As the cosmetics industry enters a critical turning point of "value-driven development," functionalization, technological advancement, and regulatory compliance have become irreversible core trends. According to industry data, the size of the Chinese cosmetics market exceeded 510 billion yuan in 2023, with functional skincare products accounting for 35% and maintaining an annual growth rate of over 20%, significantly higher than the growth rate of traditional cosmetics. It is expected that the Chinese market size will steadily approach 600 billion yuan by 2026. Driven by both consumption upgrades and policy regulations, the era of relying on conceptual marketing has ended, and technological competition centered on raw material innovation has become the new focus of industry competition. Fermented biological raw materials, with their inherent advantages of "gentle and effective," are rapidly rising as a new favorite in core areas such as whitening and anti-glycation.

Whitening and anti-glycation are two core demands of functional skincare, and market demand continues to explode and upgrade. From the consumer perspective, Generation Z and the new middle class have become the core consumer groups. 82% of consumers actively check product ingredient lists before purchasing, and 71% consider "clinical data" and "patented technology" as core decision-making factors. The demand for whitening has shifted from simply "brightening skin tone" to precise demands such as "inhibiting melanin production, fading dark spots, and improving dullness."  At the same time, attention to problems such as yellowing skin and skin sagging caused by glycation has significantly increased. Traditional whitening ingredients such as vitamin C and its derivatives, and niacinamide, still dominate the market, but they have limitations such as strong irritation and single efficacy, making it difficult to meet the "gentle and effective" needs of specific groups such as those with sensitive skin and those who stay up late; while the anti-glycation field previously relied mostly on ingredients such as carnosine, the effect of targeted improvement of glycation-induced dullness was limited, and the market urgently needs composite raw materials that combine both whitening and anti-glycation effects.

Policy-level standardization has further accelerated the iteration of the raw material market. The "Regulations on the Supervision and Administration of Cosmetics" and its supporting regulations clearly require that efficacy claims must be supported by scientific evidence.  Efficacy claims such as "whitening" and "anti-aging" require human efficacy testing, forcing companies to shift from "concept marketing" to "technological research and development." Fermented ingredients with clear efficacy mechanisms and verified data are experiencing a boom in development. At the same time, the industry's R&D in 2026 shows a parallel trend of "natural" and "technological" approaches, with cross-innovation between plant extracts and bio-fermented products becoming a trend. The proportion of domestically produced raw materials registered reached as high as 82%, completely changing the previous reliance on imports and providing opportunities for differentiated competition for local raw material companies.

Saccharomyces/Coix Lacryma-Jobi Ma Yuen Seed Ferment Filtrate is an innovative raw material that aligns with this trend. Coix seed (Job's tears), a traditional ingredient used in both medicine and food, has long been known for its whitening, moisturizing, and anti-inflammatory effects.  With the addition of yeast fermentation technology, it not only overcomes the limitations of traditional plant extracts, such as low utilization rate of active ingredients and poor absorption, but also generates a variety of small-molecule active substances, achieving multi-dimensional effects of "whitening + anti-glycation + repair." This precisely meets the current consumer demand for multi-functional raw materials.  Furthermore, with its dual attributes of "bio-fermentation + natural raw materials," it perfectly fits the industry trends of clean beauty and gentle skincare, and is expected to stand out in the highly competitive market for functional raw materials.