Skinification Drives Body Care Ingredient Revolution in China
By Quan Wenjun
4 min read
Executive Summary#
Chinese consumers are applying facial skincare standards to the rest of the body, and online body care sales grew 27.0% year on year to CN¥ 65.1 billion in MAT2025, the 12 months to April 2025. Active ingredients once found mainly in premium serums, such as niacinamide, collagen, peptides and hyaluronic acid, are now common in body care formulations, and several of them posted triple-digit growth. This "skinification" is happening alongside a shift in fragrance preferences.
From Moisturizing to Targeted Treatment#
Moisturizing and nourishing remain fundamental demands in body care, but consumer expectations are rapidly evolving. Trending concepts from facial skincare, such as whitening, firming, anti-wrinkle and soothing repair, have migrated into body care, and whitening is now among the fastest-growing efficacy claims.
Anti-acne body cleansing products grew 115.6% year on year, whitening products 105.9% and hydrating products 83.1%. Whitening products carry the highest average price, CN¥ 65.5, which is more than 60% above the category average and suggests that consumers will pay more for body treatments with a clear efficacy claim.
Anti-acne and whitening body cleansing products show fastest growth rates#
| Efficacy | Revenue (CN¥ B) | YoY Growth (%) | Avg. Price (CN¥) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Moisturizing (primary) | 1.82 | +60.0 | 40.0 |
| Hydrating | 1.71 | +83.1 | 40.4 |
| Oil Control | 1.30 | +43.0 | 38.8 |
| Exfoliating | 1.29 | +80.7 | 40.8 |
| Fragrance | 1.24 | +21.7 | 33.6 |
| Anti-itch | 1.02 | +30.6 | 37.0 |
| Anti-acne | 0.97 | +115.6 | 32.0 |
| Whitening | 0.64 | +105.9 | 65.5 |
| Soothing | 0.55 | +44.2 | 43.3 |
This pattern mirrors the premiumization trajectory that facial skincare underwent over the past decade. Body care is in the early stages of a similar upgrade cycle, where efficacy-driven products gradually displace basic moisturizers at higher price points.
Facial-Grade Ingredients Cross Into Body Care#
Ingredient sales give the clearest evidence of skinification.
In the whitening segment, niacinamide leads with CN¥ 308.2 million in sales, up 150.3% year on year. Phenylethyl resorcinol, sold as Component 377, grew second-fastest among whitening ingredients, at 29.6%.
Niacinamide leads whitening ingredient sales in body care#
| Ingredient | Revenue (CN¥ M) | Growth Rate |
|---|---|---|
| Niacinamide | 308.2 | +150.3% |
| VC | 120.2 | +15.0% |
| 377 | 84.8 | +29.6% |
| Vitamin E | 81.7 | +0.4% |
| AHA | 36.0 | +0.5% |
| Arbutin | 22.1 | +12.3% |
| Licorice | 4.9 | +0.2% |
Growth was faster still in the firming and anti-aging segment, where hyaluronic acid sales rose 440.5%, collagen 423.6% and Proxylane 232.3%.
Collagen and peptides lead firming and anti-aging body care ingredients#
| Ingredient | Revenue (CN¥ M) | Growth Rate |
|---|---|---|
| Collagen | 167.4 | +423.6% |
| Peptides | 60.7 | +206.9% |
| Proxylane | 33.3 | +232.3% |
| Hyaluronic Acid | 23.6 | +440.5% |
| Retinol | 6.1 | -70.8% |
| Grape Seed | 6.0 | +30.9% |
| Niacinamide | 3.5 | +82.4% |
Retinol was the one firming ingredient whose sales fell, by 70.8% to CN¥ 6.1 million, while peptides and Proxylane both posted triple-digit growth.
The Fragrance Revolution Compounds the Transformation#
Fragrance is changing body care at the same time. Scent accounts for 50.2% of body care product evaluations, and sales of fragrance-retaining body care products rose 61.8% year on year to CN¥ 12.64 billion.
While floral fragrances command the largest market at CN¥ 7.11 billion, the growth frontier lies in emerging scent families. Oriental fragrances grew 137.1% year on year, gourmand scents 109.9% and woody notes 63.9%.
Oriental and gourmand fragrances lead body care scent growth#
| Fragrance Family | Revenue (CN¥ B) | YoY Growth (%) |
|---|---|---|
| Floral | 7.11 | +22.0% |
| Aromatic | 2.90 | +36.6% |
| Fruity | 2.14 | +26.0% |
| Citrus | 1.41 | +2.6% |
| Woody | 1.07 | +63.9% |
| Oriental | 0.54 | +137.1% |
| Gourmand | 0.44 | +109.9% |
| Green | 0.26 | +6.4% |
Occasion-Based Consumption Amplifies Premiumization#
Social media discussion shows body care moving into occasions outside the home, with talk of gift-giving up 123.2% year on year and talk of dating occasions up 172.8%. These occasions carry higher prices, with gift-giving products averaging CN¥ 92 and dating products CN¥ 89, against CN¥ 25 for sports and fitness use.
Gift set sales reached CN¥ 2.3 billion (+51.4% YoY), with premium boxes priced above CN¥ 500 capturing over one-third of Valentine's Day and Mother's Day sales.
More from This Report#
About the Data#
This analysis draws on Moojing Market Intelligence's e-commerce transaction data at SKU level, from China's leading marketplaces and content-led commerce channels. Social media analysis draws on major Chinese social platforms. MAT2025 refers to the 12-month period from May 2024 to April 2025. Moojing analyses brand and category performance across major Chinese e-commerce platforms.
This content adheres to Moojing's editorial standards .
