Herbal cosmetics diva, Shahnaz Husain, who has put India on the world beauty map, now plans to conquer China's booming market, urging the Chinese women to shun chemicals and use Indian ayurvedic products.
"I am actively considering ways to enter the booming Chinese market with my range of herbal and ayurvedic cosmetic products for which there is a good market," Husain told PTI.
The Shahnaz Husain Group, considered the pioneer in advanced ayurvedic skin, hair and body care, plans to venture into China at an early date, she said.
In China, the Shahnaz Husain Group will be identifying franchise clinics, shops, spas and product outlets, she said.
Husain, who participated in the just-concluded third 'Made in India' show organised by the Confederation of Indian Industry in cooperation with the Indian Consulate in Shanghai, has already stirred the local cosmetic circles.
At a press meet addressed by Husain, she was bombarded with questions by the Chinese media and fashion writers, the Consul General of India in Shanghai, Sujan Chinoy said.
Shahnaz spoke to the Chinese media on ayurveda and shared her experience and expertise, focusing attention on India's great herbal heritage and why it is gaining worldwide popularity.
She noted that Chinese women generally had excellent skin but they need to take care of it with traditional Chinese or Indian ayurvedic products, which caused no side-effects.
Shahnaz said she was overwhelmed by the response she got so far and would spend a couple of days in the eastern metropolis, taking to potential clients and offering free tips to Chinese women, who are spending a lot on make-up and cosmetics.
The beauty and cosmetics industry ranked the fourth largest consumption zone in China last year -- after real estate, cars and tourism.
The total current value of China's beauty and cosmetics market is 42 to 46 billion yuan ($5 to 5.5 billion), according to government and private studies.
Over the last five years, it had an average growth rate of 20 to 25 per cent per annum, benefiting both from the general rise of living standards and from the younger generations' readiness to spend an increasing proportion of their disposable income on make-up.
At the MII, the Shahnaz Group had displayed its range of ayurvedic products for skin, hair, body and health care.
The group has already established franchise and trade relations with many countries in South East Asia. In China too, new trading channels, markets and mutually beneficial relationships are bound to emerge, Shahnaz said.
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