Outdoor Cosmetics
In the fiercely competitive beauty market, outdoor sports cosmetics are emerging as a popular niche segment. According to a recent report by Global Market Insights, the sports cosmetics market is projected to exceed $31.4 billion by 2028, with the Asia-Pacific region leading the global growth at an annual rate of 13%, making it the most promising market for expansion.
This trend is further supported by the 2024 cosmetics retail performance. Data released by the National Bureau of Statistics shows a 1.7% year-on-year increase in total cosmetics retail sales in 2024. Meanwhile, data from the Shangzhizhen E-commerce Big Data System indicates that online retail sales of sports cosmetics grew by over 10%, with online sales of facial sports makeup surging by more than 60%.
This high growth is driven by strong consumer demand. The rise of outdoor sports trends, discussions sparked by sports celebrities, and content shared by influential bloggers and fitness enthusiasts have all contributed to the growing popularity of sports cosmetics. Capitalizing on this trend, beauty brands are introducing sports-themed product lines and even launching new brands to capture the outdoor sports market. Additionally, outdoor apparel brands are aggressively entering the beauty space, leveraging their expertise in outdoor activities to endorse cosmetics and explore new growth opportunities.
Years ago, beauty brands attempted to integrate cosmetics into sports scenarios, but these efforts failed to gain traction and ultimately faded away. In recent years, however, activities such as camping, fitness, marathons, hiking, and mountain climbing have gained popularity, bringing "wearing makeup while exercising" back into the spotlight. Beauty brands are once again seizing this opportunity.
In May of this year, Estée Lauder partnered with Chinese table tennis player Wang Manyu, appointing her as the brand’s Makeup Vitality Ambassador, garnering significant attention from both the sports and fashion industries. In June, Estée Lauder collaborated with Manchester United Football Club to release a limited-edition "Little Brown Bottle" featuring the team’s logo. Through these strong associations with sports, Estée Lauder continues to strengthen its presence in sports scenarios.
A representative from Estée Lauder emphasized that truly establishing a connection between the brand and outdoor sports scenarios requires engaging in real-life activities and appearing in the right settings. "We don’t just use outdoor sports as a marketing concept; we actively participate in representative events like marathons and tennis, and collaborate with sports venues and professional competitions to allow consumers to experience our products’ performance in high-intensity scenarios."
Similarly, in March of this year, L'Oréal promoted the sweat-proof, water-resistant, and long-lasting properties of its products, such as the L'Oréal Infallible Fresh Wear Foundation and L'Oréal Sublime Sunscreen, by integrating them into sports scenarios like paddleboarding and tennis.
In addition to international brands, domestic beauty brands are also tapping into sports scenarios. Maogeping Cosmetics has deeply engaged in sports makeup by participating in major domestic and international sports events. In 2023, the brand signed a contract with the Chinese national team to become its official makeup service provider and launched the Spark Gold Sports Series in September of the same year. For the 2024 Paris Olympics, Maogeping introduced the "Splendid Light" series, which includes an artistic eyeshadow palette, a pressed powder, a highlighter, a matte lipstick, and a liquid foundation.
Judydoll is another brand targeting the sports cosmetics segment. In April, it launched a high-performance sub-brand, Judydoll Orange Label, focusing on sports makeup products such as the "Reflective Shield" sunscreen powder, long-lasting foundation, liquid eyeshadow, liquid blush, soothing spray, and waterproof double-ended eyebrow pencil.
Sports scenarios, being highly specialized, demand exceptional functionality from products. Sun protection, sweat and water resistance, long-lasting wear, non-greasy texture, and skin breathability have become essential features for sports cosmetics, testing brands’ technological capabilities.
Estée Lauder’s Double Wear Stay-in-Place Foundation claims to address makeup melt-off and oiliness in high-temperature and humid environments through innovative "Revolutionary Fit Technology" and "Double Oil-Control Technology." Judydoll Orange Label pioneered the concept of "high-performance makeup," launching products based on three standards: "5 Protections" (waterproof, sweat-proof, UV protection, anti-aging, and heat-resistant), "0 Feel" (non-clogging, non-greasy, weightless, non-sticky, and non-film-forming), and "On the Go" (portable for light outdoor activities, commuting, travel, and sports).
