In the seventh month of going overseas, Fan Bingbing's beauty brand is selling like hot cakes in Southeast Asia!

On the evening of December 20, Fan Bingbing's beauty brand Fan Beauty Diary cooperated with Fredyjays, known as the "Li Jiaqi" of Singapore, to complete its first overseas live broadcast on TikTok. During the period, its products were repeatedly snapped up, so much so that inventory had to be urgently added several times during the live broadcast.

In fact, Fan Beauty is only a microcosm of the booming development of Chinese beauty brands in Southeast Asia. At present, Southeast Asia has become a hot spot for Chinese companies to go overseas, and the beauty field is one of the hottest tracks. In recent years, many overseas brands have captured a large number of fans here, including Judydoll, Perfect Diary, SKINTIFIC, PINKFLASH, O.TWO.O and Dazzle Me.

In this process, China's cross-border e-commerce platforms have become a powerful "sail" for them to ride the wind and waves. Platforms such as Shopee, Lazada, and TikTok Shop not only help brands break through geographical restrictions and quickly deliver products to consumers, but also help brands accurately grasp local market demand and consumption trends through big data analysis and other means, and achieve precise product placement and marketing.

According to Statista data, the size of the Southeast Asian beauty and personal care market is expected to reach US$34.28 billion in 2024, with a compound annual growth rate of 3.04% from 2024 to 2029. More and more Chinese brands are leveraging these online channels to tap into this 100 billion gold mine.

Fan Bingbing's cosmetics brand goes global, first child born in Southeast Asia

Once upon a time, Fan Bingbing dominated the domestic entertainment industry with the name "Fan Ye", firmly sitting on the throne of the top big star, and was a well-deserved popular queen. However, after a storm, her acting career came to an abrupt end. But she did not remain silent, but instead found a new path in the predicament.

When she returned to the public eye many years later, she had made a stunning transformation and became the founder of Fan Beauty Diary, a beauty brand with an annual revenue of 1.1 billion yuan.

Fan Beauty Diary was founded in 2018 and initially focused on expanding the domestic market. With its precise and unique brand positioning and the strong star effect of Fan Bingbing, the brand has grown rapidly. Today, it has achieved excellent sales results on platforms such as Tmall, JD.com, and Xiaohongshu.

At the end of May this year , she took a new step: entering the overseas market and quickly set up Lazada Malaysia and Singapore. The familiar entertainment star has now transformed into a strong competitor in the business field, a change that sellers in the cross-border circle could not have expected.

In December, the company continued to expand its online sales network to Shopee and TikTok Shop. In just seven months, it not only completed the layout of mainstream e-commerce platforms in Southeast Asia, but also successfully launched its first live broadcast on TikTok.

For this livestream, Fan Beauty Diary chose to work with Singapore’s famous livestreamer @Fredyjays Maxx. On TikTok, the influencer has 30,200 followers and mainly sells skin care and beauty products, followed by mobile phones and electronics, as well as pet supplies and fashion accessories.

Echotik data shows that in the past 90 days, Fredyjays' videos have an average of 111,600 views, among which the Fan Beauty Diary debut live preview video he released, recorded by Fan Bingbing, has 38,000 views.

On the night of the live broadcast, Fan Bingbing dropped into the live broadcast room, which greatly aroused fans' enthusiasm for buying. Product sales soared, so much so that inventory was in short supply several times.

In fact, the brand had already established an account on TikTok shortly after announcing its overseas expansion plan. From the release of the first video on June 1 to now, in just over six months, the account has attracted 57,600 fans. The account has currently released 61 videos, but the number of video views varies greatly.

Among them, there are videos in which Fan Bingbing herself demonstrates how to use the products, and the number of views can easily reach tens of thousands or even hundreds of thousands. In sharp contrast, the number of views of videos that are not associated with Fan Bingbing's image is relatively dismal, usually only a few hundred.

This shows that the current attention paid by overseas users to Fan Beauty Diary is largely due to their love and admiration for Fan Bingbing, rather than their in-depth understanding and recognition of the brand connotation and product characteristics. Without her, the content of the account would lose its "eye-catching" magic. This is not the performance of a healthy brand account.

