According to data from the Industry Research Center of the China Association of Fragrance, Flavor and Cosmetic Industries (CAFFCI), China’s cosmetics market maintained strong momentum in the first half of 2025, with total retail sales across online and offline channels reaching CNY 548.8 billion — a year-on-year increase of 4.33%, setting a new record. At the same time, consumers’ growing demand for technologically advanced, personalized, and diverse beauty products continues to drive brands and manufacturers to enhance their R&D capabilities and elevate industry’s standards.

As the premier annual gathering for China’s cosmetics technology community, the PCHi Industry Annual Conference 2026 will return from March 18 to 20, 2026, at the Hangzhou Grand Convention and Exhibition Center, running in parallel with the PCHi exhibition.

Guided by the PCHi Cosmetics Science & Technology Innovation Committee (CSTIC), this year’s conference agenda will cover a comprehensive range of topics _— including policies and regulations, raw material technologies, product formulation, efficacy evaluation, market and export trends, medical aesthetics and skincare, makeup innovation, scientific communication, AI applications, dermatology and clinical applications, packaging design, cutting-edge science and foundational research, academic-industry collaboration, and cross-disciplinary innovation. The event will showcase the industry’s latest research achievements and foster collaboration toward new opportunities and shared growth.

Who should attend?

n Market Trend Professionals: Senior executives, marketing and R&D personnel, and product managers seeking to understand current and future development trends of the cosmetics industry.

n Regulatory Experts: Industry practitioners and regulatory executives facing challenges in implementing new cosmetic regulations.

n Technology Professionals: R&D and efficacy evaluation specialists, clinical physicians, and technical experts focused on raw material, skincare, makeup development, AI applications, and light medical aesthetic skincare — including those engaged in industry-academia-research-medical collaboration.

n Cross-sector Innovators: R&D personnel, university professors, and interdisciplinary researchers interested in the convergence of cosmetics and pharmaceuticals, cutting-edge technologies, and packaging design.

n Scientific Communication Specialists: Marketing personnel focused on communication through science-based storytelling.

Main Forum – Insight into Industry Trends · Strategizing Future Development Tracks

Highlights: Focusing on raw materials, the main forum will spotlight emerging technologies and market trends, equipping enterprises with first-hand industry intelligence to guide strategic planning for the year ahead.

Focus Topics:

l Macro overview and outlook of cosmetic raw materials

l Emerging technological frontiers in the industry

l Cross-disciplinary integration and innovation trends

Sub-Forums

Ø Cosmetic R&D Formulation and Product Co-Creation

Highlights: Centered on formulation technologies, this forum promotes a holistic R&D mindset. Discussions will span foundational research, innovative formulation methods, and integration of cutting-edge technologies. Addressing practical R&D challenges while balancing innovation with consumer expectations, the forum will provide actionable guidance and effective co-creation pathways to strengthen formulation professionals’ competitiveness across the entire value chain.

Ø International Ingredient Technology and Frontier Trends

Highlights: Dedicated to innovations in ingredients, this forum will feature global research leaders from renowned international companies who will share about breakthrough ingredient technologies from a global perspective. Featuring on-site simultaneous interpretation, the session will facilitate technical exchange and collaboration, promoting innovation and accelerating progress in raw material science.

Ø Advancing Skin Science through Dermatology–Research Collaboration

Highlights: Collaboration between dermatologists and research teams has become a key strategy for brands to enhance their scientific foundations and build consumer trust. This forum will explore how such partnerships drive innovation — from identifying clinical consumer needs and uncovering skin mechanisms to developing targeted formulations and validating efficacy through clinical studies. Leading dermatologists and skincare brands will share practical approaches to advancing dermatology-research collaboration and fostering innovation across the industry.

Focus Topics:

l Insights into clinical consumer needs through dermatology-research collaboration

l The science behind popular efficacy claims such as anti-aging, whitening, and repair

l Strategies for developing effective products collaborative clinical research models

Ø Light Medical Aesthetic Skincare Synergy

Highlights: As aesthetic treatments gain broader social acceptance, the lines between cosmetics and medical aesthetics are becoming increasingly blurred. The emerging “cosmetics–device synergy” model is paving the way for comprehensive, full-cycle skincare solutions that address consumers’ growing needs in skin health, rejuvenation, and anti-aging. Under the theme “Light Medical Aesthetic Skincare Synergy,” this forum will delve into consumer insights, product development strategies, and innovation opportunities that enable brands to tap into the rapidly expanding med-aesthetic skincare market.

Focus Topics:

l Understanding skincare needs across different types of light med-aesthetic procedures

l Mapping popular efficacy trends and key ingredients

l Development skincare products that balance safety and efficacy

l Exploring formulation logic and development approaches for “medical device-classified” products

Ø Technology-Driven Makeup Development

Highlights: Today’s consumers demand more than cosmetic coverage — they seek performance and care in one. Technological innovation has become central to makeup development, with concepts like “cosmetic care integration” driving continuous product evolution. This forum will explore upcoming makeup trends, formulation strategies for multi-functional products, and product development processes, to promote high-quality advancement in the makeup segment.

