Consumption behavior

According to L'Oreal, the purchasing habits of Chinese men in terms of skin care and cosmetics have been changing over the past few years. The company pointed out that men are becoming increasingly interested in using products that are specifically designed for them and are no longer satisfied with sharing products with family members.

"When I was 16, I was affected by acne and that's when I started paying attention to skin care," says Liu.

He added that he focused on picking the right solutions for his skin type, emphasizing that the right products don't necessarily have to be expensive. Liu spends between 1,000 to 2,000 yuan every year on skin care and makeup.

"But, I do think it is normal for a man to spend 5,000 to 10,000 yuan every year on such products," he adds.

While the male skin care and cosmetics market is thriving in most first-tier cities in China, L'Oreal pointed out that there are still over 500 million potential customers in more than 200 emerging cities.

Presently, foreign brands have the upper hand in boosting their market share as Chinese consumers still prefer them over local products, says Liu.
"Because the skin care and makeup industry in Europe has been around for much longer, it naturally has a broader range of brands that have better quality than the Chinese market. However, the domestic market is expanding at an amazing speed and there is a high possibility that it will one day surpass the European market," he adds.