Key Takeaways:
- While makeup spearheaded C-beauty’s expansion, skincare is gaining traction.
- Skintific shows how Chinese brands can win by appearing deeply local while leveraging Chinese capabilities.
- Future growth will require building long-term trust through physical retail and science-backed solutions.
Chinese beauty is quickly gaining a new generation of Southeast Asian fans. For 23-year-old Malaysian Farah Muzammil, a content creator, an event hosted by Chando Himalaya in January was the moment she was converted to Chinese skincare.
“More Southeast Asian consumers are starting to explore C-beauty because it offers something different—it feels more experimental but still accessible in terms of price and variety,” Muzammil told BeautyMatter, adding that Chando Himalaya’s face masks have now become part of her nighttime routine.
This shift is showing up in the numbers. In 2025, China’s cosmetics exports rose 9.2% year over year to $7.82 billion, with Indonesia, Southeast Asia’s largest beauty market, ranking among the top five export destinations in H1, according to the country’s General Administration of Customs.
Driven by global ambitions and mounting competition at home, C-beauty brands are increasingly expanding to Southeast Asia, drawn by its geographic proximity, cultural affinity, and strong digital infrastructure. While many brands have long operated on local e-commerce platforms like Shopee and Lazada, others are now ramping up their regional commitment. Joy Group, for instance, opened three standalone stores in Singapore in 2025, with Southeast Asia accounting for more than 300 million yuan ($44 million) in retail sales last year and growing at...
