Chinese Women Feel Underserved by Supplements, Lubrizol Study Finds

Lubrizol has published a white paper on women's health and beauty needs in Asia-Pacific, reporting that many Chinese consumers feel underserved by current supplement options. The paper draws on consumer research in China, Korea, and Indonesia, focusing mainly on China. “Women's health and beauty needs are evolving,” explained Bernardo Medeiros, global vice president, Lubrizol Life Science, and vice president, Latin America, Lubrizol. “Across Asia Pacific, and particularly in China, we are seeing a fundamental shift from reactive care to proactive wellbeing. Consumers are no longer waiting for problems to emerge. They are investing earlier, seeking solutions that help them maintain confidence, vitality and quality of life throughout every stage of their journey.”

IQVIA Consumer Health handled research design, fieldwork, and analysis, though the text does not state sample size or survey methodology.

What Do Women Need At Each Life Stage?

The paper divides women into four groups, each with distinct priorities:

• Active life and career (20-39): energy, recovery, and appearance. Openness to prevention is high, and this group tends to buy from brands it already trusts.
• Family planning and motherhood (20-39): safety, gentleness, and transparency. Removing uncertainty is highlighted, and 93% of Chinese respondents agreed with the need for pregnancy iron and nutrition solutions.
• Midlife transition (40-55): sleep, daily energy, hormonal balance, and skin resilience. Purchase decisions rely more on evidence.
• Healthy longevity (55+): independence and preserved capability. This group showed the highest premium acceptance.

Premiums of up to 50% were acceptable to mothers-to-be when a product reduced uncertainty. In the active life and career group, premiums at that level required a strong case for value and visible results.

How Prevention-Led Are Consumers?

China recorded the highest proactive wellness index of the three markets at 34.3%, versus 30.8% in Korea and 32.6% in Indonesia. Chinese respondents ranked beauty as the second most disruptive daily concern, compared with eighth in Korea and sixth in Indonesia. Interest in supplements for long-term prevention also rose with life stage with Chinese women, from 33% of women aged 20 to 39 in the active life and career group to 52% of women aged 55 and older in the healthy longevity stage.

Where Does Supply Fall Short of Demand?

Across APAC, 40% to 50% of consumers said their current products did not work or worked only partially. In China, 87% of respondents preferred products tailored to their life stage.

Noticeable benefits ranked in the top three reasons to try and continue a product for 62% of respondents, with higher figures in Korea (74%) and Indonesia (76%). Worry about side effects or long-term safety was a top-three barrier for 62% of Chinese respondents. The paper also describes a hierarchy of trust: felt outcomes first, ingredient evidence second, and gentleness and safety as a baseline expectation.

What Does the Paper Suggest for Formulators?

The paper recommends anchoring products in the benefit each life stage values most, linking topical and ingestible products through a shared narrative, and building routines consumers can sustain.

What Will Lubrizol Show at SupplySide Global?

Lubrizol will exhibit at Booth #4319 at SupplySide Global in Las Vegas, October 28-30. The booth will feature Persona, Science, and Sensory Zones, the last offering samples of featured ingredients. The company says it will present product concepts around four personas, three of which map onto the white paper's life stages:

• Iron (Lipofer microcapsules): aimed at adolescents with higher iron needs and pregnant women seeking a tolerable supplement, with gummy and stick pack formats.
• Curcumin (Curcushine microcapsules): a water-dispersible curcuminoid extract positioned for skin and beauty-from-within products, such as plant-based gummies and beauty drinks, with the encapsulation intended to address curcumin's strong flavor.
• Magnesium (Magshape microcapsules): microencapsulated magnesium oxide for fatigue, stress, and sleep support, suited to stick packs. Lubrizol cites a 2024 clinical study in Nutrients reporting higher bioavailability and fewer gastric side effects than common magnesium salts.⁴

“Consumers increasingly expect nutraceutical products that fit seamlessly into their lifestyles, delivering proven health benefits without compromising on taste and convenience, to provide an enjoyable daily experience,” stated Lori Ditty, global marketing communications manager, pharma and nutra, Lubrizol. “At SupplySide Global, we are bringing that concept to life by demonstrating how our advanced microencapsulation technologies help brands develop consumer-friendly products that support health needs from adolescence to active aging. By addressing common challenges such as stability, taste masking, and bioavailability, we enable brands to create effective, great-tasting nutraceutical solutions that stand out in an increasingly competitive marketplace.”

References

1. Lubrizol. Lubrizol research reveals unmet need for targeted health and beauty solutions as consumers get proactive. Press release. September 21, 2026. Accessed September 21, 2026.
2. Lubrizol. Women's Health & Beauty Needs Across Life Stages in APAC: Consumer Insights From China, Korea and Indonesia. White paper. The Lubrizol Corporation; 2026. Accessed September 21, 2026.
3. Lubrizol. Lubrizol showcases great-tasting nutraceutical solutions for every life stage at SupplySide Global. Press release. August 26, 2026. Accessed September 21, 2026.
4. Pajuelo D, Meissner JM, Negra T, Connolly A, Mullor JL. Comparative Clinical Study on Magnesium Absorption and Side Effects After Oral Intake of Microencapsulated Magnesium (MAGSHAPE^TM Microcapsules) Versus Other Magnesium Sources. Nutrients. 2024;16(24):4367. doi: 10.3390/nu16244367