Cosmetic advertising is becoming one of the key pillars in the marketing strategy of beauty businesses, especially as the Vietnamese market enters a fiercely competitive phase and consumer behavior changes faster than ever. In recent years, both domestic and international brands have accelerated their investments, making the need to understand correctly – execute correctly – and comply with regulations in cosmetic advertising a mandatory requirement. This article provides a comprehensive overview of the market context, legal regulations, supply chain, and strategic factors that businesses need to grasp when implementing cosmetic communications.
Beauty & FMCG Market Overview: Why Cosmetic Advertising Is Experiencing Strong Growth
According to Statista 2024, the global cosmetics market reached USD 571 billion and is expected to grow to USD 663 billion by 2027 (Source: statista.com). In Vietnam, a report by Kantar Worldpanel 2024 shows that the beauty sector is one of the fastest-growing industries, thanks to the expansion of e-commerce, livestreaming, and influencer-driven shopping behaviors.
In this context, cosmetic advertising has become an essential tool to:
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Increase brand coverage across multiple platforms
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Compete with imported products
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Boost online sales
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Create social proof
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Enhance consumer trust
According to McKinsey 2024 – The State of Beauty, consumers prioritize “transparent – traceable – clinically verified” information. This makes cosmetic advertising not just a communication activity, but a part of a sustainable brand-building strategy.
Cosmetic Advertising: Legal Requirements Businesses Must Comply With
In the beauty industry, advertising violations not only damage brand reputation but can also result in penalties under Decree 38/2021/ND-CP. Therefore, when implementing cosmetic advertising, businesses need to understand the following principles:
Products must have a valid cosmetic registration number
Any product being advertised must have:
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Receipt number of the Cosmetic Product Notification Form
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Related testing dossiers
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Documents proving the safety of ingredients
Claims cannot suggest medicinal effects
This is the most common violation in the beauty industry. Prohibited terms in cosmetic advertising include:
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Acne treatment
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Dark spot treatment
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Skin curing
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Irritation treatment
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Medicalization of products
Businesses are only allowed to describe benefits based on cosmetic functions, in compliance with the ASEAN Cosmetic Directive.
Transparency in production origin – supply chain
Regulations require that production information must be clear:
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Factories must meet CGMP – ASEAN standards
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Ingredients must comply with the Ministry of Health’s list
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No banned active substances
This directly affects the content of advertising.
Procedures for Obtaining a Cosmetic Advertising Permit
In many cases, brands need to carry out procedures for obtaining a cosmetic advertising permit when advertising on:
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Television
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Print media
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Online newspapers
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Professional seminars with commercial elements
The dossier includes: the product notification, proposed advertising content, documents proving ingredient safety, and the company’s legal papers.
How to Advertise Cosmetics in the New Era: Focus on Authenticity and Visual Experience
Vietnamese consumer behavior is changing noticeably: they want to see – try – and evaluate immediately. Therefore, cosmetic advertising methods today should not only focus on attractive visuals but also:
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Transparency of ingredients
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Proof through testing
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Provide expert information
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Demonstrate real effects on actual skin
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Create interactive, two-way content
According to Euromonitor 2024, 71% of Vietnamese users choose products after seeing real experience content from KOLs or KOCs (Source: euromonitor.com). This explains why platforms like TikTok Shop and Shopee Live are leading strong growth in the beauty sector.
Supply Chain – Production – Testing: The Foundation Determining Cosmetic Advertising Quality
A sustainable advertising campaign is always based on a “standard-compliant” product. In practice, successful beauty businesses share the following common traits:
1. Production at CGMP-standard factories
This allows businesses to:
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Use certification in advertising
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Enhance brand credibility
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Reduce risk during post-market inspection
2. Quality testing according to international standards
Large factories usually perform:
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Microbiological testing
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Skin irritation testing
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Heavy metal content testing
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Efficacy testing
These results can be used as documents to build advertising content.
3. Transparency in the supply chain
Consumers increasingly care about:
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Source of raw materials
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Export standards
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Safety level of ingredients
According to Deloitte 2023 – Global Consumer Insight, 58% of beauty users prioritize products with transparent origin and well-controlled quality (Source: deloitte.com).
How to Run Effective Cosmetic Advertising This Year: Optimize the Entire Customer Journey
An effective campaign does not rely on a single advertisement but on the entire system:
Optimize Content (Content Compliance + Conversion)
Standard-compliant content must be both legal and sales-effective:
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Clear information, legally compliant
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Visuals
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Compelling product story
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Testing proof
Beauty brands are segmenting influencers by objectives:
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KOC: create authenticity
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Micro KOL: create demand
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Macro KOL: increase reach
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Beauty influencer: drive direct conversion via livestream
Leverage Platform Data
TikTok, Meta, and Shopee all provide robust data:
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Viewing behavior
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Retention rate
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Interest segments
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Favorite product categories
Correct interpretation of metrics is crucial.
Why More Brands Are Choosing Agencies to Implement Cosmetic Advertising
Market reality shows that beauty businesses need agency support in three areas:
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Legal content control
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Establish standard processes for multi-channel implementation
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Continuous optimization based on market reports
Industry competition makes it difficult for businesses to implement effectively without a professional team.
Conclusion: Cosmetic Advertising Enters a High-Competition Phase Requiring Deep Expertise
With market expansion, strict regulations, and the demand for information transparency, cosmetic advertising – running cosmetic ads – influencer marketing – compliance content will continue to be growth pillars for beauty brands in the coming decade.
Businesses that comply with the law, invest in the right platforms, and build the right strategy will create long-term and sustainable competitive advantages.