In 2026 Douyin (the Chinese version of TikTok) is already a MUST TO HAVE for cosmetics/beauty brands.
But now, with Douyin Stores have made it even easier for brands of all-sizes to reach Chinese consumers directly.
I’ve already got several clients doing great on the platform. I am Olivier VEROT founder GMA.. Dec 2025
Considering joining them, give me a few minutes:
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Retail +8,6%
Among them, the retail sales of cosmetics were 207.1 billion yuan, a year-on-year increase of 8.6%, outperforming the overall market.
However, for many beauty industry Marketer, what they can profoundly feel is the “temperature”
It is different” between macro data and micro perceptions. “Business is difficult,” “not fully recovered from the pandemic impact,” and “economic situation is not optimistic” are the collective sentiments of industry insiders in the first half of this year, especially among small and medium-sized enterprises.
E-Commerce is the key in Beauty industy in China
Looking at the highly anticipated 618 promotion in the first half of the year, according to data, during the 618 period (May 31, 20:00 to June 18, 24:00), cosmetics sold a total of 40.6 billion yuan on comprehensive e-commerce platforms, a slight decline compared to last year.
Douyin e-commerce, the raising platform for beauty brands
However, compared to platforms like Tmall and JD.com, which have been established for over ten years, Douyin e-commerce, as a new force, is still in the stage of channel bonus and maintains its momentum, advancing vigorously. A data report by Chuang Securities pointed out that in May this year, Douyin (14.12 billion yuan) surpassed the Taobao platform (14.05 billion yuan) in cosmetics sales.
+60.44%
data from Chan mo fang also shows that from January to June 2023, the total sales of cosmetics on Douyin reached 50-70 billion yuan, a year-on-year increase of 60.44%. Whether in promotional months or normal months, it shows a “high-speed growth” trend. At the same time, cosmetics brands on Douyin have made new breakthroughs – L’Oréal’s total GMV in the first half of the year exceeded 1 billion yuan, setting a new record.
In addition, which brands have achieved rapid growth on Douyin in the first half of this year?
What changes have occurred in the competitive dynamics of major brands on Douyin?
Data Douyin version, cosmeticschinaagency presents the new competitive landscape of Douyin beauty in the first half of 2023 from multiple angles, including the overall beauty market, sub-categories, and top brands.
Douyin Beauty
Douyin Beauty Category Overview for the First Half of 2023 In the first half of this year, over 140 beauty brands on Douyin achieved a GMV of over 100 million yuan each. Overall, compared to last year, the Douyin beauty category, including skincare, makeup/perfume, and beauty tools/beauty devices, has been in a state of rapid growth, with growth rates generally above 50%.
In terms of skincare, the volume increased from 30-40 billion yuan in the first half of last year to 40-50 billion yuan this year. Makeup/perfume rose from 5-10 billion yuan to 10-30 billion yuan, and the beauty tools/beauty devices segment saw an increase of 126.75%, with monthly growth rates consistently above 90% throughout the first half of the year.
Looking at market share, skincare still occupies the main share of the Douyin beauty market at 67.37%, more than double the combined share of makeup/perfume and beauty tools/beauty devices. However, the market shares of makeup/perfume and beauty tools/beauty devices have increased compared to last year, with beauty tools/beauty devices rising from 8.47% last year to 11.97% this year, surpassing half of makeup/perfume and to some extent squeezing the market share of skincare.
In terms of sub-categories, the entire beauty market, except for a few niche categories such as other makeup products, T-zone care, and powder essence, showing negative growth, most sub-categories maintained double-digit growth.
In the first half of this year, over 140 beauty brands on Douyin achieved a GMV of over 100 million yuan each. In the skincare segment, facial care sets, masks, lotions
Analysis of Douyin’s Cosmetics Brands
- International Brands vs National Brands:
- Brands like Helena had a brand self-broadcast proportion of over 70% in January, February, April, and May, far exceeding influencers’ broadcasts. However, during the promotional months of March and June, influencer broadcasts surpassed brand self-broadcasts, with a staggering 73% in June.
- Similarly, brands like La Mer and Lancôme increased their focus on influencer broadcasts during June, surpassing self-broadcasts.
- International brands, due to their size and established consumer mindset, dominate Douyin’s top resources during promotional months. National brands struggled to compete in June, with none in the TOP5 and only two in the TOP10.
- Douyin Brands Under Pressure; New Entrants Growing Rapidly:
- Last year, Douyin skincare brands like Jixianzhi and Kelaini saw rapid sales growth, reaching over 100 million yuan within 2-3 months through their own Douyin live streams.
- However, the popularity of these Douyin white-label brands was fleeting. This year, only “Renhe Craftsmanship” made it to the TOP20.
- Notable declines were seen in brands like Jixianzhi and Kelaini, with the latter falling by 51% compared to the same period last year.
- New Faces on Douyin’s Cosmetics Scene:
- In addition to established names like L’Oréal, Pola, and Hanbok, newer brands like Clarins, Guerlain, and Future Skin have shown rapid growth.
- Future Skin, not in the TOP200 last year, saw a year-on-year increase of over 1700% in the first half of this year.
- Makeup/Perfume Brands:
- Huaxizi and AKF led the makeup/perfume segment in the first half of the year, each with sales exceeding 500 million yuan.
- The segment also saw traditional national brands like Carslan and Mao Geping and Douyin brands like FV and Juliet competing for market share.
- Beauty Tools/Beauty Devices:
- This category has seen rapid growth, with brands like Amiro and Ulike initially leading the market.
- Emerging brands like Jiemeng have quickly risen to the top, with Jiemeng achieving over 900 million yuan in sales in just six months.
