How specialist exporting support can expand your business globally

Shakeup Cosmetics is the No.1 best-selling men’s cosmetics brand on Tmall Global, JD.com, and one of the fastest-growing British brands exporting to China.

Today, Shakeup Cosmetics is the No.1 best-selling men’s cosmetics brand on Tmall Global, JD.com, and one of the fastest-growing British brands exporting to China. 

Founded in November 2019 by twin brothers, Shane Carnell-Xu and Jake Xu, Shakeup Cosmetics exists to enhance men’s self-being with solution-driven skincare and cosmetic products designed to meet the unique needs of men’s skin, empowering them to look and feel their best.  

Government support to find trade partners

Due to the COVID-19 Pandemic, Shakeup Cosmetics quickly decided to bring forward international expansion plans, allowing them to not only survive the pandemic but thrive during an extremely challenging time. 

Shakeup Cosmetics sought support from the DBT team in China very early in the brand’s journey with Deputy Head of Retail & Consumer, Doris Zhou, helping to find their Trade Partner. This Trade Partner has since become Shakeup’s Exclusive Distributor in China. 

Taking advantage of cross border e-commerce routes to market

China saw the company's first international market entry and became a vital engine that fuelled the growth of their brand during the pandemic, with specific advantages including the maturity of the men’s beauty sector and Shakeup’s founders’ Chinese heritage and language skills. 

Taking full advantage of China’s Cross-Border E-commerce (CBEC) route to market, this allowed the business to act fast with all admin work set up the brand’s official online store and payment gateway in just 3 months. 

By entering the Chinese market, Shakeup Cosmetics have set a solid foundation to expand globally and have successfully signed 5 new distributors this year as well as growing their team in the UK with 11 hires over the past two years.