Fragrance Creators Association, the trade association of fragrance manufacturing in North America, appointed Dan Selechnik, Ph.D. as New Director, Regulatory Science. Dan Selechnik has been appointed as the Fragrance Creators Association's new Director of Regulatory Affairs, effective June 20, 2023. In this position, he will be responsible for overseeing the association's regulatory science programs, which include policy and regulatory actions. His role is to ensure that the fragrance industry's science and safety standards are integrated into all the association's activities. Dan Selechnik has four years of experience in the fragrance industry, where he has specialized in evaluating the safety of fragrance materials. He previously held the position of Senior Scientist at the Research Institute for Fragrance Materials (RIFM), where he oversaw testing procedures, communicated risk assessment strategies, and reported on joint research initiatives. Dan Selechnik received his Bachelor of Science in Biology from Ursinus College and a Ph.D. in Biological Sciences from the University of Sydney. His Ph.D. thesis was recognized with the Jabez King Heydon Memorial Prize for Best Thesis in the Biological Sciences. Following his graduation, Selechnik began working as a Post-Doctoral Scientist at RIFM, where he held a variety of scientific positions. As the Director of Regulatory Science at Fragrance Creators, he will oversee the association's Regulatory Science Executive Committee. The Fragrance Creators Association is a trade organization that represents most of the fragrance manufacturing industry in North America, as well as other fragrance-related interests throughout the value chain. The association's membership includes a wide range of companies, from large to small, that create, produce, and utilize fragrances and scents for various applications, including personal care, home care, fine fragrance, home design, and industrial and institutional products. Such as Chanel, P&G, Estée Lauder, LVMH, COSMO. Additionally, the association represents companies that supply fragrance ingredients, including natural extracts and other raw materials that are used in fragrance mixtures and perfumery.

Hong Kong Census and Statistics Department released the provisional statistics of retail sales for April 2023. The value of total retail sales in April provisionally estimated at HK$34.7 billion ($4.43 billion), saw growth of 15% compared to last year. Medicines and cosmetics retail sales up 34.8% to HK$2.953 billion ($377.02 million). The Census and Statistics Department of Hong Kong published the preliminary data on retail sales for April 2023. According to the report, the total value of retail sales in April was provisionally estimated at HK$34.7 billion ($4.43 billion), which reflects a growth of 15% when compared to the same period last year. The sales of medicines and cosmetics increased significantly by 34.8% to HK$2.953 billion ($377.02 million). The provisional estimate suggests that the total value of retail sales increased by 21.7% during the first four months of 2023 when compared with the same period in 2022. In April 2023, online sales accounted for 6.4% of the total retail sales value, with a provisional estimate of HK$2.2 billion ($280.89 million). This amount reflects an 11.9% decrease when compared to April 2022. The revised estimate for online retail sales in March 2023 showed a decrease of 9.1% compared to the same month in the previous year. The provisional estimate for the first four months of 2023 suggests that the value of online retail sales decreased by 6.9% when compared to the same period in 2022. When considering the provisional estimate of the value of sales in descending order by broad type of retail outlet and comparing April 2023 with April 2022, the sales of jewelry, watches, clocks, and valuable gifts saw the largest increase at 75.2%. This was followed by sales of wearing apparel, which increased by 38.6%. Sales of medicines and cosmetics increased by 34.8%, while sales of other consumer goods not elsewhere classified increased by 17.8%. Commodities in department stores saw a 14.0% increase in value, and finally, sales of food, alcoholic drinks, and tobacco increased by 3.9%. According to the seasonally adjusted series, the provisional estimate indicates that the value of total retail sales increased by 29.2% in the three months ending April 2023 when compared to the preceding three-month period. Additionally, the provisional estimate of the volume of total retail sales increased by 25.5% during the same period. According to a government spokesman, the visible increase in the value of total retail sales in April 2023 compared to the same period in the previous year can be attributed to the improving consumption sentiment and increased visitor arrivals. The spokesman also mentioned that the revival of inbound tourism and local consumption demand is expected to continue to positively impact the performance of the retail sector.

Beautycounter, the California-based clean beauty brand, announced Marc Rey to Step down as the company's CEO. The company did not offer a reason for his departure. The CEO of California-based clean beauty brand Beautycounter, Marc Rey, has resigned from his position, and the company has not disclosed the reason for his departure. The company is currently in the process of finding a suitable replacement for the role, and in the meantime, Mindy Mackenzie, a member of the board of directors, has been appointed as the interim CEO. Marc Rey, a veteran of the industry, joined Beautycounter in January 2022. This appointment was made as the company's founder, Gregg Renfrew, transitioned into the role of Executive Chair and Chief Brand Officer. Before joining Beautycounter, Marc Rey held various executive positions in the beauty industry. From 1999 Jan to 2001 May, Marc Rey served as the GM of France of Johnson & Johnson. Then he took the role of CEO in YSL Beaute USA. After that, he joined L'Oreal USA as the President of YSL Beaute, Giorgio Armani & Ralph Lauren Beauty. Marc Rey held the position of CEO of Shiseido Americas and Global Chief Growth Officer until August 2020. Before joining Shiseido in 2015, he worked as Senior Vice President of Coty North America. Beautycounter has appointed Nicole Malozi as its new Chief Financial Officer, succeeding Zach Shuler. Malozi has previously worked at Tatcha and Nike. Moreover, Roberto Marques, the former Executive Chair and Group CEO of Natura & Co, has joined the company's board of directors as Chair. Beautycounter board of directors said, “We thank Marc Rey for his contributions to Beautycounter and for laying the foundation for the next phase of growth for the business. We appreciate his dedication and service and wish him all the best in his future endeavors. We are thrilled to welcome Mindy, Roberto, and Nicole to the leadership team. We remain committed to Beautycounter’s mission and to continue to Raise Up Beauty for all and know this collective expertise will be invaluable as we continue to grow the business and focus on operational excellence.”

