Makeup brand YueSai is using science to catapult traditional Chinese beauty into the future. The brand’s General Manager, Gail Lee, and Laurence Ma, L’Oreal China Vice President, General Manager, Luxe China, explain how this iconic brand is evolving.

How do we bring modernity to a brand while remaining true to its rich, meaningful heritage?

How was the YueSai brand born?

GAIL LEE

The brand’s story started with Yue-Sai Kan, an icon and a true pioneer who introduced cosmetics for the first time to Chinese women in the 1990s. 30 years later, with the shift of Chinese consumer power and the spread of Chinese cultural capital, YueSai has seized the opportunity to reinvent itself.

What makes YueSai unique in China?

LAURENCE MA

The dynamics of the beauty market in China are multi-faceted, including a fast-moving retail landscape pushing boundaries offline and online; the constant innovation in products and services, and the search for aspirational and meaningful brand stories. The driving force behind all this is Chinese consumers. They are more sophisticated than ever in their expectations of beauty products and services; more savvy about ingredients and technology; and more diversified in seeking brands with a positive environmental, social and cultural impact. This means there are many pockets of opportunity for each of our luxury brands.

What are the key ingredients in YueSai’s modernisation?

LAURENCE MA

China is a fast-moving country, yet YueSai remains true to its key principles in its reinvention:

• beyond Chinese beauty, it’s modern Chinese beauty,

• beyond Chinese medicine, it’s augmented Chinese medicine,

• beyond its heritage, it’s about today’s women and womanhood. 

GAIL LEE

Based on these three principles, we set up a modernisation strategy.

First, we reinstate modern Chinese beauty by redefining the brand’s image and tone of voice of “C-beauty”: modern and cultured, with a soft sensuality and a strong attitude.

Second, we advance traditional Chinese medicine augmented with modern science by yielding L’Oréal Research & Innovation skincare expertise to formulate the best combinations of traditional Chinese medecine and modern bioactives to repair and regulate skin quality. Like the renovation of Gold Essence, with precious Cordyceps from Qinghai augmented by Proxylane. The launch succeeded as one of the top anti-aging essences on Tmall’s Double 11 . Strengthening our innovation, we extend partnerships with local beauty tech startups and universities. Combining their strengths, we can further advance traditional Chinese medicine through modern science to deliver superior quality skincare solutions. For example, Skinrun, a local beauty tech company, works with us to customise a diagnosis specific to Chinese skin.

Third, we hope to accompany today’s Chinese women at different milestones in their lives, and in the life of their skin. Their stories of womanhood are moving, and some are expressed in art form. So, we empower Chinese female artists, like Song Santu, whose work and voice tell stories of womanhood. 

LAURENCE MA

The diversity of Chinese beauty is boundless. YueSai is a great asset in the L’Oréal Luxe brand portfolio. It will continue to strengthen our reach to meet more women’s needs and desires, to create the beauty that moves the world.