Türkiye’s cosmetics industry is reaping the rewards of its “Turkish Beauty” strategy, launched in 2006, with exports reaching $2.33 billion in 2025 — a year-on-year increase of 11.8 percent.
The sector now exports to 190 countries, driven by rising brand numbers, female entrepreneurship and the global popularity of Turkish television dramas.
According to Adil Pelister, chairman of the Istanbul Chemicals and Chemical Products Exporters’ Association, the industry’s export target for 2026 is $2.5 billion. Experts note that the number of registered brands has quadrupled in the past five years, climbing to 12,000.
Two factors have been particularly influential in shaping the industry’s branding success. Women entrepreneurs have emerged as powerful players, establishing their own companies and reshaping the sector. Meanwhile, Turkish dramas — widely watched from the Middle East to Latin America, the Balkans and Africa — have become an invisible yet effective marketing channel. Viewers often emulate the makeup styles, hairstyles and products used by actors, creating organic demand for Turkish cosmetics abroad.
Fuat Arslan, president of the Cosmetics Manufacturers and Researchers Association (KÜAD), emphasized that cultural exports such as television series can serve as a strong lever for cosmetics growth. He noted that Türkiye is consolidating its position as a regional production and supply hub in the Middle East, Balkans and North Africa. The leading export destinations include Iraq, Iran, Gulf countries, Russia and Saudi Arabia.
