Cleansing products are breaking out of their traditional positioning within skincare routines. Brands can create differentiated competitive advantage and growth opportunities by offering powerful yet gentle cleansing, exploring innovative textures and incorporating additional benefits into their products.
Daisy Tong, Senior Analyst, China Insights
Market Definitions
Definition of facial cleansing and makeup removal products:
- Facial cleansing products: cleansing products with exfoliating properties in bar, mousse, cream, gel and wipe format, including cleansing products claiming to also have makeup removal benefits.
- Makeup removal products: makeup removal water (including wipes), gel, lotion, oil and balm, including facial makeup removal products and dedicated eye and lip makeup removal products.
The market size in this Report includes only the facial cleanser and makeup removal market in China. The market size is based on value sales through various retail channels, including duty-free channels, but does not cover the consumer-to-consumer market (such as WeChat sellers or Taobao).
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Executive summary
- Definitions
- What you need to know
- In 2025, the facial cleansing market is growing slowly
- Graph 1: best- and worst-case forecast of retail sales of facial cleansing products, 2020-30
- The makeup remover market is expected to turn the corner in 2025
- Graph 2: best- and worst-case forecast of retail sales of makeup removal products, 2020-30
- Market factors
- Companies and brands
- What consumers want and why
- Keys to success
- What we think
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The market
- Market size and forecast
- In 2025, the facial cleansing market is growing slowly
- Graph 3: best- and worst-case forecast of retail sales of facial cleansing products, 2020-30
- The makeup remover market is expected to turn the corner in 2025
- Graph 4: best- and worst-case forecast of retail sales of makeup removal products, 2020-30
- Market factors
- Colour cosmetics recovery to boost growth in facial cleansing/makeup removal
- Graph 5: total value sales, colour cosmetics market, 2021-25
- Affordable products dominate but premium products are growing fast
- Graph 6: YOY change in volume sales of different price segments on Tmall, August 2024-July 2025
- Graph 7: volume sales share of different price segments on Tmall, August 2024-July 2025
- Cleansers are used morning and evening, giving stability to the market
- Graph 8: facial skincare products – time of use, 2024
- Product development: the quest for deeper, gentler cleansing
- Unlock growth with advanced skincare benefits
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Companies and brands
- Market share
- Facial cleansing products on Tmall
- Facial cleansing products on Douyin
- Makeup removal products on Tmall
- Makeup removal products on Douyin
- New product trends
- Key overseas markets seeing more ethical and exfoliating claims
- Graph 9: leading claims in new facial cleansing products, by market, 2024-25
- Overseas launches focus on gentle, natural exfoliation
- Classic ingredients now offer continuous moisturisation
- Cleansing, moisturising and herbal claims dominate in China, mattifying, ease of use and sensitive skin claims rising
- Graph 10: leading claims in new facial cleansing products, 2020-25
- Multi-tube products, with deep oil removal and moisturising benefits
- Europe/US makeup removal markets: significant increases in brightening/illuminating, environmentally friendly packaging and sustainability claims
- Graph 11: leading claims in new makeup removal products, by market, 2024-25
- Natural ingredients offer gentle illumination
- Gentle and safe claims growing rapidly in Chinese makeup remover launches
- Graph 12: leading claims in new makeup removal products, 2020-25
- Popular makeup remover products emphasise texture improvements
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What consumers want and why
- Cleansing needs vary according to changes in makeup, balancing gentleness and efficacy is critical
- Over 60% of consumers adjust their facial cleansing routine due to changes in their makeup
- Graph 13: facial cleansing routines on different occasions, by product usage**, 2024
- Graph 14: attitudes towards cleansing/makeup remover products – cleansing/makeup removal routine*, 2025
- Cleansing power and gentleness are the primary pain points
- Graph 15: facial cleansing product pain points*, 2020
- Graph 16: makeup removal product pain points**, 2023
- Consumers want gentle cleansing power
- Graph 17: attitudes towards facial cleansing/makeup removal products – cleansing power and gentleness, 2025
