China has become the eighth largest cosmetics consumer in the world. While makeup was considered decadent only 40 years ago, China has become the eighth largest cosmetics consumer in the world.

　　Glossy lips, shimmering eyes and velvet skin: the 20mx4m poster of L'Oreal's star model Leticia Casta dominates the urban landscape of Wangfujing Commercial Avenue in Beijing.

　　The Paris-based cosmetics giant, which acquired two Chinese brands last year, is consolidating its worldwide beauty empire by investing massively in China's booming market.

　　The beauty and cosmetics industry ranked the fourth largest consumption zone in China last year---after real estate, cars and tourism.

　　The total current value of China's beauty and cosmetics market is 42 to 46 billion yuan (US $5 to 5.5 billion), according to government and private studies. Over the last five years, it had an average growth rate of 20 to 25 percent per annum, benefiting both from the general rise of living standards and from the younger generations’ readiness to spend an increasing proportion of their disposable income on make-up.