DFS, the LVMH-owned travel retailer, signed strategic partnerships with Ctrip Global Shopping and Unipay International. The partnership is aimed to focus on China travel retail market. DFS Group, the luxury travel retailer owned by LVMH, has announced that it has formed two strategic partnerships to expand its reach to Chinese customers who are resuming their travels. Firstly, DFS Group has entered a strategic partnership with UnionPay International (UPI), a subsidiary of a state-owned payment processing company in China. As part of the partnership, DFS Group and UnionPay International (UPI) will collaborate to promote the adoption of QR code payments and U-Plan, which is UPI's cross-border marketing platform. Additionally, UPI will assist DFS in enhancing its marketing content and strengthening customer relationships. In response to the trend of resuming cross-border travel, UnionPay International and DFS have announced further upgrades to their summer travel and National Day holiday marketing activities based on previous cooperation achievements. UnionPay International will also leverage its resource integration capabilities to attract more commercial banks to participate, allowing consumers to enjoy greater discounts. In addition to marketing cooperation, the two sides also agreed to comprehensively enhance the service capabilities for UnionPay cardholders. Firstly, promote the integration of DFS official mall resources with the Cloud Flash App, providing Cloud Flash App users with an innovative shopping mode of "online purchase, offline pick-up." Secondly, accelerate the promotion of UnionPay QR code acceptance, opening DFS stores in Hong Kong, Macau, South Pacific, Indonesia, Japan, and other locations to support UnionPay QR code payments. Thirdly, promote the integration of UnionPay QR code payment codes and related discount coupon codes, allowing consumers to complete payment and enjoy discounts with a single scan. In the future, the two sides will also explore cooperation opportunities in the fields of DFS membership and points redemption. Moreover, DFS Group and Ctrip Global Shopping signed a strategic cooperation agreement in Shanghai. The two parties will cooperate in marketing services, online experience upgrades, and membership reciprocity to jointly create a more comprehensive pre-travel, mid-travel, and overseas travel shopping service for travelers. Currently, the convenience of outbound travel continues to improve, and the potential for Chinese tourists' shopping consumption continues to recover, making the overseas travel shopping market promising. DFS and Ctrip Global Shopping will focus on strengthening the digitalization of travel shopping and upgrading various cooperation models. In the future, users will be able to use Ctrip points to redeem DFS cash vouchers and the existing Ctrip cashback cooperation will also be applied to more DFS stores worldwide, including the DFS Chongqing Airport store, which will go online for cooperation in June this year. Previously, the two parties have made new promotion attempts in the fields of DFS World and the Annual Beauty Campaign.

Chinese beauty brand Florasis has been invited to the Business of Beauty Global Forum organized by The Business of Fashion, which made Florasis the first and only Chinese beauty to participate in the top global beauty forum since its inception. From left to right: Imran Amed, Founder and CEO of BOF, Renata Gomide, Marketing Vice President of Grupo Boticário, Zaher Eldassouky, General Manager, Beauty Division of Chalhoub Group, Gabby YJ Chen, Global Expansion President of Florasis, photographer: Matteo Prandoni, Rowben Lantion “From not being recognized when I first ventured abroad 20 years ago to gradually gaining attention and now being beloved, it is not only due to my efforts, but also the energy emanating from my work, which reflects the increasingly prosperous and powerful China behind it.” A well-known Chinese fashion designer once expressed such emotions. Undeniably, in the wave of brands going global, there is already a group of brands with distinct Chinese features that represent Eastern aesthetics and have successfully entered the world stage. Chinese brands are playing an increasingly important role in the global fashion industry. Recently, the Business of Beauty Global Forum, hosted by The Business of Fashion (BoF), one of the most authoritative fashion media in the world, came to a close. According to CHAILEEDO, since its inception, the forum has only invited globally renowned beauty brands, industry leaders, entrepreneurs, and innovators, without inviting any Chinese brands. However, this year, a Chinese beauty brand made its debut at the forum. Who is it? China's first and only beauty brand being invited In the field of beauty and fashion, BoF is widely renowned. BoF is dedicated to providing original fashion business news and the most authoritative analysis of the fashion, beauty, and luxury industry intelligence. It is a daily must-read for industry leaders both domestically and internationally and an essential source of information for executives, creatives, students, and entrepreneurs. In the fashion industry, it is referred to as the "industry bible," "the Economist of fashion," and "the most influential fashion website in the world". The Business of Beauty Global Forum is a fashion industry summit organized by BoF, bringing together leaders, entrepreneurs, leading retailers, experts, and innovative financial institutions in the beauty and fashion industry to focus on the latest industry topics. As a media organization focused on the beauty industry, Qingyan is dedicated to telling the story of Chinese cosmetics to the world. Its English media brand, CHAILEEDO, reports the Chinese beauty market to industry professionals, Key Opinion Leaders (KOLs), and Key Opinion Consumers (KOCs) through its independent website and social media platforms worldwide. From left to right: Imran Amed, Founder and CEO of BOF, Gabby YJ Chen, Global Expansion President of Florasis, Renata Gomide, Marketing Vice President of Grupo Boticário, Zaher Eldassouky, General Manager, Beauty Division of Chalhoub Group, photographer: Matteo Prandoni, Rowben Lantion Being one of the top global fashion forums, the Business of Beauty Global Forum is also an event that CHAILEEDO had been paying close attention to. This forum has invited 47 industry professionals, including Jane Lauder, Executive Vice President of Enterprise Marketing and Chief Data Officer at Estée Lauder, Jean-André Rougeot, President and CEO of Sephora Americas, and Cécile Lochard, Chief Sustainability Officer at Guerlain. During the forum, representatives from leading global beauty and fashion companies, entrepreneurs, and executives jointly conducted a two-day in-depth discussion on the beauty industry's current situation and development direction, finding growth opportunities, and how to build customer relationships. Notably, CHAILEEDO observed the presence of domestic Chinese brands for the first time at this year's forum. Gabby YJ Chen, Global Expansion President of Florasis, presented the Eastern culture and aesthetics embodied by the Florasis brand under the topic "What does beauty mean today?" to the global beauty industry. It is worth mentioning that Florasis is the only Chinese beauty brand invited to the forum since its inception. Practice is the basis for authority As the first and only Chinese beauty brand invited to participate in the forum, Florasis shared the stage with Estée Lauder and other industry leaders to voice their opinions on the beauty industry. Why? Any theory or concept gains credibility and authority when it is grounded in practical application. In fact, since the launch of its international expansion strategy in 2021, Florasis has already sparked a global trend of pursuing "Chinese makeup" and "Eastern aesthetics," using cosmetics as a medium and culture as its foundation. CHAILEEDO also learned that BoF's invitation for Florasis to participate in the forum was based on Florasis' influence among global beauty consumers and its representation of unique and charming Eastern culture and aesthetics. "At the beginning, as a Chinese brand that had only been established for a few years, Florasis did not plan to go global so quickly," Gabby shared the opportunities and journey of Florasis' overseas expansion during the forum. Looking back on Florasis' expansion journey, Gabby shared a story: last year, a Japanese TV production team believed that the