Table of Contents
Overview
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- What you need to know
- Key issues covered in this Report
- Report Scope
- Excluded
- Subgroup definition (by monthly personal income)
Executive Summary
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- The Market
- COVID-19 will slow growth in 2020 but long term growth will continue unchanged
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- Figure 1: Forecast of total value sales of facial masks (adjusted for COVID-19), China, 2014-24
- Impact of COVID-19 on facial masks
- Long-term impact will be limited
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- Figure 2: Short, medium and long term impact of COVID-19 on facial masks
- Companies and Brands
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- Figure 3: Leading brands’ share in value sales of facial mask market, China, 2018 and 2019
- The Consumer
- The usage penetration is stable over the past two years
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- Figure 4: Facial masks used in the last six months, by gender, 2018 and 2019
- Majority use facial masks several times a week
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- Figure 5: Usage frequency of facial masks, by gender, December 2019
- Time to further expand usage occasions although some are limited due to COVID-19
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- Figure 6: Usage occasions and potentials of facial masks, December 2019
- Consumers demand faster absorption and higher ingredient content
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- Figure 7: Features attracting trials, December 2019
- Segmented market with different attitudes towards functions and trends
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- Figure 8: Consumer segmentation based on their attitudes towards facial masks, December 2019
- Sheet masks should consider an optimal price of RMB10 per piece
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- Figure 9: Price sensitivity – threshold prices of one piece of sheet mask, December 2019
- What we think
The Impact of COVID-19 on Facial Masks
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- Figure 10: Short, medium and long term impact of COVID-19 on facial masks
- Opportunities and threats
- Changing from nice-to-have to a skincare necessity
- Tapping into salon visitors’ needs for more in-home skincare routines
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- Figure 11: Proya Black Sea Salt Deep Purifying Bubble SPA Mask, China, 2019
- Impact on the market
- Marginal impact from COVID-19 in short term
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- Figure 12: Forecast of total value sales of facial masks, China, 2014-24
- Figure 13: Forecast of total value sales of facial masks (adjusted for COVID-19), China, 2014-24
- Shifts in consumer behaviour
- Shifting spending from beauty to personal care products
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- Figure 14: Change in spending on BPC, January to April 2020
- One fifth still spend more time and money on facial skincare during the outbreak
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- Figure 15: Changes in usage of facial skincare products, 25 March- 1 April, 2020
- Long hours of wearing face masks may lead to more skin issues
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- Figure 16: Frequency of new habits due to outbreak – ‘everyday or almost everyday’, 28 February-1 April, 2020
- How COVID-19 will affect key consumer segments
- Women under 30s still most enthusiasm in beauty
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- Figure 17: Time spent on facial skincare routine compared to before outbreak – ‘more or about the same’, by age and gender, 28 February – 1 April, 2020
- Opportunities in targeting men especially those in their 30s
- How COVID-19 will reshape the industry
- More cautious spending when consumers feel the income squeeze
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- Figure 18: Ways of control spending on beauty and personal care products, January 2020
- Rethink about targeting occasions
- Impact on the marketing mix
- Be smart about pricing tactics
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- Figure 19: Caizhiji soothing facial mask for sensitive skin, China, 2020
- Leverage Chinese wisdom and culture in new product innovation
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- Figure 20: Facial masks with Chinese elements, China, 2020
- Dedicated-design facial masks to tackle pain points of wearing face mask
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- Figure 21: Mask Family Acne Skin Repair Gauze Facial Mask, China, 2020
- E-commerce brands need to avoid ambitious channel expansion to offline channels during time of uncertainty
- COVID-19: China context
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- Figure 22: Accumulative confirmed cases of COVID-19 in China, January to April 2020
- Figure 23: Status of returning to work, China, March and April 2020
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Issues and Insights
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- Responding to the changes in COVID-19 outbreak – A shift in communicationThe facts
- The implications
- Responding to the changes in COVID-19 outbreak – Pay attention to emerging demands
- The facts
- The implications
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- Figure 24: Nox Bellcow Soothing and Repairing facial masks, China 2020
- Figure 25: SUISO MASK offering skincare benefits to masked face area, Japan, 2020
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- Figure 26: Example of facial masks with two separated sections, UK, 2019
- How to accelerate usage frequency
- The facts
- The implications
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- Figure 27: Example of facial masks that work with beauty devices, UK, 2019
- Domestic brands can tag on premiumisation
- The facts
- The implications
- Future incremental opportunities in the male market
- The facts
- The implications
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- Figure 28: Neutrogena 3D printed facial mask, 2019
The Market – What you need to know
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- A fast growing market despite a short term impact from COVID-19
- Compacted players attracting and diverting consumers’ great interest
Market size and forecast
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- A RMB31.5 billion market in fast but slowing growth
- Minimal impact caused by COVID-19
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- Figure 29: Forecast of total value sales of facial masks, China, 2014-24
- Short-term impact in 2020
- Long-term impact in next five years
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- Figure 30: Forecast of total value sales of facial masks (adjusted for COVID-19), China, 2014-24
Market Factors
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- Increase frequency and consumption for better skin condition
- Brand library more compacted by players with various stories
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- Figure 31: Examples of OEM/ODM launched facial masks, China, 2019-20
- Online channels drive the red ocean competition
- Medical masks have gained popularity but now face restraints
Key Players – What you need to know
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- A further fragmented market led by domestic brands
- Invest in WOM and professionalism
Market Share
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- A more fragmented market
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- Figure 32: Leading brands’ share of value sales in the facial mask market, China, 2018 and 2019
- WIS winning thanks to professional image among young consumers
- Yunifang seeing a bottleneck
- Other brands worth noting
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- Figure 33: Examples of hot-selling facial masks, China, 2019
- Figure 34: MG new launches, China, 2019
Competitive Strategies
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- Leveraging celebrities and KOLs to stay top-of-mind
- Build social currency with fun appearance
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- Figure 35: Kiehl’s communicates fun experience when using masks, China, 2019
- Imported formula and sheets to premiumise
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- Figure 36: Example of facial masks featuring imported formula and sheet technologies, China, 2019
- Professionals build a sheet material library
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- Figure 37: Dr.Jart+ sheet material library, China, 2020
Who’s Innovating?