Perhaps it was because of this factor that Fan Beauty Diary did not rely on its own brand account for its first live show, but took a different approach and chose to work with the most influential local KOL in Singapore. This started the journey of shaping the brand image and expanding market share in overseas markets, and gradually guided overseas users to transform their attention to Fan Bingbing into recognition and acceptance of the brand value of Fan Beauty Diary, thereby achieving sustainable development and growth of the brand overseas.

In addition to social e-commerce, Fan Beauty Diary has also achieved good results in shelf e-commerce, which has been deployed for half a year. At present, Fan Beauty Diary has opened two official flagship stores on the Lazada platform, with a total of 62,508 fans and a 99% favorable rating. Searching for the keyword "Fan Beauty" can reach 1,851 related products. Its products are shipped from Malaysia or China, but all orders in Malaysia are shipped locally.

In recent years, Fan Bingbing has been active in Southeast Asia frequently and in a variety of ways. She has not only served as a tourism ambassador, but has also participated in film festivals and attended cruise ship launching ceremonies. These have undoubtedly created a very favorable atmosphere and laid a solid foundation for Fan Beauty Diary to go global. Currently, on the TikTok platform, Fan Bingbing's personal account @fanbingbing916 has accumulated 112,400 followers. With such a strong IP blessing, other beauty brands going global to Southeast Asia are under pressure.

Chinese cosmetics companies go global, targeting Southeast Asia first

According to the data from the General Administration of Customs, in the first eight months of this year, China exported a total of 6.307 billion yuan worth of cosmetics to six Southeast Asian countries, including Indonesia, Malaysia, Thailand, Singapore, Vietnam and the Philippines . Among them, Indonesia is the largest exporter of Chinese cosmetics in Southeast Asia.

At present, Southeast Asia has become a destination for many Chinese beauty brands to go overseas and a springboard to the global market. For example, brands such as Focallure, Judydoll, Perfect Diary, Colorky, SKINTIFIC, PINKFLASH, O.TWO.O and Dazzle Me have won a large number of consumers in the region and achieved excellent sales performance.

Take VENUS MARBLE, a makeup brand under Weiman Cosmetics Co., Ltd. , as an example. From its founding in 2017 to 2020, its GMV was close to 100 million yuan, and it has achieved profitability for three consecutive years.

There is also Perfect Diary, which "went south" in 2020. In May of the second year after its overseas expansion, many of its products quickly became popular: lip products ranked first in Malaysia, makeup ranked first in Singapore and Vietnam, and loose powder sales ranked first in the Philippines.

Why do Chinese beauty brands favor the Southeast Asian market? There are mainly the following reasons:

The market has great potential. Southeast Asia has a large population of about 660 million, and a high proportion of young people. The number of people under the age of 19 accounts for about 1/3 of the total population, and the overall average age is 9-10 years lower than the average age of the Chinese market. Young consumers have a great demand for beauty products, a strong willingness to consume, and are willing to try new brands and products, providing a broad market space for Chinese beauty brands.

Cultural similarity. Southeast Asia and China are geographically close and culturally similar. Consumers have a certain understanding and identification with Chinese culture. This cultural affinity makes them more receptive to Chinese beauty brands and products. At the same time, as the influence of Chinese culture continues to increase around the world, Chinese films, music, fashion, etc. are becoming more and more popular among young people in Southeast Asia. The related Chinese makeup and Chinese beauty products have also received attention and become a fashion trend.

Adaptation of consumer demand. Southeast Asians have similar skin to Chinese people, both of whom are mainly yellow people. They have many common needs in skin care and beauty, such as the pursuit of whitening, sun protection and other effects. At the same time, there are certain similarities in aesthetic concepts. They are more accepting of natural, fresh and exquisite makeup styles. It is easier for Chinese beauty brands to launch products that meet the preferences of local consumers. In addition, Southeast Asian consumers pay attention to the cost-effectiveness of products. While pursuing quality, they are more sensitive to prices. Chinese beauty brands can provide a variety of products with relatively affordable prices, which meets the needs of Southeast Asian consumers for cost-effective beauty products, allowing them to try different beauty products and brands at a lower cost.

