Korean skincare wholesale in the Gulf: questions buyers ask

العربية

This page answers the questions buyers ask about Korean skincare wholesale in the Gulf. It is written for retailers, pharmacies, beauty studios and online shops in the GCC, and covers product registration and import, Arabic labels, halal, customs duty and VAT, shipping, the minimum order, prices and payment. Where the rules differ by country, you will find the answer per country with a link to that country's import guide.

Registration and import

Do I need to register Korean skincare products before importing them into my country? Yes. In every GCC country the importer meets the requirements of the local authority before the products are sold. The rules per country:

  • The United Arab Emirates: the importer registers each product before sale with the Emirates Authority for Standardization and Metrology (ESMA) for import and, for retail in Dubai, with Dubai Municipality through the Montaji system, using the ingredient list, label and product details. Montaji charges a fee per product.
  • Saudi Arabia: every product must be notified in the eCosma system of the Saudi Food and Drug Authority (SFDA) before import. Each consignment needs a Certificate of Conformity from an SFDA-authorised body, issued only when all products in the shipment carry final eCosma notification numbers and comply with GSO 1943.
  • Qatar: the Pharmacy and Drug Control Department of the Ministry of Public Health approves the import and sale of cosmetics case by case. The application states the country of origin, the ingredient list, use and storage instructions and warnings, and includes a sample of each product.
  • Kuwait: cosmetics must be registered with the Ministry of Health through an appointed authorised representative in Kuwait before they are placed on the market (Ministerial Decree 344/2025), in compliance with the Gulf standards GSO 1943, GSO 2528 and GSO 2020.
  • Bahrain: the Ministry of Health issues the import permit for cosmetics. It requires a commercial registration that includes cosmetics import, a legalised GMP certificate, a legalised Free Sale Certificate naming the manufacturer and the products, a Certificate of Analysis per product to GSO 1943, and labelled samples.
  • Oman: there is no central product registration. The importer obtains a Certificate of Conformity from an accredited local certification body (test reports, compliant label, ingredient list), then an import permit via the Invest Easy portal, and clears each consignment in the Bayan customs system. Ministerial Decision 199/2021 makes GSO 1943 binding.

Who registers the products, you or us? The importer registers or notifies the products with the authority in the destination country; in Kuwait the registration is filed through a local authorised representative. As a wholesaler, our part is to supply the product information your registration file needs.

Which documents do you provide for the registration file? On request, we provide INCI ingredient lists, product photos and label details for the registration file.

Do you provide a Certificate of Conformity, a Free Sale Certificate or a GMP certificate? A Certificate of Conformity, a Free Sale Certificate or a GMP certificate is not part of our standard documents. The importer obtains the conformity certificate in the destination country, and we supply the product information it needs.

Labels and halal

Are the labels in Arabic? The products carry the INCI ingredient list on the label. The Arabic particulars required by GSO 1943 are applied for the Gulf market by the importer, and we supply the INCI list and product details needed for them. The label language requirement is the same in all six countries:

  • The United Arab Emirates: Arabic; the required particulars and warnings must appear in Arabic under GSO 1943.
  • Saudi Arabia: Arabic; the required particulars and warnings must appear in Arabic under GSO 1943.
  • Qatar: Arabic; the required particulars and warnings must appear in Arabic under GSO 1943.
  • Kuwait: Arabic; the required particulars and warnings must appear in Arabic under GSO 1943.
  • Bahrain: Arabic; the required particulars and warnings must appear in Arabic under GSO 1943.
  • Oman: Arabic; the required particulars and warnings must appear in Arabic under GSO 1943.

GSO 1943 is the Gulf technical regulation on safety, labelling and packaging requirements for cosmetics and personal care products.

Are the products halal-certified? There is no halal certificate. We supply the INCI ingredient list of every product so you can check the ingredients yourself.

Duty and VAT

How much customs duty applies when I import? All GCC countries apply the common external tariff to goods entering the customs union from outside the GCC, settled by the importer at customs:

  • The United Arab Emirates: 5 % under the GCC common external tariff, paid by the importer.
  • Saudi Arabia: 5 % under the GCC common external tariff, paid by the importer.
  • Qatar: 5 % under the GCC common external tariff, paid by the importer.
  • Kuwait: 5 % under the GCC common external tariff, paid by the importer.
  • Bahrain: 5 % under the GCC common external tariff, paid by the importer.
  • Oman: 5 % under the GCC common external tariff, paid by the importer.

Which VAT applies at import in each country? The standard VAT rate in each country is:

Your tax adviser can confirm how it applies to your business.

Shipping

How do you ship to the Gulf and what does it cost? We ship to the Gulf by tracked courier. The shipping cost is quoted per order before payment, so you know the full amount in advance.

How long until my order leaves? Your order leaves one to two working days after payment, by tracked courier.

Do you supply all six GCC countries? Yes. We ship to trade buyers in the United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Kuwait, Bahrain and Oman, and each country has its own wholesale page.

Orders, prices and payment

What is the minimum order? The minimum order is about USD 570.

Can I mix brands and single units in one order? Yes. Brands and single units can be mixed freely in one order, so you can build the range that suits your customers.

How do I pay? Payment is by bank transfer.

When do I see prices? Net trade prices are visible after your trade account is approved.

What do I need to open a trade account, and how long does approval take? We need your company name, your trade licence or tax registration number, and your shop website. Approval follows one to two working days after the application, by e-mail.

Products and brands

Do you offer samples? We do not offer free samples, but single units can be ordered as part of a normal order.

How many brands and products do you stock? We carry 85+ Korean brands with 2,700+ products in stock, backed by over 20 years of B2B experience with Korean companies.

Which Korean brands do Gulf pharmacies and shops ask for? Among the brands we stock, these have their own Gulf pages:

Ready to order? Apply for a trade account to see net trade prices, or return to the Korean skincare wholesale in the Gulf hub for an overview. If your question is not answered here, ask us and we will reply.