"The '5 Protections' and '0 Feel' features of Judydoll Orange Label’s new products are backed by our R&D team’s latest technologies, such as 'Sunscreen Wet Powder Wrapping Technology' and 'AIRCOVER Hardcore Makeup Locking Film.' These innovations rely not only on insights into the lifestyles and scenarios of our target consumers but also place high demands on the brand’s R&D capabilities and supply chain integration. For example, it took nearly two years of repeated adjustments to achieve a balance between sun protection, oil control, and a fine texture for the sunscreen powder, successfully transforming insights into products," said a representative from Judydoll Orange Label.
The key to winning consumer recognition lies in whether products can truly adapt to the characteristics of sports scenarios, such as high temperatures and sweating. Functionality has become a focal point for sports cosmetics brands. For instance, Judydoll Orange Label’s liquid eyeshadow quickly sets without smudging, while its dynamic emulsion encapsulates glitter particles, making them sparkle more when rubbed. The liquid blush adheres better and performs more vividly as temperatures rise.
Bai Yunhu, a cosmetics industry management expert and founder of the e-commerce platform Mei Yun Space, noted that products with such labels must strictly adhere to the principle of "quality first." In terms of R&D, they must live up to their claims and genuinely meet the specific needs of consumers. Otherwise, they risk being perceived as mere marketing gimmicks and quickly rejected by consumers. Moreover, from a competitive perspective, this segment is more suitable for companies and brands adopting a "differentiated competition" strategy, including cross-industry investments and operations from related fields such as outdoor and sports.
The growing popularity of the "sports cosmetics" market has also attracted outdoor apparel brands, which are more familiar with sports scenarios.
For instance, the trendy sports apparel brand MLB launched an independent beauty brand, MLB BEAUTY; fast-fashion brand H&M introduced its beauty product line, H&M Beauty; and yoga brand lululemon launched a "selfcare" beauty and body care line. Adidas Personal Care, backed by the Coty beauty group, expanded from men’s grooming products to offering personal care items for women who love sports, fitness, and outdoor activities, focusing on cleansing, soothing, and hydrating effects, and gradually expanding into perfumes and deodorants.
Other sports brands have chosen collaboration to achieve a win-win situation between sports and beauty. For example, Pechoin partnered with the fitness platform KEEP to launch a gift set based on the consumer insight of "wanting both a healthy body and beautiful skin." Sportswear brand Puma collaborated with Maybelline to launch a high-performance makeup series.
In recent years, local professional outdoor brands have also begun to expand into sports cosmetics. For example, Camel launched the "Camel Outdoor Cosmetics" series, becoming one of the representatives of cross-industry beauty.
"Outdoor cosmetics are not simply about applying traditional beauty products to outdoor scenarios. They require targeted R&D and design to address the specific challenges of outdoor environments, such as intense UV radiation, changing weather conditions, and varying temperatures and humidity levels," analyzed a representative from Camel’s beauty project. "Outdoor enthusiasts have more extreme demands for product performance and clearer needs. They specifically seek cosmetics that prevent sunburn and frostbite during activities. Outdoor enthusiasts require professional formulas with 'high SPF, waterproof and sweat-proof properties, and long-lasting adherence.' Additionally, to fit into limited backpack space, outdoor cosmetics must be portable and compact."
To date, Camel Cosmetics has built a diverse product matrix covering outdoor sunscreen, mosquito repellent, facial care, hand protection, and more. "Currently, the brand is collaborating with universities and laboratories to explore technological directions that truly address user pain points, breaking through the bottlenecks of texture and price for cosmetics in high-intensity sports scenarios like surfing," said the representative from Camel’s beauty project.
Based on consumer insights, Camel has developed a core strategy in the outdoor cosmetics field centered around the XPR concept. "X represents extreme peak products for top-tier enthusiasts, such as athletes climbing Mount Everest. The focus of R efforts is on professional outdoor-grade products, namely the P series, catering to regular outdoor enthusiasts and general outdoor crowds. The R series includes daily commute sunscreen, scented shower gel for post-outdoor activities, and cleaning agents for windbreakers, leaning more toward daily use and suitability for family sharing," introduced the representative from Camel’s beauty project.
As the consumer scenario of "wearing makeup while exercising" continues to mature, this segment may become a new potential growth area. "In the Chinese market, consumers have a high acceptance of high-quality, multifunctional makeup products, and the market is growing rapidly. We believe that outdoor sports cosmetics are not just a short-term trend but a reflection of long-term consumption upgrades, expected to become an important growth point in the cosmetics market," said a representative from Estée Lauder.
