Art Strings

Preview image of “Art Strings”
  • The lipstick co-branded with the New York Met sold out in no time
  • Photos: Perfect Diary

Digital mastery has allowed
China’s young make-up leader to usurp the European giants.

Since its launch a few years back, Perfect Diary has become the most popular domestic beauty brand in China. That means it has overtaken power houses like Procter & Gamble and L’Oréal, which could be worrying for the Western old guard.

Its digital presence dominates online platforms, like Alibaba’s Tmall e-commerce site, where it was ranked number one colour cosmetics brand, and among the top three beauty brands in 2019. That year it was the top seller for cosmetics during every one of the big promo shopping days of the eseller when it reportedly sold 14 million dollars’ worth of lipsticks and facial masks.

Owned by Guangzhou-based start-up Yatsen, the young brand’s quick success has in part been due to millennials and Gen Z with ever increasing dis-
posable income. But the most significant factor has been their digital marketing strategy. Its campaigns have included fast and well-chosen tie-inswith top influencers, like top beauty influencer Li Jiaqi and his puppy “Never”, among other Internet sensations.