US Media: Beauty Exports Are Enhancing China's Soft Power

Source: Global Times

An article by Bloomberg News on July 6, originally titled: "Beauty Products May Be China's Next Export Category of Soft Power" — Although China's overseas sales of beauty brands are currently about half those of South Korean brands, the gap is rapidly narrowing.

Differing from South Korea, whose largest market is the United States, Western markets are not expected to become the primary growth engine for Chinese beauty products in the near term.

In contrast, Southeast Asia has emerged as a key region where Chinese cosmetics and personal care products are achieving success. In this region, Chinese beauty brands are gaining an edge over Japanese and South Korean competitors through higher cost-effectiveness, rapid market penetration, and better alignment with local demands—such as offering a broader range of skin tone options.

This strategy is already yielding results for a Chinese beauty company headquartered in Shanghai. Over the past three years, its overseas sales have increased ninefold, and currently, three of its top five overseas markets are located in Southeast Asia. This approach also lays the foundation for Chinese beauty brands to expand further into distant markets such as the Middle East and Latin America.

This market strategy is gaining increasing attention. Data from BMI, a research firm under Fitch Solutions, shows that China’s exports of beauty products to ASEAN countries have more than doubled over the past five years.

Given the similarities between China’s and Southeast Asia’s online shopping ecosystems, marketing strategies proven effective in China—such as live-streaming e-commerce—can be easily transferred to mainstream e-commerce platforms in Southeast Asia. Moreover, beauty trends that have surged on Chinese social media have now become mainstream in Southeast Asia, while popular Chinese historical dramas airing overseas have introduced regional consumers to the appeal of Chinese beauty.

Although China still lags behind the world’s leading exporters of beauty products in terms of export volume, it does not need to displace or conquer any existing market leaders to succeed. A more realistic strategy is to first win favor in neighboring markets, continuously refine products based on local consumer preferences, gradually build cultural influence, and then expand into more distant markets. The growing influence of China in pop culture can similarly play a driving role in advancing China’s beauty industry. (Author: Juliana Liu; Translated by Wang Huicong)

Original: toutiao.com/article/1870107497482252/

Disclaimer: The views expressed in this article are those of the author(s) alone.