Two Korean cosmetics brands Nature Republic and Etude House have opened their first outlets in Saudi Arabia.

Nature Republic has signed an agreement with local retailer Fawaz Alhokair to open the first store in the capital city of Riyadh, the first of up to five outlets in the country. Saudi Arabia is the brand’s 19th market.

Etude House has also made it to Riyadh with the first store at the Granada Center after a successful launch in UAE and Kuwait earlier this year.

The Middle East’s cosmetics market is expected to reach US$36 billion by 2020 while Saudi Arabia’s cosmetics market has grown 15 per cent annually in recent years and is the largest beauty market in the region.