Trade show: Thai’s beauty industry takes Cosmoprof CBE ASEAN 2024 by storm
The third edition of Cosmoprof CBE ASEAN took place from 13th to 15th June at the Queen Sirikit National Convention Centre in Bangkok, Thailand. It was a very busy event reflecting the continuously growing importance of the South East Asia region for consumers goods and beauty retail. While more than half of the exhibitors were from the supply chain, most of the leading local beauty brands were also showcasing their innovations at the show, with a strong presence from the biggest Thai names, but also many emerging brands. Here is what was spotted in our radar.
A major regional event
After only three editions, Cosmoprof CBE ASEAN established itself as the major event for the beauty industry in South East Asia. This year, the show hosted more than 1,500 exhibitors (+50% compared to last year), from 18 countries, and welcomed 16,636 visitors coming from 59 countries, 26% up from the 2023 figure.
Thailand provided the largest number of exhibitors, both in the show’s supply chain section and in retail beauty, followed by China (primarily OEM/ODM, ingredients and packaging) and Korea (mostly retail brands). Actually, Thailand is one of the largest cosmetic manufacturers in the region as well as one of the largest beauty retail markets. In 2023, according to Statista, the beauty and personal care sector registered turnover of around 6.3 billion USD.
The success of the event attracted a larger participation form local beauty brands, with some of the biggest domestic mass market names amongst the exhibitors, including Karmart, Mistine, Mizumi, Cosluxe and Mille.
Karmart showcases its innovative strength
Karmart, a leading player in the Thai cosmetics market, showcased its latest innovations across its portfolio 18 brands across all personal care categories. The company runs its own chain of 16 Karmart-branded stores (mostly located in Bangkok) and some of Thailand’s biggest mass beauty names, including Baby Bright, Beautilox, Browit by Nongchat, Cathydoll, Hair It, Intimi, Lipit, Reunrom, and Skynlab+. Karmart exports to 23 countries, especially in South East Asia but also in the Gulf States, the USA and Russia.
In the eye makeup category, one of the biggest segment in the Thai beauty market, Karmart showcased recent launches from Baby Bright including: Cornflower Eyeliner & Remover Pen, a dual-ended liquid eyeliner product equipped with felt tip applicators – colour in one end, liquid remover in the other so any liner mistakes can be precisely repaired; the Razor Sharp Eyebrow pen, a 3-in-1 product, combining a twist-up triangular eyebrow tip on one end, and a brow brush on the other (the brow brush end can be pulled off to reveal a small hidden eyebrow razor blade to help tidy up stray hairs).
Launched a few years ago with transgender makeup influencer Nisamanee, lip colour brand Lipit showcased its colour-changing lipbalm stick dubbed Pride to be Myself Lip. The launch was exclusive to Watsons drugstores in Thailand (sold out almost immediately) a few days before this year’s Pride celebrations in Bangkok. The LGBTQ+ movement is highly visible in Thailand, especially compared to most other countries in the region.
Another Karmart celebrity collaboration, the Hair It range was launched earlier this year with Thai beauty influencer SP Saypan. One of the most interesting products in the line is the 4-sku range of scented and ultra-flexible scalp massage brushes.
Also worth mentioning is oral care brand Skynlab+ recently introduced an optical brightening toothpaste. Reflecting the ongoing premiumisation of the oral care category in Asia, the White Smile Teeth Whitening CC Serum is a thick, silky liquid tooth cleanser that is applied just like a normal toothpaste. Formulated with fluoride but without brightening/polishing particles, the dark blue formula acts as an optical filter, neutralising yellow and beige tones to make teeth appear whiter.
New oil-control pressed powders by Mistine
Thai beauty giant Mistine owns a brand portfolio that is divided into a domestic range, only sold in Thailand, and a global line which has a particularly large offline retail footprint in China.
Amongst the Thai product portfolio, Mistine highlighted the new This is Me Oil Control Foundation Powders. A new range of oil-control pressed powders which a high 30+++ SPF protection available in several shades. Almost all Thai face colour makeup products available on the market are formulated with sun filters as the tropical climate and consumer preferences encourage all year round sun protection.
Esxense’s highlights its heritage-based fragrance collection
Mass market fragrance brand Esxense, which offers a wide range of perfume rollers, showcased its new Senses of Thai collection, which features six fragrances based on famous characters from the traditional Thai literature. Tapping into the heritage trend, each scent is available as a 30ml EDT spray and a 10ml roll-on created specifically for the 7-11 convenience store chain. The company received a Thai Packaging Design Award for the pack design of the collection.
Esxence sales most of its product line-up through convenience stores and supermarkets. According to Statista, convenience stores account for almost 20% of the entire consumer goods market in Thailand. Whilst Thai beauty retail is dominated by drugstores, perfumeries, department stores, hypermarkets and so on, convenience stores and smaller supermarkets reach consumers outside of the larger urban agglomerations, including in remote or rural regions. Many domestic and international beauty brands manufacture extra small pack sizes – usually reclosable squeezy sachets – with a very low price point specifically for this retail channel.
Holiskin debuts refillable serum mist
Launched in early 2024, Thai niche brand Holiskin offers a single multi-purpose face/body care product targeting the more affluent GenZ and Millennials demographics with a clean beauty unisex formulation, a stylish packaging and a comparatively high price point.
Their unscented Comfort & Nourish Serum Mist is based on aloe vera juice and promises to hydrate and nourish the skin on face and body. And there is also a refill solution!
Neleta bets on the pro-biotic trend
Microbiome care has been one of the major global beauty trends recently, and was also very visible at the trade fair, with a host of skin barrier-focused and microbiome-friendly formulations.
For instance, newcomer brand Neleta offered three unisex pro-biotic face care products: a cleansing gel, a face serum and a moisturiser formulated with aloe vera, colloidal oat extract and saccharides isomerate. A classic clean beauty indie brand, Neleta’s products are stylishly packaged and aimed at GenZ and Millennial demographics. Like Holiskin, Neleta’s price point is in the upper masstige category and sales are exclusively online and through social media.
Next year, Cosmoprof CBE ASEAN will take place from 25th to 27th June, in the same venue. With the ASEAN region expected to remain among the world’s fastest-growing regions in the next decade, the show should continue its fast-paced growth and soon become a key regional platform for the cosmetics and personal care industry.