Convenient marketing and promotion. The penetration rate of social media in Southeast Asia is high, and platforms such as TikTok and Instagram are very popular there. Chinese beauty brands have accumulated rich experience in social media marketing in China and can apply this experience to the Southeast Asian market. By cooperating with local beauty bloggers and influencers to promote products and promote them, they can quickly increase brand awareness and product sales.

According to Qichacha data, in 2023, the number of registered cosmetics-related companies in China exceeded 5 million for the first time, and the annual registration volume increased by 51.4% year-on-year to 5.632 million, setting a new record in the past decade. These companies are eyeing the huge potential of the Southeast Asian market.

The three major platforms are making efforts, and online sales have become an important channel

According to Statista data, the size of the Southeast Asian beauty and personal care market is expected to reach US$34.28 billion in 2024, with a compound annual growth rate of 3.04% from 2024 to 2029. Online e-commerce platforms are an important bridge connecting Chinese beauty brands and Southeast Asian consumers.

According to Metric data, the total revenue of Chinese cosmetics on Vietnam's three major e-commerce platforms, Shopee, Lazada and Tiki, reached 1005 billion Vietnamese dong (about 289 million yuan) between January 1, 2023 and August 31, 2024. At the same time, TMO Group's "2024 Southeast Asian Cosmetics E-commerce Industry Market Insights" showed that in June this year, on the Shopee and Lazada platforms, the sales of Southeast Asian cosmetics products totaled about 210 million US dollars.

In the process of Chinese beauty brands harvesting the Southeast Asian market, the three Chinese cross-border e-commerce platforms Shopee, Lazada, and TikTok Shop have played an important role in boosting. According to the latest "2024 Southeast Asian E-commerce Report" released by Momentum Works, the total transaction volume of e-commerce platforms in Southeast Asia will reach US$114.6 billion in 2023, and Shopee ranks first with a market share of 48%. At the same time, Lazada and TikTok Shop also took the second and third places with shares of 16.4% and 14.2% respectively.

These platforms have many significant advantages in helping Chinese beauty brands enter the Southeast Asian market:

Lower costs and barriers. Compared with traditional offline channels, the entry cost of e-commerce platforms is relatively low. There is no need to open a large number of physical stores or hire a large number of sales staff in the local area. This greatly reduces the initial investment and operating costs of Chinese beauty brands entering the Southeast Asian market, lowers the market entry threshold, and gives more brands the opportunity to participate in the competition.

Facilitates market testing and risk control. Brands can conduct small-scale market testing on e-commerce platforms to understand the needs and feedback of Southeast Asian consumers, and adjust product and marketing strategies in a timely manner according to market reactions, thereby reducing the risks that may be brought about by large-scale investment. If a product is unpopular in the market, it can be quickly adjusted or stopped from being promoted, thus avoiding excessive inventory backlogs and capital waste.

Providing a basis for precision marketing. These platforms have a large amount of user data and transaction records, which can provide detailed market analysis and consumer insights for Chinese beauty brands. Brands can use this data to understand consumers' purchasing behavior, preferences, geographical distribution and other information, conduct precision marketing and personalized recommendations, improve marketing effectiveness and return on investment, and also help reduce marketing costs and risks.

Assisting localized operations. These platforms have established localized operation teams and service systems in Southeast Asia, and can provide Chinese beauty brands with one-stop localized solutions including language support, customer service, logistics distribution, marketing promotion, etc., helping brands better adapt to the culture, consumption habits, laws and regulations of the Southeast Asian market, and reducing the difficulty and risk of brand localized operations.

Seven major industrial belts help beauty brands rise overseas

As Chinese beauty brands move towards the Southeast Asian and even global markets, the industrial belts behind them have given them a solid foundation and diverse advantages. From a stable and high-quality supply of raw materials, to mature and sophisticated production processes, to a flexible and efficient supply chain system, they are able to accurately grasp international market demand, quickly respond to trends, and gradually gain a foothold in overseas markets with high-quality and cost-effective products. The following is an overview of some of my country's major beauty industry belts:

Guangdong Industrial Belt

Guangzhou : Look to Guangzhou for Chinese beauty and Guangzhou for beauty . Guangzhou Baiyun District has always been known as the Silicon Valley of China's cosmetics industry. Guangzhou Baiyun District has more than 4,000 cosmetics upstream and downstream companies, accounting for one-third of the country. It is the largest cosmetics OEM production base in the country, with a large number of chemical raw materials, mold manufacturing, packaging design, e-commerce platforms, beauty supermarkets and production and manufacturing and other upstream and downstream supporting chains. The industrial cluster is quite large, and the complete beauty industry chain supply chain provides a solid foundation for beauty exports.

