Here's Why Global Beauty Brands Choose C-Drama Actors Than Actresses as Endorsers

China is now the largest luxury goods market in the world. That's why global brands have a strong presence in the Chinese market. 

When it comes to brand ambassadors, perhaps, there's no other country in the world that utilizes male stars to endorse skincare and beauty products than China.

So if you are an overseas company and planning to penetrate the Chinese market, this is how you make a marketing strategy to easily reach your target audience.

Cheng Yi is the newest Elizabeth Arden spokesperson

The young Chinese consumers have this unique culture of supporting their favorite celebrities beyond dramas, which includes buying whatever their favorites are endorsing. 

There's also the so-called "Pretty Boy Fever" in China where female fans are swooning over cute and handsome celebrities, and listening to every word they say.

This consumer culture prompts beauty brands to tap male celebrities, rather than female stars, to lead their brand campaign because most male celebrities in China have the largest female fans. 

Wang Yibo for C Coffee facial mask 

So the easiest way to reach the female market in China is to tap male celebrities with a large volume of online traffic and high scoring popularity index. 

That's why we often see popular C-Drama actors, rather than their female counterparts, endorsing beauty and skincare brands, which is kinda weird and strange.

In the West or in other Asian countries, beauty products are predominantly endorsed by female celebrities. There's no way you would see Tom Cruise, Leonardo di Caprio, and the Avengers stars endorsing a lipstick brand or smudging their faces with a makeup foundation in a TV commercial. 

But China is a different market. The buying behavior of its young adult consumers is largely influenced by their favorite drama stars. They pay attention to what their idols are saying.

Xiao Zhan is the current brand spokesperson of Eve Lom in China

The target market of beauty and cosmetics products such as skincare, lipstick, body scent, makeup, and facial foundation falls in the age bracket between 16 to 45, and mostly females and loyal fans of China's most popular male celebrities.

The buying behavior of female fans of China's most popular actors can be as crazy as their behavior in the fandoms. They are willing to go to the end of the Earth to support their idols and are willing to spend money on products their favorite actors are endorsing.

According to the South China Morning Post, "[Chinese] female fans see themselves as responsible for their idols' commercial value, as a result, these brand appointments usually bring about immediate results".

So it's becoming more widespread for beauty product brands to choose popular male Chinese celebrities to head their marketing campaign to easily reach the female market in China. 

Here are the popular Chinese male celebrities who have beauty endorsements (we arranged them in alphabetical order):

1. Bai Jingting - He currently endorses Sulwhasoo, a South Korean beauty and cosmetics brand owned by Amore Pacific Corporation, one of the largest South Korean skincare companies. 

Bai Jingting for Sulwhasoo

Bai Jingting

Amore Pacific also owned Laneige, Mamonde, and Etude House, both popular South Korean cosmetics brands. Previously, Bai Jingting endorsed Tom Ford Fragrance and L'Occitane.

2. Cheng Yi - He has numerous cosmetics and healthcare product endorsements than any of the C-Drama actors today. Currently, Cheng Yi has six active skincare, personal care, and cosmetics brand endorsements: Herborist, Curel, Farmacy Beauty, Make Up Forever, Elizabeth Arden, and Olaplex.

Cheng Yi for Curel. a Japanese skincare brand

Herborist is a Chinese premium global skincare brand and Cheng Yi endorses the facial mask series. He also endorsed Curel, Japan's first skincare solution for sensitive skin. 

Cheng Yi for Farmacy Beauty, an American eco-chic skincare brand

Cheng Yi for Farmacy Beauty, a New York-based sustainable skincare brand

Makeup Forever is a French cosmetics brand and Cheng Yi endorses its foundation line. 

Cheng Yi for MakeUp Forever 

Farmacy Beauty is an American brand based in New York City. It's an eco-chic skincare brand promoting a green practice. Cheng Yi became its brand spokesperson in 2023.

Cheng Yi for Elizabeth Arden

Cheng Yi became the brand spokesperson of Elizabeth Arden, a luxury American skincare brand, in 2023. He endorses the body care line, especially the white tea fragrance.

Cheng Yi for Olaplex

Cheng Yi also became the brand spokesperson of Olaplex last year. It is an American professional haircare brand often used in salons. 

3. Dylan Wang - He currently endorses Estee Lauder, a multinational luxury cosmetics brand. Estee Lauder is a popular brand in the cosmetics line and body spray.

Dylan Wang for Estee Lauder

4. Gong Jun - He previously endorsed Charlotte Tilbury's makeup and lipstick products. Charlotte Tilbury is a British company. Currently, he endorses Fresh, an American global body care brand headquartered in New York City.

