Mainland Chinese tourists love Taiwanese face masks

With the prevalence of the internet and word-of-mouth marketing, items such as face masks, loofah water, and mung bean powder at COSMED stores have become must-buy Taiwanese souvenirs for Japanese, Hong Kong, and mainland Chinese tourists. Japanese visitors appreciate COSMED’s professional image in pharmaceutical cosmetics and love purchasing unique Taiwanese products not found in Japan, such as Black Pearl and bird's nest face masks, loofah water, mung bean powder, Green Oil Essence, White Flower Oil, and cute frog-shaped contact lens cases. Mainland Chinese tourists, on the other hand, believe that “Made in Taiwan” is a mark of quality assurance, and they buy all sorts of locally made products including face masks, medical beauty items, loofah water, small-volume medications (such as Tiger Balm, Mentholatum, and White Flower Oil), and pain relief patches. During the May Day Golden Week alone, COSMED saw a 40% increase in overall face mask sales compared to regular days, with the average mainland Chinese tourist purchasing more than six boxes of face masks.

The newly released third edition of the “2010 COSMED Cosmetics Customer Report” highlights ten major annual consumer trends in pharmaceutical cosmetics, including “Sleep Your Way to Beauty with Internal and External Care,” “It’s All About Made in Taiwan – No.1 Manufacturing & Retail Alliance,” “Tourists Go Crazy for Face Masks, Making Taiwanese Cosmetics Famous,” “Late Marriages, Early Kids – Youthful Days Are Worry-Free,” “Smartphones Strain Eyes, Youth Eye Care on the Rise,” “Skyrocketing Temperatures Drive Surge in Pharmaceutical Product Sales,” “Word-of-Mouth Drives Purchases, Beauty Consultations Becoming Popular,” “New Products Demand Experience, Star Items Get More Exposure,” “High-Loyalty Members Turn Points into Cash,” and “From Head Itch to Foot Itch, Anti-Allergy Products Selling Hot.” These trends clearly depict the lifestyle of Taiwanese consumers in 2010 and predict three major trends for 2011: “Ever-Changing Climate Causes Big Fluctuations in Cosmetic Product Demand,” “Shopping Triangle: Consultation, Points, and Premium Value,” and “Global Village Trend: Foreign Visitors’ Must-Buy Cosmetic Stores.”