a solid option for both individual shoppers and those buying in bulk. If you're hunting for more upscale or heritage Korean beauty brands alongside everyday skincare, it's worth bookmarking. This is probably my favourite store lately because they have many products that aren't available in other stores, but usually the shipping cost is too high for me, and I don't spend a lot when I shop, but if I spend over $100 on average, you might enjoy it.
StyleJolly
StyleJolly is a Korea-based distributor and wholesaler with a strong focus on premium and luxury K-beauty brands that don't always make it onto mainstream platforms. Its catalogue includes names like The Whoo, SUM37, Ohui, HERA, Isa Knox, and Sooryehan — the kind of high-end Korean brands you'd find at a department store counter in Seoul. It also carries cosmetics samples and trial sizes, which are great for testing before committing. StyleJolly ships internationally and is a particularly good destination for shoppers interested in the more elevated tier of Korean beauty. They have many samples, and you can buy their products from Daiso, like AHC eye cream exclusives.
TesterKorea
TesterKorea has been operating since 2007, making it one of the longer-running Korea-based K-beauty shops. It carries over 200 brands and 10,000+ cosmetics, ships worldwide, and is known for competitive pricing and a generous freebie policy — orders typically arrive with several sample products tucked in. Shipping takes roughly 5–10 business days from dispatch, and the shop ships directly from Korea, which appeals to shoppers who prioritise authenticity. It's a particularly good pick for those who want direct-from-Korea sourcing at accessible prices. I used to shop there a lot before the pandemic to get products that normally aren't easily available.
Gmarket
Gmarket is a different kind of option — less of a curated K-beauty shop and more of South Korea's equivalent of eBay or Amazon Marketplace. It's one of Korea's largest e-commerce platforms, carrying millions of products from thousands of individual sellers, which means the range of beauty products available is enormous. The Global version of the site is available in English, accepts international payment methods, and ships to over 100 countries, with delivery typically taking 5–15 business days.
Not all listings include international shipping — look for the airplane icon on product pages, which indicates a seller ships overseas. For shoppers comfortable doing a bit of research, Gmarket unlocks access to products and prices you simply won't find anywhere else outside of Korea. You can also find a proxy to order products that are not available for international shipping.
Olive Young's arrival in the US is genuinely exciting — not just as a retail milestone, but as a signal of how mainstream K-beauty has become. Whether you're a long-time fan of Korean skincare or just starting to explore what the hype is about, there's never been a better time to dive in.
If you're in California, the Pasadena flagship is absolutely worth a visit. For everyone else, the new US e-commerce platform is the cleanest and most cost-effective way to shop officially. And if you're after something more niche — a limited-edition set, a product that hasn't made it to the global catalogue yet, or a brand you discovered through a Korean beauty influencer — a proxy service or one of the dedicated K-beauty retailers above will have you covered.
K-beauty is only getting bigger. And now, so is Olive Young's presence in the US.
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