The Beautiful New World Under the Rule of Ingredient Enthusiasts

Ms. Li recently noticed that the ingredient list of her skincare products is becoming more and more like a chemistry test paper - niacinamide, procyanidin, ergothioneine... Behind these tongue-twisting ingredient names is a drastic change taking place in the cosmetics industry. From "concept marketing" to the rise of "ingredient enthusiasts", this multi-billion-yuan market is redefining beauty with scientific formulas.

According to data from the Zhongshitong Research Institute, the size of the Chinese cosmetics market exceeded 600 billion yuan in 2023, but the growth rate dropped from double digits to 5.3%. "Behind the end of the high-growth myth is the shift of consumers from blind following to rational decision-making," pointed out Mr. Zhang, an industry analyst. The search data of an e-commerce platform confirms this trend: the usage of the "ingredient query" function has surged by 217% year-on-year.

• Laboratories Replace Counters: The sales volume of laboratory dosage form products such as lyophilized powder and ampoules has increased by 89% annually, and formula transparency has become the top factor in purchase decisions.
• Dermatologists Get Involved: The sales proportion of products endorsed by professional physicians has soared from 3% to 18%, and efficacy claims require the submission of human trial reports.
• Domestic Brands Counterattack in High-End Segments: The market share of domestic brands in high-end fields such as anti-aging and whitening has exceeded 40%, and the price range is approaching international big brands.

Ms. Wang's experience is quite representative: The "copper peptide essence" she bought at a high price caused facial problems due to a conflict with the ingredients of her facial cleanser. Ingredient mixing risks, excessive efficacy claims, and the lack of testing standards have become new pain points. More severely, spot checks by the Zhongshitong Testing Center in 2024 showed that 23% of "clean beauty" products still contained controversial preservatives.

When AI formulators start participating in product research and development, and when skin microecology detectors enter households, the industry is brewing even greater changes:

• The cost of personalized customization will be reduced by 67%
• Biodegradable packaging becomes a mandatory standard
• The boundary between skincare products and health products will be completely blurred
• Each product will be equipped with a digital "ingredient passport"

When "Vitamin C in the morning and Vitamin A at night" becomes the skincare bible, and when ingredient concentrations become objects of comparison, perhaps we should think: In the wave of scientific skincare, how can we avoid being kidnapped by data? Before the next purchase, you might as well ask yourself: What the skin really needs, is it the numbers on the laboratory report, or a healthy state of physical and mental balance?