Is C-beauty having a K-beauty moment?

Chinese beauty brands are riding an unprecedented digital wave. Once local favorites, C-beauty players are now harnessing the power of social media platforms like TikTok and Xiaohongshu (also known as RedNote) to transform themselves into global sensations. Armed with savvy storytelling, bold aesthetics, and competitive pricing, strategies honed for years in China’s hyper-competitive domestic market, these brands are increasingly looking outward. For some, the question is no longer if they can go global, but whether China is on the verge of its own K-beauty moment. C-beauty’s export boom Despite domestic headwinds, including slowing cosmetics consumption and shrinking import volumes, Chinese beauty exports are making headway. In 2024, China’s cosmetics exports surged 10.8% YoY to $7.2 billion, with positive growth in nearly every major market. The top five export destinations — The U.S., Hong Kong, U.K., Japan, and Indonesia — mirror China’s widening international ambitions. The U.S. remains China’s largest cosmetics export market, accounting for over $1.45 billion, 20.1% of total exports. Meanwhile, exports to the U.K. leaped 16.3% YoY in 2024, signaling growing appetite for Chinese beauty brands in Western Europe. In total, China’s top five export markets make up nearly half of its beauty exports. This geographical diversity reflects the broadening appeal of C-beauty, which is no longer confined to Asia, but increasingly vying for global relevance. C-beauty’s challenges in localizing abroad The surging popularity of China’s signature “Douyin makeup” look illustrates how Chinese beauty aesthetics are resonating globally. Featuring glowy, translucent skin, glittery eyelids, vibrant pink or mauve blush, and ombré lips, the Douyin makeup trend has gone viral on TikTok in the West. From Perfect Diary and Flower Knows to Judydoll, Chinese beauty brands have built formidable online followings by mastering short video content, viral marketing, and livestreaming. Yet, translating this success abroad demands a careful recalibration of strategy, aesthetic, and storytelling. “The digital playbook of Douyin and Xiaohongshu is incredibly refined and complex. Even for Chinese marketers, it’s a huge challenge,” says Danni Liu, CEO of iBlue Communications, a Shanghai-based marketing agency. “Brands that manage to stand out in this red ocean competition are truly top-tier. When these brands and talents go global, they actually hold an advantage in terms of digital execution — things like traffic operations, content production, and livestreaming are often more advanced than in other markets.” Ye, Liu stresses that the real challenge lies in localization. Not just in marketing, but in reconstructing product positioning, brand narratives, pricing, distribution, and even aesthetic language. “The core is to deeply understand local culture, consumer needs, usage scenarios, aesthetic preferences, language habits, and pop culture,” she says. “Compared to this, the execution of digital marketing is the easier part for Chinese brands.” Flowers Knows: Selling a fairy tale beyond products Among the brands capitalizing on this momentum is Flower Knows, a whimsical, fairy tale-inspired beauty brand with a fast growing international fanbase. Fang Gongyiliu, global CMO and President of Flower Knows’ U.S. office, highlights the nuances of global expansion. “Users’ behaviours vary across platforms: Instagram followers are drawn to visually appealing, floral themed aesthetics; TikTok users favor entertaining and viral short videos, often with transformational content,” Fang says. “We localize content to suit platform aesthetics.” With over $10 million in annual DTC sales and more than 10 million online visits, Flower Knows is finding success by focusing on immersive brand storytelling. “Our target demographic is primarily females aged 15-25, comfortable with an $80-$100 average offer value, often purchasing in bundles,” Fang adds. The brand’s elaborate packaging, exclusive gifts, and fairy-tale themes have led to repeat purchase rates exceeding 40% during new collection drops, far above industry averages. Interestingly, while livestreaming is a cornerstone of China’s domestic beauty market, Flower Knows is holding off on using this tactic internationally. “Livestreaming is very advanced and systematic in China, but international markets don’t yet offer the same opportunities. Many major brands haven’t succeeded internationally with this tool,“ Fang says. “We’re open to exploring international livestreaming when capacity, expertise and market readiness align.” The company also prioritizes inclusivity and universal appeal. “We internationally include diverse creators, different skin tones, ages, genders, to foster a broad, engaged community. Our tagline ‘Live Your Fairytales’ is designed to resonate across cultures,” she says. For Flower Knows, success in China provides financial security for cautious, but deliberate global expansion. “We’re not chasing quick sales or viral moments. We’re focused on building community and brand uniqueness abroad,” she says. Joy Group: Building a global brand, not just exports Joy Group, the parent company of rising C-beauty names Judydoll and Joocyee, shares a similar long term vision. With products now available in some 30 countries, the