Maybelline to shut all stores in China

In a statement sent to local media, the brand said, “In response to changes in the market and consumer demand, Maybelline New York has been gradually strategically transforming its traditional offline channels since 2020 to achieve a cohesive online and offline shopping experience and to bring consumers a more diverse beauty shopping experience.”

Customer service from the brand further revealed that the timeline for store closures is not clear so far, but counters within the drugstore chain Watson’s will continue to operate.

The century-old beauty brand, acquired by L’Oréal in 1996, entered the Chinese market in 1997 and soon became a popular choice for a large number of women who moved from the countryside to big cities in pursuit of an office job as the nation was shifting to a service industry-led economy at the time.

Maybelline was a key player in the affordable cosmetic sector through brick-and-mortar channels such as supermarkets and department stores, but the brand in recent years failed to catch up with local competitors and adapt to the disruptive Chinese e-commerce model.

The brand withdrew from the supermarket channel in 2018 and began to leave department stores in 2020.

This shift coincides with the rise of C-beauty brands, as well as L’Oréal gradually pivoting its focus toward the prestige category.

Data from market researcher Qianzhan Industry Research Institute shows that Maybelline’s market share in the Chinese market fell to 4.9 percent last year from 10.7 percent in 2018, while Florasis and Perfect Diary became two of the most popular brands, taking market shares of 6.8 percent and 6.4 percent, respectively.