C-Beauty in American stores: Key takeaways
- Proya is set to enter 400 Ulta stores in November, joining Flower Knows in stores and Florasis online
- Each brand has a distinct pitch: Proya’s skincare claims, Flower Knows’ romantic collections and Florasis’ intricate designs
- Ulta offers visibility and easier discovery. Repeat purchases will be the signal these brands are looking for
Proya (珀莱雅) is about to launch on Ulta’s shelves in 400 stores. In November it will join two other C-Beauty brands in Ulta’s distribution network: Flower Knows (花知晓) – that’s recently added more stores to its existing distribution – and Florasis (花西子), a brand that already sells through Ulta’s online marketplace.
American shoppers may not have a bond with these brands. They may have never even heard of them. So how do the brands proceed in the face of a new challenge: turning an introduction into a lasting place in an American shopper’s basket.
What Ulta changes
Ulta is a good doorway into the US market for a number of reasons. There’s reach and a try-before-you-buy policy – the latter giving consumers a chance to sample unfamiliar products for free. Their checkout, rewards and returns also make a new purchase less of a commitment.
And then we should consider that much of Ulta’s repeat shopping happens in physical stores. 73% of its loyalty members shopped that way in fiscal 2025 and they are a segment our C-Beauty champions would do well to target. Even in the case of Florasis, which sells online only, the visibility that stocking with a brand like Ulta provides is an undoubted asset in a new market.
Three brands and their promises
In a new market, messaging matters. And though they’re coming from the same market, the three brands offer very different propositions. Florasis puts emphasis on craftsmanship and cultural heritage. It does this through engraved palettes and love-lock lipsticks. This design gives it probably the most distinctive identity of the three.
In a new market, messaging matters
Flower Knows builds romantic worlds around collections such as Swan Ballet and Strawberry Rococo. Its strength is that American consumers can buy into these worlds without knowing anything about China or C-Beauty.
Proya, meanwhile, is introducing skincare marketed around firming and repair, asking shoppers to put their confidence in its research and product claims.
Making the appeal work in retail
Each brand needs to make a different promise understandable. Florasis must connect its decorative appeal with everyday use. Flower Knows needs to draw up an entry point to its elaborate collections that really entices consumers. Proya must explain where its products fit into a routine, with evidence that supports the benefits it markets its products on.
Each brand needs to make a different promise understandable.
Flower Knows has probably the most interesting tactic from a marketing standpoint. They’ve put only five hero products on physical shelves. Its five-product store selection follows an Ulta.com launch of more than 60 products in December 2025.
The small selection works as a sample of what the brand does best and gives newcomers fewer decisions in a market where choice is so wide as to be overwhelming. The result is that each of these hero products carry more of the brand’s identity.
Proya’s November drop includes an Advanced Firming serum and nourishing cream, alongside an Original Repair serum, all products marketed around wrinkle reduction and skin barrier repair. The brand has said that the refinement of this lineup will be informed in part by feedback from US consumers themselves.
Florasis, being online only, has listed its products with usage advice. Explaining who each product suits and where it belongs in a routine goes some way to filling the try-before-you-buy gap they miss out on by not being in physical stores. It also links the three brands’ missions.
The Dao view: earning the next purchase
In this early stage for our C-Beauty trio, customer identity is going to matter. Existing customers buying at Ulta proves the appeal of a convenient shopping channel. Someone encountering the brand for the first time, trying it and returning to buy again would provide stronger evidence that its audience is expanding.
If these brands find stickiness in the US market, it’s a safe bet their marketing will be much more specific in a few years’ time
In each case, these brands are attempting to convey who – in a wide group of potential consumers – can get the most out of each product and how it can fit into their beauty routine. The process starts wide and narrows down.
If these brands find stickiness in the US market, it’s a safe bet their marketing will be much more specific in a few years’ time. The brands will know more about their target market and the types of products that will appeal. For now though, it’s all about building an opportunity for repeat purchase.
