Quick answer
A K-beauty parcel no longer enters the US duty-free just because it’s under $800. Under USTR’s July 2026 notice, a non-exempt Korean-made product classed under 3304 owes 12.5% in combined normal (MFN) and Section 301 duty. Whether you’re charged separately depends on the store.
What changed, and when?
What changed in 2025 and 2026
- July 24, 2026: New Section 301 tariffs took effect (USTR’s notice was published in the Federal Register on July 28). For products of South Korea that aren’t exempted, a normal (MFN) duty below 12.5% is topped up by the Section 301 duty to a combined 12.5%. The same day, CBP’s rule for parcels sent by international mail took effect.
- June 24, 2026: US Customs (CBP) made the suspension of the $800 de minimis exemption indefinite for parcels that don’t come through the postal network. Low-value parcels still go through customs entry.
- February 24, 2026: A temporary 10% import surcharge under Section 122 began at 12:01 a.m. EST. Its proclamation set it to run for 150 days, through 12:01 a.m. EDT on July 24, 2026.
- February 20, 2026: The US Supreme Court held that the IEEPA emergency-powers law does not authorize the President to impose tariffs. CBP notes that the ruling did not address the de minimis suspension.
- August 29, 2025: Duty-free de minimis treatment was suspended for goods from all countries (Executive Order 14324).
For shipping and returns at each store, see our YesStyle vs Stylevana vs Olive Young US comparison.
Are Korean skin care and makeup exempt?
We searched all 431 pages of USTR’s pre-publication copy for heading 3304, which the US tariff schedule describes as “beauty or make-up preparations and preparations for the care of the skin (other than medicaments), including sunscreen or sun tan preparations.” It isn’t in the notice’s product-code exemption lists, and neither is 3305, the heading for hair products such as shampoo.
The US International Trade Commission’s tariff schedule lists the general rate as “Free” for 3304.99.50 (other beauty and skin-care preparations), for lip, eye and nail products, and for shampoo. The notice says that for a non-exempt product of South Korea with a normal duty below 12.5%, “the sum of the MFN tariff and the Section 301 tariff shall be 12.5 percent.”
If a Korean-made product is classed under 3304 and no other exception in the notice applies, the combined MFN and Section 301 duty works out to 12.5%. US Customs decides how a specific product is classed, and the notice itself says scope questions “should be referred to U.S. Customs and Border Protection.” We also haven’t checked every other kind of exception in the notice.
Who pays the tariff when you order online?
CBP’s page on internet purchases says: “U.S. Customs and Border Protection holds the importer – YOU – liable for the payment of duty not the seller.” That’s why each store’s tariff policy matters.
| What the store says about US tariffs | If a courier charges you anyway | |
|---|---|---|
| YesStyle | In a notice dated September 1, 2026: it is “working with couriers to pay the tariffs on your behalf.” | Pay, keep the receipt and claim within 30 days of the receipt date. Orders under $1,000 (before coupons, excluding shipping) qualify, and the refund comes as YesStyle Credit. Sales tax and courier fees such as storage aren’t covered. |
| Stylevana | In a notice dated July 30, 2025: “The price you pay when ordering is the final amount.” | Contact Stylevana’s customer service and point to that notice. |
| Olive Young US | Olive Young’s May 2026 press release lists “no additional shipping or import duty burden” for US customers. Its shipping and returns help pages don’t mention tariffs. | Contact Olive Young US customer service. |
What if a courier asks you to pay duty?
- Check that the request is real. The FTC’s advice on delivery texts: “If you think a text is about a real delivery, don’t give information or click on any links in the message.” Open the carrier’s own website or app and type in your tracking number instead.
- Expect a fee on top of the duty for mailed parcels. USPS rules say post offices “must collect a Postal Service fee from the addressee for each item on which customs duty” is collected. The amount is in USPS Notice 123.
- Keep the receipt. For a YesStyle order, it goes with your claim. For Stylevana or Olive Young US, send it with your message to customer service.
In Korea: Segye Ilbo’s coverage
The day after the tariffs took effect, the Korean daily Segye Ilbo ran a headline asking whether K-beauty could clear the US “12.5% tariff barrier” (12.5% 관세 장벽). An academic quoted in the piece said that consumer goods such as cosmetics and food are especially price-sensitive, so even an extra 2.5% in tariffs can have a real effect. Brands and stores set the prices you see, so watch the store’s tariff notice rather than the headline rate.
Questions
Is there still an $800 duty-free limit for K-beauty orders?
No. Duty-free de minimis treatment has been suspended for all countries since August 29, 2025. CBP made the suspension indefinite from June 24, 2026 for non-postal parcels, and from July 24 for parcels sent by international mail.
What is the US tariff on Korean skin care in 2026?
Under USTR’s July 2026 notice, a Korean-made product classed under 3304 owes 12.5% in combined MFN and Section 301 duty if no other exception in the notice applies. The general rate for 3304.99.50 is “Free”, and heading 3304 isn’t in the notice’s product-code exemption lists. US Customs decides how each product is classed.
Do I pay customs on a YesStyle order?
YesStyle says it pays US tariffs through its couriers. If you’re charged anyway, its Tax Refund Policy lets you claim for eligible orders under $1,000 (before coupons, excluding shipping) within 30 days of the payment receipt date, in YesStyle Credit.
Didn’t the Supreme Court end these tariffs?
The February 20, 2026 ruling held that the IEEPA law doesn’t authorize the President to impose tariffs. CBP says the ruling did not address the de minimis suspension, and the Section 301 tariffs that started July 24 come from a different law.
Sources and last checked
- USTR, Notice of Actions in Section 301 Investigations, 91 FR 47318, published July 28, 2026 (effective July 24, 2026); product-code exemption lists checked in USTR’s pre-publication PDF (November 3, 2026)
- US International Trade Commission, Harmonized Tariff Schedule, headings 3304 and 3305 (November 3, 2026)
- US Customs and Border Protection, interim final rules, Federal Register, June 24, 2026 (documents 2026-12669 and 2026-12670) (November 2, 2026); Internet Purchases page, last modified March 6, 2024 (read November 3, 2026)
- Executive Order 14324, July 30, 2025, and the Section 122 proclamation of February 20, 2026 (White House, November 3, 2026)
- Supreme Court of the United States, Learning Resources, Inc. v. Trump, decided February 20, 2026
- USPS International Mail Manual 712; FTC consumer alert of April 23, 2025 (November 3, 2026)
- YesStyle US tariff notice dated September 1, 2026 and Tax Refund Policy; Stylevana tariff notice dated July 30, 2025; Olive Young press release of May 22, 2026 (November 3, 2026)
- Segye Ilbo, July 25, 2026 (Korean)
- Next check: two weeks after this update
