An A-Z guide to the brands making C-beauty a global force

China’s C-beauty market has outgrown the “local challenger” label. What was once a loose collection of online upstarts is now a full-stack ecosystem — listed skincare giants, lab-led derm players, makeup hitmakers engineered for Douyin velocity, and a fast-rising fragrance class attracting global capital. This A-Z guide maps the domestic brands shaping that shift, with the basics investors and operators actually track: who founded them, what they stand for, how they price, and the single differentiator that explains why they keep winning attention in China and beyond. Beast (野兽派) Beginning as an online florist, Beast has evolved into a premium lifestyle brand renowned for luxurious fragrances, home goods, and artistic retail experiences. It sells an emotive, story-driven sensibility, making it a staple for high-end gifting. The brand excels at creating immersive flagship stores and celebrity collaborations. · Launch year: 2011 · Founder: Amber Zhang (张潇) · Positioning: Premium artistic lifestyle brand; luxury gifting · Price point: High-end · Key highlight: Masterful pivot from niche florist to cultural lifestyle empire Carslan (卡姿兰) A veteran mass-market color cosmetics leader, Carslan dominates through vast distribution in China’s lower-tier cities. It is a household name for reliable, affordable mascaras, lip products, and foundations. The brand represents the resilient power of extensive offline retail networks. · Launch year: 2001 · Founder: Tang Xilong (唐锡隆) · Positioning: Mass-market color cosmetics; accessible glamor · Price point: Mass · Key highlight: Unrivaled brick-and-mortar penetration in county-tier markets Chando (自然堂) A flagship brand under giant Shanghai Jahwa, Chando is a pillar of China’s domestic beauty industry. It leverages the narrative of natural ingredients from the Tibetan plateau for mass-market skincare. The brand embodies the “national champion” model with massive marketing and distribution scale. · Launch year: 2001 · Founder: Corporate brand of Shanghai Jahwa · Positioning: Natural skincare inspired by Tibet; trustworthy mass-market brand. · Price point: Mass-to-mid · Key highlight: One of China’s most recognizable and widely distributed domestic skincare brands Colorkey 珂拉琪 A digital-native fast-beauty sensation under Yatsen Holding, famous for viral, ultra-affordable products like its Airy Velvet Lip Glaze. It operates on hyper-speed trend iteration and massive KOL/livestream partnerships. The brand targets Gen Z consumers seeking shareable, trend-driven color cosmetics. · Launch year: 2018 · Founder: Created by Yatsen Holding (Perfect Diary’s parent company) · Positioning: Fast-fashion, trend-driven DTC color cosmetics. · Price point: Mass (ultra-affordable) · Key highlight: Iconic product hit showcasing perfect viral marketing and KOL commerce execution Comfy (可复美) A leading “med-beauty” skincare brand from Giant Biogene, specializing in recombinant collagen for post-procedure care and sensitive skin repair. It successfully crossed over from clinical channels to general retail by leveraging its biomedical heritage. The brand is a cornerstone of the clinical-everyday skincare convergence. · Launch year: 2011 · Founder: Brand of Giant Biogene Holding · Positioning: Biomedical skincare for repair and sensitivity · Price point: Mid-to-premium · Key highlight: Pioneer in the “med-beauty” crossover space, built on patented collagen tech and clinical trust Documents (闻献) An avant-garde ultra-luxury fragrance house challenging Western giants with bold, conceptual scents and stark packaging. It explores dense Chinese philosophical motifs, targeting confident, affluent young consumers. The brand has redefined price expectations for Chinese niche perfumery. Both L’Oréal and Ushopal hold minority stakes in Documents. · Launch year: 2020 · Founder: Meng Zhaoran (孟昭然) · Positioning: Ultra-luxury conceptual fragrances; intellectual scent art · Price point: Luxury · Key highlight: China’s leading high-end fragrance house, brings its “Bold Zen” philosophy to life through rare natural ingredients and a deep connection to Chinese philosophy Florasis (花西子) The breakout star of C-beauty, Florasis is known for intricate packaging and Traditional Chinese Medicine-infused formulas, scaled