company is determined to export not just goods, but the essence of Chinese beauty culture. “Our vision has always been about building global brands, not merely exporting products,” says Fanqi Kong, general manager of international business at Joy Group. “What we aim to bring to the world isn’t just competitive items, but complete brand experiences that carry attitude, culture, and emotional resonance.” For Joy Group, localization starts with the product. “Adapting content alone isn’t enough. True localization starts with the product itself,” Kong says. Judydoll’s cushion lip powder cream, for example, has been expanded with 15 shades specifically for international markets, while the brand’s popular sunscreen cushions have been reformulated with seven shades to meet the high-SPF, lightweight coverage demands of Southeast Asian consumers. Joocyee, another Joy Group brand, has also customized its offerings. “Our iconic glazed rouge has been reimagined with new packaging and globally exclusive shades,” Kong says. Additionally, new products, such as the brand’s Dewdrop glaze lip oil and double-ended lip liner were developed specifically for international markets. To deepen its international foothold, Joy group has built dedicated local teams in markets like Vietnam, Indonesia, Singapore, and the Middle East. “These teams bring market insights and cultural relevance back to headquarters,” Kong says. The company also invests heavily in localized content creation and influencer collaborations. “We don’t just translate content. We work with local models, livestreamers, and creators to ensure our visuals and messaging resonate authentically,” he adds. Leveraging pop culture and media As Chinese beauty brands expand abroad, they are also tapping pop culture and media to drive cultural relevance. Mango TV, for example, is launching a new reality show called Paris Partners (巴黎合伙人), which follows six Chinese celebrities as they open an Oriental aesthetics-themed pop-up in Paris during Fashion Week. The participants’ task is to “sell out” Chinese-made products to European consumers and showcase the beauty of Chinese design. The show’s cast includes top influencer and lipstick King Austin Li (Li Jiaqi), while the pop-up offers AI-powered skin analysis, virtual try-ins, and exclusive beauty experiences. By blending entertainment with commerce the show is emblematic of how China’s beauty sector is merging culture, technology, and lifestyle into one exportable package. Is price-competitiveness enough? At home, much of C-beauty’s success has been fueled by price competitiveness, offering trend-driven products at accessible price points. But in global markets, especially as inflationary pressures squeeze consumer spending, Chinese brands are learning that low prices alone won’t guarantee success. “Price sensitivity is global,” Liu says. “Consumers everywhere are becoming more demanding about value for money. What Chinese brands excel at is offering superior product performance at the same price point, or slightly higher prices with significantly better results.” This is where China’s supply chain efficiency and fast-developing R&D come into play. Many domestic brands are increasingly emphasizing science and technology to differentiate themselves globally. For instance, Perfect Diary’s “skincare-infused makeup” line, showcased in Paris on July 3, boasts the use of five Nobel Prize-adjacent technologies to enhance skin health, underlining that affordable doesn’t have to mean basic. “In the end, the strategy revolves around two pillars: ‘value-for-money’ and ‘technological innovation,’” Liu says. Risks and challenges ahead The road ahead is not without challenges. Markets like South Korea, which saw 108.5% YoY growth in 2023, stagnated in 2024 with near-zero growth. While exports to Russia flattened, Southeast Asia shone, though some traditional markets lost steam. Notably, South Korea became the world’s No. 2 cosmetics exporter between January and April 2025, with exports reaching $3.61 billion and surpassing the U.S. ($3.57 billion), according to the Korea International Trade Association. In 2024, Korea’s cosmetics exports grew 20.3% to $10.3 billion, outpacing France (6.3%) and the U.S. (1.1%), and overtaking Germany to rank third. Virality, while powerful, is fleeting. In markets like the U.S. and Europe, where beauty brands often compete on heritage, values, and trust, consumers are less likely to form lasting attachments to brands that only offer short-lived trends. “At the early stages of international expansion, balancing short-term virality with long-term equity is a luxury most brands can’t afford,” Liu says. “It’s far better to choose clearly: either focus on quick sales or commit to building a brand — and then allocate resources accordingly.” Some Chinese brands are trying to have it both ways, but Liu warns that unclear positioning can dilute impact. Building a beauty brand that commands loyalty and premium pricing takes years of consistent messaging, authentic storytelling, and product excellence. For now, most Chinese beauty brands abroad are still in the early stages of this journey.

Is C-beauty having a K-beauty moment?

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Published July 09, 2025

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Is C-beauty having a K-beauty moment?