As the new post-pandemic normal settles in and people adapt to a context of uncertainty, constant adversities, and pessimism, we are moving away from a moment in which consumers expected brands to rise up to society's challenges and into one when they’re demanding genuine allyship from businesses.

Lightening lotions and potions account for 16% of the $80 billion Asian cosmetics industry. Nivea has launched a deodorant that keeps you fresh, while whitening and tightening underarms. But does this product address a real need? Or create a new complex for beauty-conscious women?

First there was 'hot or not', then the 'thigh gap' trend, and now social media sites are buzzing with the 'finger-trap test' to determine whether someone is beautiful or ugly. If your finger doesn’t touch your lips when pressed against your nose, you’re deemed pretty.

Asia's selfie obsession – especially amongst women – is more prominent than ever. In response, there's been an explosion of beautifying apps that automatically detect facial features, and enhance them according to Eastern beauty ideals.

Selfies ruin trips to galleries, interrupt nights out, and feed an unhealthy preoccupation with looks. But they’re also being used to champion the individual and non-mainstream beauty. As brands launch selfie campaigns, can they engage audiences in a way that’s helpful, not harmful?

A common perception in China is that good looks get good jobs. Homegrown cosmetic surgeons have got a bad rep, and in 2014, 200,000 Chinese medical tourists travelled to South Korea in search of physical perfection. Can Yuemei prove it’s a trusted online marketplace for cosmetic ops in China, and will it give the industry a much needed reputational face-lift?

L'Oréal’s Makeup Genius app, which lets women virtually try out new eyeshadow shades, has been downloaded 14 million times since it launched. China has proven to be a big market, not just because it has a huge number of internet users, but because it allows women to try out heavy make-up in secret.

The cosmetics market is growing in China, and fast – beauty products now outsell groceries in department stores. But it’s not American and European names capturing new ground. Chinese consumers are looking to South Korea for the most innovative and aspirational beauty buys.

Skincare brand SK-II is targeting China’s ‘leftover’ women by challenging stereotypes in a spot that examines how different generations perceive women based on relationship status. The company is looking to capture the attention of single women by removing the stigma attached to them.