MENARD rode 'Made in Japan' beauty in China for 60 years, then pulled every counter

美伊娜多 (MENARD) was a Japanese cosmetics brand founded in 1960 that built a strong following in China on the reputation of Japanese skincare science. For decades, Japanese beauty brands commanded a premium in China: consumers associated them with high-quality ingredients, advanced R&D, and a sophisticated aesthetic that Chinese domestic brands could not match. MENARD established counters in China's top department stores alongside Shiseido, SK-II, and other Japanese giants.

By 2025, MENARD had withdrawn all its counters from China. The brand's retreat was part of a broader exodus of Japanese and Korean cosmetics brands that once dominated China's premium beauty market. The same cultural mystique that had driven their ascent — the idea that Japanese women had superior skincare knowledge and that Japanese products were inherently better — had faded as Chinese domestic brands closed the quality gap and won on marketing agility.

The withdrawal reflected a structural shift in China's beauty market. Consumers who had once gravitated to imported brands by default now had dozens of domestic options with better social-media presence, faster product cycles, and culturally resonant storytelling. For mid-tier Japanese brands like MENARD, the 'Japan premium' could no longer compensate for the lack of digital-native marketing and the growing preference for domestic alternatives.

After 60 years of riding the 'Made in Japan' beauty premium in China, MENARD withdrew all its counters by 2025, a full market exit as the premium eroded.

The 'Made in Japan' beauty premium eroded as Chinese domestic brands matched quality while offering better social-commerce marketing and faster innovation.

Political tensions between China and Japan added reputational risk for Japanese brands, making them vulnerable to consumer boycotts and regulatory friction.

Department-store counters — MENARD's primary distribution channel — lost foot traffic as beauty shopping moved online and to specialty retail formats.

Mid-tier imported beauty brands were squeezed between luxury Western labels (La Mer, Estée Lauder) and agile domestic brands (Perfect Diary, Florasis) that owned the digital discovery funnel.

A 'foreign premium' is a lease with an expiry date — the market that once paid extra for your origin story will stop the moment a local brand tells a better one.