Italian Beauty Days 2026 participants engage in business discussions at High Street Italia in Sinsa-dong, Gangnam District in Seoul, April 20. Korea Times photo by Anna J. Park
Italian beauty companies are stepping up their push into Asia’s most dynamic cosmetics market at Italian Beauty Days 2026, a two-day event in Seoul that brings together 16 Italian brands with Korean buyers for business-to-business (B2B) meetings, product showcases and technology demonstrations.
Organized by the Italian Trade Agency in collaboration with the Cosmetica Italia association, the event — now in its third year — aims to expand Italian companies’ presence in Korea while fostering cross-border partnerships.
The event highlights a wide range of products, including skincare, haircare, fragrances and professional beauty solutions, alongside emerging technologies such as AI-powered skin analysis tools.
Anna Rita Sollazzo, center, CEO of Italian haircare brand Right Color, sits alongside co-founder Domenico Di Terlizzi, right, and sales representative Martina Glusto during Italian Beauty Days 2026 at High Street Italia in Sinsa-dong, Gangnam District, Seoul, April 20. Korea Times photo by Anna J. Park.
For many participating brands, Korea represents both an opportunity and a challenge. Known for its highly competitive and trend-driven beauty industry, the country is often seen as a testing ground for global expansion.
“We are a relatively young brand, founded in 2017, and Asia is already our biggest market,” said Anna Rita Sollazzo, founder of Italian haircare brand Right Color. “Since we don’t yet have clients in South Korea, we wanted to explore whether this market is suitable for our products and find potential partners.”
Technology-driven companies are also seeking to tap into Korea’s advanced beauty ecosystem. Dermaself, an Italian beauty tech startup, showcased its AI-based skin analysis platform, which goes beyond standard diagnostics.
Dermaself CEO Elena Setaro presents her company’s AI skin assessment program at Italian Beauty Days 2026 at High Street Italia in Sinsa-dong, Gangnam District in Seoul, April 20. Korea Times photo by Anna J. Park
“The main difference between our AI and others on the market is that we don’t just identify general issues like acne or wrinkles,” said CEO Elena Setaro. “We analyze different types of skin imperfections and recommend products based on ingredient intelligence, not just categories.”
Source: Korea Times News
