Shifting consumer habits and evolving priorities are reshaping the beauty landscape in Malaysia in ways that reflect both personal needs and broader lifestyle choices.
For many Malaysians, skincare is more than just choosing products off a shelf or “adding to cart” – it’s about finding what feels right for their skin and their daily routine.
As trends come and go, the question to answer is what truly matters to today’s beauty consumer.
What do Malaysians want?
Cuura founder Sarah Shah Nor believes that when it comes to skincare, Malaysians are looking for more than just affordability.
“They want halal-friendly (for Muslims), gentle and effective formulations, with a strong focus on clean ingredients, multifunctional convenience and sustainability efforts,” says Sarah.
“Younger shoppers, especially Gen Zs are very much drawn into lifestyle fit and values as it is about results.”
Sharifah Aryana, founder of Confidence Cosmetics, says that in the three years the brand has been running, the word “easy” comes up a lot.
“I think in the fast-paced environment that we live in now, the average consumer doesn’t have the time for many skincare steps or heavy bulky packaging that isn’t travel friendly,” says Sharifah.
“Of course, a good product is still a priority but it helps when the product is in a simple and convenient packaging that’s suitable for on the go,” she adds.
And while affordability is always a consideration to make, there are many consumers who are willing to invest in skincare that gives them the results they desire.
Transparency when it comes to what goes into a product’s formulation is also important to Malaysian consumers, according to B&B Labs CEO and co-founder Julius Lim.
“Convenience matters too, especially with busy urban lifestyles. Products that are multi- functional, easy to use and travel friendly get picked up faster than complicated 10-step routines. Skincare that fits into life, not the other way around, is what resonates,” says Lim.
He believes that what matters to consumers today are ingredients, science they can trust and results-driven formulas.
Read more: Exploring what Malaysians want in makeup, plus tips on making beauty looks last
Winning formulas
While facial care essentials like cleansers, serums and essences as well as moisturisers and creams are top of the list when it comes to consumers, the hero product for 2025, according to these brand owners, is sunscreen.
The reason? Younger consumers are normalising this product as a daily finish, not an occasional extra.
“Malaysia regularly records extreme Ultraviolet Index levels (UVI 13–14 ), so prevention beats repair,” says Lim, adding that both women and men are buying more sunscreen.
For context, according to an article published in The Star on July 23, 2025, the Malaysian Meteorological Department (MetMalaysia) reported that Kota Kinabalu, Sabah, had recorded an extremely high UV index of 13 the day before, particularly between noon and 1pm.
A UV index reading of 11 or more means extreme risk of harm from unprotected sun exposure.
“Social media and skincare content online enable individuals to get increasingly educated on the importance of sunscreen as an ‘ageing preventive’ product and the most value for money anti-ageing product out there starting earlier in life,” says Lim.
And what’s better than sunscreen? One with a dual purpose – many brands are creating products that don’t just protect, but that also moisturise.
“When I first started doing beauty content, I always received DMs asking for skincare tips and most of them admitted they weren’t using sunscreen,” says Sharifah. “Fast forward to now, our best seller is moisturiser with SPF 50 and it’s the same for other Malaysian skincare brands.”
Sarah agrees, noting that consumers are all about skincare- infused makeup and multifunctional products like moisturisers that also have serum benefits.
Value for money is another main factor that drives skincare purchases.
“It’s not just about price per se, but what is the ROI on the product that they are buying and if the ROI is there, they will invest in it,” says Lim.
“Previously, there were mainly just high-end brands and low-end brands, now there are more masstige (a blend of ‘mass’ and ‘prestige’) brands that offer the quality of the ‘expensive’ products at a price just slightly above the ‘cheap’ products. This is the sweet spot now for Malaysians.”
The “support local” movement, says Sharifah, has also driven consumer habits as more Malaysians want to back local businesses in order to give back to our economy.
“They also have peace of mind knowing where their money is going,” says Sharifah. “It also helps that Malaysian brands have upped their game and are coming out with amazing products with updated technology that’s comparable to international brands but for a fraction of the price.”
Where international products once dominated, local brands are steadily gaining ground.
Malaysians are realising that more brands are coming up with formulations that speak directly to their needs and that are designed for Malaysian weather and lifestyle.
“For years, international names from South Korea, Japan, the US and France owned the market. But today, local brands are steadily chipping away at that dominance. Consumers are no longer viewing homegrown labels as ‘second best’,” says Lim.
Read more: Ask The Expert: Using hair removal creams? Here’s how to do it right
Getting the word out
While local brands are becoming more popular among Malaysians, without limitless budgets for marketing and advertising, how do they ensure people know about them?
Apart from traditional media, marketing channels also shape skincare demand in Malaysia.
Sarah says that for Cuura, social media has been effective for virality and sales, community-building, storytelling, and micro-influencer collaborations.
“The mix of these platforms allows us to connect with different consumer segments while keeping our brand relevant and visible.”
A strong online presence may make for better visibility, but for many brands, occasionally setting up pop-up stores is also important.
Here, customers can test products, have beauty experts analyse their skin and get advice on what products to use for their skin concerns.
“Face-to-face chats, quick skin checks and letting people try products in real life convert better than any caption. Events give us content, feedback and a chance to share our story,” says Lim.
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