(Yicai Global) May 10 -- The Chinese market for men’s cosmetics and grooming products hit CNY16.7 billion (USD2.6 billion) last year after it expanded an average 7.7 percent a year over the past four years, according to a South Korean trade group.

The biggest consumer group was men born after 1995, as they made up nearly 60 percent of buyers, Yonhap News Agency reported today, citing a report from the Chengdu branch of the Korea International Trade Association. This group buy lip balm, pore strips, and face wash.

Men aged between 26 and 30 accounted for about a fifth of all sales, the report said. They tend to purchase facial masks and anti-aging products.

The market for men’s cosmetics and grooming products is becoming more crowded. The number of brands that have items geared to men, including L’Oreal, Nivea, and JVR, increased more than three times to over 3,900 in 2019. 

South Korean companies should debut functional skincare products for men and market them in China, the KITA suggested.

Editor: Emmi Laine, Xiao Yi