How Much Does It Cost to Start a K-Beauty Brand?
Let's skip the vague answers. You want real numbers.
I'll give them to you.
The Quick Answer
If you're launching one product with a Korean manufacturer, expect to spend somewhere between $5,000 and $15,000. That gets you samples, production, packaging, and shipping to your door.
Less than that? Possible, but tight. More than that? You're probably launching multiple products or going heavy on custom packaging.
Now let's talk about where that money actually goes.
Samples: The Price of Getting It Right
Before you make thousands of units, you need to test. Samples typically cost $200 to $500, depending on how complex your product is.
A basic moisturizer? Cheaper. A serum with five active ingredients? More expensive.
You'll usually go through two or three rounds of samples. First round gets you in the ballpark. Second round fine-tunes the texture or scent. Third round confirms everything is perfect.
Don't rush this. Approving a formula you're not happy with is a $5,000 mistake.
Production: The Big One
This is where most of your money goes.
The main factor is your MOQ, minimum order quantity. Most Korean manufacturers want 3,000 to 5,000 units. Some go as low as 1,000 if you have the right connection.
At 1,000 units, you're paying around $3 to $5 per unit depending on the product. A serum costs more than a cleanser. An ampoule costs more than a toner.
So for a 1,000-unit run of a mid-range serum, you're looking at roughly $3,500 to $5,000 just for production.
Order more units and the per-unit price drops. But your upfront cost goes up. For a first launch, I'd rather you order less, test the market, and reorder than sit on 5,000 units you can't sell.
Packaging: Stock vs Custom
Here's where people get tempted to overspend.
Custom packaging, unique bottle shapes, special pumps, embossed logos, looks amazing. It also costs a fortune and often requires 5,000 to 10,000 unit minimums just for the packaging.
For your first product, use stock packaging. These are standard bottles and jars the manufacturer already has. You add your own label, and it still looks professional.
Stock packaging adds maybe $0.50 to $1.00 per unit. Custom can be $3 to $5 per unit plus mold fees.
Save the fancy stuff for when you're reordering your bestseller.
Shipping: Slow and Cheap or Fast and Expensive
Your products are made in Korea. They need to get to you.
Sea freight takes four to six weeks and costs around $500 to $1,000 for a small shipment. Air freight takes one to two weeks but can cost $2,000 or more.
If you're not in a rush, go by sea. The savings are significant.
Don't forget customs. You might pay duties depending on your country, and a customs broker fee of $100 to $300 to handle the paperwork.
The Stuff People Forget
Labels and design. Someone needs to make your product look good. A freelance designer costs $200 to $500. You could DIY it in Canva, but this is the first thing customers see. Probably worth investing a bit here.
Regulatory compliance. In the US, the FDA doesn't charge you to register, but you do need to follow MoCRA requirements. In the EU, you'll need a Responsible Person and safety assessments, which can add a few hundred dollars per product.
Business basics. LLC formation, a business bank account, basic insurance. Another few hundred dollars, but necessary.
So What's the Real Total?
Let's say you're launching one serum. You order 1,000 units, use stock packaging, ship by sea, and hire a freelancer for the label.
Samples: $300. Production: $4,000. Packaging and labels: $500. Shipping: $800. Design: $300. Random stuff you didn't expect: $500.
Total: around $6,400.
That's a realistic minimum for a quality product from a legitimate Korean manufacturer.
Want to be more comfortable? Budget $10,000. That gives you breathing room for extra sample rounds, better packaging, and unexpected costs.
Want to launch three products at once? Now you're in the $20,000 to $30,000 range.
Is It Worth It?
Here's the thing about skincare margins: they're really good.
If your serum costs you $5 to make (including everything) and you sell it for $28, that's an 82% margin. Sell 250 units and you've covered your costs. Sell all 1,000 and you've made $23,000 in gross profit.
The math works. The question is whether you can sell the product, which is a marketing problem, not a manufacturing problem.
One More Thing
These numbers assume you find the right manufacturing partner. Go through a sketchy sourcing site and you might pay less upfront, but deal with quality issues, communication nightmares, and products you can't actually sell.
The cheapest option is rarely the best option. Find a partner you trust, get clear pricing upfront, and budget for reality, not best-case scenarios.
If you want to know exactly what your specific product would cost, the easiest way is to just ask.
