This week saw the launch of two heavy-hitting C-Beauty brands with international expansion plans for later in the year. Stateside, Myriam and Eric Malka, co-founders of The Art of Shaving, are back in the beauty brand business with the launch of a new skincare range, Ingredients.

Yumee: Wendy Yu, the leading fashion financier, entrepreneur, and philanthropist, is officially in the beauty game with her new globally positioned luxury makeup brand. Yu’s vision is to lead the next generation of Chinese beauty, where modern makeup marries elevated artistry with the kind of skin-improving performance expected from cutting-edge skincare.

The launch capsule includes a range of lipsticks, a trio of highlighters, and an eyeshadow palette that elevate an existing makeup collection to a luxury beauty wardrobe. The brand will be launching in Mainland China only on RED on February 5, followed by WeChat on February 6 and Tmall in the coming months, with international market rollout scheduled for later in the year. Products are priced from $51 to $76.

Hue: Trailblazing LGBTQ+ pop artist Hayley Kiyoko partnered with a Gen Z-focused beauty incubator for Hue, her first signature fragrance. Hayley created the fragrance together with perfumer Constance Georges-Picot of Cosmo Fragrances in addition to development support by Bart Schmidt. The fruity and floral eau de parfum will be available for pre-order on the brand website February 5.

Code Mint: Influencer and reality star Grace Chow, who has 19 million followers across social channels, has joined the Chinese indie beauty boom. The brand promotes a 666 philosophy that emphasizes the elimination of 66 toxic and hazardous ingredients and the addition of six nutrients that have anti-aging and anti-inflammatory properties. According to Glossy, the brand received angel investment from Cosmax, one of the largest cosmetics OEMs in South Korea, and is in talks with a large unnamed international beauty conglomerate for another investment round slated to be announced this spring.

Code Mint launched on TMall, selling out the first day when Chow hosted a livestream on Weibo to her nearly 11 million followers. The brand will launch in the US in the second half of 2021. Chow’s following is primarily in China but she has an international fan base with 2.2 million Instagram followers.

Monday: The cult haircare brand out of New Zealand and brainchild of New Zealand entrepreneur Jaimee Lupton. In 2018 the affordably priced salon-quality haircare was an instant hit, selling through 6 months’ worth of stock in the first 4 weeks when it launched in Australia and New Zealand.

The products have been formulated using a seven-stage R&D process to validate professional performance. With premium formulations focusing on natural ingredients such as jojoba oil, shea butter, and ginger root extract that quickly absorb into hair follicles. Four distinct cruelty-free, SLS free, and paraben-free ranges (Gentle, Moisture, Smooth, and Volume) packaged in recycled plastic make up the Monday range, each with a shampoo and conditioner priced between $6.99 and $15.99. The Gen Z-minded brand is now available stateside with Target online and in 1,700 Target stores nationwide.

Soluderm: Amorepacific unveils a new skincare brand Soluderm that offers products for “eating & applying,” or “in & out.” Developed in collaboration with influencer Lee Ji-hye also known as “Gwanjong Un-ni,” the brand consists of two products: Vita Collagen Ampoule for topical application on the skin and Inner Full Collagen Ampoule you drink.

The Vita Collagen Ampoule program consists of 71.79% vita collagen (49.43% low-molecular collagen + 22.36% pure vitamin C) and EGF Powder, optimized to strengthen skin elasticity. The Inner Full Collagen Ampoule contains a high content of 5,000mg low-molecular collagen from Italy, along with supplementary ingredients including vitamin C from the UK, elastin from France, ceramide from New Zealand, and hyaluronic acid from Korea.

Soluderm is available on Naver Smart Store and Amorepacific Mall. The brand plans to expand points of distribution via social selling.

Ingredients: The brand is the culmination of 25 years of passion, entrepreneurial expertise, and experience of Myriam and Eric Malka, co-founders of The Art of Shaving, which was sold to Gillette in 2009. Their latest venture Ingredients is grounded in radical transparency and products that are 100% plant-based and free of all toxins and petrochemicals. The formulas are deconstructed using minimally processed, 100% active plant-based ingredients to create separate plant water-based and oil-based formulas, eliminating the need for stabilizing and binding chemicals. The brand has launched with a full assortment across skincare, body care, and wellness.

Prestige Product Launches:

Cocokind: Sake Body Lotion is rich in smoothing enzymes and microbiome-friendly prebiotic sugars delivering gentle exfoliation and supporting the skin barrier, and will be the brand’s first product to be housed in OWP, which is plastic collected from beaches, rivers, lakes, and other natural bodies of water in areas of the world such as Jakarta, Indonesia. The use of OWP for its Sake Lotion is projected to offset 1,654 lbs / 0.8 tons of plastic from the ocean in 2021.

Prima: The company is deepening its supplement portfolio after The Daily became the brand’s bestseller, with demand up 10x during COVID. Prima launched Rest Easy and Sleep Tight, which are targeted solutions for sleep and anxiety with 20 MG of CBD per capsule. Big pharma has long monopolized sleep and anxiety solutions—all-natural yet effective options provide a new alternative.

Product Launches at Mass:

Kristin Ess: Debuts 2021 product launches including Color Depositing Conditioners, which contain a semi-permanent direct dye that deposits a variety of colors that can be used to add or refresh color without ammonia or peroxide. Other launches include The One Purple Shampoo and Conditioner designed to tone hair at-home, Fragrance Free Cleansing Shampoo, and Fragrance Free Shine Enhancing Conditioner, new sulfate-free shampoos and conditioners, and a range of hair accessories. All new launches are available at Target.

Old Spice and Secret: Following the paper packaging launched last year, the brands have furthered the sustainability initiative with refillable cases that are 100% free of single-use plastic. P&G said if it converts just 10 percent of current deodorant packages to recycled paper or another recyclable material, it could eliminate up to 1.5 million pounds of plastic waste annually. The Old Spice and Secret Refillable Cases, Paperboard Refills, and Paperboard Deodorants are available in stores nationwide at Walmart, Target, CVS, and Walgreens (online only). Refillable Antiperspirants Loaded Starter Antiperspirant Case $10 and Refills are $8.

Suave: The skinification of haircare hits mass with the Suave Pink Line as more women are looking for professional-quality products that fit their at-home routines for everyday life. Inspired by the skin-priming concept of skincare routines, the products are split into specific regimens that Cleanse, Condition, Prep, and Style. All shampoos within the collection are sulfate-free, and all wash & care duos are formulated with an Amino Acid Complex. All products are priced at $4.98 and available at Walmart and the brand’s website.