Beauty Giants Are No Longer Playing Sidekick to Aesthetic Medicine

Every November, Hall 6.1 at the China International Import Expo (CIIE) becomes a showcase for how beauty and science collide. For years, this is where major beauty groups flex their latest innovations—from newly engineered actives and sleek launches to strategic collaborations. But in 2025, a new undercurrent is defining the agenda: high-performance skincare that dares to enter the domain of aesthetic medicine.

The line between dermatological-grade skincare and clinical aesthetics is blurring. And beauty conglomerates—long seen as the storytellers and soft-sellers of the industry—are now stepping squarely into the hard science of skin.

Until now, many efforts that big brands do feel more like adjacent helpers to in-clinic procedures. But what debuted at this year’s CIIE reveals a shift: brands want to replace the clinic, not just support it.<