Focus Topics:

l Forecasts for makeup trends

l Foundation technologies focused on skincare and extended wear

l Application of AI in color formulation and product design

l Product development logic for next-generation makeup

Ø Industry-University-Research Exchange on Innovation

Highlights: With the rapid advancement of technology in the cosmetics industry, scientific research has gradually become a key driver of productivity for many enterprises. Universities, with their long-standing academic history, theoretical foundation, and open culture of innovation, produce scientific achievements that are both fundamental and forward-looking. By leveraging the research capabilities of universities, enterprises can transform cutting-edge discoveries into brand innovation, enhancing market competitiveness and sustaining long-term growth.

The forum will bring together leading professors and young scholars from universities specializing in cosmetic science and technology. Centered on fundamental research and frontier innovation in cosmetics, the forum will also explore how academic achievements can be applied and transformed through industry-academia-research collaboration. A dedicated showcase area will feature university research to encourage interactive exchange, foster multi-dimensional collaboration between academia and industry, and accelerate the translation of scientific achievements into real-world productivity within the cosmetics sector.

Ø Cosmetics Regulation

Highlights: In collaboration with the CAFFCI, this forum brings together regulators, industry experts, and academics to address post-regulation implementation challenges through keynote presentations and discussions, providing authoritative insights into the evolving compliance landscape.

Ø Sustainable Beauty

Highlights: Since its debut in 2019, the Sustainable Beauty Forum has become one of the industry’s most influential sustainability platforms. Through sharing, discussion, exhibitions, and interactive experiences, it continues to advance sustainable development across the beauty value chain. The 2026 edition will convene leading brands, ingredient suppliers, and contract manufacturers to showcase the latest sustainable practices and explore the road ahead.

Ø 5th Cosmetics-Pharmaceutical Synergy Innovation Conference & Transdermal Technology Symposium

Highlights: Jointly organized by the China Chemical Pharmaceutical Industry Association (CCPIA) and Reed Sinopharm Exhibitions, and hosted by the CCPIA Cosmetics Raw Materials Committee, this conference will feature top scholars, academics, brands, and suppliers discussing the challenges of transdermal delivery of active ingredients in cosmetic R&D. Topics will include formulation, process engineering, ingredients, and efficacy evaluation — offering valuable insights for R&D personnel from pharmaceutical companies, cosmetic brands, OEM, and ingredient suppliers.

Ø Navigating Global Markets: Export Compliance and Opportunities

Highlights: Focusing on the export of Chinese cosmetic ingredients to ASEAN, European, and the U.S. markets, this forum will examine relevant policies, regulatory frameworks, market characteristics, and consumer insights. It aims to address real export challenges and support companies in accelerating international market entry.

Ø AI-Driven Cosmetic Innovation Application

Highlights: This forum explores the practical applications of artificial intelligence (AI) in the cosmetics industry. Through real-world case sharing, attendees will learn how to train industry-specific AI models to optimize ingredient screening, target matching, and personalized product development.

Focus Topics:

l Using data from similar industries (e.g., traditional Chinese medicine, active pharmaceutical ingredients, daily chemical industry) to train AI models

l AI applications in efficacy ingredient screening and innovation

Ø Technical Submission Exchange and Cross-Disciplinary Empowerment

Highlights: As a comprehensive professional platform serving the global beauty industry, PCHi has long placed technological exchange at its core, fostering academic dialogue and driving innovation across the sector. Since launching its ‘Call for Speakers’ initiative in 2023, PCHi has successfully hosted five editions of this industry presentation program.

Recognizing that today’s cosmetic innovations increasingly emerge at the intersection of multiple disciplines, this forum comprises two key segments:

· Technical Submission — featuring outstanding presentations selected from submissions to the PCHi 2026 Call for Speakers initiative;

· Cross-Disciplinary Empowerment — where experts from diverse fields will share the latest advances and potential applications of frontier technologies.

Together, these sessions aim to break down technical boundaries, inspire cross-sector collaboration, and sustain the industry’s momentum for continuous innovation.

Ø Consumer Insights and Scientific Communication (New)

Highlights: As consumers adopt a more rational mindset, understanding their needs and developing precise, relevant products have become critical to brand success. Scientific communication serves as a vital bridge between brands and consumers, enhancing trust and credibility. This forum will share actionable strategies for consumer insight, compliant marketing, and science-based storytelling to help brands strengthen market engagement.

Ø [Beijing Technology and Business University Alumni Association] Future of Beauty Technology: Panoramic Innovation Chain Forum (New)

Highlights: Beijing Technology and Business University, one of China’s earliest institutions to establish cosmetics-focused programs, hosts the country’s only top-tier undergraduate major in cosmetics and the first regulatory science base approved by the National Medical Products Administration. This forum will gather experts from various disciplines and alumni brand representatives to explore key areas including ingredient innovation, basic research, scientific regulation, and product design — promoting comprehensive dialogue and collaboration across the entire cosmetics innovation chain.

Ø International Cosmetics Packaging Conference (New)

Highlights: Co-organized with CAFFCI and held alongside the inaugural CosPack this forum will spotlight trends, technologies, and regulatory developments in cosmetics packaging. It aims to help suppliers, designers, and equipment manufacturers expand market reach and capture emerging opportunities.

Focus Topics:

l Global trends in cosmetic packaging innovation and design

l Implementation and interpretation of packaging regulations and standards

l Smart and sustainable development technologies

Note: This is a preliminary introduction to the Conference. Additional themes and technical exchange sessions will be announced as they are confirmed. Please refer to details published onsite for the latest schedule.