Are social media Necessary for Cosmetics brands in China?

Yes. Social media is absolutely essential for cosmetics brands in China in 2025. Over 90% of Chinese consumers discover beauty products through social platforms, and campaigns directly drive purchasing decisions in this highly digitized, mobile-first market.

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Top 5 Social Media Platforms for Beauty Brands in China

1. Xiaohongshu (Little Red Book)
   • Why: The go-to platform for product reviews, tutorials, and user-generated content (UGC). Ideal for building trust via “grassroots” influencer (KOC) campaigns.
2. Douyin (TikTok China)
   • Why: Dominates short-video marketing and livestream commerce. Viral challenges and KOL collaborations drive massive engagement.
3. WeChat
   • Why: Combines private traffic (mini-programs, official accounts, communities) with public reach (Moments ads, Video Channels).
4. Weibo
   • Why: Key for brand awareness, hot topic campaigns, and celebrity/KOL endorsements.
5. Taobao Live
   • Why: Alibaba’s livestream shopping hub, where beauty brands convert viewers into buyers during real-time interactions.

Most Useful Chinese Social Media To Promote Your Brand in China

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5 Key Social Media Trends in China (2023–2024)

1. Livestream Commerce 2.0: Interactive, gamified livestreams with virtual try-ons and AI-powered product recommendations.
2. Hyper-Localized KOL/KOC Networks: Micro-influencers targeting niche audiences (e.g., “sensitive skin communities” on Xiaohongshu).
3. AI-Driven Personalization: Algorithms curate beauty content based on skin type, location, and shopping habits.
4. Sustainability Storytelling: Eco-friendly packaging and “clean beauty” campaigns resonate with Gen Z.
5. Short-Form Video Domination: Under-15-second clips for instant engagement, amplified by Douyin’s “Watch & Shop” features.

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5 Beauty Brands Mastering Social Media in China

1. Perfect Diary
   • Strategy: Collaborates with 10,000+ KOCs on Xiaohongshu for authentic reviews; uses limited-edition launches to fuel FOMO.
2. Florasis
   • Strategy: Leverages Chinese cultural heritage (e.g., intricate packaging designs) in Douyin campaigns, paired with livestream demos.
3. L’Oréal China
   • Strategy: Dominates Taobao Live with celebrity-hosted streams (e.g., Li Jiaqi, “Lipstick King”); uses AI skin analysis tools on WeChat.
4. Winona
   • Strategy: Targets sensitive-skin communities on Xiaohongshu with dermatologist-approved content and KOL testimonials.
5. Colorkey
   • Strategy: Viral Douyin challenges (e.g., #ColorkeyLipCloud) and affordable “mini-size” products for Gen Z trial.

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Conclusion :

In China, social media isn’t just a marketing channel—it’s the core of consumer journeys. Brands that fail to master platforms like Douyin and Xiaohongshu risk irrelevance in the world’s largest beauty market.

Here are a few figures you need to know :

• China has 1.2 Billion netizens
• Chinese netizens spend in average 20 hours per week on social media and about as much watching videos.
• Chinese distributors and consumers will never do business or buy products from a brand they do not know (no e-reputation)

Decision making process

Before purchasing a product, Chinese people will always look for the more information possible. We can see this behaviour more in China than in other countries because some cosmetic products are of very poor quality. To avoid purchasing a product that will have bad effect on the skin, Chinese people search for reviews that people who had consumed the product post.

These reviews are usually found on the Social Medias like Weibo, a microblogging platform that allows to write short articles, WeChat, a messaging app, RedNotes (Xiaohongshu) and douyin

They mostly use Taobao, Tmall the biggest online platform on commerce. There is a comment on each cosmetic product on Taobao.

Primary impression on a certain brand

They get their impression on brands by surfing on the Social Medias: in fact, Chinese people like to give their opinions about brand on the Social Medias. It means that people already have an opinion on a brand before using it because they rely a lot on what they can read on the Social Medias.

The most powerful people on the Social Medias are called the KOL, or key opinion leaders. They will always give their opinions and their ideas about products. They are followed by a great number of people who will believe them and have the same opinion. These KOL are on Red, or Weibo for most of them. Chinese consumers are fond of purchase sharing applications like Meilishuo. It’s a social network only in cosmetic and fashion for women.

Brands can be present in too. There is information in, brands and consumers can share photos, advices, etc.

To have information from a lot of people, they will go on forums. Videos are also a great way to know better a product or a brand, especially with cosmetic product. The most used platform is Youku, where a large number of videos are hosted. Cosmetic brand have to watch carefully their own page on the Social Medias, because it tells a lot about their products.

After consumption

As they want to find a lot of information about products, they like to share their experiences. It has two good sides for them: showing what they purchased to their friends and helping people who need information on products. They will use the Social Medias Weibo, WeChat… All the websites they use when they want to get information themselves. On the e-commerce platforms, they will add their own reviews. They will also use the purchase application by adding their experiences to what they already published before purchasing the product.

When a cosmetic company want to be present on the Chinese market and be successful there is no other way than improving its e-reputation first. Part of the process is to improve your presence on Chinese social networks by opening official or service accounts, publish high value content and high quality media on video sharing platforms.

Contact us for more information related to a project you may have!

To know more about what you need to do :

• More news on cosmetics here
• One step further for a good e-reputation, Baidu SEO here