artistic quality of Florasis products perfectly matched their needs. They hoped to use Florasis’ Floral Engraving Phoenix Makeup Palette and Engraved Lipstick as makeup products in their TV drama. This made Gabby realize that "Florasis' Eastern culture and aesthetics have a shared understanding and uniqueness worldwide. Florasis hopes to convey this beauty, which originates from Eastern culture and is combined with global fashion trends, to everyone, injecting new vitality into the diverse world of beauty. Our products and inside Eastern culture and aesthetics have been widely welcomed by consumers worldwide." After two years, Florasis' products and the inside Eastern culture and aesthetics have gained widespread recognition from global consumers. According to Gabby, "Last year, our products satisfaction rate for sales outside of China exceeded 96%, with a return rate below 1%." As of now, Florasis' overseas social media accounts have a total of over 2 million followers, and consumers from more than 100 countries and regions have purchased Florasis' products. It is worth mentioning that, unlike most Chinese brands that initially target Southeast Asia when expanding overseas, CHAILEEDO has learned that since Florasis began its global expansion in 2021, over half of its overseas sales have come from highly developed beauty markets such as the United States and Japan. In fact, unlike some domestic Chinese brands that adapt to local customs in their international expansion efforts to accelerate brand awareness and sales conversion, CHAILEEDO has learned that Florasis shows no compromise in promoting Eastern aesthetics. For example, Florasis’ signature product, the Blooming Rouge Love Lock Lipstick, features an embossed design depicting a love story from over 2,000 years ago in China—Zhang Chang painted eyebrows. Gabby YJ Chen, Global Expansion President of Florasis, photographer: Matteo Prandoni, Rowben Lantion Nowadays, overseas consumers of Florasis are also familiar with this story. During the Han Dynasty, an official named Zhang Chang would spend time every morning drawing eyebrows for his wife, which caused him to be late to meet the emperor. However, when the emperor learned of the reason behind his tardiness, he did not punish Zhang. This incident not only became a popular tale of the time but also became one of the classic stories of Chinese people expressing their love implicitly. As Gabby said, "If Florasis doesn't engrave this story on lipstick, this story would only remain in the history textbooks for Chinese students." Today, through the Blooming Rouge Love Lock Lipstick, Florasis has brought this unique Chinese love story to the world. Indeed, the journey of Florasis' overseas expansion can be considered as its process of exporting Chinese cosmetics, Chinese quality, Chinese culture, and aesthetics to the world. From the various examples mentioned above, apparently for Florasis, whether it is actively promoting the brand's international presence or participating in this forum, there is only one goal—to make classics recognized by the modern world and to make the Eastern culture recognized by the world. Building the Chinese fashion system With the development of global economic integration, it is a trend for Chinese brands to go global. If a Chinese brand wants to tell a story to the world, it must first establish a deep relationship with the world, and only by establishing a position in a certain field can we seek better development. From the perspective of the fashion industry, where beauty products are located, the West has always dominated the international fashion discourse system. In this situation, it is of great practical significance for Chinese local fashion to seek fashion discourse power globally. As a fashion industry insider pointed out, fashion symbols and cultural values are often achieved through brands. Apparently, as the only and first Chinese beauty brand to participate in the BoF forum, Florasis’ journey of going global not only proves the quality and charm of Chinese brands but also brings traditional Chinese culture to overseas markets, making Chinese and Eastern beauty recognized by the world. The Florasis brand's design, which is deeply rooted in Eastern aesthetics, has also won over many overseas consumers, reflecting the potential of Chinese aesthetics to become an international trend. "Over the 5,000 years of history in China, the unique beauty of the Eastern culture has been nurtured. Florasis is undoubtedly a model that perfectly combines modern aesthetics with the beauty of traditional Chinese culture," An experienced industry insider commented on Florasis. Gabby YJ Chen, Global Expansion President of Florasis, photographer: Matteo Prandoni, Rowben Lantion From consumers to the beauty industry, fashion media, and national news and information agencies, the global influence of the brand has been widely recognized. Historically, every adjustment in national strength has brought a shift in cultural centers and fashion centers. With the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation, there is a global craze for Hanfu (traditional Han Chinese clothing), cultural relics, and intangible cultural heritage. Traditional Chinese culture is systematically gathering a torrent of values, showcasing the accumulated heritage of five thousand years to the world. As important carriers of cultural communication and fashion development, fashion brands such as Florasis, Li-Ning, and Bosideng, which are highly distinctive in Chinese style, have bravely gone global while steadfastly choosing to integrate Chinese culture into their brand innovation and design innovation. They have taken on a leading role in building the Chinese fashion system on the world stage. Undoubtedly, the shift in fashion discourse power is not something that can be achieved overnight. However, it can be foreseen that with the gathering of new forces represented by Chinese brands like Florasis, and the promotion of the construction of a Chinese fashion discourse system rooted in Chinese culture, there will be a revolutionary change in the global fashion industry development landscape.

Mac Cosmetics' Viva Glam campaign has been running for 29 years and has donated over $500 million to grantees such as the Hetrick-Martin Institute and the LGBTQ Center in Los Angeles. Recently, MAC Cosmetics announced that this year's Viva Glam campaign will not feature limited edition lipsticks, but rather a day of giving to raise funds for organisations that support equal rights. Mac Cosmetics plans to raise $500,000 this year According to MAC Cosmetics, all sales of its lipsticks on June 9 will be donated to LGBTQ and women's rights organisations, and all lipstick sales (excluding lip glosses, lip balms, palettes and primers) made online and in standalone MAC shops will count towards the campaign. “Opening up [the campaign] this year to include over 200 shades of lipstick in all sizes, allows us to broaden our reach and have interesting conversations with even those consumers who may not be aware of Viva Glam,” said MAC’s senior vice president and global chief marketing officer Aïda Moudachirou-Rébois. To date, Viva Glam has donated more than $500 million to grantees such as the Hetrick-Martin Institute and the LGBT Q Center in Los Angeles, and in 2019 the brand is expanding the programme to benefit feminist organisations. Last year, Mac piloted a 'Day of Giving' in the UK, raising $60,000 in 24 hours and prompting the brand to go global with the initiative. This year, Mac Cosmetics is aiming to raise $500,000. “[$60,000] was massive for that market — we need to evolve our initiatives so they can be as impactful, and as breakthrough as they were when they were first born,” Moudachirou-Rébois said. “These issues have changed and evolved over the years, and the technology available to improve on these issues has also evolved — we have the ability now to touch more people,” said Moudachirou-Rébois, adding that 2024 will mark both the 30th anniversary of Viva Glam and the 40th anniversary of MAC’s founding. “From 1994 to 2023, Viva Glam is still the most important part of our brand — that has stayed the same,” Moudachirou-Rébois said. (Credit: Mac Cosmetics Viva Glam Series) Viva Glam has been around for 29 years It is said that in 1994, Frank Angelo and Frank Tosca, founders of Mac Cosmetics, realized that no global beauty brand really embraced every gender, every size, every shape and every colour, and that very little was known