Key Takeaways:
Viral content, quick launches, and a playful, cool-girl image. That’s the strategy that has propelled Judydoll, and many of its “fast beauty” Chinese peers, to global recognition.
Yet a closer look at the color cosmetics brand reveals a more differentiated gameplay—one driven by strong hero SKUs, tactical retail expansion, and lifestyle-driven diversification rather than mere marketing hype.
It’s an approach that has translated into strong growth. In 2024, Judydoll surpassed RMB 2.5 billion ($354 million) in annual retail sales, making it China’s top makeup brand in sales volume. In 2025, it maintained that momentum, with growth exceeding 20% year over year (YoY).
Notably, in the latter half of 2025, the brand hit several milestones, including opening its 100th boutique in China and first international store in Singapore in October. In November, Judydoll opened shop-in-shops (SIS) in two of Indonesia’s biggest cities, and in December, it became the first Chinese makeup brand to enter FamilyMart convenience stores, launching in 12,000 locations across Japan.
While its early rise mirrors that of other C-beauty players, like Perfect Diary, Judydoll is carving its own path—and navigating its own challenges—as it tests whether its fast-beauty model can turn into long-term relevance.
Content as a Starting Point
Founded in 2017 by Joy Group (Shanghai Juyi Cosmetics Co., Ltd.), Judydoll enjoyed a quick rise. Guided by its motto “makeup simplified, fun amplified,” the C-beauty label won over fans with its affordable prices, youthful collaborations, and trend-led products—many of which are used to achieve China’s signature Douyin makeup look, characterized by flushed cheeks, defined lashes, and gradient lips.
Behind this ascent is the brand’s digital-first strategy. While Key Opinion Leader (KOL) and Key Opinion Consumer (KOC) seeding is standard industry practice, Joy Group has pushed the model to scale: the parent company reports that Judydoll has 20 million global followers on social media, while brands across its portfolio (including Joocyee, René Furterer, and Foltène) have been endorsed by more than 30,000 KOLs altogether, generating 60 million unpaid monthly views as of December 2025.
According to Julie Liu, head of global marketing at Judydoll, content is not just a short-term traffic driver but the starting point of a long-term brand relationship.
“While viral moments generated through KOLs and localized campaigns help spark discovery, content creation is also a core in-house capability. In 2025 alone, Judydoll produced over 60,000 pieces of original content, developed based on our own understanding of consumer needs, behaviors, and everyday beauty scenarios,” Liu told BeautyMatter.
Liu emphasized that lasting growth comes from what follows content: product excellence, clear brand values, and ongoing engagement. Central to Judydoll’s strategy are hero products with clear functional benefits, which are continually refined to ensure they remain relevant and trusted over time.
A Dual-Track Strategy: Trendy Drops + Timeless Icons
When it comes to product development, Judydoll follows what Linda Yu, General Manager of Red Ant Asia, calls a “fast beauty 2.0” or “agile-classic dual-track” approach. In addition to responding quickly to trends (launching 400 SKUs in 2025 alone), the brand also continually innovates around its hero products, diverging from the typical fast beauty model.
“This is no longer a simple product update but a systematic effort to build brand icons,” Yu told BeautyMatter. “A hero product that withstands market and time tests serves as the most powerful proof of a brand’s strength.”
One such product, the brand’s 3D Curling Iron Mascara, features an angled precision steel applicator rather than a traditional spoolie wand to better grip short lashes. The fourth iteration, released in July 2025, features an upgraded dual-sided brush and an essence-infused formula that claims to improve lash resilience. Since its debut in 2021, over 11 million units have been sold.
“The continuous iteration of Judydoll’s pillar products reflects the brand’s ongoing product improvements based on real consumer feedback, which is crucial for increasing customer loyalty that helps to build a long-term brand strategy,” noted Sophia Dumenil, co-founder of The Chinese Pulse, a Paris-based marketing consulting agency. “With a solid sales base built on pillar products, Judydoll can be bolder in its creative designs for trendy items, and even if the product collection quickly becomes outdated, it won’t affect the brand’s sales.”
Betting on Physical Retail
With its content strategy firing and product pillars in place, Judydoll soon set its sights on new markets, particularly Southeast Asia. The digitally native brand began on e-commerce platforms like Shopee in 2021 before moving into multibrand retail in 2024, now counting over 1,000 retail outlets under prominent channels like Guardian and Watsons across the region.
But rather than stopping there, Judydoll took a bigger, and costlier, leap by investing in standalone physical retail. In October 2025, it opened a boutique in Singapore’s high-traffic Bugis+ shopping mall, followed by a second door at Wisma Atria a few weeks later.
