C-Beauty Is On The Rise. Here Are 6 Makeup Brands You Should Know

Beauty editor Ashleigh Cometti charts the viral products from China’s most successful makeup brands.

In 2023, it’s safe to assume most of us are semi-fluent in the beauty export alphabet.

We’ve had J-beauty, K-beauty, and even A-beauty. But it turns out some of the world’s cult favourite beauty buys don’t originate from Japan, Korea or Australia at all. Instead, there are new intercontinental product discoveries to be found hailing out of China.

And while C-beauty hasn’t yet picked up momentum in the West, in China the makeup market is booming.

The umbrella term C-beauty is wide-reaching, encompassing the beauty rituals, cultural heritage and brand innovation originating from China. It couples an approach steeped in Chinese traditions with present-day technological advancements to cater to a new wave of discerning beauty enthusiasts who appreciate the tenets of both.

Social media platform Douyin (China’s answer to TikTok) has propelled C-beauty’s popularity, promising users a plethora of clips showcasing makeup looks and application tips. In stark contrast to the “clean girl aesthetic” that rose to fame this year, such looks are rainbow bright and feature ample glitter — further underpinning the experimental, whimsical and artistic flair of C-beauty as a whole.

The app was so popular, in fact, that it spurred on its own makeup movement. The Douyin aesthetic plays up features to doll-like effect — with hallmarks of the makeup look including doe eyes with false lashes applied, porcelain-smooth skin, ample blush that sweeps from cheeks to eyelids, finished off with a highly glossed pout.

Cotton on to C-beauty by trying out our picks of the most popular (and most impressive) Chinese makeup products, below.

Originating out of West Lake in Hangzhou, China, Florasis is a portmanteau of “flora” and “sister” which points back to its goddess muse standing amongst the flowers. The brand, which is also known as Hua Xi Zi in Chinese, boasts exceptional attention to detail and selects only the most premium natural floral ingredients for its coterie of makeup and skincare. It serves to honour its Chinese heritage by highlighting traditional Chinese craftsmanship in its packaging and worked with master locksmith Xiang Yonglin on the lock-shaped sleeve design of its Blooming Rouge Love Lock Lipstick, approx. $83. Not only this but the bullet itself is delicately engraved with an Eastern love story featuring floral blooms and snakes.

Available from: Florasis.com

Gogo Tales

If packaging is what piques your interest, then Gogo Tales certainly will not disappoint. The casing of its selection of eyeshadow palettes, fine-tipped eyeliners and matte lip products cycle between understated glamour and delightfully whimsical, depending on your preference. You’d expect to pay top dollar for makeup items of this calibre, but instead the wallet-friendly formulas start from less than $10. The Gogo Tales Velvet Matte Lip Glaze Lipstick, approx. $27, is a perennial favourite, drenching lips in one of 12 soft matte shades which promise long-lasting, comfortable wear.

Available from: Gogotales.com

JudyDoll

The annual turnover for JudyDoll and Joocyee (which together make up Joy Group) topped US$256 million in 2022, which cemented their status among the fastest-evolving beauty brands in China. Based in Shanghai, Joy Group offers products via its direct-to-consumer channels and in more than 6000 retail partners across China, reaching a consumer base of more than 60 million shoppers annually. Budget-friendly makeup brand JudyDoll remains a popular pick for Douyin users, with shades running the gamut from soft corals and pinks through to more audacious hues of mint, blue and purple. Not to mention it’s known for creating closely imitated dupes of China’s most popular cosmetics. Case in point: the Starlight Highlighter Powder, approx. $15, is an excellent dupe for the Smashbox x Becca Shimmering Skin Perfector.

Catkin

Famed for its intricate, Chinoiserie-inspired packaging and innovative formulas, Catkin’s majestic makeup has remained a popular pick with C-beauty enthusiasts since it launched in 2007. It is now available at more than 6000 beauty counters across China, and has earned mass appeal for fusing quality makeup with an affordable price point. The Catkin Summer Palace Lipstick, approx. $19, was one of the highlights from its Summer Palace collaboration, thanks to its delicately engraved bullet and varied shade range. More than this, its buildability meant myriad looks could be created from a single product — one swipe over lips for a sheer tint of colour, while additional layers build opacity and deepen its colour pay-off.

Available from: Catkin.com

Perfect Diary

Makeup from Perfect Diary runs the gamut from lipsticks and glosses through to setting powders and concealers. An excellent option should you run out of everything all at once, it offers the full suite of makeup items required for a day-to-day beauty look. It’s surprisingly cheap given its premium quality and is reactive to the needs of Chinese consumers by tailoring its approach depending on their ever-changing needs and preferences. It does so through its high engagement across social media platforms like WeChat, Weibo and Douyin. Not only this, but Perfect Diary supports the protection of endangered species with sales of its now-viral Explorer Eyeshadow Palette 14 Butterfly, approx. $59, going to fundraisers and charities committed to doing so.

Available from: Perfectdiary.com

Flower Knows

Dreamed up by former cosplayers Baozi and Hana, what sets Flower Knows apart is its maximalist, Victorian/Baroque influence as evidenced throughout the range. In the time since its launch, the brand has amassed more than half a million followers on Instagram, which is peppered with posts that adopt a distinctly neo-Renaissance vibe. Its Moonlight Mermaid Jewelry Blush, approx. $43, borrows inspiration from sunset shades to lend a soft, natural flush to cheeks. The cashmere-like powder applies evenly and leaves skin appearing silky smooth and radiant.

Available from: Flowerknows.co

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