A new year ritual in its own right.
As China prepares for a nine‑day Chinese New Year break, consumers have entered the 2026 festive season with a renewed focus on self‑care, emotional connection, and meaningful celebration.
Mintel’s "Look Ahead: Chinese New Year, China, 2026" explored how these shifts have shaped behaviour, beauty and personal care, offering brands fresh opportunities to meet evolving consumer expectations.
Research showed that 75 percent of Chinese consumers use beauty and personal care products to relax and relieve stress.
For the Chinese New Year, makeup looks inspired by intangible cultural heritage, zodiac motifs, and paper-cut aesthetics have been making beauty more expressive and culturally resonant.
This creative momentum has also fuelled the rise of DIY beauty, from hand-painted manicures to self-help nail kits that combine personalisation with social-media shareability.
According to data on Douyin (抖音), the volume of group-buying orders for hair and nail colour cosmetics increased by 1.5 times year-on-year on the eve of the 2025 Chinese New Year.
On Xiaohongshu (小红书), hand-painted nail colour cosmetics products incorporating the elements of the Year of the Snake generated buzz. Festive vibes are seamlessly integrated into everyday beauty consumption.
Makeup users are now incorporating Chinese New Year elements such as fireworks, flowers, grab bags and Chinese knots into their makeup designs. Other new makeup inspirations, such as the paper-cutting-inspired look and creative makeup styles, are also emerging in abundance. They carry younger people's anticipation for a new lunar year filled with good luck.
For travellers, beauty means maintaining comfort and routine. The rise in CNY travellers since 2021 (especially those aged 30–39) fuels demand for products that keep them feeling polished on the go. In beauty, this can mean portable skincare, travel-size beauty kits, and easy-to-use grooming products.
Beauty and personal care products have become the top category for instant delivery gifting.
Among consumers who prefer to purchase Chinese New Year gifts through instant delivery platforms, the proportion who choose beauty and personal care products is the highest (40 percent), driven by its high recognition value, compact size, and suitability for last-minute occasions.
Young consumers, particularly those born after the 1990s, are enthusiastic about holiday limited editions and co-branded designs that combine festive symbolism with modern aesthetics. For beauty brands, this means strong demand for visually distinctive packaging and emotionally engaging gifting experiences.
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