Chinese beauty brands are encountering a slow slog in expanding their retail presence outside China. CLSA analyst Chris Gao notes that for established domestic cosmetics companies attempting to expand abroad, progress is still in its early stages.
‘C-beauty’ brands, or Chinese beauty brands, are pushing to expand their retail operations beyond China, but the process is proving to be a slow slog. As reported by the South China Morning Post, the cosmetics firm Mao Geping is named after its founder, China’s most famous make-up artist, who has contributed to numerous mainland films, television programmes, and reality shows.
CLSA’s Chris Gao states: ‘For established domestic cosmetics companies attempting to expand abroad, progress is still in its early stages.’ Keywords point to potential markets such as Japan, the UK, Hong Kong, Singapore, France, and Southeast Asia, along with brands like Proya, Florasis, and Skintific, suggesting areas of interest, though details remain sparse.
The article, published on December 24, 2025, highlights the challenges in this expansion trend.