Korean Dictionary
How to say "Cosmetics" in Korean
“Cosmetics” in Korean is 화장품 (pronounced "Hwajangpum").
화장품
Hwajangpum
Usage & Context
Beauty and skincare products. Korean cosmetics (K-beauty) are world-famous for innovation. Myeongdong in Seoul has the highest concentration of cosmetics shops in the world. Popular brands include Innisfree, Etude, The Face Shop, Laneige, and Sulwhasoo. Skincare is a multi-step daily ritual for many Koreans.
Example Sentence
명동에서 화장품 쇼핑하는 게 정말 즐거워요.
Shopping for cosmetics in Myeongdong is really enjoyable.
How to use 화장품 naturally
Quick answer
The Korean word for “Cosmetics” is 화장품, romanized as Hwajangpum.
Usage tip
Shopping Korean usually sounds more natural when you use short polite questions instead of translating English directly.
Common mistake
Do not rely only on the English meaning. Read the Korean example sentence and notice the particles, word order, and politeness level around 화장품.
Pronunciation Guide
'Hwa-jang-pum'. 'Hwa' sounds like 'hwa' in 'flower' but without the 'f' sound. 'Jang' is like 'jang' in 'jang-gle'. 'Pum' rhymes with the English word 'boom'.
More Example Sentences
Discussing the global popularity of K-beauty.
한국 화장품은 전 세계적으로 인기가 많아요.
Korean cosmetics are popular worldwide.
Visiting a street-side beauty store.
새로운 화장품을 써보고 싶어서 로드샵에 갔어요.
I wanted to try new cosmetics, so I went to a road shop.
Giving skincare advice.
피부 타입에 맞는 화장품을 고르는 게 중요해요.
It's important to choose cosmetics that suit your skin type.
Cultural Context
K-beauty is a global phenomenon, renowned for its innovation, emphasis on skincare, and multi-step routines. Myeongdong in Seoul is a famous hub for cosmetics shopping, with countless 'road shops' (브랜드 로드샵) offering a vast array of products. Skincare is deeply ingrained in Korean culture, often starting from a young age, and is seen as an investment in health and appearance, not just vanity.
Editorial note
We review entries like 화장품 for pronunciation, example sentence fit, and learner mistakes so the page answers more than a direct dictionary lookup.
Reviewed by Min-jung Park, Korean Language Teacher. Updated May 31, 2026. See our editorial standards.
Common Phrases
화장품 가게
cosmetics store
기초 화장품
basic skincare products
색조 화장품
color cosmetics (makeup)
Related Expressions
스킨케어
seukinke-eo
skincare
메이크업
meikeueop
makeup
로드샵
rodeusyap
road shop (brand-specific street-side cosmetics store)
뷰티
byuti
beauty
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