- Cleansing power: towards a comprehensive understanding
- Graph 18: perceptions of cleansing efficacy, 2025
- A multi-dimensional understanding of gentleness
- Graph 19: features of gentleness, by attitudes toward facial cleansers/makeup removers – cleansing power and gentleness, 2025
- Balance cleansing power and gentleness with coordinated innovations in ingredients, formulas and formats
- Build a gentle and balanced system with multiple cleansing ingredients
- Multifunctional cleansing ingredients help balance cleansing power and the user experience
- Balancing gentleness and cleansing power through innovative formulas and technologies
- Innovative formats deliver a gentle and personalised makeup removal experience
- Target a diverse range of skin types to segment the market
- Consumers are aware of the diversity and complexity of skin types
- Graph 20: skin sensitivity and skin type, by gender, 2025
- Many younger consumers have sensitive skin, prevalence of oily skin decreases with age
- Graph 21: skin sensitivity and skin type, by age, 2025
- Cleansers maintain high penetration, mainstream categories stable, increased penetration of cleansing oils
- Graph 22: makeup removal product usage, 2023-25
- Graph 23: usage of major facial cleansing products, 2023-25
- Product preferences differ with skin type
- Graph 24: product usage – selected options, by skin type, 2025
- Create multi-texture portfolios precisely targeted at different skin types to enhance brand competitiveness
- Offer product bundles tailored to different skin types
- Deploy a product matrix based on skin type segments
- Create precisely targeted skincare solutions with innovative textures
- Consumers are keen to explore new textures to meet their skincare needs
- Classic textures better for oily/combination skin, mousses more suitable for sensitive skin
- Graph 25: skin type matching, facial cleansing options, 2025
- Consumer perceptions of makeup remover textures vary widely
- Graph 26: skin type matching – makeup removal options, skin types (net), 2025
- Tailor facial cleansing products to scenarios and skin types; emphasise textures and personalisation in makeup removal
- Meet demands based on scenarios/skin conditions and explore micro-innovations in texture
- Micro-innovations in texture optimise the user experience without losing existing benefits
- Texture differentiation and warming/cooling effects are personalising the makeup removal experience
- Facial cleansing and makeup removal lie at the heart of skincare, cleansing and caring for the skin
- Majority of consumers see their cleansing routine as a vital part of skincare
- Graph 27: attitudes towards cleansing/makeup removal products – importance, by skin type, 2025
- Cleansing is essential, additional benefits are a bonus
- Graph 28: attitudes towards facial cleansing/makeup removal products – demand for additional benefits, by age, 2025
- Graph 29: attitudes towards cleansing/makeup removal products – demand for additional benefits, by selected skin issues, 2025
- Moisturisation and hydration key to facial cleansing, an increasing interest in advanced benefits
- Graph 30: skincare needs for facial cleansing products, 2024
- Issues with dry and ageing skin bring new opportunities for functional cleansing products
- Graph 31: skin issues, 2023-25
- Look to advanced repair and anti-ageing benefits to drive premium pricing
- Graph 32: additional benefit expectations – important to me and I am willing to pay extra for it, 2025
- Non-skincare benefits command attention, but not premiums
- Graph 33: additional benefit expectations – important to me but I am not willing to pay extra for it, 2025
- Unleash the advanced potential of cleansing products, from extra benefits to the entire skincare ecosystem
- Cleansing products: where skincare begins
- Cleansing is skincare: incorporate active skincare ingredients in facial cleansers
- New technologies and ingredients bring advanced benefits
- Consumers prefer cleansing and skincare products from the same brand, aiding the expansion of product matrices
- Graph 34: attitudes towards facial cleansing/makeup removal products – brands, 2025
- Incorporate facial cleansing into advanced core care routines
- Emotions and efficacy drive premiumisation in tandem
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Appendix – market size and forecast, research methodology and abbreviations
- Market size and forecast – facial cleansing products
- Market size and forecast – makeup removal products
- Methodology
- Methodology: TURF analysis
- Abbreviations
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