“Through spatial design, product displays, and interactive trials—especially for color cosmetics—Judydoll can fully convey its ‘playful color’ brand personality and establish deep emotional connections, which is something online pages simply cannot match,” Yu said. “Opening stores in high-end shopping malls signals a brand upgrade, elevating Judydoll from an ‘online mass-market brand’ to a ‘premium international beauty brand,’ thereby enhancing consumers’ sense of trust and perceived value.”
That trust is reinforced by in-person guidance. “Since overseas beauty shoppers have diverse skin tones, skin conditions, and color preferences, store beauty assistants can provide personalized product and color recommendations, reducing the trial-and-error costs associated with online shopping,” Dumenil said.
To support this localized experience, Judydoll also established a dedicated overseas product team. In 2025, it launched 13 overseas-exclusive series of products covering 87 SKUs, with plans for another 110 SKUs in 2026.
“Judydoll was among the first Chinese color cosmetics brands to proactively develop deeper shade ranges for overseas markets, with products such as our sunscreen cushion and powder receiving positive feedback from Southeast Asian consumers for their suitability to local skin tones,” Liu said.
Growing Pains
That said, expansion has not been without its challenges. According to a Global Angle report, “The Rise of Chinese Color Cosmetics in Southeast Asia,” Judydoll falls short in post-purchase retention and long-term engagement in the region.
“To build meaningful staying power in Southeast Asia, Judydoll would need to shift from a model centered on short-term novelty and rapid user acquisition toward intentional community-building and brand equity creation,” said Michiru Agarie, Senior Executive at Global Angle and author of the report.
As she explained, that means focusing on product quality over seasonal aesthetics and a clear brand positioning anchored in Southeast Asian consumers’ lifestyles.
“For many emerging Chinese beauty brands, perceived inconsistency in formulation, wearability, or skin compatibility can undermine trust,” she said. “Investing in quality assurance, localized testing (especially for climate and skin-type differences), and transparent product education would therefore be essential to sustaining credibility.”
“From a broader strategic perspective, Judydoll would also need to invest in localized community ecosystems, such as long-term creator partnerships, offline-to-online brand touchpoints, and loyalty programs that reward repeat engagement rather than one-time virality. Southeast Asian consumers tend to value brands that grow with them, demonstrate cultural sensitivity, and maintain an ongoing dialogue rather than episodic hype cycles,” Agarie continued.
A Tale of Two Brands
The longevity issue is not unique to Judydoll. Perfect Diary, for instance, gained popularity on the back of frequent launches, heavy KOL reliance, and IP collaborations with the likes of Disney and the Metropolitan Museum of Art. Founded in 2017, the label ranked as the No. 1 color cosmetics brand on Tmall by 2019, according to the brand, and began expanding into Southeast Asia via e-commerce the following year.
However, by Q4 2022, parent company Yatsen saw color cosmetics revenue plummet 56.9% YoY as its marketing magic waned and consumer demand weakened. Perfect Diary’s recovery came through R&D, culminating in the launch of its 2023 breakout hit: Biolip Essence Lipstick, its first makeup-skincare hybrid product.
Judydoll risks following a similar trajectory, Agarie argued. “To avoid this outcome, Judydoll would need to shift its focus from speed to substance. Improving product quality and consistency and developing a small number of strong hero SKUs would be essential to building repeat purchases and trust.”
Yu echoed this sentiment. “Beyond iterating on hero products, it is crucial to build technological barriers through proprietary ingredients, exclusive formulations, and innovative product formats. In addition to color cosmetics, Judydoll can expand into more specialized niches, such as makeup for sensitive skin or long-lasting wear technologies, to establish authority and expertise.”
Converting Traffic to Trust: Judydoll’s Next Act
Looking ahead, Judydoll’s ultimate test lies in its ability to evolve from a traffic-driven brand to a trusted companion brand, balancing novelty with innovation, emotion, and functionality. As part of this transformation, the label has started creating new sub-brands that align with the broader lifestyle changes sweeping China and other global markets.
In April 2025, it introduced its first sub-brand, Judydoll Live, a high-performance makeup line designed to withstand heat, sweat, and sun exposure, timed with China’s booming outdoor sports movement. Later that year, it unveiled Awake, a premium skincare-makeup hybrid line infused with Yunnan truffle essence, tapping into China’s growing ingredient awareness and demand for multifunctional products.
“As beauty consumers become more diverse in their lifestyles and expectations, we see a growing need for more targeted solutions,” said Liu. “Together, these sub-brands allow Judydoll to better segment its portfolio while staying true to our core philosophy of accessible innovation, supporting broader growth through expanded usage scenarios and new consumer groups.”
By refining its product architecture, investing in brand building, and deepening its overseas engagement, Judydoll offers a case study in what it takes for fast-beauty brands to build staying power in today’s market.