about HIV and AIDS. To raise awareness of these two populations, they created a lipstick called Viva Glam. To make more people aware of Viva Glam lipsticks, Mac tapped Rupaul Charles as the spokesperson. After the first marketing campaign, the lipstick became an instant hit and received more and more attention from consumers, capitalising on Rupaul Charles' popularity. Since then, over 50 celebrities have supported the Viva Glam campaign, including Rihanna, Lady Gaga, Elton John, and Lil' Kim. (Credit: Vava Clam collection endorsed by Lady Gaga) In 2019, Mac Cosmetics celebrates the 25th anniversary of Viva Glam with the launch of the 25th Anniversary Limited Edition Viva Glam Lipstick and announced it honored 10 heritage grantees that have been VIVA GLAM grantees from the beginning with $25,000 each, along with three large grants as part of VIVA GLAM’s expanded vision to support the work of Planned Parenthood, GLAAD and Girls, Inc. totaling $1.3 million to further their work in the areas of sexual health, LGBTQ rights and girls’ development respectively. In March, the brand refreshed its 30-year-old Back to MAC sustainability program, partnering with Close the Loop and Plastics for Change to optimize its packaging recycling processes and support plastic collection workers. Next year will mark the 30th anniversary of the Viva Glam campaign and also the 40th anniversary of the Mac. Moudachirou-Rébois stated that “These issues have changed and evolved over the years, and the technology available to improve on these issues has also evolved — we have the ability now to touch more people.” “From 1994 to 2023, Viva Glam is still the most important part of our brand — that has stayed the same,” Moudachirou-Rébois said. Marketing for The LGBTQ community is a chance to build their brand image LGBTQ is an acronym that serves as an umbrella term for certain sexualities and gender identities, representing "Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender people", also known as "rainbow people". In order to refer to anyone who is not heterosexual or non-cisgender, a popular variant, "LGBTQ", adds the letter Q for those who identify as cool or question their sexual or gender identity. The economy driven by the consumption of the LGBTTQ community is called the "rainbow economy". According to Statista data, a total of 7.2% of American adults will identify as LGBTQ in 2022, a record high. Nearly 20% of Generation Z identify as LGBTQ, compared to 11.2% of millennials. Generation Z, born between 1997 and 2004, is the most homophobic generation in terms of self-identification. According to the New York Times, the LGBTQ community in the US has an estimated annual purchasing power of $1.1 trillion. As times progress and evolve, it is believed that the purchasing power of the LGBTQ community will continue to grow. The LGBTQ community's annual holiday in June, known as Pride Month, is the perfect time for the fashion industry to showcase its concern, inclusion and support for the LGBTQ+ community. CHAILEEDO has noticed that Mac Cosmetics' Viva Glam campaign has won over the LGBTQ+ community. And more and more beauty brands are speaking out for LGBTQ+ community as well. One such brand is Dragun Beauty, a beauty company founded by transgender Nikita Dragun, which sold out in less than 24 hours when it was first launched on the website. Many of its beauty items sold out in seconds. "The first Trans owned beauty brand for Trans people and ALL people," she wrote on Instagram. "I'm so honored to have Trans, Nonbinary, Gender Fluid, models of all shapes, sizes, and colors a part of my campaign." (Credit: Dragun Beauty products) Meanwhile, beauty industry giants and retailers are beginning to overhaul the gender-specific status quo of their products. In 2018, Sephora launched make-up classes for trans and genderless customers. Chanel launched its men's beauty line Boy de Chanel, and Off-White's first beauty collection launched in April this year with a genderless positioning. And one of the core aspects of marketing is to create an emotional connection. Supporting the LGBTQ+ community with tangible actions is what will move consumers. There are many ways to support this, the easiest being to donate in partnership with relevant charity organisations, an action that brands like Mac Cosmetics is taking. American niche fragrance brand Boy Smells has also made its own contribution to the LGBTQ+ community by donating 10% of online sales of its PRIDE range of scented candles to The Trevor Project, the world's largest support organisation for the LGBTQ+ youth community. The body care brand The Body Shop also encouraged consumers to petition for affirmative action by guaranteeing that for every person who signs the petition. The Body Shop donates one dollar to the Equality Federation, which supports LGBTQ organizations. And in China, LGBTQ+ people are slowly becoming visible to the general public. Dior China, for example, has taken the bold step of casting transgender public figure Jin Xing as the female lead in the brand's J’adore fragrance campaign in 2021. In the campaign, Jin Xing gives a large personal monologue in which she expresses her views and opinions on a range of topics such as female identity, independence and gender equality, gaining the attention and buzz of the public. Many netizens said that although the ad was not labelled as Pride Month, it was a marketing campaign with multiple socio-cultural connotations and definitely played a role in making people aware of and think about the LGBTQ+ community. In today's situation, brands are no longer working alone and being genderless is no longer a 'politically correct' slogan, but a practical concept that is based on the product and meets the needs of consumers. Pride Month serves as a window into the development and importance of transgender culture internationally and how it can drive brand marketing.

Clean beauty brand Beautycounter has announced the appointment of Mindy Mackenzie as the Interim CEO, succeeding Marc Rey. Mindy will assume the role with immediate effect. Beautycounter, a prominent clean beauty company, has announced the appointment of Mindy Mackenzie as the Interim CEO, succeeding Marc Rey. Mackenzie, who previously served as a Board Director, will assume the role with immediate effect. Marc Rey and the Beautycounter Board have decided together to move into a new phase of leadership for the company, which has resulted in Rey stepping down from his role as CEO. The Board has stated that it will conduct a comprehensive search to find a permanent CEO for the company. Mackenzie joined Beautycounter following her role as Partner and Chief Performance Officer at Carlyle, where she established and supervised the Talent & Organization Performance team. In this position, she offered valuable guidance to CEOs on optimizing organizational, operational, and leadership performance. Prior to that, Mackenzie served as a Senior Advisor at McKinsey and held leadership positions in strategy, M&A, and human resources at Jim Beam, a prominent and successful brand. “I’m so excited to join the Beautycounter community and to continue our mission to get safer beauty products into the hands of everyone.” Mindy wrote in her LinkedIn account. Roberto Marques, who previously served as the Executive Chair & Group CEO of Natura & Co, a prominent sustainable brand operating through direct-to-consumer channels, is taking on the position of Chair on Beautycounter's Board of Directors. As part of this transition, Beautycounter is also introducing Nicole Malozi as the new Chief Financial Officer. Malozi brings substantial executive finance expertise from renowned consumer brands such as Tatcha, Nike, and DFS Group Limited. Her appointment strengthens Beautycounter's leadership team and brings valuable financial acumen to the company. Beautycounter, established by Gregg Renfrew in 2011 and introduced in 2013, is at the forefront of the cleaner skin care and cosmetics industry. The company's primary objective is to ensure that safer products are accessible to all individuals. Beautycounter operates as an omnichannel brand, providing various avenues for customers to access its products. Presently, customers can conveniently shop for Beautycounter products through multiple channels, including online platforms, physical retail stores, and strategic partnerships such as Ulta Beauty. Moreover, Beautycounter extends its reach through a network of Brand Advocates located throughout North America and Canada.

