Consumer
Korean beauty,
prepared for the Saudi shelf.
ARABKOR brings Korean cosmetics and personal care into the Kingdom with a licensed Saudi partner, prepares each product's SFDA file, and runs distribution.
In brief
- Products
- Korean cosmetics and personal care
- Import
- under the SFDA importer licence of ARABKOR's Saudi partner, a firm with long experience in the industry
- Role
- ARABKOR prepares each product's file and runs distribution
- Regulator
- SFDA — a notification for each product
What the SFDA expects from a cosmetic.
A licensed importer.
The product enters under the SFDA importer licence held by our Saudi partner.
A notification for each product.
Every product is notified to the SFDA before it is sold.
Ingredient screening.
The formula is checked against the SFDA restricted lists.
Pork and alcohol assurance.
Pork derivatives and alcohol are declared and supported with certificates.
Arabic labelling.
A design change to the pack, not a sticker.
What Korea is buying now.
Olive Young Global's 100 most-ordered products on 4 October 2026 came from 62 brands. Anua held 8 places; MEDIHEAL, espoir and ROUND LAB held 4 each.
Their median price was USD 22.39, and 92% of them were sold at a discount.
- 01MEDIHEAL Essential Mask Sheet 10ea Set (+1ea)4.97,762
- 02FOODOLOGY Coleology Cutting Jelly 30 Sticks (30-day supply)4.72,145
- 03fwee 3D Voluming Gloss Set4.81,635
- 04ohora Natural Glow Milk Syrup Nail Strengthener 15ml4.6233
- 05MEDIHEAL Essential Mask Sheet 20ea4.91,896
- 06lilyeve GROW:TURN Exosome Brush Ampoule Set (130ml/100ml)4.7424
- 07OFRA Cosmetics OFRA Cosmetic Mini Highlighter4.8375
- 08espoir Easy Wear Eye Palette4.722
- 09fwee Cheek Chip—0
- 10Torriden Dive In Low Molecular Hyaluronic Acid Serum 50ml Double/Refill4.9622
Source: Olive Young Global, ranked by orders, 4 October 2026. Ranks change daily.
Korean beauty brands we follow.
Shown as market context. These brands are not ARABKOR partners, and showing them does not mean their products are available in the Kingdom.
We check before you spend.
Every formula is screened against the SFDA restricted lists and halal requirements before a submission is paid for. The full checklist is shared in a consultation.
From the Korean brand to the Saudi shelf.
- 01
Import
The product enters under our partner's SFDA importer licence.
ARABKOR, with our licensed partner
- 02
Prepare
We prepare the file the SFDA asks for.
ARABKOR, with your documents
- 03
Approve
The SFDA accepts the notification for each product.
the authority, not ARABKOR
- 04
Distribute
We land it, store it, place it and reorder it when it sells.
ARABKOR, in the Kingdom
We say no early.
If a product cannot clear, we say so at assessment, not after you have paid for a submission. We do not quote approval timelines: they depend on the SFDA, the category and the completeness of the file.
Questions
What does a Korean cosmetic need to be sold in Saudi Arabia?
A licensed importer, an SFDA notification for each product, ingredient screening against the restricted lists, assurance on pork derivatives and alcohol, and Arabic labelling.
Does ARABKOR approve products for sale?
No. Products are imported under the SFDA importer licence held by ARABKOR's Saudi partner. ARABKOR prepares and carries the file; the SFDA decides.
Which ingredients most often stop Korean products?
Porcine gelatin or collagen in capsules and sheet masks, ethanol in toners, essences and cleansers, glycerin and stearates of unspecified origin, enzymes cultured on animal media, and carmine.
Does Korean, EU or US approval carry over to Saudi Arabia?
No. It does not transfer, but it shortens the assessment considerably.
Send us the ingredient list.
The fastest way to find out where a product stands is to send its INCI list and any certificate it already holds.
Specifications, test reports and commercial terms are shared in a consultation.