Biotherm

Biotherm, part of L'Oreal Group, holds a rare position in China: it is the dominant international brand in male skincare, a segment that grew from $0.74 billion in 2017 to $2.8 billion in 2025. Yet this leadership came under pressure in 2025-2026. C-Beauty brands captured 57.4% of the total cosmetics market, their fifth consecutive year of share gains, and male-focused domestic labels entered with aggressive pricing and formats tailored to Chinese platform dynamics. At the same time, 81% of Biotherm Homme purchases in China are influenced or initiated by female partners, meaning the brand had to maintain relevance on both sides of the buying decision.

China's digital commerce landscape shifted significantly. Douyin overtook Tmall as the primary GMV driver for beauty, turning livestream commerce and short-video content into the main acquisition channel. The premium skincare segment, however, bucked the broader trade-down trend: premium cosmetics are forecast to grow at 10.6% CAGR through 2030, driven by efficacy-first consumers who research ingredients deeply on XHS before converting on Tmall or Douyin. Biotherm's positioning around marine biology and science-backed formulas fit this consumer mindset, but the brand needed to translate that credibility into platform-native content at scale.

We were briefed to build and execute a full social commerce strategy: KOL activation across Douyin and Xiaohongshu to drive brand awareness among 25-40 male professionals and their female partners, combined with e-commerce optimization on Tmall to turn discovery into measurable sales. The strategy required a clear split: Douyin for reach and storytelling via science-led creators, XHS for review-driven community content targeting the gifting buyer segment, and Tmall for conversion and repeat purchase mechanics.