HK Census and Statistics Department released the latest figures on retail sales. The total value of retail sales in March 2023 estimated at HK$33.6 billion ($4.29 billion), representing a significant increase of 40.9% compared to the same month in 2022. While medicines and cosmetics retail sales saw a remarkable growth of 64.4%. HK Census and Statistics Department released the latest figures on retail sales. The total value of retail sales in March 2023 estimated at HK$33.6 billion ($4.29 billion), representing a significant increase of 40.9% compared to the same month in 2022. Furthermore, the revised estimate for the combined total value of retail sales in January and February 2023 showed a 17.3% increase compared to the same period in the previous year. Out of the total retail sales value in March 2023, online sales accounted for 7.6%. According to provisional estimates, the value of online retail sales in March amounted to HK$2.6 billion ($331.95 million), indicating a decrease of 8.6% compared to the same month in 2022. The revised estimate for the combined value of online retail sales in January and February 2023 showed a 3.8% decrease compared to the same period in the previous year. The value of retail sales for jewellery, watches and clocks, and valuable gifts increased by 165%. Wearing apparel saw 136% growth. Medicines and cosmetics retail sales increased by 64.4%. which was significantly lower than the growth rate of jewellery, watches and clocks, and valuable gifts. Despite receiving many visitors, Sa Sa Intl, the HK-based retailer, said the Group’s retail and wholesale turnover increased by 30.3% year on year. Compared with the same period of the financial year of 2018/19 before the COVID-19 pandemic (“pre-pandemic period”), the Group’s turnover has recovered by 54.4%. In 2022, the total revenue of another HK-based retailer Watsons reached HK$169.645 billion ($21.62 billion), representing a 2% year-on-year decline. The revenue in the Chinese market dropped significantly by 23%, marking the worst performance in nearly nine years. During the year, Watsons' EBITDA in the Chinese market was HK$1.09 billion ($138.89 million), a 59% year-on-year decline. Despite normal travel between Hong Kong SAR and Mainland China partially resumed from this year, the HK retails are still facing challenge.

Le Labo previously had two stores in Hong Kong and the upcoming store in Shanghai's Xintiandi will be its first store in mainland China. On March 30th, Le Labo, a niche fragrance brand under the Estée Lauder Group, announced the upcoming opening of its first store in mainland China with the message "久闻，不如见面" (I've heard a lot about it, let's meet). Industry insiders speculated that the store would open in the first half of 2023, and now it has been confirmed that the store is awaiting local fire department approval and is expected to meet Chinese consumers offline on June 1st. Founded in downtown New York in 2006 by Eddie Roschi and Fabrice Penot, Le Labo was acquired by Estée Lauder in 2014. The brand has attracted extensive attention from Chinese consumers, as evidenced by its 28,000 followers and 23,000 likes on the Chinese social media platform Xiaohongshu as of today(May 31st, 2023). (credit: LE LABO account on Xiaohongshu) Currently, some consumers are sharing on Xiaohongshu that "the pricing in China is very reasonable, similar to that of abroad when considering exchange rates." In his article, they introduced the prices as follows: 2380 yuan ($334.86) for 100ml, 1680 yuan ($236.37) for 50ml, and 780 yuan ($109.74) for 15ml. (Chinese consumer’s post on Xiaohongshu ) The first store in the Chinese Mainland Previously, Le Labo had two stores in Hong Kong. The upcoming Le Labo store in Shanghai's Xintiandi will be the brand's first store in mainland China. (LE LABO's storefront) On the ground floor of the store, 17 of the brand's 19 iconic fragrances, body, hair and skincare products, as well as its best-selling candles, are on display and for sale. (LE LABO's ground floor) On the second floor, there are display cabinets and a lounge area. The brand has recreated the perfumer's workbench, displaying fragrant oils with ingredient labels and perfumery tools to recreate the perfumer's workplace. (LE LABO's perfumery corner on the second floor) It is worth mentioning that this is also the second Le Labo store in the world to have a cafe. The cafe on the second floor offers vegan coffee and baked goods. The lounge area also features books on perfume, handmade creations, and lifestyle topics. Unfortunately, the specialty of the Le Labo store is the fragrance-making workshop, where perfumers can handcraft fragrances on site, allowing customers to see the process of fresh fragrance blending. However, due to Chinese cosmetics regulations, on-site fragrance blending cannot be demonstrated at the Shanghai store at this time. Fragrance is Estée Lauder's Cash Cow When acquiring Le Labo, Estée Lauder stated that the brand offers consumers exceptional service, personalized products, and uniqueness, which have earned it a loyal following through high-quality products and unique retail experiences. “Le Labo is the perfect complement to our portfolio of prestige beauty brands,” said Fabrizio Freda, President and Chief Executive Officer of The Estée Lauder Companies Inc. In its analysis of Estée Lauder's financial report, CHAILEEDO found that in the past fiscal year of 2022, Estée Lauder's fragrance business achieved sales of $2.508 billion, a year-on-year increase of 30%, and the fastest growth rate among all business segments. This was mainly due to the impressive performance of Jo Malone London, Tom Ford Beauty, Le Labo, and Kilian Paris, with Le Labo achieving double-digit growth in sales. (Credit: Estee Lauder Financial Report 2022) According to the latest financial report for the fiscal year 2022, the group's fragrance business recorded a net revenue of $775 million for the first three months ending December 31, 2022. Driven by the three major brands Estée Lauder, Le Labo, and Tom Ford Beauty, comparable revenue growth reached 12%, and the fragrance business grew in all regions around the world. “The introduction of Le Labo, a well-known perfume brand, will further enrich and strengthen the brand matrix of Le Labo in China,” said Jiayu Fan, president and chief executive officer of Le Labo China. ”We are confident that the brand will become an engine of growth for Estée Lauder Cos. in the perfume sector and for the overall business.” Beauty Giants Swarm into the Chinese Fragrance Market The popularity of the Chinese fragrance market continues to rise. According to CHAILEEDO DATA, the market size of the Chinese fragrance market in 2022 was RMB 16.1 billion (USD 2.265 billion), with a year-on-year growth rate of 20.15%. A report titled "2022-2023 China Olfactory Economy Development Trends and Business Opportunities" released by iMedia Research shows that compared to the slow growth of the global perfume market, the domestic perfume market continues to grow significantly. It is expected that the compound annual growth rate of the Chinese perfume market will remain at around 22.3% in the next five years, and the market size is expected to reach 30 billion yuan ($4.2209 billion) by 2025. Among them, high-end unisex fragrances have become the fastest-growing subcategory, increasingly sought after by consumers. Major beauty conglomerates, including Estée Lauder, have introduced new brands to China. In 2020, By Kilian and Editions de Parfums Frédéric Malle, both owned by Estée Lauder, entered the Chinese market and opened their first store at Shanghai's IFC Lujiazui. In 2021, Shiseido Group's Serge Lutens entered China. The same year, L'Oreal's PRADA fragrance and beauty also opened its first store in China. In 2022, Maison Francis Kurkdjian, a high-end fragrance brand owned by LVMH, entered the Chinese market. In addition, international high-end niche brands are also optimistic about the Chinese market. On May 16th, 2023, Bon Parfumeur, a Paris-based brand, opened its first offline flagship store in China, located next to Le Labo's chosen location in the trendy Xintiandi area of Shanghai. As a new growth driver for Estée Lauder, Le Labo has become a pioneer for Estée Lauder to further explore the Chinese market. In its high-growth stage, Le Labo will also bring new possibilities for Estée Lauder's layout in the Chinese fragrance market.

