The American specialist, which has just revealed a decline in performance in the second quarter, has announced the launch of The Ordinary in the Middle Kingdom, exclusively in Sephora China. It thus hopes to regain ground in a major but also declining and highly competitive market.
Results, not just talk… That’s basically what The Ordinary, the skincare brand owned by the American group Estée Lauder, promises. It emphasizes a scientific approach, with the right combination of ingredients for optimal effectiveness.
And it is with this reassuring, no-frills pitch that Estée Lauder hopes to regain ground in China.
Launched in 2013 in Canada by the Deciem group, which focuses on disruptive beauty brands, and bought by Estée Lauder in mid-2024, The Ordinary quickly made a name for itself around the world. This was thanks to its high-potency, single-ingredient formulation, namely “Niacinamide 10% + Zinc 1%” – and its direct-to-consumer sales model.
Rapid growth
Through its innovative approach, particularly popular with Gen Z, it has not only succeeded in establishing itself in mature countries (North America, Europe, Australia) but also in emerging markets such as India, the Middle East and South Africa.
In 2023, it was one of the fastest-growing skincare brands of Estée Lauder, with a turnover now estimated at around 700 million euros (735 million dollars).
But the Middle Kingdom was missing from its list of achievements. Admittedly, over the past five years, The Ordinary had already made a name for itself in China via cross-border platforms such as Tmall Global, with a few thousand followers on the Xiaohongshu social network and e-commerce site.
But the brand had not yet made its physical appearance directly in this giant market. The Estee Lauder Companies therefore announced at the beginning of February the launch of The Ordinary in China. “We are delighted that The Ordinary is making its debut in mainland China this month thanks to its proven disruptive launch strategy,” announced Stéphane de la Faverie, its new CEO who took the reins on January 1st, at the same time as the results of The Estée Lauder Companies.
Exclusively at Sephora China
To continue reading this article, subscribe or log in to your account
Discover our plans
- Every day, keep up to date with the latest business news from the world of luxury.
- Receive the essential luxury business news by email every week
- Access all our events
- The Luxury Journals and Luxus Magazine in print and digital versions
Subscribe for 1€
Become an active member of the community of luxury leaders.
Read also >Estée Lauder could cut up to 7,000 jobs
Featured photos: © Estée Lauder
