SOUTHEAST ASIA — Joy Group, the parent company of the Judydoll and Joocyee beauty brands, will open a retail store in Malaysia by the end of the year. This expansion follows the company's debut of its first overseas boutiques in Singapore in 2025.

The company opened an office in Singapore in 2024, which functions as a regional hub for its operations in other Southeast Asian markets. Fanqi Kong, general manager of international business at Joy Group, said, "Southeast Asia has a huge consumer market, and people are generally very accepting of Chinese products." He added, "Within Southeast Asia, we're experimenting with a self-operating model, and building our own local entities and teams."

The company reported retail sales exceeding $730 million in 2025, with $87 million generated from overseas sales. Vietnam currently represents the company's largest overseas market. In response to regional conditions, it has expanded its product shade ranges to include options for deeper skin tones and is developing items like sunscreen cushions and waterproof lip ink specifically for Southeast Asia's hot and humid climate. The company sells its products through e-commerce platforms such as Shopee, Lazada, and TikTok Shop, as well as via retail partners like Sephora and Watsons.

Chinese companies initially concentrated their global expansion efforts on Western markets such as the U.S. and Europe. They have since shifted focus to Southeast Asia, citing geographical proximity, cultural similarities, and young populations. Between 2019 and 2024, Chinese color cosmetics brands in Southeast Asia experienced a compound annual growth rate of 70 percent, while skincare brands grew by 115 percent, according to data analytics firm Euromonitor. Dianna Chang, an associate professor at the Singapore University of Social Sciences, said, "But now, they're finding a lot of relevance in Southeast Asia—it's closer to home and encompasses many emerging economies with young populations."

Lewis Lim, an associate professor at Nanyang Technological University, said that after drinking boba tea and watching Chinese dramas, "it's natural for people to begin to accept and purchase C-beauty products." Chang also mentioned that Chinese brands are learning from foreign brands about the importance of branding, storytelling and packaging. She said, "They're learning from foreign brands about the importance of branding, storytelling and packaging."