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- Mass priced new launches brings homogenises with basic functions
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- Figure 38: Changes in beauty price positioning of newly launched sheet masks, China, 2018-19
- Figure 39: top 15 claims of newly launched sheet masks, China, 2018-19
- Significant increase in sensitive skin claims
- New concept and technology to lock in moisture
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- Figure 40: Est Fine Fiber series, China, 2020
- Technology on sheets to boost absorption
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- Figure 41: Reziena Smart Mask featuring Iontophoersis and LED technology on mask sheet, South Korea, 2020
- Sheet material innovation to deliver skin benefits without serum
- TCM ingredients utilised by domestic TCM brands
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- Figure 42: Examples of products in foreign markets using ginseng as an ingredient, US, 2019
- Figure 43: Examples of domestic brands featuring TCM ingredients, China, 2019
- Developed for morning occasions
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- Figure 44: Example of sheet mask with cutting suitable for morning wash up, South Korea, 2019
The Consumer – What you need to know
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- Bottleneck appears for the penetration of different formats
- High usage frequency for both women and men
- Opportunities exist besides the pre-sleep and first-aid occasions
- 76% demand faster absorption
- 27% are Rational Users
- RMB10 is the optimal price per sheet
Usage of Facial Masks
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- Women remain dominant, but men in progress of adopting formats
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- Figure 45: Facial masks used in the last six months, by gender, December 2019
- No sign of deepening usage penetration
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- Figure 46: Facial masks used in the last six months, by gender, 2018 vs 2019
- Younger females like masks for dedicated treatments
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- Figure 47: Facial masks used in the last six months, by gender and age, December 2019
- Niche formats allow users to better treat themselves, no matter where
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- Figure 48: Facial masks used in the last six months, by monthly personal income, December 2019
Usage Frequency of Facial Masks
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- Over 90% are using facial masks every week
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- Figure 49: Usage frequency of facial masks, by gender, December 2019
- 18 to 29-year-old women are most frequent users
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- Figure 50: Usage frequency of facial masks, by gender and age, December 2019
- Using a facial mask every day is a lifestyle for 18% of affluent consumers
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- Figure 51: Usage frequency of facial masks, by selected demographic, December 2019
Usage Occasions and Potentials
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- Pre-sleep and emergency occasions are reaching a bottleneck
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- Figure 52: Example of masks featuring relaxation benefit, Japan and South Korea, 2019
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- Figure 53: Usage occasions and potentials of facial masks, December 2019
- Great opportunities to target new occasions
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- Figure 54: Usage frequency of facial masks – ‘no, but are willing to use in the future’, by gender and age, December 2019
- Further segmentation of primer facial masks
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- Figure 55: Usage frequency of facial masks – ‘before applying makeup’, female, by age, December 2019
- Figure 56: Example of primer masks combining skincare and makeup functions, China, 2019
Features Attracting Trial
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- Find a balance between more ingredient content and faster absorption
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- Figure 57: Features attracting trial, December 2019
- Men interested in thicker sheets and TCM
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- Figure 58: Features attracting trial, females vs males (as benchmark), December 2019
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- Figure 59: TURF analysis of features attracting trial, male, December 2019
- Warm sensations worth noticing
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- Figure 60: Features attracting trial, by gender and age, December 2019
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- Figure 61: TURF analysis of features attracting trial, 25-29yrs, December 2019
- Younger users demanding more fun besides functionalities
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- Figure 62: TURF analysis of features attracting trials, 18-24yrs, December 2019
Attitudes towards Facial Masks
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- 91% tend to know more about ingredient information
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- Figure 63: Attitudes towards facial masks, December 2019
- Younger consumers are more sceptical
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- Figure 64: Sceptical attitudes towards facial masks, by age, December 2019
- Five groups of facial mask users
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- Figure 65: Consumer segmentation based on attitudes towards facial masks, December 2019
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- Figure 66: Attitudes towards facial masks – ‘strongly agree’, by consumer segmentation, December 2019
Optimal Pricing for Sheet Masks
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- Ideal price for one piece of sheet mask according to consumers
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- Figure 67: Price sensitivity – optimal price of one piece of sheet mask, December 2019
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- Figure 68: Price sensitivity – threshold prices of one piece of sheet mask, December 2019
- 25-39 year olds are willing to spend slightly more
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- Figure 69: Price sensitivity - ‘expensive but still consider buying’, mean value, by gender and age, December 2019
Meet the Mintropolitans
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- Mintropolitans use masks more frequently across diverse occasions
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- Figure 70: Usage frequency of facial masks, by consumer classification, December 2019
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- Figure 71: Usage occasions and potentials of facial masks – ‘yes’, by consumer classification, December 2019
- Mintropolitans are more ingredient oriented
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- Figure 72: Features attracting trials, Mintropolitans vs Non-Mintropolitans (as benchmark), December 2019
Appendix – Methodology and Abbreviations
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- Methodology
- Price sensitivity analysis
- TURF
- Forecast methodology
- Abbreviations
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