Hello everyone and welcome to this episode of my interview series.
Today, we’ve got Lisa Yu from @genuinegerman.
Lisa Yu is a digital beauty native, previously working at L’Oréal China. She now works at Genuine German helping International Brands enter the China Market.
Opportunities and threats will inevitably be part of your China journey
Is C-Beauty edging on a global phenomenon, where are the green shoots for international brands in china right now
These are two of the important topics I discussed with Lisa Yu in this most recent interview.
Lisa works @genuinegerman helping international brands enter China successfully.
In this interview we discuss the rise of C-beauty, opportunities for foreign makeup brands and some green shoot categories like body care – worth a listen!
Is C-Beauty edging on a global phenomenon, where are the green shoots for international brands in china right now?
WHAT ARE THE FEW REASONS LISA & I ARE OPTIMISTIC:
Capital has flooded to homegrown Chinese Beauty brands. Not just Chinese capital but investors all over the world have piled in.
Government Policies favour local brands and this will only continue
There is a shift from Chinese brands towards longer-term brand-building tactics vs short term sales focus
More focus and investment on product R&D vs just using OEM. Will we see a Global Chinese beauty brand in the next 5 years? YES OR NO let me know below
Colour cosmetics for foreign brands – There is still opportunity!
I wear makeup to work…and definitely if I’m in the office
But many young Chinese girls don’t
Lisa & I discuss how some of the youngest girls in the workforce today use makeup
It is not uncommon to see girls coming to work bare faced in China (there is nothing wrong with this) – in the past many girls just didn’t use make up
Now
You see their social posts and they are out with their friends in full, incredible makeup but in the office still bare faced
Why
Time, inclination and skills. Many feel they don’t know how to do “office makeup”
Whilst the use of makeup has grown a lot in China there is opportunity. Lisa and her team operate two very low price point European makeup brands in China hear more about their success
Body care can be fun – New interest in this category is exciting for both domestic and foreign brands
The body care category in China has been dominated by large, mass market players
But things are changing – younger consumers are looking for brands to have more personality
Lisa talks about rocking zoo a Chinese hair and body care brand doing well which was set up by a L’Oreal China alumni.
There is lots of great info and food for thought in this episode – China has plenty of opportunity and of course threats. The more you can inform yourself before you dive in the less mistakes you are likely to make!
To get in touch with Lisa:
Her website: lisashiqiyu.com
Her Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lisashiqiyu/
Genuine German: https://genuinegerman.de/