More than 10 years ago, in Dali, Yunnan Province, China, Professor Zhu Xuejun, Professor Zheng Zhizhong, and Professor He Li, the leading figures in the field of dermatology, gathered together with dermatologists from 16 hospitals to initiate the first clinical research on skincare products for sensitive skin in China. The following year, the first dermatological skincare brand, Winona, successfully passed clinical trials and was born. Since then, Winona has grown to become the most representative sensitive skin care brand in China.
On March 1st, at the launch event for the strategic upgrade of the Winona brand 2.0 held at the Shanghai Center, the “Tai Shan Bei Dou” of the dermatology field, Professor Zhu Xuejun, a lifelong professor at Peking University First Hospital, became emotional when discussing the background of Winona’s establishment. In his view, Winona was the first skincare brand in China to focus on clinical trials. It marked the first time that Chinese people had their own clinically tested and proven skincare products specifically designed for sensitive skin.
Notably, at the Winona brand 2.0 strategic upgrade launch event, renowned experts and professors in the field of dermatology such as Zheng Zhizhong, He Li, Gu Jun, Wen Hai, Xu Aie, Li Li, and Sun Qiuning also gathered together. Rather than just being a brand strategy event, it could be seen as an expert symposium on sensitive skin care and the future of skin health in China. This event solidified Winona’s role not only in providing solutions for users with sensitive skin but also in guiding the health and sustainable development of the skincare and cosmetics industry as a whole.
From “Focus” to “Specialized Research,” Winona enters the 2.0 era.
At the beginning of the conference, Dr. Guo Zhenyu, the President of BTN Group and the founder of the Winona brand, raised three questions: Where is the ultimate goal of skincare? What is the true value of dermatology and skincare for humanity? How long will it take for Chinese efficacy skincare brands to lead globally?
To answer these questions, we must first look back at the history of Winona.
Professor He Li, the Executive Director of the Dermatology Hospital at the First Affiliated Hospital of Kunming Medical University and the leader of the innovation team of the Ministry of Education, pointed out during the conference that sensitive skin has undergone four revolutionary transformations so far, and Winona has not only witnessed but also driven these changes.
Initially, due to insufficient research in the field of sensitive skin care and numerous imperfections in dermatological diagnosis and treatment, there was a strong demand for effective skincare products tailored to the sensitive skin of Chinese people. With this vision in mind, Winona and a group of dermatologists took the first step in clinical research on sensitive skin in China.
Since then, Winona has collaborated with dermatologists, combining industry, academia, research, and medical approaches, with the goal of solving clinical problems. They embarked on the development of dermatological skincare products. From establishing a sample resource library for photoaging skin diseases in China to exploring the mechanisms of sensitive skin, establishing a plant resource library with Yunnan characteristics, and making breakthroughs in significant issues such as identifying CLDN-5 as an important target in sensitive skin and the skin aging caused by skin sensitivity, Winona has gradually led sensitive skin care through the second and third transformations.
As of now, Winona has addressed multiple clinical pain points through collaborative innovation involving various fields and disciplines. This year, Winona officially launched the 3.0 version of its “Red Book,” which consolidates all its research achievements. The Red Book includes over 300 authoritative publications, including 16 national expert guidelines and consensus statements, 34 invention patents, and 286 articles on basic research and clinical validation.
As Dr. Guo Zhenyu stated during the conference, Winona aims to break through the concept of “sensitive skin” and make people associate skincare with Winona when they have sensitive skin. Winona wants to be synonymous with sensitive skin care. It can be said that Winona has achieved this goal. Unbeknownst to many, Winona has become a specialist in the field of sensitive skin care, completing a brand transformation and entering the 2.0 era.
The Goal of the 2.0 Era: Building a New Era of Skin Health
If BTN=Winona=sensitive skin in the past decade, where will BTN and Winona’s future lie in the 2.0 era of enterprise development, in the second half of efficacy competition? Guo Zhenyu’s answer is: the goal of BTN 2.0 is the Chinese skin health ecosystem, and it will anchor on Winona to usher in a new era of freedom and beauty for sensitive skin health in the next 10 years.
Why the Chinese skin health ecosystem? This takes us back to the three questions raised earlier, and Guo Zhenyu’s answer is: freedom, health, small incisions, in-depth research, and real effectiveness.
Simply put, it aims to penetrate the field of sensitive skin through continuous and in-depth research, expanding from one point to multiple points, radiating into multiple areas such as sun protection and anti-aging. With the mission and pursuit of promoting skin health, the goal is to ultimately create an efficacious skincare brand that can truly improve the skin health ecosystem of the Chinese population.
