Amorepacific’s premium label Hera has claimed the top spot in Korea’s 2026 cosmetics brand reputation rankings, based on big-data analysis released in January, with stablemate Sulwhasoo close behind in second place and color-cosmetics upstart Romand rounding out the top three ahead of Clio and Innisfree.
The rankings, compiled from consumer engagement, media coverage and online sentiment data, offer an annual snapshot of which Korean beauty brands are commanding the most attention domestically, a metric the industry treats as a leading indicator of retail performance and export potential alike. Hera and Sulwhasoo’s strong showing reflects Amorepacific’s continued dominance in the premium tier of the Korean cosmetics market, even as newer, younger-skewing color cosmetics brands like Romand have carved out significant reputation share.
Romand’s third-place finish is notable for a brand built primarily around affordable color cosmetics, particularly lip and base products, rather than the prestige skincare positioning that has traditionally topped these rankings. Its rise reflects a broader shift in Korean beauty consumption toward brands that built their reputations first through social media and online retail rather than department store counters.
For international K-beauty watchers, brand reputation rankings like this one function as an early signal of which labels are likely to receive the marketing investment and retail expansion needed to break out overseas in the following year, making them a closely watched data point for global buyers and retailers scouting the next wave of K-beauty exports.
Source: Green Economy Newspaper (녹색경제신문), “K-Brand Index” cosmetics ranking, January 2026 data.
