Reference News Network August 22 report, according to the website of the "Nikkei Shimbun" on August 19, Chinese cosmetics have begun to penetrate the Japanese market. The import volume of Chinese cosmetics in Japan has risen to third place, second only to South Korean and French cosmetics. Brands that have opened stores in Tokyo's Ginza are now also seen on the shelves of drugstores. However, currently, Chinese cosmetics are mainly focused on makeup, while skincare products have a weaker influence. Chinese brands have demonstrated their technical strength in the fields of automobiles and smartphones, but gaining consumer trust in body care products will take time. Will the era of C-Beauty (Chinese Beauty) catch up with K-Beauty (Korean Beauty)?

The report stated that on January 27, the Chinese cosmetics brand "Hua Xi Zi" opened a store within the commercial facility "GINZA SIX" in Tokyo's Ginza. The interior is dominated by white, with a spacious and bright environment. Decorations on the table reflect a Chinese style.

Hua Xi Zi started online sales in Japan in 2021, marking its first independent physical store. More importantly, this is its first flagship store outside of China.

The report pointed out that in recent years, the fastest growing in Japan's imported cosmetics are undoubtedly South Korean brands, but Chinese brands are also rapidly rising. Data from the Japan Cosmetics Industry Association shows that in 2022, Chinese brands surpassed the United States, with the import volume ranking third. In 2023, the import volume reached 4.98 billion yen (approximately 4.85 yuan RMB per 100 yen - note from this site), which is 2.6 times that of 2013.

In the first half of 2024, iStyle Company's "New Beauty Awards" selected Chinese brands for the first time, among which "SHEGLAM" is an original brand of the e-commerce platform Shein.

The report said that in Tokyo's Harajuku, iStyle Company's flagship store operates about 100 South Korean brands and about 20 Chinese brands. The company said that complaints about "concerns regarding Chinese cosmetics" that were previously sporadic have recently decreased. A high school student in Tokyo said: "I am not worried about the quality of Chinese cosmetics, I think their quality is as good as South Korean cosmetics."

"FUNNY ELVES Fang Li" founder Yuki, who entered the Japanese market in 2024, said that the company enhances its technological strength through research institutes of European luxury cosmetic brands.

According to the report, apart from e-commerce platforms and department stores, Chinese cosmetics have also appeared in Japanese drugstores. In a drugstore in Shinjuku, multiple Chinese brand cosmetics are displayed on the shelves.

The head of the product department at this drugstore said: "The appearance design of Chinese cosmetics is exquisite, and some products are also very luxurious. We are trying to make customers stop and look at the products in the store."

The report pointed out that Chinese brands are seeking strategies to further penetrate Japanese consumers. One of Hua Xi Zi's goals in Japan is to adjust the color of cosmetics according to the skin type and preferences of Japanese people.

Huang Jin Feng, CEO of Guangzhou Yixian E-commerce, the operator of Perfect Diary, said that to win in the Japanese market, it is very important to understand Japanese consumers and cooperate with trustworthy professional partners.

A well-known cosmetics enterprise from Shanghai displays its products at a summer fair in Beijing (photographed by Li Xin)

Original article: https://www.toutiao.com/article/7541267804104802855/

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