With Chinese consumer demand leaning toward safe cosmetics that don’t compromise on the efficacy front, cosmeceuticals, a combination of cosmetics and pharmaceuticals, is a segment to watch. Rather than pick products at random and test them out at home, consumers in the West prefer to consult dermatologists for treatments and prescription recommendations for their skin issues.

Generally referred to as cosmetics with drug-like benefits, it is there that the cosmeceutical concept first developed.

Always quick to pick up on a lucrative beauty trend, Asia’s personal care professionals are investing heavily in promoting this concept to consumers throughout the region. Currently, the segment is more established in Japan and South Korea, with brands such as Dr.Ci:Labo and Dr.Jart+ leading the way.

In regard to China, personal care chain stores like Watsons, Gialen and Mannings are dedicating more shelf space to cosmeceutical skin care lines and the demand is there, provided brands have the right strategies in place.

Based in Singapore, Mintel’s Beauty and Personal Care Associate Director Jessica Jin tells Happi that cosmeceutical brands that educate consumers on how their formulas work and take a transparent approach with ingredient labelling will prove popular throughout the region. According to Jin, some beauty retail chains are even going so far as launching their own portfolios by teaming up with well-seasoned cosmeceutical brands from the West.

Through its 14 stores around Guangzhou, Gialen Cosmetics Ltd. introduced a portfolio of four skin care brands including Swiss player Biofila, which includes high-tech pure ingredients; British herbal cosmeceutical player Lubatti; Korea’s fashion forward AIP; and Japanese minimalistic skin care brand Coscure.

H’Appy Skin
With new skin care product launches comes development in the beauty tools arena with advancements presented in the form of apps and devices that further complement these cosmeceutical formulations. Since 2016, L’Oréal has been rolling out Derma Centers in China to provide Visia skin analysis alongside its four flagship cosmeceutical brands, which include Vichy, La Roche-Posay, SkinCeuticals and Clarisonic.  

Meanwhile, Taiwan’s leading derm brand Dr.Wu provides Chinese consumers with a skin assessment before recommending suitable products like its Daily Renewal Serum, which is formulated with macromolecule mandelic acid. The ingredient is said to gently, yet quickly, remove aged skin layers.

There’s also a skin analysis program called Meitu app, which is the result of a partnership between Meitu AI, professional dermatologists and a technology company that focuses on skin health to identify problems based on a photo of the user. According to Mintel’s Jin, based on the analysis, users are assigned a virtual personal skin care assistant that provides advice on how they can improve their skin conditions.

“As long as users are signed up to the program, they can set up a list of skin care steps to complete as part of their daily routines,” she told Happi.

Selfies Come in Handy
Another component of this app includes an exclusive dressing table feature which allows users to check which products are suited for certain skin types. Jin adds that Meitu has also just launched a portable device that can be linked with this app to help test skin issues more accurately.

Another winning contender in this field, Neutrogena SkinScanner is a tool which features a camera capable of taking highly magnified images of the skin. Users first take a selfie with the device, followed by a shot each of their forehead, chin and cheek. A moisture sensor then scores the user’s skin’s hydration level. The retrieved data is then fed into a mobile app that will, in turn, share expert advice as well as recommendations on the products users should be using on their skins.

“It is said that the level of analysis the SkinScanner offers transcends beyond what the eye can see, and at a far deeper level at that,” added Jin.

As more data is input into the app and analyzed, machine learning will then take place, allowing the app to get smarter and more accurate in terms of recommendations.

“In addition, the app also enables users to set their skin care goals and track this progression,” concludes Jin.

To keep the momentum of this category going in China, the experts say that cosmeceutical brands will also need to promote more preventative usage by positioning the products as a holistic approach to maintaining healthy skin, or address lifestyle factors, such as stress or lack of sleep.

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Michelle Yeomans
Freelance Journalist
Email: [email protected]

Michelle Yeomans is an award winning multimedia journalist. She has been reporting on cosmetics industry movements in EMEA, US and Asia for five years and has won an award for her coverage of the complexities of operating in the Middle East. Michelle’s passion lies in tracking the beauty culture and trends of the Asia Pacific region. Ever the AV enthusiast, she also relishes the opportunity to create engaging video and podcast content for the B2B industry.