Industry News: The 'new regulations' for radio frequency beauty devices have been postponed, leading to a 'survival of the fittest' among beauty device brands

Earlier, the National Medical Products Administration (NMPA) issued new regulations for radio frequency (RF) beauty devices, stating that from April 1, 2024, RF treatment devices and RF skin treatment devices must obtain a medical device registration certificate before they can be manufactured, imported, or sold. However, this deadline has recently been postponed to April 1, 2026.

An Additional Two-Year Window for the Home Beauty Device Industry

    In March 2022, the NMPA adjusted the 'Medical Device Classification Catalog,' clearly categorizing RF treatment devices and RF skin treatment devices as Class III medical devices. At that time, all home-use beauty devices on the market were managed according to small appliance standards, which were not mandatory. Since then, many leading brands have begun preparing for Class III medical device filings in order to continue selling RF products. According to the new policy, manufacturers unable to obtain a Class III medical device registration certificate will not be allowed to sell beauty devices. The new regulation was originally set to take effect on April 1, 2024.

However, in early July, the NMPA released a new regulation for RF beauty devices, pushing the implementation deadline to April 1, 2026. RF treatment devices and RF skin treatment devices must obtain the medical device registration certificate by this date, or else their production, import, and sale will be prohibited. This additional two-year transition period provides a much-needed breathing space for RF beauty device businesses.

    Many companies were caught by surprise by the sudden two-year extension.

    Regarding this unexpected delay, some heads of leading beauty device brands stated that most companies, including theirs, are still in the process of understanding the news and cannot provide definite information on whether they will relaunch RF products. 'Most companies' business plans have been disrupted.'

    A company representative mentioned that the delay in the new regulation gives RF beauty device brands an extra two years to prepare for medical device registration. However, he believes that obtaining the certification may not be the brands' top priority at the moment. Given the overall decline in consumer spending, the primary task for most brands is to 'survive the winter.'

Prices Slashed

   Although RF beauty devices have returned to the market with significantly lower prices, even as much as a 50% cut, their sales have still been impacted. According to data from third-party institutions, online sales of beauty devices dropped by 32% year-over-year in the first quarter of 2024.

Source: '2024 H1 China Consumer Insights and Beauty Device Market Trends'

    'Darlings, this RF beauty device is back for a limited time, approved for re-sale just in the past two days. It's a clearance sale at a low price, buying is earning!'

    In a live broadcast on Douyin by a beauty device flagship store, the network anchor was energetically promoting the product, but the number of viewers and interactions was significantly lower compared to the period before the new regulations were set. In this live broadcast, the RF home beauty device, originally priced at 3,299 RMB, is now being sold for just 1,899 RMB.

    Prior to the regulation's planned implementation on April 1, 2024, many beauty device brands started clearance sales to offload inventory. One consumer mentioned that since the end of 2023, the prices of Tripollar products had been in a 'free fall,' with an RF beauty device that originally sold for 3,999 RMB being priced at 2,199 RMB in the official flagship store, and only 699 RMB during a Douyin promotion.

    Many beauty device brand live streams now feature fewer RF beauty devices for sale, with only 1-2 RF products listed, and most of them are marked as 'clearance' or 'back in stock,' with jaw-dropping discounts. In the official flagship store live stream of the Zeus brand, the second-generation RF device, originally priced at 9,800 RMB, is now discounted by 60%, and customers also receive gifts worth over 3,000 RMB.

    Similarly, the RF beauty device under the Miguang brand, originally priced at 3,699 RMB, is now just 1,599 RMB. The store's customer service encourages consumers to 'place an order and enjoy a 7-day free trial without any dismantling fees.'

Despite the near 50% price cut for many RF beauty devices, consumer enthusiasm remains low. After last year's round of price drops, consumers are likely to remain cautious for a while. On one online shopping platform, data shows that Tripollar's RF beauty device, listed on its overseas flagship store, sold only seven units in the past seven days. On the Xianyu platform, only four RF beauty devices were sold recently.

