These male idols come with a sizeable young female fan base who are especially attuned to spending money on the brands and products they promote. Fans see themselves as responsible for their idols’ commercial values, as a result, these brand appointments usually bring about immediate business results.

Young heartthrobs who rose to fame via popular talent shows and TV dramas become the go-to media strategy for big-name brands and nowhere is this more evident than the beauty industry.

So which Chinese male idols became “Kings of Beauty”? Here are eight handsome-faced, and extremely lucrative, stars:

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1. Xiao Zhan – L’Oréal, YSL Beauty and Nars Cosmetics

Xiao entered the entertainment industry only a few years ago and rose to fame after his role in TV series The Untamed. The singer-actor is known as China’s “King of Luxury” and that extends to the beauty industry too – he is the face of three leading brands, including L’Oréal, YSL Beauty and Nars Cosmetics.

2. Jackson Wang – Mac Cosmetics

In August 2022, the brand announced on Instagram: “Singer, producer, designer, director … and now M·A·C Ambassador! We can’t wait for you to see what the future will bring.”

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3. Jackson Yee – Armani Beauty

In spring 2021, singer and actor Jackson Yee expanded his partnership with Armani Beauty to become its global make-up and skincare ambassador, per Global Cosmetics News. A year prior to his appointment, he was already working with the luxury label Emporio Armani as its make-up ambassador for China.

In his new role, he appeared in the campaign for the launch of the brand’s liquid-to-cream skincare, Neocream, which is part of Armani Beauty’s Crema Nera line.

Yee debuted as a child star on a handful of TV variety shows and in 2013, became the youngest member of popular boy band TFBoys before scoring his first proper acting gig two years later.

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4. Roy Wang – Clinique

Yee’s fellow group member, Roy Wang, also won a contract with beauty brand Clinique this year, becoming its spokesperson in the Asia-Pacific region, per iNews. He presents the brand’s 302 Whitening Laser Bottle in the latest ad campaign.

After rising to fame with the TFBoys alongside Yee, Wang’s fame continued to grow – now the star and influencer has a whopping 84.4 million followers in Weibo.

5. Bai Jingting – Tom Ford Fragrance and L’Occitane

Actor Bai Jingting became the fragrance ambassador for Tom Ford in China last year, appearing in a hugely successful ad campaign for its signature White Suede perfume – one of the most popular scents in the Chinese market, according to Jing Daily.

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But it wasn’t the first time Bai had worked with a beauty brand. In 2018, he also became a spokesperson for L’Occitane in China, presenting skincare products such as the Spring Moisturising series in his first campaign with the French brand, according to Vogue.

With 36 million followers on Weibo, Bai attracts huge online traffic for the brands that he endorses. The Tom Ford Fragrance’s ad garnered an impressive 60 million views on Weibo in just eight hours, according to Jing Daily.

6. Gong Jun – Charlotte Tilbury

Last year, actor Gong Jun was chosen as global ambassador for Charlotte Tilbury. He presented the British beauty house’s signature Pillow Talk Party collection, including eyeshadow palettes, lipsticks, highlighters and blushers, per Fashionisto.

Gong began his showbiz career as a model before turning into an actor. He became popular after starring in TV series like Lost Love In Times (2017), Flavour It’s Yours (2019), Begin Again (2020) and Word of Honor (2021), per his IMDB profile.

Now, he’s one of the most sought-after faces in China, who has already partnered with luxury giants from Louis Vuitton to Tiffany.

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7. Xu Kai – Guerlain

Actor Xu Kai has been in many key campaigns for French cosmetics brand Guerlain since becoming its youth ambassador. He appeared in the ad introducing skincare solution Abeille Royale, utilising BlackBee repair technology to stimulate the skin’s revitalising process, reducing wrinkles. Last year, Xu was also in Guerlain’s new perfume campaign.

Xu started his career as a model and won first place in China’s International Model Contest. He then made a successful move into acting with works including Untouchable Lovers and Story of Yanxi Palace (2018), The Legends and Arsenal Military Academy (2019) and Court Lady (2021).

Xu is also the face of Bulgari and Fendi.

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8. Huang Bo – Shiseido

Seasoned actor Huang Bo may be an exception on this list. At 48, he’s no longer as fresh-faced as the others, but an ad he did for Shiseido still garnered 1.2 million views, Jing Daily reports. In February, Japanese cosmetics giant Shiseido announced on Weibo that Huang has become its latest ambassador for anti-ageing line Future Solution LX.

Huang initially rose to fame after debuting in Crazy Stone in 2006, produced by Hong Kong superstar Andy Lau, and thrived in a series of blockbusters such as Lost in Thailand, Journey to the West, Breakup Buddies and Mojin: The Lost Legend.

He received a best actor award at the 46th Golden Horse Awards in 2009, and the Golden Goblet Award for best actor at the Shanghai International Film Festival in 2017, according to China’s national news.