New consumption observation ｜ Where is the continuous force of domestic cosmetics to cross the cycle？

In recent years, the development of make-up industry is mixed, and the elimination and rejuvenation of make-up brands at home and abroad has become the norm, in which the development volume of domestic make-up has been relatively weak, but it also shows that its development space can not be underestimated. According to the data of Toubao Research Institute, from 2017 to 2022, the market scale of China cosmetics industry increased from 44.29 billion yuan to 71.43 billion yuan, and it is estimated that the total scale of China cosmetics industry will reach 114 billion yuan in 2027. Among them, a number of domestic cosmetics brands, such as Huaxizi and Tangduo, continued to exert their strength, took advantage of price advantages, innovated marketing models, accelerated product iteration, won more development space by creating differentiation, and brought new highlights to the cosmetics industry in China.

Scientific research innovation+rapid iteration to tamp down differentiated barriers

Because of its small size and mainly decorative function, cosmetics tend to make people ignore the quality of their products. As consumers’ minds become more and more mature, the threshold of product quality requirements is gradually raised, and quality has become a standard factor to measure makeup brands, and brands have created differentiated barriers with scientific research and innovation as the "grasping hand".

"Products are always the core. It is an important opportunity for domestic cosmetics to create products that better meet the needs of consumers based on the unique skin and contour characteristics of Asians." The relevant person in charge of Tangyi Group said. It is through in-depth insight into consumer demand that the brands of Juyi Group innovate and develop from raw materials, packaging materials, structure and other aspects, and their products continue to break through and grow into the head enterprises of domestic cosmetics. The "ultra-fine eyeliner pen", "steel tube mascara" and "water essence" matte lipstick introduced by Citrus are representative products.

Fermented water essence lipstick

The same brand of "both internal and external repair" is Hua Xizi, which has established a scientific research platform of more than 7,000 square meters, set up five R&D innovation centers, and initiated the "Oriental Beauty Cosmetics R&D System". Hua Xizi has provided another way of thinking for the R&D innovation of beauty cosmetics in China. Up to now, Huaxizi has completed the extraction and preparation of 50 kinds of flower raw materials, screening and testing of 30 kinds of skin care efficacy, built a database of more than 100 flower prescriptions, and has a number of patents related to plant extracts and characteristic mineral raw materials.　　

After testing by consumers, products such as "Huaxizi Yuyang Series" and "Huaxizi Curved Air Cushion" have been recognized and become one of the best-selling products.

Whether it is "easy to use" has become the focus of consumers’ concern. For domestic cosmetics, we should not only do a good job of "face", but also do a good job of "lining" to truly build our own scientific research barriers.

Accelerating product iteration on the basis of innovation and aiming at consumers’ pain points at all times is another way for cosmetics brands to win.

Make-up is different from skin care products, and it has the characteristics of faster update iteration. If make-up brands want to precipitate users, they must constantly innovate and accelerate product upgrade iteration. Whoever can accurately understand the market changes and keenly capture the needs of consumers will be able to hold the brand growth password.

For example, Juduo will upgrade and innovate its products according to consumers’ feedback on its best-selling single products, such as "high-gloss capacity repairing plate" and "ultra-fine eyeliner pen", and at the same time gain insight into the new needs of consumers, and launch lip products such as "ice iron lip glaze" and "lip powder cream". In terms of base makeup, according to the different needs of consumers, we have launched "Little Fairy Ginseng" dry skin air cushion, "Face-slapping high concealer air cushion" and "Six-in-One Sunscreen Nourishing Cream", a special sunscreen product, to maintain the freshness and vitality of the product line.

Tangduo high-gloss capacity-repairing CD

"When thinking about category expansion, Tangduo improves the layout of all categories with growth thinking, and promotes crowd expansion through category expansion to help the brand grow steadily for a long time." The person in charge of the orange flower brand said.

Similarly, Huaxizi is constantly expanding its product categories. For example, the series of products "Huaxizi Xiaolian Umbrella Sunscreen", which was newly launched on April 16th, is the product iteration direction based on the insight of users’ needs. In addition, Hua Xizi is constantly upgrading and iterating in the direction of color products suitable for sensitive muscles and China women’s skin color.

