China focus: Latest developments in China’s booming beauty market

Coty’s Lancaster finds route to success in China with Douyin livestreaming ​​

Coty-owned Lancaster is capitalising on the immense popularity of Douyin and livestreaming, bypassing e-commerce major Tmall.

It launched Lancaster Ligne Princière mid-March. The ultra-premium skin care range is billed as the official beauty brand of the Monegasque royal family and its most famous member, Grace Kelly.

The launch of the brand has been successful, especially in China, one of the company’s key markets.

Middle East and Western markets could be new hotbed for K-beauty brands – expert​

Amorepacific’s Laneige has recently accelerated its global expansion footsteps into the UK and Middle East, underscoring the shift away from China.

It announced in May that its global brand Laneige has landed in SPACE NK, a luxury beauty retailer in the UK, followed by its debut in the Middle East through a partnership with Sephora.

The brand’s flagship products, including Lip Sleeping Mask and Water Bank Cream, have been introduced at Sephora stores in the UAE and four Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) member countries.

China grants licence for in-store personalised cosmetics services to SkinCeuticals, Estée Lauder and L’Oréal​

China allows retailers to produce customised products in stores although challenges in quality and safety management remain.

A SkinCeuticals store in Shanghai was recently granted a licence for on-site personalised services —representing a significant breakthrough for China’s personalised cosmetics industry.

The National Medical Products Administration (NMPA) had announced in November 2022 the launch of a one-year pilot project for personalised cosmetics services in five cities, namely Beijing, Shanghai, Zhejiang, Shandong, and Guangdong.  

Multi-peptide eye serum improves skin appearance around the eyes​

Using a multi-peptide serum for 28 days helped smoothen skin appearance around the eyes, but participants reported limited impact on fine lines and wrinkles, say Chinese researchers.

The multiple peptides used in the serum include acetyl hexapeptide-8, palmitoyl tetrapeptide-7, palmitoyl tripeptide-1, and dipeptide-2.

The serum was used twice daily for 28 days by women with visible signs of ageing, namely wrinkling and sagging.

Kao aims to raise market share of key global brands via product renewal and flagship stores​

Kao Corp has dedicated resources to strengthen the presence of selected brands worldwide, with premium brand SENSAI leading the way through an upcoming flagship store in Shanghai.

This comes after the company’s recent announcement on its focus on prestige beauty​.

A brand under Kanebo Cosmetics, SENSAI spearheads a group of 11 brands, including Curél and Molton Brown, which were identified in 2018 to drive Kao’s global expansion.