Recently, during this year's Cannes Film Festival, Estée Lauder's fragrance brand Kilian Paris hosted a beach club event at the Carlton Cannes Hotel. Kilian Paris also set up a pop up bar in the lobby of the hotel, with its stand featuring main fragrances and iconic perfumes on display and available for sale. Kilian Paris at the Cannes Film Festival The Kilian Paris website shows that this year, Kilian Paris has teamed up with many celebrities, influencers and models at the Cannes Film Festival, such as influencers CARINA ZAVLINE wearing Kilian Paris' Le Rouge Parfum Heaven Rouge, actress ASALLAH KAMEL wearing Rolling in Love, and Youtube celebrities NOOR DE GROOT wore Le Rouge Parfum Nude in Red lipstick on the red carpet at Cannes. (Credit: from Kilian Paris official website) Kilian Paris also hosted a beach club event at the Carlton Cannes Hotel for the fashion industry's biggest names participating in the festival, including film director Yi Zhou, hair stylist John Nollet, make-up artist Sir John, fashion photographer Ellen Von Unwerth, model Eugenia Kuzmina, Jourdan Dunn, Jordan Barrett, Poppy Delevingne, Shanina Shaik and many more. Several participants also posted videos of their participation in the event on TikTok to promote Kilian Paris, and the hashtag #kilian×cannes has now been viewed 48,000 times on TikTok. For the occasion, Kilian Paris has called on world-class mixologist performers to perform a bartending show, while serving brand's For the occasion, Kilian Paris has called on world-class mixologist performers to perform a bartending show, while serving the brand's fragrances inspired cocktails along the seafront. In the first bar, named "Angels' Share" for the brand's iconic fragrance, it was fire-eaters that The second bar, also named for a fragrance, "Love, don't be shy", had a fountain for self-service. The third bar, dedicated to the brand's Blue Moon Ginger Dash scent, featured a dry ice show with blue neon lights And the final bar was an ode to the "Can't Stop Loving You," house fragrance. As far as music is concerned, DJ Nina Urgell was entrusted to get people on the dance floor. A fragrance brand with wine note Kilian Paris is a niche salon fragrance brand from France, whose founder, Kilian Hennessy, was born in the LVMH group, one of France's most distinguished wine dynasties. He combines French perfumery expertise with the Hennessy family's heritage in cognac making. According to reports, Kilian Hennessy worked for a number of major brands such as Christian Dior and Giorgio Armani for over ten years after graduating in order to learn the craft of fragrance, and founded the luxury fragrance brand Kilian Paris in 2007. 2016 saw beauty giant Estee Lauder acquire Kilian Paris. CHAILEEDO found that most of Kilian Paris' fragrances contain wine notes, which is inseparable from the experience of its founder Kilian Hennessy, who once said, "All our fragrances have inspired cocktails!" (Credit: three perfumes of Kilian Paris) When talking about making fragrance Kilian Hennessysaid：“When you think about a perfume, the melody, the accord, the creativity at the core of what makes a perfume unique is 3-7 ingredients. Everything is built on those 3-7 ingredients and how to make it long lasting. I feel that perfume making is closer to cooking because there are many ingredients available. One is solid and one is liquid and I understand how one is inclined to think that perfume-making is closer to making cognac. But, the process is close to a chef. It is reported that Kilian Paris sells perfumes, candles and other accessories. When it was acquired by Estee Lauder, it had about $25 million in net sales, according to industry sources. The company did not divulge a purchase price, but industry sources estimated the price could have been as high as $80 million. “Kilian Hennessy’s innate passion for luxury and fragrance influences every aspect of By Kilian,” said John Demsey, Estée Lauder group president. “As a brand builder, Kilian has done an incredible job of expressing his…olfactive and visual philosophy to his enthusiastic global fan base. We see a bright future for this brand, building on what Kilian and his talented team have already accomplished — and we can’t wait to get to work.” "Estée Lauder understands By Kilian's philosophy of handing back to perfumery the sophisticated reputation it enjoyed at the start of the XXth century. The group is also endowed with the resources to help By Kilian continue to grow strategically across categories, regions and distribution channels," explained Kilian Hennessy. While the Chinese perfume market is already showing high growth rates by 2020, capital is also starting to favour niche fragrances by 2020. CHAILEEDO data showed that from 2017 to 2020, the retail sales of China's perfume market increased from 6.4 billion yuan ($904 million) to 10.9 billion yuan ($1.5 billion), an increase of 70%. And, according to incomplete statistics, eight Chinese niche fragrance brands have completed 11 rounds of funding in 2020 and 2021 alone. Following the acquisition, Kilian Paris, a niche fragrance brand, also entered the growing Chinese market for niche fragrances with the official announcement in May 2020. Since then, Kilian Paris' impressive performance has also contributed to some of the results of Estée Lauder's fragrance division. According to Estée Lauder's financial reports in Q2 of FY2021, fragrance category revenue rose 6% to $618 million, with new brands Kilian Paris and Editions de Parfums Frédéric Malle contributing to the growth. And, Kilian Paris is also determined to make a push into the make-up segment. In April 2023, Kilian Paris appointed Sir John, celebrity makeup artist, as Makeup Creative Director. Kilian Paris said that Sir John and founder Kilian Hennessy are collaborating on plans to redesign the Le Rouge Parfum scented lipstick in refillable packaging, with the first elements set to debut in autumn 2024. (Credit: from Kilian Paris) Kilian Paris is also reportedly presenting its recently launched new scented lipstick collection at the Cannes Film Festival, which was created by Sir John, the recently appointed make-up creative at Kilian Paris. (Credit: Kilian Paris Love don't be shy) Beauty "big names" at Cannes In addition to Kilian Paris, beauty giants such as L'Oréal, Coty and Dior were also present at Cannes. Although Cannes is known for its most valuable awards in the film industry, it is often the make-up of the stars on the red carpet that is the focus of attention. The Cannes Film Festival is therefore also seen as a marketing for beauty brands to effectively be popular and create a premium brand image. It has always been a battleground for brands to compete for media and consumer attention. Henri Pinault, Chairman of the Board and CEO of Kering, has stated that The Cannes red carpet is like another catwalk. If movie celebrities can walk the red carpet wearing Kering's brands, it's as effective as a hard-copy placement and the sponsorship investment is definitely worth it." L'Oréal invited Chinese stars Gong Li, Zhu Yilong, Gong Jun and Zhong Chuxi, and international stars Helen Mirren, Elle Fanning, Kate Winslet, Eva Longoria, Aishwarya Rai, Gemma Chan and Viola Davis to participate the red carpet runway at the Cannes Film Festival. And, this year, most of the Cannes makeup looks were still created by L'Oréal. Val Garland, L'Oréal's Global Makeup Director, led 30 international makeup artists in the co-creation of the looks. (Credit: from L'Oreal Paris) Another beauty giant, Coty, made a big splash at Cannes. Coty used the eve of the festival to host a gala launch event at Villa Botanica for the Orveda brand's all-in-one concentrated serum and to celebrate Infinement Coty Paris, which the company calls "the future of niche fragrances". And, just before the Cannes Film Festival, Coty announced the launch of the Coty Protopia programme, which aims to support bold and creative expressions of beauty. (Credit: from Coty) Moreover, Dior created a Dior Beauty Salon to provide an exclusive beauty experience for the attendees. Located on the roof of the JW Marriott Hotel, the salon includes a dressing room, spa room and nail bar. Meanwhile, the Dior Salon is considered to be the most exclusive place in Cannes and one of the best beauty suites to date. More Chinese brands have also started to venture into Cannes in many forms, with Chinese beauty Peley Group’s make-up brand UNNY inviting Jiang Mengjie to perform on the red carpet in Cannes with shining. International beauty brands have in recent years been using a variety of marketing ways to promote their campaigns at film festivals, and crossover marketing has been effective. Beauty brands such as Kilian Paris are trying to gain more attention and potential customers through film festivals.

