South Korean cosmetics companies are gaining a strong foothold in the U.S. market, industry sources said Monday.

(LANEIGE)

Korea’s largest cosmetics firm AmorePacific reported 7.7 billion won ($6.8 million) in sales in the first quarter of this year in North America, up from 3.8 billion won from the previous quarter.

Its annual sales in the market have jumped to 34.9 billion won in 2014, a surge from 12.1 billion won in 2010.

Seeing double-digit growth in the market during the past two years, the cosmetics firm has launched its products at major shopping malls in the U.S., including Bergdorf Goodman, Neiman Marcus and Bloomingdales.

Another large cosmetics firm, LG Household & Health Care, has also launched its herb cosmetics brand Belif at 33 Sephora stores in the U.S., including New York, Boston, Los Angeles and San Francisco. Its Belif The True Cream Moisturizing Balm ranked second on the Sephora online mall in the two months since it was launched.

“There are a number of American female consumers seeking Korean cosmetics these days because they are less irritating and have good quality,” Simon, a Sephora store manager, was quoted as saying by media.

(khnews@heraldcorp.com)