Cosmoprof Asia 2026 has opened in Hong Kong, with a record 252 Korean companies taking part in the integrated Korea Pavilion. KOTRA is linking exhibitors with retail listing consultations and local sales, while the Korea Health Industry Development Institute (KHIDI) is helping small and medium-sized cosmetics companies open new sales channels through a joint experience hall and buyer networking events.
2,806 Companies from 43 Countries… Supply Chain and Finished Products Shown Separately
The show is divided into Cosmopack Asia, which covers ingredients, manufacturing and packaging, and Cosmoprof Asia, which focuses on finished products. Cosmopack Asia runs November 10–12 at AsiaWorld-Expo (AWE), and Cosmoprof Asia runs November 11–13 at the Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre (HKCEC), with 1,034 and 1,772 exhibitors respectively.
Now in its 29th edition, the event is co-organized by BolognaFiere and Informa Markets. It brings together 2,806 companies from 43 countries and regions across roughly 120,000 square meters of exhibition space, with 21 national and group pavilions. Organizers expect more than 78,000 visitors.
Stronger Focus on Fragrance Experiences and New-Market Connections
In the fragrance category, the show offers programs that let visitors experience scents firsthand and explore how they are developed. According to UK beauty trade publication BW Confidential, the exhibition floor features the Scent Museum, created with China's Xuelei fragrance museum, and CosmoLab, which traces a fragrance from initial concept to finished product. Explorers by Esxence, a collaboration with the niche perfumery show Esxence, is also on site.
Through this year's WANTED campaign, organizers named three groups shaping the industry's future: rule-breakers, innovators and fragrance addicts. More than 80 global experts took part in the Beauty Ingredients & Formulation Asia (BIFA) Symposium on November 10–11, which covered new product development for ASEAN markets, AI-driven packaging design, ESG and supply chain transparency, and the 2027 global regulatory outlook.
Buyer programs were designed to strengthen ties with markets in the Middle East, Central Asia and Africa. Organizers invited more than 550 buyers from over 56 countries and regions. Meetings are arranged through Match&Meet, an AI-powered one-on-one matchmaking platform, while the Elite Circle program brings together about 70 senior decision-makers.
Record 252 Companies in the Integrated Korea Pavilion… KCA and KOTRA Join Forces
The integrated Korea Pavilion hosts 252 companies, up from 155 in 2024 and 203 in 2025, and its exhibition space has grown 40% from last year. KOTRA operates the pavilion together with 10 partner organizations, including the Korea Cosmetic Association (KCA) and the Korea Beauty Industry Trade Association (KOBITA).
KCA and KOTRA set up a 38-company Korea Pavilion in Hall 1E of the HKCEC. "The pavilion brings together 38 companies across a range of categories, led by skincare and including makeup and hair care," said KCA Executive Director Jang Jun-gi. "Buyers are showing particularly strong interest in products that combine K-beauty's outstanding quality with differentiated technology."
Jang identified category expansion and localization as K-beauty's next challenges. "Building on our strength in skincare, we need to expand into categories such as fragrance and hair care, and pursue localization strategies tailored to the consumer cultures and regulations of emerging markets such as the Middle East, Central Asia and Africa," he said. "The association will continue to strengthen its support for companies entering overseas markets."
KOECO organized a Korea Joint Pavilion with 87 participating companies. Regional participation also continued, including the Seoul Pavilion of the Seoul Business Agency (SBA) and the Gangwon Joint Pavilion of the Wonju Medical Device Industry Promotion Agency (WMIT).
KOTRA is also building distribution links beyond the exhibition floor. On November 12, it is holding a seminar and networking event with the Consulate General of the Republic of Korea in Hong Kong and arranging listing consultations with A.S. Watson Group. From November 9 to 23, exhibitors' products are being displayed and sold at two OP Beauty stores in Hong Kong. Promotions targeting consumers in Southeast Asia and China via TikTok and Xiaohongshu (RedNote) are also under way.
"Hong Kong is a major Asian business hub where global retailers and buyers are concentrated, and a strategic gateway to mainland China and Southeast Asia," said KOTRA Hong Kong Director General Yu Seok-cheon. "Through listing consultations with A.S. Watson Group, we are creating opportunities for Korean companies to work directly with global retail networks, and through local sales at OP Beauty, we are helping them gauge real consumer response and market potential."