In fact, from the current market environment, although there are top brands like Winona that have been steadfast in the forefront of skin health care, there are also many brands and products that solely focus on short-term performance and blindly promote high-dose, high-efficacy products. These products not only trap more consumers with sensitive skin in a “vicious cycle of damaged skin” but can also disrupt the normal skin ecosystem, turning an increasing number of individuals with healthy skin into so-called “sensitive skin” individuals.
It is worth mentioning that during the conference, Professor Li Li, the director of the Cosmetic Evaluation Center and a dermatology professor at West China Hospital of Sichuan University, provided a clear scientific explanation of sensitive skin care from a clinical medicine perspective. She emphasized the need for in-depth basic research and strengthened science popularization to promote the standardization of the industry.
In this aspect, the current cosmetics market undoubtedly needs more conscientious and responsible brands to step forward, expose the scams behind many cosmetics’ “intelligence tax,” and tell consumers and the market what truly constitutes a scientifically sound skincare regimen. Only by doing so can the cosmetics industry’s healthy development be truly promoted. And from the current perspective, this is exactly what Winona is doing.
Therefore, in Guo Zhenyu’s view, Winona’s transition from 1.0 to 2.0 is not only a transformation from “focus” to “specialized research,” but also aims to provide responsible solutions for users with sensitive skin. This will lead Chinese brands towards the position of global TOP1 in the field of efficacious skincare.
Innovation First Step: Winona Sensitiveness Relieving Series Upgraded for the First Time
It is important to note that although the Winona 2.0 strategy was officially announced today, the new round of strategic upgrades has already begun. During this press conference, Winona unveiled the upgraded second generation of the Winona Sensitiveness Relieving Series, also known as the second generation Winona Sensitiveness Relieving Series. Undoubtedly, this is one of the most significant milestones for Winona as it enters the 2.0 era.
According to Wang Feifei, Vice President of BTN and Executive Dean of BTN Research Institute, dermatological experts have discovered in their research that the key to recurring sensitivity lies in the sensitive gene CLDN-5. It acts as a switch at the source of sensitivity, and only by enhancing the expression of CLDN-5 can the occurrence of skin sensitivity be reduced. Therefore, compared to the first generation Winona Sensitiveness Relieving Series, which focused on the cornified envelope and intercellular lipids of the brick wall structure, the second generation Winona Sensitiveness Relieving Series places more emphasis on the core sensitive gene CLDN-5 and neuropeptide P.
Furthermore, the second generation Winona Sensitiveness Relieving Series has upgraded the original sea buckthorn oil ingredient to sea buckthorn polysaccharides. The upgraded ingredient not only possesses enhanced stability but also has stronger soothing and repairing effects. It can directly target the source of sensitive genes, block sensitivity at its origin, and enhance the expression of the CLDN-5 gene, thereby reducing sensitivity occurrences.
Additionally, to maximize the advantages of the ingredients, Winona has customized the formulation and upgraded it with a permeation technique specifically tailored for sensitive skin. It is free of penetration enhancers, gentler on the skin, and provides prolonged release.
Experimental results show that after continuous use of this product for 28 days, there is a 13.26% reduction in hemoglobin values, an 11.48% decrease in the proportion of red areas, and a 28.41% increase in dermal density. It demonstrates clear improvement in skin’s defense capabilities and redness reduction effects.
A Systematic Solution for Sensitive Skin Care
As early as 2022, Winona explicitly proposed the concept of “Sensitive Skin Care Entering the PLUS Era” during the 3rd Sensitive Skin Summit Cloud Forum. The second generation Winona Sensitiveness Relieving Series is the result of Winona’s efforts in the era of sensitive skin PLUS. Therefore, from the perspective of the long-term goals of the 2.0 strategy, the second generation Winona Sensitiveness Relieving Series is just the starting point of the transformation, not the endpoint.
According to Wang Feifei, Winona’s current product development process, selection of effective skincare ingredients, formulation research, product evaluation, human evaluation, clinical observation research, and the Yunnan characteristic plant research platform have all been upgraded to the 2.0 stage.
In addition, CHAILEEDO learned on-site that in the Winona 2.0 era, the focus will continue to be on dermatology, amplifying medical research genes, and building integrated solutions. This includes a series of medical-grade hyaluronic acid and recombinant collagen products that focus on post-cosmetic treatment, the second generation Winona Sensitiveness Relieving Series dedicated to sensitive, dry, itchy, and red skin, a barrier cream series dedicated to barrier damage, Camellia-Lucent Series 2.0 dedicated to pigmentation issues, and a sunscreen series focused on protecting against sun damage. In 2024, Winona will also launch a new anti-aging product with soothing and anti-aging effects. With this, Winona has developed a comprehensive solution for sensitive skin.
