Medical aesthetics is one of the hottest skincare trends in China these days.
The combination of efficacy-focused skincare and medical aesthetics has become a winning combination in China for those targeting signs of skin aging. CHAILEEDO has seen that SkinCeuticals has not only achieved remarkable success in the field of efficacy-focused skincare but has also been exploring innovative business models in the medical aesthetics market, leveraging its professional strength to launch injection products.
The brand’s progress from “Integrated Skincare” to “Integrated Aesthetics” could clearly be seen at the 2024 SkinCeuticals Excellence Awards and SkinCeuticals Medical Aesthetics Summit which were held in Shanghai from December 6th to 7th. The events served as a high-level platform for experts in dermatology, and demonstrated how SkinCeuticals is helping to lead China’s medical aesthetics industry towards a new ecosystem that includes standardization, specialization and innovation.
Delving into the “Med + Beauty”
This is the sixth consecutive year that SkinCeuticals has hosted the Excellence Awards. The awards recognize professionals who have made significant achievements in their fields, and honor them for the professional advice and services they provide to the public. The awards also inspire dermatologists to uphold a professional spirit within non-governmental medical institutions.
In 2023, SkinCeuticals launched the first “Integrated SkinCare Master Competition”, which is the largest Integrated Skincare case collection in partnership with top dermatologists to build efficacy proof from real-world practice. In 2024, the Integrated SkinCare Master Competition underwent a comprehensive upgrade, pioneering the Integrated Skincare Master Camp to empower potential dermatologists, receiving over 300 high-quality case reports covering seven major fields. The competition also provides staged scientific training for healthcare professionals of different level for reinforcing the awareness, practice and advocacy.
In addition, it created an academic platform for young dermatologists to learn, and helped the brand to share its idea of Integrated Skincare and create a synergy of new ideas, practices and solutions between the dermatology community and the brand.
The SkinCeuticals Medical Aesthetics Summit which was held this year on December 7th focused on insights into the new era of the medical aesthetics industry, bringing together brand and industry executives, along with experts and professionals from other fields. Participants discussed the future development of the medical aesthetics industry, new consumer trends, innovative products and solutions, and discussed SkinCeuticals’ future development.
In the current consumer-driven market, it is necessary for brands to rethink the significance to provide differentiated products based on consumer insights and market trends.The summit brought together professionals from top consulting firms, marketing channels, medical aesthetics institutions, and other fields to share their insights on the development prospects of the Chinese medical aesthetics market.
The Summit also underscored the brand’s progression from “Integrated Skincare” to “Integrated Aesthetics” and served as a model for the deep integration of effective skincare and the Chinese medical aesthetics industry.
“Pioneer” Leads the Integrated Skincare Innovation Trend
SkinCeuticals is an industry pioneer and a prophet of sorts in exploring skincare trends.
Thirty years ago, SkinCeuticals’ founder Dr. Sheldon Pinnell, demonstrated his visionary insight by predicting the future trends in the skincare field. “Only when professional beauty treatments are combined with the right skincare products, can their effects truly show,” he said.
SkinCeuticals was founded on this philosophy. The brand name cleverly blends the words “Skin” and “Pharmaceutical”. And since its inception, SkinCeuticals has embodied both professionalism and science.
It is stated that SkinCeuticals is based on clinical evidence-based practice and scientific research, focusing on antioxidants and mitigating signs of skin aging. Dr. Pinnell also introduced the concept of “Integrated Skincare.”
Integrated Skincare pairs professional medical aesthetics treatments with at-home skincare to enhance treatment outcomes for optimal skincare results, which to achieve lasting and comprehensive skincare effects. Specifically, pre-treatment home care aims to optimize the skin’s base condition; post-treatment skincare products focus on soothing the skin and accelerating recovery; and in the post-treatment home care phase, skincare products work in synergy with professional treatments for enhanced results.
In the Chinese medical aesthetics industry, there have been frequent issues involving face reshaping, hyperplasia, illegal injections, and doctor qualifications, which have severely impacted consumer confidence. Therefore, there is an urgent need for developing standards for treatment, professionalism, and innovation under comprehensive scientific supervision.
SkinCeuticals already is helping to lead the way forward on this front. It is already a pioneer in many aspects of clinical research, academic theory, medical education, and business models. For example, SkinCeuticals has launched 28 world-leading Integrated Skincare solutions, 12 of which have been successfully implemented in China. It has continuously published more than 50 top academic articles, including the world’s first Expert consensus on perioperative integrated skincare for noninvasive energy-based device aesthetic procedures in clinical practice in China with publication on JEADV. SkinCeuticals is cooperating with many leading industry associations and companies to help train outstanding young dermatologists. And it launched a white paper on non-invasive or minimally invasive treatments operation to provide practical operation and business ideas for medical aesthetics institutions.
These many explorations demonstrate the solid steps SkinCeuticals has taken as it moves from offering “Integrated Skincare” to the future of “Integrated Aesthetics”.
