How to find a cosmetics manufacturer in Korea: OEM, ODM and what to ask

Korea is home to some of the world’s largest cosmetics manufacturers and a deep network of packaging, filling and component suppliers around them. That makes it one of the best places to make a beauty product, and a confusing one to start in. This guide covers how the industry is organized, what to prepare before you reach out, and the questions that save you time later.

OEM or ODM?

You’ll hear both terms in your first conversations, and they describe who develops the product.

• OEM (original equipment manufacturing): you bring the formula, or a detailed specification, and the manufacturer produces it. You get more control and take on more of the development work.
• ODM (original design manufacturing): the manufacturer develops the formula from your brief, drawing on its own lab and its library of tested bases. It’s faster to get started, and it’s how most new brands begin.

In Korea, “OEM” is often used loosely for both, so ask what a manufacturer means. With ODM, also ask who owns the formula. Unless you agree otherwise, it often stays with the manufacturer, which matters if you ever want to move production.

Who’s who

The industry has a few layers, and knowing them helps you aim your outreach.

• Large ODMs such as Cosmax, Kolmar Korea and Cosmecca Korea develop and produce for global brands. They bring deep R&D and regulatory experience, and they typically expect larger orders and plan further ahead.
• Small and mid-sized manufacturers are where many new brands start. Many specialize in a category, such as sheet masks, sun care, color cosmetics or fragrance, and can be more flexible on volume.
• Packaging and component suppliers make bottles, pumps, jars, tubes, droppers and cartons. Even when your manufacturer helps you source packaging, it usually comes from separate companies, each with its own lead time and minimum order.

What to prepare before you reach out

Manufacturers answer faster, and quote more accurately, when your brief is specific. Before your first message, write down:

• The product and format. For example, a 50 ml vitamin C serum in an airless pump, or a sheet mask with 22 ml of essence.
• Key ingredients and claims, plus anything you want to avoid, such as fragrance, certain preservatives or animal-derived ingredients.
• Your target retail price and target unit cost. This shapes every choice that follows, from ingredients to packaging.
• Where you’ll sell. The US, the EU, Korea and other markets have different ingredient rules and paperwork.
• Your first order quantity and launch window.
• Reference products you like, and what you like about them.

Our guide to what to send before you ask for a quote turns this into a one-page brief, with an example.

Questions to ask a manufacturer

1. What is the minimum order per product, and is it different for a first order?
2. How many sample rounds are included, and is there a fee for development or samples?
3. Do you hold CGMP certification from the Ministry of Food and Drug Safety (MFDS), or ISO 22716?
4. What stability and packaging compatibility testing do you run, and how long does it take?
5. Who sources the packaging, and who is responsible if it doesn’t work with the formula?
6. Who owns the formula, and on what terms could we buy it or move production?
7. What documents can you provide for my markets, such as the full ingredient list, safety data and certificates of analysis?

Minimums vary widely. Smaller manufacturers may start around a thousand units per product, while large ODMs often expect several thousand or more. Packaging suppliers set their own minimums, which are sometimes higher than the manufacturer’s.

What your markets will ask for

Regulation is the part brands most often leave too late. A few examples:

• United States. Under the Modernization of Cosmetics Regulation Act (MoCRA), facilities that manufacture or process cosmetics for the US market, including facilities outside the US, must register with the FDA, and the company named on the label must list each product and keep evidence that it’s safe.
• European Union. Every product needs a Responsible Person based in the EU, a Product Information File that includes a Cosmetic Product Safety Report, and a notification through the Cosmetic Products Notification Portal (CPNP) before it goes on sale.

Rules change and details depend on your product, so confirm requirements with a regulatory specialist for each market. A manufacturer that exports regularly will know what documents to prepare.

How long it takes

A first product with stock packaging and an ODM formula can often be ready in four to six months. Custom packaging, a new formula or more sample rounds can push it well past that. We break down each step in From brief to production: a realistic timeline for your first beauty product.

Where Andle fits

Andle is an AI manufacturing agent for brands making products with Korea’s manufacturers. You see every manufacturer and supplier by name from the first quote, talk to them directly, and sign and pay them directly. Andle keeps your spec, quotes, samples and timeline in one workspace and follows up with every partner, so the project keeps moving. See how to make cosmetics in Korea, and how it works for skincare, private label, sheet masks and hand cream.

Tell us what you’re making and we’ll send a free feasibility check within 48 hours.