The 2026 Shanghai International Beauty Season kicked off on April 23 at Jing'an Global Connect, with the United Kingdom as the event's first guest of honor country.

This year's program features one professional conference, one high-level launch ceremony, and three key activities focusing on guest-country cooperation, cross-border resource exchange, industry trend releases, product debuts, and consumer events.

During the launch ceremony, Sohail Shaikh, the British Deputy Trade Commissioner for China, delivered a keynote speech on China-UK cooperation in the beauty sector. Millie Kendall OBE, founder and chief executive of the British Beauty Council, also attended.

As the country as guest of honor, the UK showcased 27 niche beauty brands, five of which made their debut in China. The British Beauty Festival's global roadshow also kicked off in Shanghai.

Several brands unveiled new products and retail initiatives during the launch, with companies including L'Oreal, Noble Isle, Uklash, Calenic, and Chando taking part in the new product launch session. Other announcements included a global experience store for Shuangmei (Shanghai VIVE), a time-honored Chinese beauty brand, a Sephora pop-up space, and Meitu's AI skin analysis project.

The professional program began before the opening ceremony, with the International Cosmetics Innovation Conference (ICIC 2026) taking place from April 20 to 22 in Shanghai. The conference attracted more than 3,000 professional visitors and covered nine topics, including anti-aging, baby and children's skincare, and scalp care.

Additionally, a China-UK beauty pop-up event is being held at Jiuguang Department Store from April 23 to 30, offering an immersive retail space for visitors to explore British beauty brands.

The beauty season also reflects strengthened cooperation between Jing'an and Fengxian districts in Shanghai's beauty industry. In March, the two districts signed a framework agreement to jointly develop the sector. Jing'an will focus on headquarters, research and development, clinical transformation, brand operations, and high-end retail, while Fengxian, home to the Oriental Beauty Valley, will focus on manufacturing and supply chains.

In 2026, the two districts plan to hold 27 themed events and 15 industry matchmaking sessions to connect R&D, production, brand operations, and market expansion.

Source: Jing'an district government