Beauty Device Brands Undergoing a 'Survival of the Fittest'

    Although the implementation of the new regulations has been delayed, many RF companies are still facing difficulties in obtaining Class III medical device certification and are choosing to pivot to other fields, leading to intensified competition in the markets for microcurrent and light-based beauty devices.

    Many brands had already chosen alternative paths, developing new non-RF products such as LED and microcurrent devices. Popular products currently on the market include the Jmy LED beauty device, Ya-man's microcurrent beauty device and eye massager, Huazhi's LED light therapy mask, and Miguang's LED Max light therapy device.

    Recently, Gree officially entered the beauty device market. During Gree's recent appliance strategy conference, Dong Mingzhu announced the successful development of a beauty device. At this event, which primarily focused on Gree's white goods, the beauty device felt like a 'hidden item.' The product is called the 'Gree Microcurrent Beauty Device,' model gm-e01, priced at 9,800 RMB on the 'Gree Dong Mingzhu Store' applet.

    The new era of home-use beauty devices is slowly unfolding, and the demonstration effect of leading brands will become more evident in the future. After the new regulations are fully implemented, brands will likely reintroduce their products with a renewed commitment.

The Purpose of the Regulation Adjustment is to Promote More Orderly Development

Since 2022, many companies have been forced to cease production and sales of RF beauty devices due to the lack of a medical device registration certificate. Obtaining this certificate requires significant time and financial investment, leaving many small and medium-sized beauty device brands to be filtered out.

The NMPA's interpretation of the postponement announcement mentioned that at present, most applicants for handheld RF treatment devices and RF skin treatment devices are home appliance companies. Due to the pandemic and other factors, product testing and clinical trials have been delayed, requiring more time to prepare the registration materials. After consulting industry associations and companies, and considering the actual product development situation, the NMPA issued Announcement No. 84, clarifying that RF treatment (non-ablative) devices, including RF treatment devices and RF skin treatment devices, will be prohibited from production, import, and sale without a medical device registration certificate starting from April 1, 2026.

    The postponement announcement also clarified: 'Medical device registration certificates for Class II devices that have already been obtained will remain valid until their expiration. If the certificate expires before April 1, 2026, the holder may apply for an extension, which cannot exceed March 31, 2026.'

    Industry insiders believe that the 'resurrection' of RF beauty devices does not signal chaotic market development. Instead, the new regulations aim to further standardize the market and ensure consumer safety and rights. 'As a medical aesthetic product, the safety and efficacy of RF beauty devices need to be verified through strict medical device certification. The new policy gives companies more time to improve their research, production, and certification processes, which will benefit the long-term development of the industry.'

Conclusion

    In recent years, home-use beauty devices have become one of the fastest-growing categories in terms of consumer demand and sales. According to data from Zhiyan Consulting, the market size of China's home-use beauty device market in 2023 approached 10 billion RMB, and it is growing rapidly at a compound annual growth rate of over 30%.It is expected that by 2026, the market size will exceed 20 billion RMB.

    As the market heats up, the lag in safety regulatory standards for home-use beauty devices has become increasingly apparent. Safety issues such as burns and excessive nickel release have surfaced within the industry, causing significant controversy.

   The new regulations for RF beauty devices are intended to standardize beauty device products and address market disorder, thereby increasing product safety and giving consumers more confidence in their purchases. The extension of the implementation deadline provides companies with a relatively longer buffer period, allowing them to better achieve brand standardization, professionalism, and safety, ultimately 'being responsible to consumers.'

    The home-use beauty device market is rapidly expanding, and consumer demand for personalized, efficient, and safe beauty solutions is surging. Significant changes are bound to occur in the beauty device sector. Stay tuned for our 'Guangzhou International Personal Care Expo,' which will be held from April 15-17, 2025, at the Nan Fung International Convention and Exhibition Center in Guangzhou. The event will cover the entire supply chain of the personal care appliance industry, showcasing the latest cutting-edge technology products and providing one-stop solutions for product sourcing, creating new opportunities for trade cooperation!