Influencer Bad Buzz in China: What It Costs Your Cosmetics Brand

A Top Influencer Creates a Bad Buzz for a Chinese Cosmetics Brand

On September 10, Li Jiaqi, China’s most watched livestream host, known as the “Lipstick King,” sparked a crisis during a live broadcast for Florasis cosmetics. A viewer questioned the price of an eyebrow pencil at 79 RMB. Li fired back, telling the critic to look at their own work ethic instead of questioning the price tag.

That reply cost him one million followers on Weibo in 24 hours. It cost Florasis its reputation for months.

Your brand can face the same situation tomorrow. Here is what happened, why it matters in 2026, and what you need in place before you hand a KOL the keys to your sales channel.

The Fallout

Li’s remarks triggered an immediate backlash. He lost over one million followers within 24 hours on Weibo, despite having built an audience of more than 30 million. His subsequent public apology did not stop the bleeding.

Weibo’s trending topics algorithm amplified the controversy automatically. By the time his team posted the apology video, the narrative was already set: arrogant host, overpriced brand.

The Florasis Impact

The incident shifted focus directly to Florasis. Consumers coined the term “花西币” (Florasis Coin), a mocking reference to the brand’s pricing strategy. It spread across Weibo, Douyin, and XHS within hours.

The crisis deepened when reports surfaced about a makeup brush set priced at 919 RMB that used inferior synthetic bristles. The gap between positioning and product quality became the story.

A Weibo survey showed that 80% of 18,000 respondents refused to buy the brush set at that price. Only around 300 expressed continued brand loyalty. That is a public vote of no confidence, indexed forever on Chinese search engines.

Broader Implications

The episode forced Chinese beauty consumers to ask a direct question: are domestic brands charging premium prices for average products? That skepticism did not fade. It reset expectations across the entire category.

In 2026, that skepticism is structural. It is baked into how consumers discover, evaluate, and buy cosmetics. If your brand is not prepared for scrutiny at every touchpoint, a bad buzz will find you.