With China's rapid economic development,China is now one of the largest cosmetic producers in the world. Its cosmetic market has grown tremendously from annual sales of RMB15.37 billion in 2001 to approximately RMB26.16 billion in 2004. This market is expected to expand at an annual rate of about 10% with sales reaching RMB80 billion by 2008.
This cosmetic industry's entire product categories, namely skin care, hair care, color cosmetics, fragrances, and personal care (bath and shower, men's grooming products, and oral hygiene), it primarily focuses on the subsectors of skin care, hair care, color cosmetics, and other beauty-related devices or products.
After China's accession to the WTO in 2001, an increasing number of international players are expected to enter the China market. China provides tremendous business opportunities for foreign cosmetic producers.
About 95% of cosmetic companies in China are owned by private and foreign companies, there are almost no official figures available on the beauty-related industry in terms of production, sales or service.
There are 3,500-4,000 manufacturers competing fiercely in this market. 600-700 of them are foreign invested enterprises with major players from the United States, France, Germany, Japan, and Korea. These foreign companies have captured about 80% of market share while some 3,000 local companies are sharing the remaining 20% but trying to compete for greater shares.
Competition will be further intensified among foreign and domestic companies.
There are the opportunities for the local companies, mainly exist in the areas of imported or localized cosmetic ingredients; effective, safe or health-oriented cosmetics made from natural, green, herb-based ingredients; instruments, devices or products for body beauty centers, beauty clinics and salons; functional and low-end hair care products for specific consumer groups.
Over the past two decades, the foreign companies have been successful in making their brands well-known in China, allowing them to achieve about 80% of the total market share. Although several large Chinese state-owned cosmetic companies are trying to catch up in their brand building campaigns, foreign companies still own most of the well-recognized brands in China.
These brands include those of P&G, Unilever, Avon, L'Oreal, Amway, Kao, Henkel, Shiseido, Mary Kay, Kose, LVMH, Wella, Revlon, Chanel SA, Johnson & Johnson, Nivea, Yue-Sai - Coty, Beiersdorf AG, Estee Lauder, etc. Many of those brands are popular in China because of: 1) their financial strength enabling them to build their brand names; 2) their ability to understand the China market well enough through market research; 3) their effective market strategies for product promotion; 4) their strong capability of product research and development.
If you want to know more informations about the Certificate for Imported Cosmetics or Certificate for Labeling of Import and Export Cosmetics, click the website link here. (chinese text/ texte en chinois)
e très complet sur le marché chinois (en langue chinoise), issu du site web de l'économie hongkongaise tcdtrade.com. 
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