South Korea is the engine room of the global beauty industry. The country exported around US$11 billion in cosmetics in 2024-2025, and a huge share of the world's skincare — including products sold under famous Western labels — is actually developed and produced by Korean OEM/ODM manufacturers. If you are building a skincare brand and want K-beauty quality, these are the factories that matter.
This guide profiles 10 of the most important cosmetic OEM/ODM manufacturers in South Korea, what each is best known for, and a link to their official website. (Looking for manufacturers in other regions? Browse the rest of the OEMHallmark blog.)
Key takeaways
- Cosmax and Kolmar Korea are the two giants — best for scale and deep R&D.
- C&C International leads colour cosmetics; Cosvision sits inside the Amorepacific Group.
- For natural/organic skincare look at BNBG; for ampoules & masks, SD Biotechnologies; for turnkey indie launches, CTK.
- Every company below has an active website and an established export track record.
How we chose this list
We prioritised manufacturers with a genuine OEM/ODM (contract manufacturing) business — not house brands only — that have verifiable scale, recognised industry standing, certifications (ISO 22716 / CGMP), and a live corporate website. Companies are ordered roughly by industry scale and global recognition.
1. Cosmax
Founded: 1992 · HQ: Seongnam, Gyeonggi-do · Best known for: Full-range skincare, makeup & suncare ODM at global scale
The world's largest cosmetics ODM by output, Cosmax develops and manufactures for more than 4,500 domestic and international clients — including L'Oréal and most major K-beauty brands. It runs technically advanced plants across Korea, China, the USA, Indonesia and Thailand, and holds one of the deepest certificate portfolios in the Korean ODM industry. If you want a partner that can scale a formula from launch to global mass production, Cosmax is the benchmark.
🔗 Website: www.cosmax.com/en
2. Kolmar Korea
Founded: 1990 · HQ: Sejong / Seoul · Best known for: R&D-led skincare & sun care; first Korean cosmetics ODM
Kolmar Korea effectively created the Korean cosmetics ODM model. Over three decades it has collaborated with more than 3,000 brands (including Amorepacific and LG Household & Health Care) and built a world-first integrated R&D cluster spanning cosmetics, pharmaceuticals and bio. It is especially strong in sunscreen and functional skincare formulation, and recently became the first cosmetics ODM designated a large business group in Korea.
🔗 Website: www.kolmar.co.kr/eng
3. C&C International
Founded: 2004 · HQ: Hwaseong, Gyeonggi-do · Best known for: Korea's #1 colour-cosmetics ODM (lip, eye, base) + skincare
C&C International is one of Korea's top-tier ODMs and its leading specialist in colour cosmetics. It is a go-to engineering-driven partner for lip, eye and base makeup, and increasingly hybrid skincare-makeup formats, supplying global beauty labels with high-performance, on-trend products.
🔗 Website: cnccosmetic.com/en
4. Cosvision
Founded: 2008 · HQ: Gyeonggi-do · Best known for: Broad beauty ODM within the Amorepacific Group
Acquired by the Amorepacific Group in 2011, Cosvision pairs nimble ODM service with the research backing of Korea's largest beauty conglomerate. It produces a wide array of skincare and personal-care products and is a strong option for brands that want Amorepacific-grade formulation know-how without working through the parent company directly.
🔗 Website: cosvision.com
5. Intercos Korea
Founded: 2015 (Korea JV) · HQ: Osan, Gyeonggi-do · Best known for: Global contract manufacturer; Asia R&D hub for foundations & skincare
Intercos Korea is the Korean arm of Italy's Intercos Group, a 45-year global contract manufacturer, formed as a joint venture with Shinsegae International. It serves as Intercos's Asian R&D hub and a centre of excellence for foundations, hybrids and advanced skincare — ideal for brands that want European manufacturing discipline combined with K-beauty trend speed.
🔗 Website: www.intercos.com
6. SD Biotechnologies
Founded: 2000 · HQ: Seoul · Best known for: Ampoule & sheet-mask specialist; maker of the SNP brand
SD Biotechnologies is the Korean manufacturer behind the globally distributed SNP (Shining Nature Purity) skincare line, with deep expertise in ampoules, sheet masks and functional skincare. It develops products for its own brands and for ODM partners worldwide, positioning itself as a 'global No.1' beauty and health company — a strong pick for mask, ampoule and concentrated-serum formats.
🔗 Website: www.sdbiotech.co.kr
7. BNBG (BNB Korea)
Founded: 2008 · HQ: Gyeonggi-do · Best known for: Natural & organic skincare; maker of the d'Alba line
BNBG specialises in natural and organic formulations and is the manufacturer behind the globally successful d'Alba white-truffle skincare brand, whose facial mist topped Amazon's category charts in several countries. Holding ISO 9001, ISO 14001 and ISO 22716, BNBG is a strong pick for clean-beauty and premium natural skincare concepts.
🔗 Website: en.bnbgcosmetic.com
8. Kolmar BNH
Founded: 2004 · HQ: Seoul / Sejong · Best known for: Kolmar group's R&D-driven health & beauty ODM
Part of the wider Kolmar group, Kolmar BNH is an R&D-driven ODM spanning cosmetics and health-functional products. It brings the group's formulation depth to brands that want science-led skincare — and is a natural partner for beauty brands looking to expand into ingestible-beauty and supplement crossover lines.
🔗 Website: www.kolmarbnh.co.kr
9. CTK
Founded: — · HQ: Seoul · Best known for: Turnkey ODM + packaging engineering, concept to shelf
CTK is known for end-to-end, turnkey product creation that combines formulation with its strength in packaging engineering. Its 'concept-to-shelf' model and indie-brand-friendly approach make it popular with emerging brands and fast-moving launches that need formula, primary packaging and design handled under one roof.
🔗 Website: www.ctkclip.com
10. Nutricare Cosmetic
Founded: — · HQ: South Korea · Best known for: Private-label & OEM/ODM skincare for international brands
Nutricare is a Korean OEM/ODM and private-label skincare manufacturer that positions itself for international brand owners, offering custom formulation and turnkey production. It rounds out this list as an accessible specialist for brands entering the K-beauty supply chain.
🔗 Website: www.nutricarecos.com
Frequently asked questions
Who is the largest cosmetics manufacturer in South Korea?
Cosmax is generally regarded as the largest cosmetics ODM in South Korea (and one of the largest in the world) by production volume and client count, closely followed by Kolmar Korea.
What is the difference between OEM and ODM in Korean cosmetics?
With OEM (Original Equipment Manufacturing) the brand supplies the formula and the factory produces it. With ODM (Original Design Manufacturing) the manufacturer develops the formula and design itself, and the brand selects and labels it — which is the dominant model in Korea.
What minimum order quantities (MOQ) do Korean manufacturers require?
MOQs vary widely. The giants (Cosmax, Kolmar) typically suit medium-to-large runs, while turnkey specialists such as CTK and smaller ODMs are friendlier to indie brands with lower MOQs. Always confirm directly with each company.
Are Korean cosmetic manufacturers certified?
Yes. Reputable Korean ODMs hold ISO 22716 (cosmetic GMP), ISO 9001 and ISO 14001, and many also carry CGMP and market-specific compliance (FDA, EU CPNP) for export.
Sources: company websites and public industry reporting, compiled by the OEMHallmark research desk. Screenshots captured from each company's official website. Always verify current capabilities, certifications and MOQs directly with each manufacturer before engaging.