Flexible marketing innovation deeply links brand value.

Domestic cosmetics show great innovation and flexibility in marketing methods. Through marketing, domestic cosmetics brands interact deeply with consumers, completing the link between brand value and consumers, increasing consumer stickiness and opening up the market.

For example, Hua Xizi insists on "co-creation by users" in terms of product effect and experience, so as to truly start from users. Taking "Hua Xizi Curved Air Cushion" as an example, before the new product went on the market, the brand took the initiative to launch a "10,000-person survey" and distributed 12,000 samples to consumers for free trial. Through online and offline methods, including online questionnaire survey and offline salon discussion, users’ feelings and suggestions were widely collected. After the launch of new products, the brand continues to collect consumers’ experience, and builds a small program of "Flower West User Co-creation" to achieve user co-creation more scientifically and on a large scale. In product design and packaging, white porcelain, Miao Yin, filigree, leather carving, Suzhou embroidery and other national crafts are adopted. In the lipstick paste, the micro-relief technology is fully applied to reproduce the classic oriental love stories such as "Zhang Chang thrush", "borrowing an umbrella from the lake" and "an all-consuming love". By integrating the traditional culture of China into modern cosmetics, the emotional resonance of consumers to China culture is aroused.

Hua Xi zi Yu yang series

Brand marketing activities should not only deepen the practical value of products, but also convey the professional image of brands in categories. For example, small programs such as "Skin ID Test" and "Skin ID Test" independently developed by Yeast Color help consumers quickly understand skin color and skin type, and also provide matching makeup product recommendations. In terms of product design, we jointly launched a series of "Pink Power" cosmetics with Zhu Deyong comic book "Bitter Girl", and customized four different sets of "pink" cosmetics, which embodied the imagination of urban women at the same time of nostalgia.

"If a beauty brand wants to establish barriers for a long time, it must have the output to solve the pain points of consumers’ functions and the output of the brand’s unique category concept and aesthetic system." The person in charge of the fermented color brand said.

Brilliant marketing strategies can deepen consumers’ awareness of brands and boost performance growth. For example, Orange Blossom has carried out a series of flexible and diverse marketing styles, jointly signed with Disney’s 100th anniversary, and combined Disney’s classic IP image with Orange Blossom’s classic single product; Taking advantage of the "Qixi Festival", a new series of "painting bamboo" with the theme of the festival was launched, and 10 colleges and universities in the United Nations held a collection of national inspired makeup; In-depth cooperation with well-known makeup artists, professional makeup formulators, well-known bloggers, etc., to help users solve the pain points of makeup through dry makeup teaching, novice science popularization, and interpretation of fashion trends; Invite well-known make-up experts to inspect the production factory of steel tube mascara for orange star products.

"Tangduo’s rapid sales growth in the past year is inseparable from a series of fast-paced and high-penetration marketing strategies to effectively reach and interact with consumers in different circles." The person in charge of the orange flower brand said.

In 2023, the cosmetics market as a whole ushered in a recovery. Relying on scientific research and technology, relying on price advantages and marketing models, domestic cosmetics achieved rapid development, and some even surpassed international cosmetics to complete an order of magnitude leap. For example, Tangyi disclosed that its GMV in 2023 exceeded 3 billion, and its size was almost equal to that of some listed companies.

"With the development of more and more consumers’ makeup habits and the gradual refinement of makeup, there are still great opportunities in the makeup market in China." The relevant person in charge of Tangyi Group said.

"Overall, the makeup market in China is on the rise, and the scale of makeup users in China is steadily increasing. Although there are small fluctuations in the size of the entire market, it is still a good trend and is good at stability. " Fei Man, vice president of Yige Beauty Group, said.

However, if domestic cosmetics want to go beyond the cycle and achieve long-term development, in addition to keeping up with the changes in consumer demand and enhancing the hard power of products, it is also the key to strengthen brand building and improve brand value and awareness. (Text/Yang Yingying)