Gong Jun for Fresh

Gong Jun for Fresh

5. Luo Yunxi - He is the current face of Shiseido in China. It's a Japanese global brand for cosmetics. Its popular products are makeup and lipsticks. Shiseido is famous in the B and C market because most of its products are affordable. 

Luo Yunxi for Shiseido, a Japanese cosmetics brand

6. Tan Jianci - He rose to popularity in 2023 for his role in the costume drama, Lost You Forever. And with his newfound fame, comes a barrage of endorsement deals. 

Tan Jianci for Herborist

Tan Jianci for Valentino

He became the latest brand spokesperson of Herborist, in addition to Cheng Yi. He also became part of Valentino and endorsed the brand's personal care line.

7. Wang Yibo - He has just been introduced as the brand spokesperson for C Coffee Skincare. He will endorse the facial mask series of the brand. 

Wang Yibo for C Coffee Skincare

The brand's popular line is the mask mud mask cleansing, which, according to the brand's promotional campaign, can shrink pores, heal acne, and remove blackheads. 

Wang Yibo endorses Shu Uemura lipstick 

Wang Yibo is also the brand spokesperson of Shu Uemura, a luxury Japanese makeup brand which is now partly owned by L'Oreal Group. He is particularly endorsing the lipstick line. 

8. Wu Lei - Leo has many skincare and cosmetics brand endorsements. He previously endorsed Sisley, a French skincare brand, MAC, and Maybelline, both American cosmetics companies.

Wu Lei for MAC cosmetics

Currently, he endorses LOEWE Fragrances, Biotherm skincare, and Condense facial mask. Biotherm (part of L'Oreal Group) and Condense are both French skincare brands, while LOEWE, originally a Spanish brand, is part of the LVMH family.

Wu Lei for Condense Facial Mask

Wu Lei also endorsed the seasonal line of Mistine, the sunscreen line. Mistine is a Thai skincare brand. 

9. Xiao Zhan - Sean Xiao previously endorsed L'Oreal, YSL Beauty, and Nars Cosmetics. Currently, he is the brand spokesperson of the global skincare brand, Eve Lom, a British brand of Czech origin. 

Xiao Zhan for Eve Lom, a British skincare brand

Eve Lom

Xiao Zhan is the face of Eve Lom's signature product. He particularly endorses the makeup remover or cleanser balm which, according to the company's website, removes make-up, deep cleans pores, tones, exfoliates, and is clinically proven to hydrate skin for up to 12 hours after use.

10. Xu Kai - he previously endorsed Guerlain fragrances, now, he is the newest brand spokesperson for Jiasee night eye cream. 

Xu Kai for Jiasee eye cream

Recently, the French luxury skin care brand Orveda, a subsidiary of Coty Group, officially launched in the Chinese market.

Orveda presents China's first brand home, which combines traditional Chinese architecture with French style. 

Xu Kai attends Orveda launching in Shanghai 

They haven't announced their brand ambassador for the Chinese market but during the launching ceremony, they invited Xu Kai to grace the event. 

Orveda Skincare products 

Orveda is known for its highly-concentrated, green, clean, and vegan bio-fermented skincare that visibly restores the glow and youthful looking skin.

On top of that, Xu Kai also lent his image to Kerastase, a popular global brand for haircare. 

11. Yang Yang - He currently endorses two personal care brands, Guerlain and L'Oreal, both luxury French beauty care companies. 

Yang Yang for Guerlain fragrance

Yang Yang for L'Oreal

Guerlain is famous for its line of fragrances and sweet perfumes that are strongly associated to women. However, Guerlain has perfume line for men too. L'Oreal established its name in the personal care and cosmetics market.

12. Zhang Linghe - The newest C-drama male lead, Zhang Linghe also became the latest sought-after brand endorser in China. 

Zhang Linghe for Lancome

He has three popular costume series aired in 2023 - My Journey To You, Tiger Crane, and Story of Kunning Palace which propelled him to fame.

Zhang Linghe for Lancome cosmetics

He is the current spokesperson of Lancome in China, a luxury French cosmetics brand alongside rising actresses Zhao Jinmai and Zhang Jingyi

13. Zhu Yilong - He won the King of Weibo for 2023 alongside Yang Zi as the Queen of Weibo. But before the award, Zhu Yilong is already a household name in China due to his numerous movie hits.

His popularity made him one of the most sought-after male celebrity endorsers in the mainland, currently, he is the face of Tom Ford Beauty, alongside Wei Daxun. Zhu Yilong endorses the lipstick series of the brand.

Wei Daxun and Zhu Yilong for Tom Ford Beauty

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