Shenzhen : With beauty industry clusters such as Pingshan "Beauty Valley", Shenzhen's beauty industry has advantages in technological innovation and brand marketing. It is in a leading position in China in the research and development of high-end beauty products, smart beauty tools, and the use of big data and artificial intelligence for precision marketing, providing technical and marketing support for the export of beauty products.

Zhongshan : Known as the "Cosmetics Capital of China", it has many cosmetics manufacturers and a solid industrial foundation. It is experienced in the production, manufacturing, quality control and cost control of beauty products. It can efficiently produce beauty products that meet international standards and different market demands. Its products are highly competitive in markets such as Southeast Asia and the Middle East.

Shandong Industrial Belt

Pingdu : At least 7 out of every 10 pairs of eyelashes in the world come from here. It has the title of "China's False Eyelash Capital". The annual output value of the false eyelash industry is about 10 billion yuan, and the products are mainly sold to Europe, the United States, Japan, South Korea and other parts of the world. Its false eyelash industry has obvious advantages in production technology, product quality and cost control, forming a complete industrial chain.

Hebei Industrial Belt

Qing County: In the 1990s, the local government introduced a number of Korean brush factories through investment promotion, and gradually developed into the world's makeup brush supply center. Currently, there are more than 1,000 makeup brush factories, supporting an annual output value of 3 billion. The products are mainly supplied to the European and American markets, and they have outstanding performance in quality control, style design and production efficiency of makeup brushes.

Zhejiang Industrial Belt

Hangzhou: As the headquarters, R&D center and marketing center of Zhejiang's beauty industry, it has a number of beauty brands and R&D institutions with international influence. It has strong capabilities in the innovative development, brand planning and marketing of beauty products. Its beauty products are exported to many countries and regions around the world, especially in the high-end markets of Europe and the United States, where it has a certain market share.

Huzhou: With the Beauty Town in Daixi Town, Wuxing District as the core, it brings together Nanxun, Deqing and Anji to build a "one core and three zones" Huzhou cosmetics industry pattern . Among them, the Beauty Town is the only core bearing area of ​​the cosmetics industry in Zhejiang Province during the "14th Five-Year Plan" period, and it is also one of the three major cosmetics industry clusters in the country. As of the end of March 2024, the Beauty Town has introduced a total of 281 cosmetics and related companies, covering the entire industry chain of cosmetics production and research and development, packaging design, logistics warehousing, marketing services, etc.

Jinhua: It focuses on the export of cosmetics and has significant advantages in the production and export of cosmetics products. It has formed a large-scale cosmetics industry cluster. Its cosmetics products are popular in the international market for their rich colors, diverse styles and high cost-effectiveness. The main export markets include Southeast Asia, Africa, South America and other regions.

Shanghai Industrial Belt

As an international metropolis, Shanghai is home to the Asia-Pacific or China headquarters of many internationally renowned beauty brands. It is also home to a large number of beauty R&D centers, design companies and marketing agencies. It plays a leading role in the high-end and internationalization of beauty products. Its exported beauty products are mainly aimed at high-end markets in developed countries and regions such as Europe, the United States, Japan and South Korea, and are known for their high quality, high-tech content and fashionable design.

Jiangsu Industrial Belt

The beauty industry in Suzhou, Nantong and other places has developed relatively prominently, and has industrial advantages in cosmetic packaging materials, fine chemical raw materials, etc., providing important supporting support for the production of beauty products. At the same time, some beauty brands have also emerged in the domestic market and gradually expanded overseas markets. Their beauty products are constantly improving in quality and innovation, and their export markets are mainly concentrated in Asia and Europe .

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