[International] Malaysia's Beauty Economy: Taiwan's National Team Challenges Japanese, Korean, and Local Brands
RtiTalk 小編21h ago
Malaysia's beauty and personal care market continues to grow, attracting competition from Taiwanese, Japanese, Korean, and local players. This year, Taiwan is participating in the Kuala Lumpur International Beauty Expo as a national team, showcasing its strengths through formula research and development, functional integration, and design, to compete with Japanese, Korean, and Malaysian brands and expand into the Malaysian and ASEAN markets.
The 2026 Malaysia International Beauty Expo will be held from September 29 to October 1 at the Kuala Lumpur Convention Centre (KLCC), attracting exhibitors from Malaysia, Taiwan, Japan, Korea, Hong Kong, Singapore, and Thailand, with industry professionals from over 60 countries and regions attending.
The U.S. Department of Commerce's International Trade Administration (ITA) recently cited Statista data indicating that Malaysia's beauty and personal care market revenue is projected to reach US$3.7 billion (approximately NT$118.4 billion) in 2026, with an annual growth rate of about 5.6%. Increased purchasing power among young consumers, e-commerce, and social media are driving consumption, with cosmetics and skincare being significant growth drivers.
Malaysian consumers' skincare needs include moisturizing, sun protection, skin brightening, anti-aging, and skin barrier repair, with multi-functional products also gaining attention. Social media platforms, influencers, and live streaming sales have become important channels for brands to reach Malaysian consumers.
Wu Guo-sheng, a beauty industry professional participating in the Taiwan Pavilion, pointed out that international competition in beauty products has extended to formulas, dosage forms, and usage methods. Balancing functionality, skin feel, and convenience tests Taiwanese companies' ability to translate R&D achievements into practical daily applications.
He stated that the integration of functions such as sun protection and tinting, or makeup removal and cleansing, reflects the trend towards simplifying skincare routines. Encapsulated formulations incorporate preservation of contents and single-use needs into their design, indicating that beauty R&D focuses not only on ingredients but also on packaging and usage scenarios.
Wu Guo-sheng emphasized that to compete with Japanese, Korean, and local Malaysian brands, Taiwan's beauty industry must establish its unique characteristics through formula technology and product design. By consolidating the strengths of various companies at the Taiwan Pavilion, they can showcase their overall R&D capabilities.
How R&D achievements can go global is also a topic of concern for Taiwan's biotechnology industry. Vice President Hsiao Bi-khim stated at a biotechnology and pharmaceutical event on September 18 that in addition to Taiwan's proud "silicon shield mountain" (referring to TSMC), she hopes that fields like biotechnology and medicine will become "protective mountains" safeguarding public health, allowing the world to see Taiwan's capabilities and technology.
Lee Chun-yi, a Taiwanese entrepreneur with over 30 years in the beauty industry and participating in the Malaysian expo for four consecutive years, believes that beauty and personal care needs span both women and men. Coupled with increased health awareness, he is optimistic about the development potential of Malaysia's beauty market.
He believes that TSMC's enhanced international visibility for Taiwan also helps other Taiwanese industries gain attention, but whether individual companies can expand their markets still depends on their own strengths, long-term accumulation, and product development direction.
Lee Chun-yi noted that Malaysia has strong sunlight, making sun protection and whitening key product demands. Taiwan's beauty industry must adjust its products to align with the skin types and usage habits of local consumers to increase market entry opportunities.
Kelvin Won, a local Malaysian beauty industry professional, stated in an interview that different ethnic groups in Malaysia have varying understandings and pursuits of beauty. With technological advancements, consumers are increasingly focusing on science-based skincare products.
Kelvin Won added that Taiwan has been deeply involved in skincare for many years, and he has had long-term cooperation experiences with Taiwanese manufacturers, holding a high degree of trust in Taiwanese products.
Taiwanese companies should continue to develop towards technological skincare, which aligns with the market demands of Malaysia.
Source Link: https://www.rti.org.tw/news?uid=3&pid=235189
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