Water mask
Sun Zhongwei, a 20-year-old college student, tried using bottled mineral water as a facial mask after seeing a post on social media site Xiaohongshu. Instead of using expensive facial masks, she simply applied a few cotton pads soaked in mineral water.
“In the current economic climate, if there is a way to achieve good results at low cost, everyone will definitely be willing to try it,” Sun said.
Feng Xinyu, a sophomore at a university in Shanghai, said facials with mineral water have changed her life.
She had previously used a range of high-end skincare products but none of them helped when she started studying abroad in the UK this year.
Changes in climate and diet caused hormonal imbalances, and Feng often suffered from acne. Not knowing how to solve the problem, she started searching for advice online and stumbled upon the idea of using bottled water.
“I chose to forgo high-end skin care products and cleanse my skin with the most natural mineral water,” Feng said.
Indeed, Feng's skin became clearer in the following weeks and she also saved a lot of money.
Tighten your belt
As the economy slows, Chinese consumers are looking to cut back on spending. The belt-tightening habit is quickly propelling Wahaha, a bottled water company with a modest reputation, into the country’s most prominent beauty brand.
Bottled water of this brand is very cheap, only 2 yuan (about 7,000 VND) a bottle.
The company has unexpectedly become a favorite brand among China's Gen Z generation in recent months, with topics like “Wahaha mask” and “Wahaha purified water” attracting millions of views on social media.
Many people believe that this super cheap skin care method is as effective as using high-end moisturizing sprays that cost about 150 yuan (more than 520,000 VND).
“The bottled mineral water is exceptionally pure, with far fewer impurities than tap water. Its distilled water is even used in laboratories,” a beauty influencer shared on social media Xiaohongshu, receiving thousands of likes.
The trend is the latest money-saving tip to gain traction on Chinese social media in recent months, as young people seek ways to cope with rising living costs and worrying unemployment rates, according to Sixth Tone.
Previously, there were trends of students using wheelie bins as suitcases; office workers bringing leftovers from the night before for lunch; young travelers spending the night in airport lounges or public toilets; graduates eating at subsidized canteens for the elderly...
The cosmetics market in China has been hit particularly hard by consumers focusing on cutting back on spending, with many young Chinese ditching expensive foreign brands for cheaper domestic brands.
In 2023, Chinese cosmetics companies surpassed foreign rivals in sales for the first time, with domestic brands accounting for 50.4% of the market share.
On Xiaohongshu, the advice on how to use bottled water as a skin care product can be very detailed, although there is no specific scientific research.
Some people recommend different brands of water depending on your skin type. Ganten Mineral Water is said to be good for people with dry skin; Nongfu Spring for sensitive skin and Evergrande Spring for oily skin.
While mineral water is considered a safe choice for most skin types, some remain skeptical about its effectiveness.