through an “Eastern Romanticism” aesthetic and livestream commerce. Its designs draw directly on China’s intangible cultural heritage — from lipsticks engraved with Miao silverwork patterns and Dong brocade motifs to pressed powders inspired by Suzhou embroidery, Dehua white porcelain and cloisonné enamel. Culture is built into molds, textures and relief carving, positioning its makeup as collectible artefacts rather than disposable cosmetics. · Launch Year: 2017 · Founder: Wu Chenglong (吴成龙), pseudonym Hua Mantian · Positioning: High-end color cosmetics with TCM heritage; artistic luxury · Price point: Mid-to-high · Key highlight: Global recognition for breathtaking product design and cultural narrative Flower Knows (花知晓) A hyper-feminine color cosmetics brand captivating Gen Z with intensely thematic, collectible heavily adorned packaging released seasonally. It operates on “detail marketing,” where every component is part of a consumable aesthetic fantasy. The brand drives desire through limited-edition social virality and fairytale-like packaging. · Launch year: 2016 · Founder: Yang Zifeng (杨子枫) · Positioning: Thematic, collectible “girly heart” cosmetics · Price Point: Mid · Key highlight: Masters creation of collectible desire through fantastical, limited collections Forest Cabin (林清轩) A pioneer in premium skincare built around Chinese camellia oil, Forest Cabin operates a vertically integrated model spanning cultivation, extraction and formulation. Its signature oil essence tapped China’s rising “skin nourishment through oils” trend at scale. The brand’s recent Hong Kong IPO marks a rare case of a domestic player elevating an indigenous ingredient into a luxury hero able to compete head-to-head with international skincare houses. · Launch year: 2003 · Founder: Sun Laichun (孙来春) · Positioning: Premium skincare specializing in camellia oil repair · Price point: Mid-to-premium · Key highlight: Vertically integrated, ingredient-focused luxury from a single indigenous plant – camelia Guyu (谷雨) A skincare brand that carved out a niche by centering its identity on a patented “light-glycine soja” extract for brightening. It offers gentle, fragrance-free formulations with a clean, apothecary-style aesthetic. The brand appeals to ingredient-conscious consumers seeking a natural glow. · Launch Year: 2016 · Founder: Wang Haiping (王海平) · Positioning: Ingredient-focused, “natural glow” skincare · Price point: Mass-to-mid · Key highlight: Successfully built a brand around one core patented ingredient, with a hero Illuminating Essence Herbeast (东边野兽) An avant-garde brand rejecting conventional beauty aesthetics for a bold, dark, and mysterious persona. It reinterprets East Asian mystique and alchemy into high-design skincare and fragrance. The brand targets consumers seeking unconventional, artistic beauty as an identity statement. · Launch Year: 2021 · Founder: Yisa He (何一) · Positioning: Avant-garde Eastern alchemy; modern artistic luxury · Price point: High-end · Key highlight: Radical visual identity championing darkness and mystery in beauty Herborist (佰草集) A pioneering heritage brand that modernized Traditional Chinese Medicine principles for contemporary skincare. Backed by Shanghai Jahwa, it offers holistic, herb-based formulas rooted in balance and prevention. The brand was an early trailblazer for C-beauty’s international expansion, securing distribution across Sephora’s global retail network. · Launch Year: 1998 · Founder: Corporate brand of Shanghai Jahwa · Positioning: TCM-based holistic skincare; heritage and science fusion · Price point: Mid-to-high · Key highlight: First-mover in premium TCM skincare and early global presence in European department stores Joocyee (酵色) The sophisticated, designer-inspired sister brand to Judydoll under Joy Group. It targets a fashion-forward audience with curated, thematic collections inspired by luxury trends and vintage aesthetics. The brand offers a polished, editorial makeup experience. · Launch Year: 2019 · Founder: Brand under Joy Group · Positioning: Chic, designer-inspired color cosmetics · Price point: Mid · Key highlight: Captures a mature, fashion-conscious segment within a portfolio strategy Judydoll (橘朵) A cornerstone of affordable, trend-driven color cosmetics, Judydoll built its scale on