"Even after the exhibition, we will review each buyer's product interests and the progress of consultations, and support follow-up meetings and buyer matching for companies that need further discussions so that these encounters do not end as one-off meetings," Yu said. "Our goal is to build a continuous export support system that runs from exhibition participation to retail listing, local sales and expansion into overseas markets.“
KHIDI Hosts the 'K-Beauty ON' Experience Hall and 'K-Beauty Night'
KHIDI is operating the K-Beauty ON experience hall on the fifth floor of the HKCEC, featuring 10 small and medium-sized cosmetics companies. Instead of separate booths for each company, skincare, makeup, hair, nail and beauty-tech products are showcased together in a single space. The hall's theme is "Where Beauty Meets Science."
On site, the hall offers nail demonstrations and sample distribution, and connects exhibitors with buyers based on their product interests and distribution channels. The layout links hands-on product experience with business consultations.
KHIDI cited "maximizing synergy through integrated branding" as the reason for choosing a unified experience hall over individual booths. "In the global market, the word 'K-beauty' itself already carries a strong premium and a high level of trust," said Team Leader Kim Su-beom of KHIDI's Cosmetics Industry Support Team. "It is hard for an individual SME running its own booth to catch buyers' attention with a limited budget and staff, but an experience hall with a unified theme can present a diverse range of products in one space through storytelling, creating an overwhelming draw for visitors."
KHIDI pointed to a trickle-down effect on brand awareness and a lighter marketing and operational burden as the main benefits for SMEs. "Global buyers visit the hall to see overall K-beauty trends and naturally discover new products from SMEs with outstanding technology," Kim said. "Companies save the cost and energy spent on booth design and visitor events and can focus solely on product excellence and buyer consultations, making their exhibition marketing far more efficient."
On the evening of November 12, KHIDI is hosting K-Beauty Night in Hong Kong at Novotel Century Hong Kong in Wan Chai, where about 100 participants, including exhibitors and global buyers, distributors and influencers, are expected to network. KHIDI plans to keep supporting follow-up consultations after the show based on buyer demand and meeting records.
Follow-up management will be handled by overseas hub operators. For companies that drew strong buyer interest at the joint pavilion, operators of KHIDI's eight overseas cosmetics hubs around the world will provide dedicated follow-up management. "For connections made with buyers on the exhibition floor to lead directly to export contracts, close management right after the event is crucial," Kim said. "Hub operators will continuously arrange video consultations and provide on-the-ground support so that practical discussions, such as local licensing procedures and the coordination of trade contract terms, are not interrupted."
Exhibitors need to sort and organize the product interests and requirements of the buyers they met on site. Setting a schedule for follow-up contact and the additional materials to provide, and confirming the follow-up procedures for each program, from the experience hall to listing consultations and local sales, remain key tasks. Whether the larger turnout translates into actual contracts will become clear only after the exhibition.
Questions and answers
When and where can I see the finished-product exhibition?
Cosmoprof Asia runs November 11–13 at the Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre (HKCEC). The finished-product show features 1,772 exhibitors.
Are there programs that show how fragrances are developed?
CosmoLab shows the full process from fragrance concept to finished product. The Scent Museum and Explorers by Esxence are also on site.
How are buyer meetings arranged for exhibitors?
Meetings are arranged through Match&Meet, an AI-powered one-on-one matchmaking platform. Organizers invited more than 550 buyers from over 56 countries and regions.
How large is the integrated Korea Pavilion?
A record 252 companies are taking part. KOTRA runs the pavilion with 10 partner organizations, including the Korea Cosmetic Association and the Korea Beauty Industry Trade Association (KOBITA).
Are there distribution programs outside the exhibition hall?
Yes. KOTRA links exhibitors with listing consultations at A.S. Watson Group and with local display and sales. From November 9 to 23, exhibitors' products are displayed and sold at two OP Beauty stores in Hong Kong.
What products can visitors see at the K-Beauty ON experience hall?
Skincare, makeup, hair, nail and beauty-tech products are showcased together. Ten small and medium-sized cosmetics companies are taking part on the fifth floor of the HKCEC.
When is K-Beauty Night?
It takes place on the evening of November 12 at Novotel Century Hong Kong in Wan Chai. About 100 participants, including exhibitors and global buyers, distributors and influencers, are expected.
What should exhibitors organize after buyer meetings?
They should sort buyers' product interests and requirements, and set a schedule for follow-up contact and additional materials. They also need to confirm the follow-up procedures for each program.
