Prime Highlights-
- Chinese beauty brands are shifting their global expansion focus to Southeast Asia, where cultural ties and young populations are driving rapid growth.
- Joy Group crossed $730 million in retail sales in 2025, with Vietnam emerging as its biggest overseas market after launching Singapore as a regional hub.
Key Facts-
- Chinese color cosmetics and skincare brands in Southeast Asia posted compound annual growth rates of 70% and 115% between 2019 and 2024, according to Euromonitor.
- China invested $1.03 trillion in research and development in 2024, edging past the United States and helping sharpen the quality of its consumer products.
Background-
Chinese beauty brands are making Southeast Asia their first port of call as they look to grow beyond their home turf, pulled in by young consumers, cultural common ground and a ready market for Chinese goods.
Joy Group, the company behind C-beauty labels Judydoll and Joocyee, plans to open a Malaysia store before the year ends. It launched its first overseas boutiques in Singapore last year and set up a regional office there in 2024 to reach wider Southeast Asian markets. Joy Group’s retail sales crossed $730 million in 2025, with $87 million generated outside China. Vietnam sits at the top of its overseas market list.
Other Chinese brands are on the same path. Across sectors ranging from electric vehicles to smartphones, Chinese companies have been pushing into foreign markets at a rapid pace.
The early focus was on the United States and Europe, but many have since turned their attention to Southeast Asia, where results have been more promising. Chinese color cosmetics and skincare brands in the region clocked compound annual growth rates of 70% and 115% respectively between 2019 and 2024, based on Euromonitor data.
Experts say Chinese brands have benefited from their proximity to the region, cultural similarities and a large young consumer base. Years of heavy spending on research and development have also paid off in terms of product quality. China put $1.03 trillion into research and development in 2024 alone, nudging past the United States.
On the marketing front, C-beauty brands are playing smarter. Some brands are using Chinese heritage and traditional medicine as part of their brand identity. Others are adapting products for local markets. Joy Group, for example, has launched sunscreen cushions and waterproof lip products suited to Southeast Asia’s hot and humid weather.
