How China influencer achieves monthly sales of US$14 million by selling US$10 beauty products

2026.03.23 01:20 A online influencer in China has successfully marketed cheap beauty products for the elderly by tapping into the concept of filial piety. Photo: SCMP composite/Shutterstock/Douyin An online influencer in China with three million followers who projects a filial piety persona has deleted her social media account in the wake of a pricing controversy. The deletion came in the wake of a media report that she sold two bottles of face cream for 69.9 yuan (US$10) when its original price was 3,999 yuan (US$580). As the influencer boasted the cosmetic product was imported from Australia, an investigative report by Lanjing News found that it was actually produced by an OEM factory in Guangdong province, southern China, at a cost of less than 20 yuan (US$3). The above composite image shows some of the short promotional dramas Duolan makes to push her persona. Photo: www.163.com The woman, known as Duolan, who claims to be the president of a cosmetic company, attracted attention for achieving a sales revenue of 100 million yuan (US$14 million) in January by selling cosmetic products carrying the little-known brand name Yizilan. Yizilan was ranked 21st among all facial care and make-up goods sold on all social media platforms, according to data analysing company Chanmama. Of Duolan’s three million followers, women account for more than 80 per cent and 70 per cent of her fans are middle-aged or above citizens. Besides selling via live-streaming and online shops, Duolan also directed her followers to an internet chat group to buy her products. Duolan points at a screen showing the fake price of the controversial face cream. Photo: www.163.com The 47-year-old has been dubbed her fans’ “electric daughter” because her videos portray her as a female boss with a kind heart and a person who shows filial piety and helps vulnerable groups. One example showed her helping a delivery rider who was punished by his company for being late at work after he helped an old man who c

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