Is China’s fairytale cosmetics brand Flower Knows a K-beauty rival?

Flower Knows has become one of the most discussed names in Chinese cosmetics, with whimsical designs that have won over consumers and a big investor.

With such names as “Strawberry Rococo” and “Knight Unicorn,” the product lineup comes in sculptured packaging adorned with glittery ribbons, hearts, and blossoms.

Fans also like how the makeup makes them look. The brand’s concealers are particularly popular, ranking second in sales by category on the Chinese e-commerce site Taobao last week.

As China’s C-beauty industry hopes to achieve the same kind of international success as South Korea’s K-beauty, Flower Knows is drawing attention.

The company was founded in 2016 by two cosplay enthusiasts in the city of Hangzhou.

Proya Cosmetics, China’s largest listed beauty company by sales, acquired just over 38% of Flower Knows’ parent company last year and in May lifted its stake to 51%.

The latest investment values Flower Knows at RMB 2.8 billion (USD 415.7 million), according to Proya. The day after Proya announced the stake increase, its share price jumped as much as 8%.

Flower Knows logged RMB 1.7 billion (USD 252.4 million) in revenue last year. Proya has more than six brands under its umbrella, but Flower Knows’ revenue puts it second only to the group’s namesake brand, which took in RMB 7.6 billion (USD 1.1 billion).

For January to March of this year, Flower Knows posted RMB 675 million (USD 100.2 million) in revenue, garnering roughly 40% of its 2025 full-year sales in just one quarter.

Proya is looking to gain more from the acquisition than scale. Flower Knows sells its products in Japan and South Korea, and has opened pop-up stores in the US and the UK.

Flower Knows is growing its worldwide recognition, with its global Instagram account boasting more than two million followers.

Although the domestic C-beauty market is enjoying mild growth, competition is fierce. Last year, Proya’s net profit shrank for the first time in a decade.

In a press release announcing the increased stake, Proya called Flower Knows a pioneer in overseas expansion that will lead to new sources of growth.

This article first appeared on Nikkei Asia. It has been republished here as part of 36Kr’s ongoing partnership with Nikkei.

Note: RMB figures are converted to USD at rates of RMB 6.74 = USD 1 based on estimates as of September 1, 2026, unless otherwise stated. USD conversions are presented for ease of reference and may not fully match prevailing exchange rates.