Advanced production and traditional elements give domestic cosmetics a growing edge globally

From Xiaohongshu to TikTok, and from bloggers to everyday users, a growing number of foreign faces are sharing their stories of discovering C-beauty, 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.

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"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 have been used traditionally for hundreds of years and are embedded in Chinese culture."

Chinese herbals such as ginseng, Chinese angelica and green tea 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.

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

The Shanghai-based Chando Group has focused 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.

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Beyond brand growth, the Oriental Beauty Valley in Shanghai 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.

Contact the writers at heqi@chinadaily.com.cn