The brand will be exclusively launched on June 6, at Sephora Westfield White City and on Sephora's UK site. (Source: Haus Labs) Lady Gaga's Haus Labs has received widespread attention for its bold use of colors. It is reported that the brand will exclusively launch at Sephora Westfield White City and on Sephora's UK site on June 6, 2023. The brand's makeup line contains long-wearing pigments, and the formula features clean ingredients, with each ingredient chosen based on its skincare benefit. The star product, TRICLONE SKIN TECH MEDIUM COVERAGE FOUNDATION, is priced at $45 on the official website. According to Statista's data, in the ranking of leading celebrity beauty brands worldwide in 2022 (by sustainability score), Haus Labs ranks fifth due to its unique environmental concept and design. Failed on Amazon Although Haus Labs (formerly named: Haus Laboratories) is Lady Gaga's first independent brand, she had previously ventured into the beauty industry, such as collaborating with Coty to launch the Lady Gaga Fame perfume in 2012. Haus Labs is a vegan and cruelty-free cosmetics brand launched by Lady Gaga on September 17, 2019. It was the first major beauty line launched exclusively as a retail partner on Amazon and was available in nine countries, including the United Kingdom, the United States, France, Japan, and Germany. The first batch of products included lip liner, lip gloss, and liquid-to-powder shimmer. During Amazon's 2019 Prime Day event, Haus Laboratories successfully became the best-selling cosmetics brand. However, after that, Haus Laboratories' sales plummeted and never achieved higher sales. Some industry insiders believe that this may be due to a positioning error. The high-profile launch of Haus Labs in 2019 had positioned the brand as an affordable cosmetics brand, focusing on traditional e-commerce platforms such as Amazon. "However, at that time, Amazon did not have a strong beauty attribute, which made the overly distinctive Haus Labs unable to attract platform users and eventually led to the failure of Haus Labs," commented an industry insider. Switch to Sephora In May 2022, the official Instagram account of Haus Laboratories suddenly cleared its content, indicating a sign of the brand's transformation. On May 8th, Lady Gaga officially announced a new photoshoot for her own beauty brand, Haus Labs, showcasing a series of new developments for this celebrity makeup brand. Firstly, the brand has changed its name from "Haus Laboratories" to the simplified "Haus Labs". The main color of the brand has also changed from black and white to mint green. However, as a pure, natural, and controversy-free makeup brand that focuses on the beauty of diversity in skin color, race, age, and other aspects, the core concept has not changed. Starting from June 9th, the brand has partnered with Sephora and selected North American Sephora stores as the first stop. With the start of the partnership with Sephora, Haus Labs will launch more makeup products, including eye, lip, and cheek makeup, with nearly 100 new products featuring new packaging. Additionally, the brand will also expand into other product categories such as bath and fragrance products. On June 6th of this year, the brand will enter the UK market. As Gaga herself explains it: “My vision for Haus Labs centers around the future of clean makeup, supercharged products with innovative formulations and novel ingredients.” The growth of Haus Labs' share of voice In recent years, the number of beauty brands owned by celebrities has significantly increased. The younger generation is more inclined to purchase beauty products created or endorsed by celebrities, and they are usually more aware of their presence. Many celebrity beauty brands are also popular on social media. According to Statista's data as of 2022, the leading celebrity makeup brand in the United States, the United Kingdom, and France is Rihanna's Fenty Beauty, which accounts for 25.7% of the share of voice. Lady Gaga's Haus Labs ranked fifth with a share of 8.9%. (Leading celebrity makeup brands in selected countries in 2022, by share of voice) In the past, it might have taken 10 years or longer for a brand to reach $1 billion in sales, but now it can be achieved in 3-5 years. And if a celebrity is involved, the time frame can be even shorter. According to Forbes, Fenty Beauty, founded by Rihanna, generated sales of $558 million in its first year, which suggests that the celebrity effect can be as powerful as the brand effect. In reality, most celebrity makeup brands that rely solely on the personal appeal of the celebrity tend to be short-lived. They have not established a clear brand culture or built up a good reputation among consumers, and they rush to market without considering these factors. As the market becomes increasingly crowded with products, both established and new brands are competing for the same consumers, who are demanding higher-quality cosmetics. Therefore, relying solely on the celebrity effect is far from enough. A brand that stands the test of time and continues to sell well is often built on excellent quality control and strong consumer loyalty. Whether Haus Labs can continue to maintain its upward momentum remains to be seen and will depend on consumer feedback. However, Lady Gaga has confidence in the brand's development. Talking to British Vogue about why she started Haus Labs, she said, “The world doesn’t necessarily need another beauty brand, but if we can create something that is pushing the boundaries of what it means to make makeup, then it’s worth it.”

