This is our new brand launched in China this year. Although we are only 10 years old, we are already a leading brand in the North American pure care track. On November 6th, at the 9th China International Import Expo (CIIE) Consumer Goods Exhibition Area, Procter&Gamble booth staff introduced a brand called NATIVE to Economic Observer reporters. She said that Procter&Gamble is trying to introduce mature brands that have been running overseas into China.

Similar actions also appeared at the L'Oreal booth. At this year's CIIE, L'Oreal Group showcased five brands that made their debut in China, including three fragrance brands Bottega Veneta, Balenciaga, and Creed, as well as professional hairdressing brand COLOR WOW and scientific skincare brand Skinbetter Science.

The multiple new brands brought by Procter&Gamble and L'Oreal are mature brands that have already formed a certain sales scale in overseas markets and made their debut at this CIIE. NATIVE entered the Chinese market after about ten years of development in North America. The professional hairdressing brand Color Wow had sales exceeding $200 million in 2024 and was acquired by L'Oreal in 2025.

Why choose to focus on introducing these overseas brands at the CIIE? Nicolas Hieronimus, CEO of L'Oreal Group, said in response to a question from the Economic Observer that the CIIE brings together numerous international companies exporting to and doing business in China, providing L'Oreal with an opportunity to showcase innovative achievements. "For me and my team, this is an opportunity for self challenge that can always motivate us to stay ahead," he said.

Explore consumer segmentation needs

NATIVE was founded in the United States and was acquired by Procter&Gamble in 2017. The brand initially operated antiperspirant and deodorizing products, and gradually expanded to 8 categories including bathing, body lotion, hand sanitizer, and hair care. Procter&Gamble told Economic Observer that NATIVE has achieved a 25 fold growth in scale in the North American market over the past decade, receiving 350000 five-star reviews from consumers. The related products have been sold in markets such as North America, Europe, and South America, and will be launched in the Chinese market on the 30th of this month.

In the field of body care, Procter&Gamble has been deeply involved in the Chinese market for over 30 years, with brands such as Comfort and OLAY. Why introduce a new brand? The staff at the Procter&Gamble booth explained that the demand for body care among Chinese consumers is being segmented. Some sensitive skin consumers, when choosing skincare products, not only focus on whether the formula is gentle, but also hope to balance the cleaning effect, moisturizing degree, and user experience.

L'Oreal also meets the segmented needs of Chinese consumers by introducing more new brands. At the core of the L'Oreal exhibition area, three fragrance brands, Bottega Veneta, Balenciaga, and Creed, made a concentrated appearance. This is the first time that L'Oreal Group and Kering Group have exhibited fragrance brands in the Chinese market after reaching a strategic alliance in the beauty and health field.

"At present, perfume accounts for about 13% of China's high-end cosmetics market, which is growing very rapidly." Ye Hongmu observed that Chinese consumers' awareness and acceptance of perfume is increasing, especially noting that many Chinese consumers will directly choose the most high-end and professional fragrance. This has brought market opportunities for brands such as Kairuide.

In addition to fragrances, L'Oreal has also introduced two brands targeting professional care needs. Among them, Xinbeike is positioned in the field of scientific skincare, and the exhibition booth showcased the core product AlphaRet Activating Night Cream. The staff explained that this product has been sold in the North American market for many years. COLOR WOW focused on the needs of hair care, such as hair rashness, and showed products such as hair spray, hair cleansing spray, and Qianjin hair mask on the spot.

Supplement the existing brand matrix

In addition to responding to consumer demand, the introduction of mature overseas brands has also provided Procter&Gamble and L'Oreal with the option to expand their brand matrix in China.

According to Procter&Gamble's positioning of its brands, Shufujia mainly focuses on health protection in its product layout, OLAY emphasizes the application of facial skincare ingredients and scientific technology to body care, and NATIVE emphasizes streamlined formulas and gentle care. In Procter&Gamble's view, the different positioning of the three brands can cover different consumer needs.

In terms of channels, NATIVE will start with Sam's Club and brand online stores, and gradually expand its layout thereafter. Regarding whether to introduce more categories, further expand channels, and develop products for the Chinese market in the future, Procter&Gamble stated that it will make follow-up arrangements based on the needs and feedback of Chinese consumers.

For L'Oreal, the decision to introduce Chinese brands this time is also related to its existing business layout. According to L'Oreal's latest financial report released on October 22, its sales for the first three quarters of 2026 were 35.338 billion euros, a year-on-year increase of 7.7%. The fragrance and hair care categories are important driving forces for its sales growth. Among them, the Chinese market has continued its steady growth trend. L'Oreal disclosed that the growth rate of its business in China in the first three quarters was nearly three times that of the overall beauty market in China, with high-end beauty being one of the important driving factors.

With the development of high-end beauty and fragrance businesses, L'Oreal is still expanding its brand portfolio. Ye Hongmu revealed that L'Oreal plans to bring Gucci fragrances to the Chinese market next year, further enriching the high-end fragrance brand matrix.

(Author Luo Wenli)