China's cosmetics exports increased by 12 percent year on year in the first half of this year, with the trade value reaching 18.7 billion yuan ($2.6 billion), according to data from Chinese customs. The data shows that the US, the UK, Indonesia, the Netherlands, and Japan are the main export destinations.

Data from Euromonitor indicates that from 2019 to 2024, Chinese brands posted a 115 percent compound annual growth rate in the Southeast Asian mass skincare market.

Companies such as Hebe Beauty Cosmetics, which owns the brands Y.O.U and Dazzle Me, and Guangzhou Feimei, which owns the brand Skintific, are among the fastest-growing companies and are poised to challenge the market share of current leaders like L'Oréal and Unilever.

In addition to their cost-effectiveness, Chinese brands have also leveraged platforms such as Shopee, Lazada, and TikTok.