high-quality, low-cost single eyeshadows before expanding into a full makeup lineup spanning lips, face and tools. Its agile trend-following and playful collaborations encourage experimentation, cementing the brand as a staple for China’s everyday makeup enthusiasts. · Launch year: 2016 · Founder: Zheng Zihui (郑自辉) · Positioning: Affordable, fun, and trendy color play · Price point: Mass · Key highlight: Cult community built on core product of high-pigment, affordable single shadows Kans (韩束) A long-standing mass-market skincare titan known for resilience and marketing agility. It successfully transitioned from TV direct-response to dominate early livestreaming e-commerce. The brand is a cash cow for its parent Shanghai Chicmax. · Launch year: 2002 · Founder: Lu Yibing (吕义雄) of Shanghai Chicmax · Positioning: Mass-market anti-aging skincare · Price Point: Mass · Key highlight: Veteran that repeatedly reinvents its marketing playbook across years of retail evolution Little Fresh Garden (半亩花田) A dominant player in the natural body care category on Chinese e-commerce. It targets young women with gentle, natural-ingredient body scrubs, washes, and lotions at affordable prices. The brand excels at high-volume, visually appealing online sales. · Launch Year: 2010 · Founder: Li Xunwei (李训伟) · Positioning: Natural, affordable body care for young women. · Price point: Mass · Key highlight: Owns the body care category online, demonstrating the power of segment specialization Mao Geping (毛戈平) The eponymous luxury makeup brand of China’s most revered celebrity makeup artist in the film industry. Mao Geping offers professional-grade products known for exceptional performance to create flawless looks. It extends into professional training, cementing its authority. · Launch Year: 2000 · Founder: Mao Geping (毛戈平) · Positioning: Professional artist-grade luxury cosmetics and education · Price point: High-end (luxury) · Key highlight: Unparalleled prestige rooted in the founder’s legendary artistry, not just marketing Marubi (丸美) A veteran listed company that has achieved legendary status by owning the eye care category in China. Its iconic advertising and decades-long focus made it synonymous with anti-aging eye creams. It represents the power of deep category specialization. · Launch Year: 2002 · Founder: Sun Huaiqing (孙怀庆) · Positioning: Specialist in anti-aging, particularly eye care · Price point: Mid-to-high · Key highlight: Built near-monopoly mindshare in the lucrative eye cream category over decades Melt Season A contemporary luxury fragrance brand focusing on narrative-driven and minimalist sculptural design. It targets urban, design-conscious consumers seeking sophisticated lifestyle fragrances. The brand is part of the new wave of Chinese luxury perfumeries. · Launch Year: 2020 · Founder: Lishi Ni (倪利诗) · Positioning: Contemporary luxury lifestyle fragrances · Price point: Luxury · Key highlight: Complements the conceptual niche with a focus on global, wearable sophistication OSM (欧诗漫) A heritage brand with unique vertical integration from its own pearl farms, started in 1967. It built its identity on pearl-based nourishing and brightening skincare for the mass market. The brand leverages authentic production history as a key trust signal. · Launch year: 1967 (farm), brand later · Founder: Shen Zhiren (沈志荣) · Positioning: Pearl-based skincare; authentic heritage · Price point: Mass-to-mid · Key highlight: Vertical integration from pearl farming provides unassailable authenticity in “natural” claims Pechoin (百雀羚) The celebrated benchmark for heritage C-beauty brand, Pechoin dates back to 1931. It successfully blends nostalgic appeal with modern formulations and eco-friendly packaging. Viral digital campaigns make it relevant to young consumers. · Launch year: 1931 · Founder: Gu Fengchen (顾凤尘) · Positioning: Modernized heritage brand; natural, green skincare · Price point: Mass-to-mid · Key highlight: Masterful rejuvenation of a 90-year-old brand through brilliant digital storytelling Perfect Diary (完美日记) The brand that defined the DTC fast-beauty playbook in China, driving Yatsen Holding to a NYSE listing. It revolutionized marketing via thousands of KOLs and ultra-affordable, trend-driven color cosmetics. Its impact on industry growth models is indelible. · Launch