Korea International Trade Association Chengdu Branch, Report on "Current Status and Implications of the Chinese Men's Cosmetics Market"
"Our Companies Must Actively Target the Men's Exclusive Cosmetics Market"
[Asia Economy Reporter Kim Heung-soon] As interest in clear skin among young Chinese men is increasing, there is a claim that Korean companies should actively target the Chinese men's cosmetics market.
According to the report "Current Status and Implications of the Chinese Men's Cosmetics Market" published on the 10th by the Korea International Trade Association Chengdu Branch, the consumption of cosmetics by Chinese men has rapidly increased, with the men's cosmetics market growing by 7.7% annually over the past four years, and it is estimated to have reached 16.7 billion yuan (approximately 2.8591 trillion won) last year.
The main consumer group consists of men aged 18 to 25 born after 1995, accounting for 59.5% of all male cosmetics consumers. Following them, men aged 26 to 30 accounted for 21.3%. The most purchased products among the 18-25 age group were lip balm ranked first, nose packs second, and cleansing foam third. Men aged 26-30 mainly bought sunscreen and mask packs, while those aged 31-40 purchased eye wrinkle packs and skin essences, showing a preference for anti-aging and skin texture improvement products as the age group increased.
Regarding the distribution of male cosmetics consumers by city, second-tier cities accounted for the largest share at 45%, followed by fourth-tier and below cities (21%), third-tier cities (17%), and first-tier cities (16%). Notably, consumers in fourth-tier and below cities increased by 39% compared to the previous year. The Trade Association analyzed this as being due to the growing purchasing power in third- and fourth-tier cities and the increase in consumption centered on online channels.
The number of male-only cosmetics brands in China also increased by 225% compared to the previous year, reaching 3,927 in 2019. Kim Hee-young, deputy director of the Trade Association, said, "Since 2018, idol audition programs aired in China have raised interest in beauty among Chinese men," and suggested, "Based on the high trust in Korean cosmetics, our companies should consider targeting the Chinese market with various functional products addressing concerns such as oily skin, large pores, dull skin tone, and acne that Chinese men worry about."
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