- New entrants have replaced nearly half of last year’s TOP15 brands, with brands like NOWMI and DJM showing remarkable growth.
- Beauty Tools:
- Brands focusing on beauty tools like Yuetong and Mr. Wish have seen growth rates exceeding 300%.
- Yuetong, specializing in “soft magnetic false eyelashes,” completed multiple funding rounds, amassing a total of 300 million yuan.
Top 5 Questions Cosmetics Brands Ask About Douyin Store
Drawing from industry reports, expert guides, and real-time trends in China’s $100B+ beauty e-commerce space (where Douyin drives 60%+ YoY growth in live sales), here are the most frequent questions brands hit us with about launching a Douyin Store. As always, I’ve channeled Olivier Verot’s direct, execution-focused style—straight talk from the founder of Gentlemen Marketing Agency, who’s launched dozens of international beauty brands on the platform since 2019.
- What are the basic requirements to open a Douyin Store, and how long does it take?Olivier Verot : Keep it simple: For cross-border (CBEC), you need an overseas entity valid trade marks business licence…, and at least 10 short videos on your official account to unlock e-com. Domestic? Add a China-registered company and hygiene license. Setup’s 1-2 weeks if docs are ready, but budget 1-2 months for product approvals—beauty regs are tight on ingredients. We’ve fast-tracked indie skincare lines this way; skip the fluff, upload vids showing real use cases, and you’re live. No store without content,Douyin’s algorithm punishes ghosts.
- What’s the difference between Douyin Store and other platforms like Tmall : why choose it for beauty?My Reply: Tmall’s your steady trust machine for big drops, but Douyin’s the viral beast for beauty,short vids and lives convert 3-5x faster via impulse buys, with 750M users scrolling trends like “glass skin” daily. Fees? Lighter at 5-8% vs. Tmall’s 10-20%, plus targeted ads hit Gen Z hard. For brands like L’Oréal, it’s hit ¥1B in months; locals like Florasis own it with cultural hooks. Choose Douyin if you’re visual and fast : test waters cross-border without full China setup, or you’ll lag in the 60% live sales boom.
- How do we drive traffic and sales : livestreams, KOLs, or ads?Olivier Verot : All three, sequenced: Seed with mid-tier KOLs (10k-100k followers) for authentic UGC—ROI spikes 50%+ on seeding per Ocean Engine data. Then lives: Host 2-3x/week, demo products live (e.g., “blush challenges”), answer Qs real-time for 145% exposure jumps like RockingZoo saw. Ads? Pour 30% budget into video feeds targeting “beauty enthusiasts” CPC’s cheap at ¥1-2. We’ve turned ¥3M sales in 10 mins for collabs; don’t sleep on trend “Douyin makeup” for free virality, or your store’s a ghost town.
- What are the costs involved —setup, fees, and ongoing ops?Olivier Verot’s Reply: Upfront: ¥100k-150k deposit (refundable, category-based for beauty), plus ¥50k-100k for account verification and initial investment. Platform take: 3-5- transaction fee, 1 % payment processing. Ops? KOLs can eat 20-50% of first-year budget (¥500k+ for Good one ), logistics via Douyin logistics adds 10-15%. Total entry: ¥1M for a solid launch (150k$) a bit cheaper than Tmall, with 521% exposure. Douyin can bring more ROI like our campaigns. Track GMV weekly; if under ¥500k Month 1, pivot ads. It’s lean, but commit or bail half-measures flop.
- How do we localize content and avoid common pitfalls for foreign beauty brands?Olivier Verot’s Reply: Chinese users geek out on efficacy ditch Western hype for ingredient breakdowns and TCM twists (e.g., “post-spa recovery” vids). Content: 5sec hooks of Marcus Zhan, mobile-optimized (vertical), with WeChat links for private traffic. Pitfalls? Ignoring trends (e.g., “negative space” makeup),we’ve seen Benefit exit after flat lives. Partner local KOCs for authenticity; AI tools for dubbing help, but test A/B. For luxury like Gucci, co create with celebs like Jackson Wang 70% luxury buyers are on Douyin. Nail harmony over flash, or get drowned by C-beauty speed demons.
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Conclusion:
The first half of year 2025 on Douyin has shown the dynamic nature of the beauty market in China. International brands maintain their stronghold during promotional months, while national brands and new entrants show resilience and growth in regular months. The makeup/perfume segment remains competitive with a blend of traditional, emerging, and Douyin-specific brands, while beauty tools and devices continue to be an area of rapid expansion and innovation.
More information about Douyin, contact us
GMA, specializing in beauty and Douyin:
- Expertise in Beauty Industry: GMA possesses deep expertise and a focused approach in the beauty industry, offering tailored strategies and marketing solutions specifically designed for beauty brands.
- Douyin Marketing Specialists: The agency has a strong specialization in leveraging Douyin (Chinese version of TikTok) for brand promotion and engagement, understanding the nuances of this platform to maximize visibility and impact for beauty brands.
- Comprehensive Digital Marketing Services: GMA provides a wide range of digital marketing services including content creation, influencer collaborations, social media management, and e-commerce strategies, all tailored to the beauty sector.
- Strong Network and Industry Connections: With extensive connections in the beauty industry and digital marketing spaces, GMA offers access to a broad network of influencers, media platforms, and industry experts to enhance brand reach and credibility.
- Data-Driven Approach: The agency employs a data-driven strategy, utilizing analytics and market insights to inform and optimize marketing campaigns, ensuring that beauty brands can effectively target and engage their desired audience on Douyin and other digital channels.