Yatsen underlines significant commercial potential of makeup-skin care hybrids with latest R&D investments

The company recently unveiled its new Yatsen Global Innovation and R&D Centre in Shanghai.

According to the company, it invested over RMB80 (USD11m) into the new facilities, which it said will support its product development and technological innovation ambitions.

The company said its R&D centre was a “first-class”​ facility that has been benchmarked against the standards of the leading international firms.

"Using the Yatsen Global Innovation R&D Centre as the forefront of technological innovation, we will deepen our cooperation and exchanges with renowned research institutions, universities, and hospitals both domestically and internationally. ​

“Together, we aim to create a new level of productivity for domestic beauty brands and bring more high-quality beauty products to consumers,”​ said Huang Jinfeng, founder, chairman and CEO of Yatsen Group

New heights in makeup

The establishment of the R&D facility will enable its flagship brand, Perfect Diary, with a comprehensive R&D ecosystem, encompassing cutting-edge scientific research and advanced manufacturing.

In particular, the company aims to “seize new heights” in the makeup-skin care segment.

This segment has been lucrative for the company and helped to re-establish Perfect Dairy has a leader in China’s colour cosmetics market.

Perfect Dairy launched Biolip Essence Lipstick in 2023 as part of the company’s efforts to reposition its flagship brand as a cutting-edge leader.

The product combines the effects of a lipstick, lip essence, and lip mask with a pomegranate peptide complex.

Clinical tests have showed that the lipstick could reduce the fine lips on the lips by over 50% in two weeks.

It was targeted at Chinese beauty consumers who are now demanding higher quality, innovation, and value from their products.

The product has been a success for the company. From September to December 2023, sales of the lipstick exceeded RMB100m (USD13.8m).

Since then, Perfect Diary has developed and launched more colour cosmetic products with the same proposition, including a foundation and eye shadows imbued with essence.

The company said that these makeup-skin care hybrids have “injected endless vitality and momentum into the development of the beauty industry” ​and it believes it commercial potential is huge.

It will continue to work internally and with third-party partners to explore how it can expand this segment.

Since 2020, Yatsen has invested more than RMB450m (USD62.2m) in R&D expenses focusing on areas such as biotechnology.