E.l.f Beauty cosmetics is teen’s favourite brand, according to Piper Sandler Survey, Spring 2023. On May 24, E.l.f Beauty announced its full fourth quarter and fiscal year 2023 results. The company reported a 78% increase in net sales for the fourth quarter of fiscal 2023 and a 48% increase in net sales for fiscal 2023. And, this is the 17th consecutive quarter of positive growth for E.l.f Beauty - How did E.l.f Beauty achieve it? Ranking to No.3 US mass cosmetics brand E.l.f Beauty reported a significant increase in net sales in the fourth quarter of 2023, up 78% to $187.4 million. And, for the full 2023 fiscal year, E.l.f Beauty's net sales increased 48% to $578.8 million, with GAAP net income of $61.5 million in fiscal 2023 compared to adjusted net income of $91.8 million. elf said the growth was driven primarily by retailers and the e-commerce channel. For fiscal 2024, E.l.f Beauty expects its net sales for fiscal 2024 to be in the range of $705 million to $720 million, an expected increase of 22-24%. E.l.f Beauty is said to cover two categories: colour cosmetics and skincare. Meanwhile, in the past 12 weeks ending 25 March 2023, E.l.f Beauty's market share in colour cosmetics has increased significantly. E.l.f Beauty rose to third place in the mass cosmetics category at 9.5%, with Maybelline (17.7%) and L'Oréal at 12.8% in first and second place respectively, according to E.l.f Beauty's financial report. And in the skincare category, E.l.f Beauty's growth rate was quite impressive. According to E.l.f Beauty in its financial report, skincare consumption rose 12% year-on-year in the last 12 weeks to 25 March 2023, while E.l.f. Skin was up 55%. "Our outstanding results in fiscal 2023 underscore the power of the e.l.f. brand and the world class team at e.l.f. Beauty," said Tarang Amin, e.l.f. Beauty's Chairman and Chief Executive Officer. "We grew net sales by 78% in Q4, marking our seventeenth consecutive quarter of net sales growth. We gained 270 basis points of market share in the quarter and increased our ranking to the number three U.S. Mass Cosmetics brand for the As we look ahead, we believe we are still in the early innings of unlocking the full potential we see for e.l.f. Beauty. " (Chart: E.l.f. Beauty 17th consecutive quarter of growth) Applying Gen-Z marketing + affordable makeup Publicly available information shows that E.l.f. Beauty can date back to 2004. It is now part of e.l.f. Beauty Inc. The company's main brand. E.l.f. Beauty was founded in 2013 as a cosmetics company focusing on eye, lip and face makeup. It is understood that since its founding, E.l.f. Beauty has been operating mainly through online channels, with "affordable" as its label. It has launched low-priced version of M-A-C Extra Dimension Skinfinish Highlighter, Fenty beauty Contour. Most of the products are priced below $10. With its low-price tag, it has managed to gain a foothold among the young consumers. Most of E.l.f. Beauty best-selling items are priced at less than $10, including a number of foundation, concealer, loose powder and other primer categories that are priced higher by other brand. The most widely known was its $3 E.l.f. Lip Lacquer. Based on this, E.l.f. Beauty became Gen Z's most popular beauty brand. Gen-Z media company Kyra's "2022 Gen Z State of Beauty Report," a survey of 1,000 participants between the ages of 18 and 25, found that E.l.f. Cosmetics ranks as the top makeup brand that respondents use daily, bumping Maybelline from first place last year into second place in 2022. "There's a direct relationship" between which brands have gone viral on TikTok and which ones are ranked most highly with Gen Z, said Marina Mansour, vp of beauty and wellness at Kyra. "E.l.f. has been fearless with their approach to TikTok," said Mansour. "They have been really bullish on the platform, and that's reflected." E.l.f. Beauty is the first brand to run its own online challenge campaign on TikTok. E.l.f. Beauty has launched a brand challenge on TikTok, inviting users to post short videos and collaborating with artists to create an original song about it. Over 3 million users posted videos in 6 days, with over 1 billion views, making e.l.f. the number one platform for beauty search on TikTok. According to E.l.f Beauty's financial report, four videos about its products on TiktTok have reached billion-level views. Key factors for e.l.f. such as low prices and high quality, a brand story and good use of online marketing are maintaining growth in the makeup market for 17 consecutive quarters despite the global pandemic. Failed in Chinese market Although very popular in the international market, E.l.f. Beauty's strategy of using the same low prices in China has not worked. According to a previous announcement from its official flagship shop on Chinese e-commerce platform Tmall, E.l.f. Beauty temporarily left the Chinese market on March 31, 2023 and took down its entire shop on March 15, 2023. The brand's decision to exit China is "due to the adjustment of its global strategy and objective factors". It is reported that E.l.f. officially entered Tmall in April 2018 and announced its presence in Vipshop in June 2019. CHAILEEDO found that E.l.f. Beauty has accounts on mainstream Chinese e-commerce/social platforms such as Tmall, Douyin (Chinese version of TikTok) and Xiaohongshu, and that E.l.f. Beauty also did live streaming on Douyin. Most of E.l.f. Beauty international business is sold through third-party retailers such as superstore chains Ulta, Walmart and Target, so e.l.f. is also present in some offline beauty collection shops in China. On the eve of the flagship shop's closure, CHAILEEDO entered E.l.f. Beauty's Tmall flagship shop and found that only two of its products achieved monthly sales of over 1,000 units, which is 10 Shade Eyeshadow Palette" and Baked Highlighter. The monthly sales are 4000+ units and 2000+ units respectively. Of the 92 products listed on the brand's flagship shop, only five products sold over 1,000 units in total, with the highest being the Daily Dew Stick priced at 89 yuan ($12.6) per unit, which sold nearly 9,000 units. The retreat of E.l.f. Beauty is the result of a huge change in Chinese consumers' consumer awareness, the rise of national brands and the innovation and transformation of Chinese marketing platforms. A combination of factors has led to a lack of consumer loyalty to some overseas make-up brands. People will have different needs due to changes in fashion trends. This means that make-up brands need to update and iterate quickly to keep up with changes in market demand and aesthetic trends in order not to be forgotten by consumers. The local Chinese make-up brands are seeing an explosion. For example, Judydoll and Joocyee has announced its 2022 results for the first time, showing that the company's annual sales reached 1.76 billion yuan ($249 million), an increase of nearly 30% year-on-year. The company's annual sales exceeded 1 billion yuan ($141.5 million), and was among the Top 5 of Tmall's Chinese makeup sales and Top 2 of Douyin's Chinese makeup sales in 2022. According to another public report, FunnyElves, an innovative makeup brand that was spotted and invested by Winona’s parent company, has seen its online direct channel turnover grow 180% year-on-year during Chinese 618 promotion in 2022, and its annual omni-channel GMV broke 500 million yuan ($70.7 million). It can be seen that in recent years, as the Chinese cosmetics market continues to improve, local Chinese make-up brands are better able to adapt to the needs of Chinese consumers. Although international brands represented by E.l.f Beauty are able to shine in the international market, they still need to understand more about the Chinese market play in order to occupy the Chinese market.