Sound Strategy for Medical Aesthetic Channels: SkinCeuticals Tailored for China
Chinese consumers’ demands are always evolving, and are influenced by their age, education, hobbies, cultural and economic background, and their environment.
And today in China, efficacy-focused skincare is king, and medical aesthetics seems be a trend that is here to stay for the long-term.
The 2024 China Medical Aesthetic Industry Insight Report jointly released by Deloitte and Allergan forecasts that over the next five years, the Chinese medical aesthetics market will grow rapidly at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 10%-15%, with the market size expected to reach 380 billion yuan ($52.26 billion) by 2027.
The penetration rate of the medical aesthetics market in mainland China is now at 12%. And compared to South Korea’s rate of 28% and the US rate of 19%, there is still significant room for growth.
When it officially entered the Chinese market in April 2010, SkinCeuticals first focused on medical aesthetic channels, becoming one of the first brands to partner with medical institutions, collaborate with professional doctors, and introduce the concept of Integrated Skincare. And over the past decade, through its unique “Integrated Skincare” solution, SkinCeuticals has become the trusted professional choice for thousands of medical clinics and beauty salons in China.
Among SkinCeuticals’ loyal customer base, the proportion of medical aesthetics users is as high as 21%, laying a solid foundation for SkinCeuticals to expand its medical aesthetic channels. Today, SkinCeuticals has nearly 1,100 medical aesthetic channel partners across China.
Over the years, SkinCeuticals has developed three major channels — medical, retail and e-commerce — with a medical base, and further developed a unique and innovative “retail + clinic” business model.
In 2023, SkinCeuticals further developed its innovative business model and launched the first SKINLAB, integrating professional skin care and medical aesthetics to provide consumers with more comprehensive and professional youth solutions.
Over the next five years, the brand plans to promote the SKINLAB to cover 15 cities which have a population of over 10 million, achieve new breakthroughs in retail, and promote the prosperity and development of China’s medical aesthetics market.
Early in 2024, SkinCeuticals officially launched a non-topical injectable Recombinant Type III Humanized Collagen product, marking the first time that a medical device has been introduced into SkinCeuticals’ Integrated Skincare system. And at the SkinCeuticals Medical Aesthetics Summit, SkinCeuticals announced the national launch plan for this product, which will become an advanced force driving the vigorous development of the medical aesthetics market.
This patented collagen is synthesized through biotechnology, 100% compatible with the amino-acid sequence at the highly active region of human collagen, not derived from animals with a patented special triple helix structure which provides excellent cell adhesion, classified as class 3 medical device, intended for use by healthcare professionals only.
Through its outstanding product strength and multi-channel collaboration, SkinCeuticals has gained widespread recognition among Chinese consumers. Furthermore, CHAILEEDO data, for this year’s Single’s Day 11/11 shopping festival shows that among the top 20 Tmall skincare brands in October, SkinCeuticals’ sales grew by over 1,000% year-on-year, underlying its strong market influence and consumer appeal.
SkinCeuticals’ success is also due in part to the powerful support of its parent company, L’Oréal Group. As a leader in the global cosmetics industry, L’Oréal Dermatological Beauty Division has performed excellently in recent years, with its growth rate six times higher than that of China’s overall skincare market.
In recent years, L’Oréal gradually pay more attention to the medical aesthetics field. In 2023, L’Oréal started exploring the medical aesthetics joint clinic model. In August 2024, L’Oréal acquired a 10% stake in the global professional skin health company, Galderma. These moves not only demonstrate L’Oréal’s commitment to expanding its portfolio of efficacy-focused skincare products but also help accelerate the upgrading and transformation of the skincare and medical aesthetics industries.
In addition to its investment in Galderma, at the end of 2024, L’Oréal also invested in a well-known doctor-led medical aesthetics institution in China, aiming to obtain a forward-looking and Integrated Skincare practice test bed, and integrate skin health needs with professional medical aesthetics services. The brand plans to promote this successful collaboration experience throughout the Chinese market to benefit all its partners. L’Oréal will continue to lead with scientific, innovative, and sustainable skin science solutions to provide consumers with new experiences of healthy beauty.
“IN CHINA, FOR CHINA” is not only the secret to L’Oréal’s success in the Chinese market but also a guiding principle for SkinCeuticals’ future development and exploration in the medical aesthetics industry. Looking ahead, as consumer demand for skincare and medical aesthetics continues to rise, SkinCeuticals will continue to deepen its presence in the Chinese market. Leveraging its outstanding product strength and multi-channel distribution, SkinCeuticals aims to provide consumers with more comprehensive and one-stop skin management solutions.
At the same time, as an important member of the L’Oréal Group, SkinCeuticals will also leverage the group’s resources to keep pioneer in dermatology and accelerate the exploration of medical aesthetics, bringing a healthier and more beautiful skin experience to consumers in China and around the world.
