Asia is a hub for many technology skin care innovations, as well as the home of key markets for beauty devices, such as China, Japan, and South Korea, some of which are posting double-digit growth in 2016. China drives the beauty devices boom in Asia, registering a substantial increase in sales of 18% and putting itself ahead of all the markets analyzed in our upcoming Beauty Devices: Global Market Analysis and Opportunities report.
While China shines brighter than ever, South Korea should not be overlooked either as it is a hotbed for innovations, especially when it comes to anti-aging devices. The market is mostly driven by wearable LED masks from local marketers, such as Milux, Park So-hoo, and AMC. Price points for these products range from $150 to upwards of $1,000 each.
Anti-aging devices are not only prevalent in South Korea, but rank highly in China too with product sales soaring by 33%. This is not a surprise as our recently published Beauty Devices: Global Consumer Insights report, where we asked 1,300 women across key markets for beauty devices to describe their attitudes, usage, and perceptions towards such beauty gadgets, shows that women in China are very concerned about aging and more inclined to use a device than any other country examined.Of the 76% of women who said they have aging concerns, nearly 50% of them use devices. In terms of overall aging concerns, most expressed skin tone as the key issue.
Hair removal products is another area in China where brands excel. Sales growth for these products is upwards of 100%, which is in stark contrast to basically flat sales for the segment in Japan. Local brands lead the way in China with Kingdom, Ya-Man, and ReFa each growing by strong rates.
Although China presents a high level of potential, a few basic elements should be noted about the Asian market. Japan is about three times larger than China and is a more saturated market. Because of this, many local marketers have started to focus on other businesses, as well as other countries. Of the skin care concerns, anti-aging and cleansing seem to have the most traction. As for South Korea, it is still a hotbed of growth. Blockbuster sales growth is recorded for multinational brands—Foreo and NuFace—in 2016. Contributing factors include a successful partnership for NuFace with home shopping networks GS Shop and Hyundai. Category sales through these channels grow by about 20% for the year!
Beauty Devices: Global Market Analysis and Opportunities will shine a spotlight on the latest dynamics and innovations in wearable devices in key Asian markets, such as China, Japan, and South Korea. Individual reports on these markets and Europe are coming out this summer. In addition, our recently published Beauty Devices: Global Consumer Insights provides a deep understanding of Asian consumers’ preferences and purchases when it comes to at-home beauty devices.
