Do you want to expand into the Chinese Market? This article provides you with a variety of resources and access to Department for International Trade (DIT) Webinars which are focused on Accessing the China Market.

This article contains: information about the Department for International Trade (DIT) Webinars which are launching on 2nd March; a Partner Member exclusive webinar from Shakeup Cosmetics about launching in China, as well as a WeChat Mini-Program Playbook for E-Commerce from Patron Azoya.

 

 

Department for International Trade (DIT) Webinars

 

Exporting to China has always been challenging for British beauty brands because of the need for animal testing. However, on 3 January 2020, the China State Council announced the approval of revised cosmetics regulations, outlining requirements for animal testing exemption. Once the new regulations begin on 1 May 2021, it will be possible for British brands with ethical considerations within their core values to access China’s huge market and consumer base, which is expected to be worth around £50Bn by the end of this year.

 

The conditions for exemption remain a challenge, and the British Government is close to a solution for British brands to comply with China’s new safety requirements. The Department for International Trade (DIT) is hosting a beauty festival to walk through these changes and the wider opportunities in China, starting with a webinar series and leading up to a British Pavilion at the China Beauty Expo (CBE), Shanghai.

 

Open to all, the webinar series will feature seven targeted sessions delivered by industry experts starting from 2 March 2021, covering all key aspects of China beauty from navigating China’s regulatory changes and how to comply with new regulations to the market segment’s landscape and consumer trends.

 

Schedule:

2nd March

Session 1: The UK’s Proposal of Good Manufacturing Practice Certification for Brands Exporting to China without the need for animal testing

Time: 14:00 to 15:00

 

4th March

Session 2: The China UK-EU Initiative on Cosmetics Safety Assessment

Time: 14:00 to 15:00

 

9th March 

Session 3: Understanding China, your consumers and what beauty means to them

Time: 09:00 to 10:00

 

11th March 

Session 4: The Beauty Landscape in China

Time: 09:00 to 10:00

 

16th March

Session 5: The Skincare Landscape in China

Time: 09:00 to 10:00

 

18th March

Session 6: The New Digital Playbook for China’s Beauty Market

Time: 09:00 to 10:00

 

23rd March 

Session 7: Get to know China Operations and China Beauty Expo

Time: 09:00 to 10:30

 

Register for tickets here.

 

Ahead of the DIT Webinar series, we spoke with Jake Xu and Shane Carnell-Xu, Founders of Shakeup Cosmetics, about their experience of launching in China, the Chinese beauty landscape, as well as advice for anyone looking to enter the Chinese market.

 

About Shakeup Cosmetics

 

Twin brothers, Jake Xu and Shane Carnell-Xu, have been working in Beauty for over 10 years. 

 

Born in Beijing, and having grown up in the UK, the brothers cofounded the renowned beauty marketing agency: Ready, in 2006, working with clients such as Walgreens Boots Alliance, Kao Group, Elemis, Dermalogica and Burt’s Bees. Having suffered from Rosacea since teens, and struggled to find quality skincare-led colour cosmetics designed for men’s skin, the brothers created Shakeup Cosmetics in 2018, officially launching the brand with a tight range of innovative products in Autumn the following year. The brand quickly gathered tractions from the industry, press and social influencers, resulted in a full national listing with Harvey Nichols two weeks after launch. 

 

Shane and Jake believe the early success of the Shakeup range is largely due to the brand’s ethos and mission, which is to challenge gender stereotypes, reject toxic masculinity and embrace a new era of men’s beauty. The brand believes makeup should not have gender, however our skin does. Men’s cosmetics should not be treated as a sub-category or after-thought. The male consumers in this group are massively under-served and they deserve brands that specifically tailor the products to their needs and requirements. 

 

 

The timing is also perfect, with modern masculinity being re-defined by a new generation of men, who are not afraid of expressing themselves through cosmetics, and they believe they deserve the same rights as women to feeling confident and being the best version of themselves every day.

 

18 months on, Shakeup products can be found in all Harvey Nichols stores and online, and select Superdrug stores in the UK. It became the first UK male cosmetics brand to be listed on Douglas and Zalando in Germany. The brand is also currently distributed in South Africa and New Zealand. But perhaps the most strategic milestone for Shakeup came last July, when the brand officially launched in China via cross border e-commerce, by opening its own flagship store on Alibaba’s TMALL Global platform. Shakeup’s hero product Let’s Face It – BB tinted moisturiser is selling at a rate of 1 every 6 minutes globally.

 

Watch the interview between British Beauty Council Head of Partnerships and Engagement Diana Kennedy, and Shakeup Cosmetics Founders Jake Xu and Shane Carnell-Xu here; you can also access the video through the Member Zone.

 

 

British Beauty Council Patron Azoya have published “The WeChat Mini-Program Playbook for E-Commerce 2021“, which is available to download for Partner Members.

 

“WeChat is one of the – if not THE – most powerful tools in China. With its 1.2 billion active users it’s the gateway for UK brands to Chinese Consumers. If you understand how to use this tool properly you can get the attention of your target group and turn them into your fans. With our whitepaper we deep dive into the world of WeChat and its Mini-Programs and show how to make the most of it.” – Elena Gatti, Managing Director Europe at Azoya

 

Download the WeChat Mini-Program Playbook here.

 

Remember to register at the Department for International Trade Webinar – you can do so here.