also known as guohuo meizhuang, or made-in-China beauty.

In one such video by beauty influencer Mikayla Nogueira, she holds up makeup products from Flower Knows, a Chinese brand targeting younger consumers, and exclaims: "This has to be one of the craziest makeup brands I've ever seen!"

After applying the products to her face, she's completely won over. "I'm obsessed with the brand, I want more."

On the lifestyle platform Xiaohongshu, or RedNote, a French woman named Sarah lays out her haul from Shanghai in a video before returning home: lotions, perfumes, eye shadow palettes, lip glosses and face masks, all from Chinese beauty brands.

"I always knew Chinese products were good, but buying them in person made me realize just how incredible the quality is," she said in Mandarin."They're such a treasure to discover — so good that I want to fly back to China immediately to restock."

For many, the appeal of Chinese beauty brands lies in their thoughtful and authentic integration of traditional Chinese elements.

Thais Teixeira Mendes, a 28-year-old Brazilian master's student at Shanghai Jiao Tong University, has attended almost every beauty expo in Shanghai, testing products from major and niche domestic brands.

"I could see, touch, smell and try various products," she said. "Many ingredients actually have been used traditionally for hundreds of years and are embedded in Chinese culture."

Chinese herbals such as ginseng, Chinese angelica and green tea, listed in ancient medical classics, are now widely used in domestic beauty products. It reflects the ancient philosophy of gentle and natural skin care, according to officials from domestic beauty brand Chando.

Mendes decided to give Chinese beauty products a try years ago. She said that she was "pleasantly surprised" to discover that their quality was as good as any renowned overseas brand. She hasn't stopped since — today, at least half of her daily makeup routine involves Chinese brands.

She is not alone. More overseas tourists and expats are seeking out Chinese cosmetics brand Florasis at stores in Shanghai.

Its standout offerings — from makeup palettes to lipsticks — are among the most popular products, defined by their bold, exquisitely crafted details rooted in Chinese traditional aesthetics.

Gabby Chen, president of global expansion at Florasis, observed that many overseas consumers now view Chinese beauty as a "cultural keepsake".

"They shop not just for function, but to learn about design inspiration and cultural stories," Chen said.

Behind this consumer enthusiasm lies the accelerating global expansion of Chinese beauty brands.

"Overseas consumers' perception of Chinese beauty brands is shifting from 'Made in China' to 'Created in China,'" said Chen.

The Shanghai-based Chando Group has taken a different path, focusing on tech-driven skin care, and now operates in 15 countries and regions. Zhang Yinggui, general manager of the group's overseas sales department, attributed the rising global recognition to its breakthroughs in independent research, a differentiated Eastern philosophy and cultural values.

Behind the overseas push is a solid domestic industry.

According to the Hurun Research Institute, half of the country's top-listed brands were established after 2015. Shanghai leads the way with 17 brands on the list.

In Shanghai's Fengxian district, the Oriental Beauty Valley is transforming from a traditional water town into the factory for China's cosmetics industry. In 2025, the valley cultivated its first three domestic beauty leaders with annual revenue exceeding 5 billion yuan ($739 million).

Beyond brand growth, the valley is also elevating its manufacturing capabilities to a new level. Flexible magnetic levitation production systems enable a single production line to switch seamlessly between eyeliner and cushion compact production, while artificial intelligence-powered unmanned workshops are paving the way for fully realized "lights-out factories".

This forward-looking advanced manufacturing approach allows Fengxian to meet the surging demand from fast-growing domestic brands and take on high-end, small-batch orders from leading European and United States beauty giants.

While the market once focused on China's manufacturing prowess, Chinese brands' original design, R&D and cultural expression are now gaining wider recognition.

source: China Daily

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