Latest Trends in China’s Facial Mask Market

Statistics show China has become the world's largest facial mask market, accounting for approximately 47.6% of the global market ^[1], much higher than the 18.7% and 5.7% of Japan and South Korea ranked second and third, respectively.

In the past three years, the penetration rate of facial mask purchases in China has reached 44%. Generation Z (those born after 95) has become the largest consumer group ^[2]. Despite the negative impact of COVID-19 on China’s cosmetics industry, the facial mask segment performed better than expected. Data shows that sales of masks on Taobao / Tmall in March was over 2.2 billion, a 57% increase from February ^[3].

In recent years, market competition in China has become increasingly intensified. Chinese domestic brands are also emerging as a strong force, and are now competing with overseas brands. To better meet the changing and diversifying demands of consumers, brands have made considerable efforts to innovate facial mask products to win more market shares. Here are some of the latest trends. 

Smear-on masks (product is a paste or highly viscous fluid which is smeared onto face and left for a specific length of time)  

According to MKTINDEX, in the past year (2019.4-2020.3), sales of smear-on facial masks have proliferated on e-commerce channels. Although sales of smear-on masks only account for about 10% of the total sales of masks, the sales of this niche category on the Taobao/Tmall platform reached 2.87 billion yuan in the past 12 months. Sales increased by more than 6x year-on-year, far exceeding the overall growth rate observed in the wider mask segment. 

Due to the demand for PPE precipitated by COVID19, the membrane cloth used for cloth masks was instead required to produce large quantities of PPE. The scarcity of sheet facial mask raw materials boosted sales of smear-on masks, which grew in the segment topping out more than ten times compared to the same period the year before ^[4].

A stellar example of a successful smear-on mask in China’s market is Chinese domestic brand geoskincare’s Water SPA Sleeping Mask. It is a kind of leave-on overnight mask available in small independent boxes. This product created a monthly sales record of more than 1 million boxes in its Tmall flagship store, becoming the first brand of Tmall in 2020 to have a single product selling more than 1 million pieces in one month ^[5].

Repairing mask

Demand for facial masks to repair skin problems caused by excessive wearing of masks has surged. Medical dressings (facial masks with certificates for medical devices (in Chinese “械字号面膜”) are increasingly popular. According to data from Beauty Data, the sales of medical dressings in Taobao/Tmall increased by 110% month-on-month in the last 60 days as of April 17. In recent years, medical dressings have been a hit in the Chinese market due to their safety and efficacy. During the 2019 Tmall Double Eleven Shopping Festival, the turnover in just the first 3 minutes of sales of the medical dressing brand "Voolga" exceeded sales during the whole 24 hour period of 11-11 2018 ^[6].

In addition to medical dressings, other facial mask brands bearing functional claims such as anti-allergy, soothing, and repairing are also well-received. For example, Chinese brand WINONA is a functional skin care brand focusing on sensitive skin. It ranked in the TOP 9 skincare brands on Tmall during the 2019 11/11 Double Eleven Shopping Festival with a sales volume of 347 million yuan ^[7]. 

The Chinese Journal of Dermatovenereology has revealed that about 36.1% of women in China have sensitive skin, which means there is much development room for masks focusing on skin soothing and repairing.

Masks with a distinctive selling point

At the end of 2017, there were more than 6,000 facial mask brands in the Chinese market ^[8]. In addition to efficacy, any distinctive features that can give consumers a deeper impression will be beneficial.

For example, the South Korean brand SNP’s animal mask series triggered a social media sensation in 2015. SK-II facial treatment mask, with a function to whiten and smooth the skin. The mask is named the “ex-boyfriend mask” by Chinese consumers, with the idea that it can make your ex-boyfriend regret breaking up with you. In 2019, PROYA Black Salt Deep Purifying Bubble Spa Mask became hot in Chinese social media platforms like Douyin and Little Red Book. The product recorded monthly sales exceeding 1 million boxes in Tmall flagship store, breaking Tmall beauty makeup sales record, and winning the first place in the "2019 July Douyin Beauty and Skin Care Sales List" ^[9]. Also last year, Chinese cosmetic brand KANS rolled out Gold Honey Comb Active Mask, which claims to contain high-purity gold (97.8%), for its purported anti-aging effects. It is now one of the Top 3 bestselling facial mask products in Tmall with monthly sales exceeding 10,000 boxes.

**Disclaimer: All images used in this article are from the internet.