L'Oréal's 25th year in China: Beauty Moves

L’Oréal China 25th Anniversary Exhibition opened on December 16 at the Shanghai Exhibition Center. 25 years ago, L'Oréal opened the Chinese market with the slogan "putting a lipstick in the hands of every Chinese woman". 25 years later, L'Oréal has grown to become the largest beauty group in China.

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According to the third quarterly report released by L'Oréal Group, L'Oréal's sales in the first three quarters were 27.94 billion euros (about $29.6 billion), up 12% year-on-year. It far exceeded the average level of the global beauty market with all business units and regional markets achieving growth. Among them, the first three quarters of the North Asia region's results grew by 7.4% year-on-year.

At the opening ceremony, Nicolas Hieronimus, Chief Executive Officer L’Oreal Group said in a video message that L'Oréal has become the largest beauty group in China, and China has become the second largest market for L'Oréal Group worldwide. And he also stressed that the Chinese market would continue to be an indispensable growth engine for the L'Oréal Group.

The theme exhibition of L'Oréal's 25th anniversary was divided into five chapters, "Beauty Is Diverse and Inclusive", "Beauty Is Innovative", "Beauty Empowers Women", "Beauty Is Sustainable" and "Beauty Evolution".

L'Oreal also brought the new technology products exhibited at the CIIE to the 25th anniversary this time. In the technology innovation zone, L'Oreal showed the YSL ROUGE SUR MESURE and YSL SCENT-SATION. YSL SCENT-SATION is the first personalized fragrance experience service based on neuroscience research. After an initial questionnaire survey, six fragrances are selected for customers to try. In the process of trying the fragrance, the system will capture the consumer's brain waves at times and help them to choose the most suitable fragrance flavor through the algorithm of cognitive science as well as artificial intelligence.

The other YSL ROUGE SUR MESURE combines three new technologies. Firstly its AR fitting technology helps consumers to try on makeup.

Secondly, the combination of L'Oreal Group color technology helps consumers to recommend the right lip color. Thirdly, innovative technology can combine thousands of different lipstick shades with helping consumers experience lip color freedom.

Of course, CHAILEEDO is more interested in knowing what L'Oreal, which is entering its 25th year in China, thinks about the Chinese market.

In an interview with CHAILEEDO, Maxime De Boni, Research & Innovation Vice President L’Oréal China, said that the anti-aging market is a market that L'Oréal is very concerned about and interested in. "In China, more and more young people are starting to pay attention to the field of anti-aging. In August this year, L'Oreal launched a new product for anti-aging, Pro-Xylane Pro, which utilizes the technology of double-penetrating micro-sticks and makes the absorption and penetration effect of Pro-Xylane Pro. As a result, the product received a warm acceptance from a wide range of consumers, including younger consumers and consumers of all age types in general." Maxime said.

Maxime added that L'Oréal feels that Chinese consumers are the most professional, discerning, and demanding segment of consumers in the world. "I would also like to make a particularly interesting point that just because the Chinese consumer is particularly professional and then demanding, these innovations that we make for the Chinese consumer have instead become a source of innovation for the products that we can offer to the European market, to other markets around the world," Maxime said.

It is true that consumer feedback is what drives the brand. L'Oréal, which has been communicating with Chinese consumers for 25 years, also expects to "combine our strengths with those of our ecosystem partners to create the best experience for consumers." Perhaps, as L'Oréal emphasizes, "This is not only about L'Oréal China's 25-year beauty story, but also about all people and beauty."