year: 2017 · Founder: Huang Jinfeng (David Huang) · Positioning: Fast-beauty color cosmetics leader; DTC pioneer · Price point: Mass · Key highlight: Created the KOL-driven, asset-light growth blueprint for Chinese fast-beauty Proya (珀莱雅) A listed skincare titan and bellwether for the C-beauty sector. It pivoted from a general brand to become a science-backed, ingredient-focused leader with hit serums. Strategic acquisitions like Timage have created a formidable beauty group. · Launch year: 2006 · Founder: Hou Juncheng (侯军呈) · Positioning: Science-driven effective skincare; ingredient authority · Price point: Mid · Key highlight: Transformed into a market darling through efficacy focus and savvy product launches Quadha (夸迪) Ultra-high-end sub-brand within the Botanee Group, focused on advanced hydration via proprietary 5D hyaluronic acid technology. It represents the group’s premiumization strategy, targeting consumers seeking potent, tech-driven solutions. · Launch year: 2018 · Founder: Brand created by Botanee Group · Positioning: Ultra-hydration via advanced HA technology · Price point: High-end · Key highlight: Successful portfolio strategy captured the premium segment with a tech-focused brand Scent Library (气味图书馆) A pioneer in democratizing fragrance for the mass Chinese market with playful, conceptual scents like “Green Tea” and “White Porcelain.” It introduced fragrance as an experiential memory trigger through nationwide experiential stores. · Launch year: 2009 · Founder: Lou Nanshi (娄楠石) · Positioning: Accessible, nostalgic conceptual scents · Price point: Mass-to-mid · Key highlight: Expanded China’s fragrance market by making scents relatable and fun Timage (彩棠) A pro-artist makeup brand founded by celebrity makeup artist Tang Yi, later acquired by Proya. It offers easy-to-use products for “naturally flawless” looks, translating the founder’s signature style. The acquisition created skincare-makeup synergy for Proya. · Launch year: 2014 (relaunched 2019) · Founder: Tang Yi (唐毅) · Positioning: Pro-artist makeup for effortless beauty · Price Point: Mass to mid · Key highlight: Example of synergistic M&A, adding makeup authority to a skincare giant’s portfolio To Summer (观夏) A niche fragrance and lifestyle brand with cult status, built on masterful scarcity and community marketing. It focuses on East Asian cultural memory and season-inspired scents, sold via weekly limited drops on WeChat. The brand cultivates deep exclusivity. · Launch year: 2018 · Founder: Shen Li (沈黎) and Liu Xianpeng (刘羡鹏) · Positioning: Luxury East Asian niche fragrance and lifestyle · Price point: High-end to luxury · Key highlight: Perfected high-end DTC via WeChat exclusivity and limited drops Uniskin (优时颜) A next-gen skincare brand built on data and medical science, co-founded by a doctor. It uses AI skin diagnostics to provide personalized routine and product recommendations. The brand bridges clinical analysis with daily at-home regimens. · Launch year: 2018 · Founder: Dr. Du Le (杜乐) · Positioning: Data-driven personalized skincare. · Price point: Mid-to-high · Key highlight: Pioneered a tech-enabled, personalized skincare model in China Voolga (敷尔佳) The undisputed leader in China’s “medical aesthetic mask” category, originating from a pharmaceutical company. Its sheet masks for post-procedure care crossed over into a daily skincare staple. It dominates mindshare in this hybrid market. · Launch year: 2017 (consumer brand) · Founder: Brand of Haixiang Pharmaceutical · Positioning: Professional repair masks; med-beauty crossover · Price point: Mid · Key highlight: Dominates the “med-beauty” crossover category with near-monopoly share Winona (薇诺娜) The crown jewel of Botanee Group and leader of China’s sensitive skin skincare market. Developed with dermatologists, its products are trusted for reactive skin. Its success validated the “med-beauty” model and powered a blockbuster IPO. · Launch year: 2008 · Founder: Guo Zhenyu of Botanee Group · Positioning: Dermatologist-recommended skincare for sensitive skin · Price point: Mid-to-high · Key highlight: The number one in sensitive skin care; its success created one of C-beauty’s most valuable public companies

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An A-Z guide to the brands making C-beauty a global force