Vichy in China: how the first pharmacy skin care brand lost its lead and found a role in scalp care

Updated on August 13, 2026

Vichy built pharmacy skin care in China, then lost the category to La Roche-Posay, Avène and Winona; scalp care has since become its main growth area.

By Daxue Consulting

At its peak, Vichy (薇姿) had counters in about 3,000 Chinese pharmacies and annual sales above RMB 1.5 billion (Jiemian (界面新闻), August 2020). It introduced many Chinese consumers to buying skin care in a pharmacy, then moved away from pharmacy-only distribution in 2008.

By 2024, its sister brand La Roche-Posay (理肤泉) ranked first among dermatological skin care brands on both Tmall and Douyin. Meanwhile, Vichy’s strongest growth came from scalp care, a category it did not sell in China a decade earlier (The Paper (澎湃新闻), September 2024). In Taiwan, Vichy closed all its retail channels in May 2024. This analysis of Vichy in China examines the brand’s trajectory in China, why competitors took the lead and what the case implies for international dermocosmetics brands.

Vichy in China: key figures

Exhibit 1: Vichy’s growth now comes from scalp care, while La Roche-Posay leads derma skin care

L’Oréal does not publish Vichy’s sales in China. Sources: as listed in each row; table designed by Daxue Consulting.

Five turning points shaped Vichy’s position in China

1998: pharmacy pioneer. Vichy entered China as the first skin care brand sold mainly in pharmacies, with a health-oriented positioning linked to its spring water origin.

2008-2010: leaving the pharmacy. In 2008, Vichy left pharmacies, as did Avène. L’Oréal moved its “active cosmetics” from pharmacy-only sales to department stores, Tmall, JD and Vipshop, where Chinese consumers were buying skin care (Yicai, 2017).

2017: redefining the consumer. Vichy launched its “89” volcanic water essence (89火山能量瓶), its most expensive product in China, and its general manager defined the target as women aged 25 to 35, about 36 million people (Yicai).

2019: the end of “cosmeceutical” claims. In January 2019, China’s drug regulator ruled that cosmetics claiming to be “药妆” or “医学护肤品” (medical skin care) were illegal (The Paper). Brands had to prove efficacy through clinical tests, dermatologists and ingredients instead.

2020-2024: pharmacy as experience, then scalp care. In August 2020, Vichy opened a “skin health management center” in a Guoda (国大) pharmacy in Shanghai, where pharmacists ran skin tests and customers ordered online. It also planned consultation points in more than 300 Guoda pharmacies in 10 cities (Jiemian, 2020). In 2021, it brought its Dercos hair and scalp line to China, and in 2024 it set up a scalp management expert committee (The Paper).

Vichy closed its retail channels in Taiwan

In late January 2024, Vichy announced it would close its online and offline retail channels in Taiwan from May 2024, after 27 years there, citing a strategic adjustment to consumer needs (Mirror Media (鏡週刊), February 2024). No similar exit has been announced in mainland China, where Vichy sells through official online stores. The Taiwan decision shows that portfolio choices are made market by market.

La Roche-Posay and Winona each own a clearer skin problem

Vichy and La Roche-Posay belong to the same L’Oréal division and target similar consumers, but their positions diverged.

• A clear hero. La Roche-Posay owns “repair” for sensitive and damaged skin with its B5 range (The Paper). Vichy’s identity moved from spring water to volcanic essence to scalp care.
• Social visibility. Jiemian noted in 2020 that Vichy was discussed less on Xiaohongshu than Avène, Winona or Yuze, a handicap where consumers check Xiaohongshu before buying.
• Local innovation. La Roche-Posay launched a repair line for skin after laser and light treatments in China first, in December 2023, following the growth of medical aesthetics.
• A Chinese challenger. Winona (薇诺娜) built the sensitive skin category at lower prices, as described in How Winona became the #1 brand for sensitive skin in China.

Exhibit 2: Leading dermocosmetics brands in China each own a specific need

Vichy sells mainly through online platforms

Vichy’s official stores on Tmall (天猫) and JD (京东) carry scalp care and the “89” essence as main products. On Douyin (抖音), livestreams and content from dermatologists and trichologists support scalp care. Xiaohongshu (小红书), where scalp routines and anti-hair-loss shampoos are frequent topics, is where the brand’s voice has historically been weaker. WeChat (微信) mini-programs support pharmacy partnerships and skin tests.

How dermocosmetics in China has changed over the past decade

Exhibit 3: From pharmacy claims to clinical proof and specific needs

Daxue Take: implications for international dermocosmetics brands

1. For European pharmacy brands, the French model of pharmacy distribution has not transferred to China, where pharmacies did not become beauty destinations. Building on Tmall, Douyin and Xiaohongshu, with pharmacists, dermatologists and clinics as proof partners, is one option. This could change if Chinese pharmacy chains develop dedicated beauty formats.
2. Where a brand cannot use medical claims, clinical data and doctor networks carry the proof. Brands that focus on one skin or scalp problem where they can show results appear better placed than those with a broad message.
3. For brands that lost their original position, Vichy’s move to scalp care shows that a new problem to solve can create growth: RMB 114 million in eight months on two platforms. The scale is still modest. Annualized, it represents about RMB 170 million, roughly one-ninth of the brand’s peak sales in pharmacies, at an average of about RMB 117 per unit sold. Scalp care is a credible second life, but not yet a replacement for the skin care business Vichy lost. The option depends on the brand’s credibility in the new category.
4. For groups with several derma brands, investment tends to follow the brands that grow fastest; the Taiwan exit shows that a historic brand can be withdrawn from a market where it no longer earns its place.
5. For brands planning product development, La Roche-Posay’s China-first repair lines suggest that local innovation increasingly shapes the category, particularly around medical aesthetics.

Questions for leadership teams: Which skin or scalp problem does the brand own in China? What proof replaces medical claims? What role do pharmacies and clinics play beyond sales?

What to watch next

• L’Oréal’s Dermatological Beauty results in China for the second half of 2026.
• Scalp care rankings on Tmall and Douyin during the Singles’ Day season.
• New rules on efficacy claims and evaluation under the CSAR framework.
• Growth of post-aesthetics repair products as medical aesthetics expands.

FAQ about Vichy in China

When did Vichy enter China? In 1998. It was the first skin care brand sold mainly through pharmacies in China and reached about 3,000 pharmacy counters before leaving the channel in 2008.

Where is Vichy sold in China? In mainland China, mainly through official online stores and partners such as Guoda pharmacies. Vichy closed its retail channels in Taiwan in May 2024.

What are the rules on “cosmeceutical” claims in China? Such claims are banned. Since January 2019, China’s drug regulator has ruled that cosmetics claiming to be “药妆” or “medical skin care” are illegal.

Which dermocosmetics brand leads in China? La Roche-Posay ranked first on Tmall, Taobao and Douyin from January to August 2024, according to FBeauty data reported by The Paper.

About Daxue Consulting

Daxue Consulting is a market research and strategy consulting firm focused on China. For dermocosmetics brands, Daxue Consulting maps skin needs, claims and prices, interviews pharmacists and dermatologists, tests channel mixes across e-commerce, pharmacies and clinics, and monitors regulation on claims and ingredients. Related analyses cover the skin care market, cosmetics distribution and Sephora in China. Learn more about our consumer research services or contact our team.

Author: Daxue Consulting