Once seen as fast followers, China’s homegrown beauty brands have entered a new phase of global relevance. Today’s C-beauty challengers are no longer driven by price and speed alone — they are building emotionally resonant brands, innovating at the product and ingredient level, and redefining retail experiences that blur the line between culture, commerce, and community.

This session brings together a uniquely diverse panel of industry leaders, spanning market research, skincare innovation, color cosmetics, distribution, and experiential retail, to offer a holistic view of how C-beauty brands are achieving breakthrough success. Through real-world case studies and data-driven insights, speakers will examine how leading brands are mastering four key growth engines: brand storytelling, immersive retail, product innovation, and new value propositions rooted in culture, efficacy, and emotional connection.

From AI-driven formulation and science-backed skincare to Gen-Z-focused branding and next-generation retail formats, these companies are setting new benchmarks in the world’s most competitive beauty market. The discussion will also explore the global implications of C-beauty’s rise — identifying what makes these brands uniquely competitive beyond China, which elements of their playbook are exportable, and what global brands, distributors, and retailers can learn from China’s challenger ecosystem.