Currently, most products targeting sensitive skin are more inclined towards basic care. Many consumers with sensitive skin find it difficult to find or dare to use products with stronger effects such as whitening and anti-aging due to the unhealthy condition of their skin. Winona’s comprehensive solution tells consumers that the boundaries of sensitive skin care can be expanded.
These advancements not only help Winona continuously deliver more scientific, safe, and effective products to consumers but also provide it with long-term development potential and the confidence to pursue a long-term path. At the same time, it sets a benchmark and example for other brands and companies in the sensitive skin care field.
It can be said that in a state of surplus value, Winona has gradually gained the ability to construct a “skin health ecosystem,” as proposed by Guo Zhenyu. In the near future, Winona may become a pioneer in leading the implementation of comprehensive solutions for sensitive skin care.
7 Major Plans, Targeting 15 Billion Yuan!
In the ever-changing beauty market, the battle among top brands is fierce, and only brands that have established their own brand awareness and possess long-term plans can survive until the end. Just as the founder of Focus Media, Jiang Nanchun, said at the conference, “Looking at the global market, both Chinese beauty brands and specialized Chinese skincare brands have great potential, and the market can continue to expand.” Winona undoubtedly understands this well.
During this press conference, Guo Zhenyu proposed 7 development strategies for the Winona 2.0 strategy, which also provides direction for the future development of Winona and even the BTN Group.
First and foremost, the most important aspect is undoubtedly the foundation and clinical research, which builds BTN’s innovative capabilities through solid research and development. Currently, BTN has 19 top-level dermatology professors and 63 dermatology experts, with over 70 domestic and international top hospitals conducting clinical validations, 300+ studies on Winona product fundamentals, process routes, and clinical validations, as well as participation in the development of 15 national expert guidelines and 31 industry standards. In Winona’s plan, continuous investment will be made in these areas, and these numbers will continue to grow in the future.
At the same time, Winona will expand its vision to the forefront of international dermatology, bringing world-leading scientific research innovations and achievements to Chinese consumers. Currently, the BTN Group has established a joint laboratory in collaboration with the Saint Louis Hospital Skin Research Center in France, and this year, it will also establish a research center in Switzerland to conduct research in the anti-aging field, continuously extending its international research perspective.
In addition, Winona is collaborating with institutions such as the Yunnan Institute of Materia Medica, Yunnan University, and Yunnan Agricultural University to build a high-tech innovation chain covering “basic theoretical research – application development – key technology development for industrialization – industrial incubation – market” for Yunnan’s characteristic plants, creating a Chinese green beauty valley with highland plant characteristics.
Simultaneously, in Guo Zhenyu’s plan, green production, social welfare, and public science education are also given significant importance. As an example, Winona is currently building a zero-carbon factory covering an area of 80 acres with a total construction area of 59,000 square meters. In the future, Winona will continue to create a green supply chain and empower sustainable development through ESG.
During the press conference, Winona also successfully signed a contract with the International Foundation for Dermatology, and in the future, both parties will carry out popular science education and charitable donations to address skin problems caused by environmental and lifestyle pressures. Through activities like the “Weixiao Sunshine Project,” they will promote, encourage, and disseminate skin health management to promote healthy and beautiful skin and benefit the public and society.
It is worth noting that expanding internationally will also be an important leap in the Winona 2.0 era. In Guo Zhenyu’s view, “Companies should follow the market, and the market is distributed worldwide, so companies should go global. It is only natural that enterprise brands should aim and expand globally. This is an essential quality and an inevitable choice for a promising brand.”
CHAILEEDO learned on-site that Winona’s first step in entering the international market in 2024 will be the Southeast Asian market, followed by gradual expansion into the European and American markets.
It can be said that these 7 major strategies not only put Winona at the forefront of sensitive skincare once again but also tell consumers and the market that Winona is still evolving and will not stop.
In the 1.0 era, Winona achieved 5 billion yuan in revenue through deep cultivation in the sensitive skincare field. With the introduction of the 2.0 strategy, Guo Zhenyu confidently declared, “Winona has the confidence and determination to break through the 15 billion yuan mark and ultimately become the world’s leading skincare brand.”
Perhaps Winona’s vision goes beyond performance goals; it is more urgent in establishing a new height for the skin health ecosystem and shaping and popularizing the correct scientific skincare values. On the journey to drive the industry towards sustainable development, Winona has always been a pioneer and leader.
