Skin Care in Malaysia

2020 IMPACT

Positive but slowing growth rates for skin care in view of rising price sensitivity amongst Malaysians due to fallout of pandemic

While overall skin care recorded a positive performance in 2020, with many of the products deemed to be an essential part of consumers’ beauty routines, particularly moisturisers and treatments, overall volume and current value growth rates were significantly slower compared to 2019. The pandemic and subsequent lockdown in the form of the Movement Control Order placed pressure on the local economy and consumers’ disposable incomes as a result of rising unemployment, forcing Malaysians to prioritise their expenditure.

Mask wearing in public due to pandemic increases focus on products that address specific skin care issues

The consistent wearing of face masks when out in public in Malaysia resulted in a number of launches targeting consumers who may be experiencing outbreaks of certain skin conditions as a result, including acne. Wipro Unza’s facial care brand Safi launched a new product during the pandemic called Acne Solutions, which specifically targets consumers who are suffering from outbreaks of acne due to regularly wearing masks outside of the home environment.

Fairly fragmented competitive landscape led by multinationals, while e-commerce continues to penetrate with new imports attracting consumers’ attention

The competitive landscape of beauty and personal care remained fairly fragmented in 2020, with only multinationals Procter & Gamble (the premium-positioned SK-II, and the mass-positioned Olay) and L'Oréal (Maybelline, L'Oréal Studio Line, Garnier) with the latter also present in the premium segment, holding double-digit value share overall. While not recording as such dynamic growth within mass anti-agers compared to 2019, the latter’s brand L'Oréal Dermo-Expertise is interesting in that is a mass skin care product within dermocosmetics and therefore offers greater affordability to mid-income consumers who are still interested in innovation.

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