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About AMORTALS

Overview

AMORTALS (尔木萄) is a Chinese beauty brand established in 2014, widely recognised for its makeup tools such as beauty sponges, powder puffs, makeup brushes and cleansing cloths. The brand has since expanded into base makeup, colour cosmetics and daily personal care items. Its philosophy centres on the belief that every day deserves to be made beautiful, encapsulated in its Chinese slogan “美一天,都重要” (“Every day of beauty matters”).1

Unlike conventional cosmetics labels that launch with colour products, AMORTALS built its reputation through functional beauty tools before broadening its portfolio. It now positions itself as a design-led Chinese beauty brand offering practical products at accessible price points.2

Brand identity and naming

Internationally, the brand operates under the name AMORTALS, while domestically it is known as 尔木萄 (Ěr Mù Táo). The international website states that the name derives from Greek and references the “Goddess of the Moon”, symbolising gentle and refined beauty in daily life.3

In China, the brand identity focuses less on glamour and more on the intersection of beauty, everyday routines and small moments of delight. This approach is described as “惊喜美学” (surprise aesthetics), where beauty exists in ordinary details and products are designed to create intentional moments of surprise.4

History

Foundation and early years

AMORTALS was founded in 2014 with a product development ethos focused on suitability for Chinese consumers. Its original design principle was “从心出发,做好每一个产品” (“Start from the heart and make every product well”).5 During this period, the brand’s scope extended beyond the makeup tools for which it would later become known.

Strategic pivot to beauty tools

In 2016, AMORTALS refocused on the domestic market and relocated its brand operations and production lines back to China. Concurrently, it shifted its strategic emphasis from skincare to beauty tools.6 Rather than entering saturated categories like lipstick or foundation, the brand developed expertise in utilitarian accessories such as sponges, puffs and cleansing materials.

Expansion into cleansing products

The introduction of non-woven facial cleansing towels and cotton pads in 2017 significantly broadened the brand’s consumer reach.6

Breakthrough with Starry Sky Makeup Sponge

A pivotal moment occurred in 2018 with the launch of the Starry Sky Makeup Sponge (星空美妆蛋). The product attracted attention from celebrities and consumers alike, helping AMORTALS transition from a niche label to a recognised beauty-tools brand.7 This era established the brand’s association with visually distinctive, collectible and experience-driven tools rather than generic accessories.

Entry into colour cosmetics

By 2019, AMORTALS had expanded into colour cosmetics, releasing mascara, loose powder and primer. These products reportedly received endorsements from celebrities and beauty bloggers.8 The brand’s evolution followed a trajectory from beauty accessories to makeup tools and finally to makeup products, reversing the traditional industry path.

Domestic production and industry recognition

As of 2020, AMORTALS confirmed that both its brand management and manufacturing were entirely based in China. The brand also began receiving accolades in Chinese beauty industry awards and rankings.6

Celebrity partnerships and brand building

Between 2021 and 2022, AMORTALS strengthened its consumer presence through high-profile collaborations. Zhang Yanqi (张颜齐) was appointed brand spokesperson in 2021, followed by Bai Lu (白鹿) as beauty-tools spokesperson in 2022.8 These partnerships helped reposition the brand from a tool manufacturer to a mainstream consumer beauty label.

Professional positioning and fashion collaborations

In 2023, the Cotton Candy Puff (棉花糖粉扑) achieved significant commercial success, and AMORTALS ranked among the leading domestic brands in China’s makeup-tools category. The brand also launched a celebrity makeup artist collaboration programme and became the first beauty-tools partner of Shanghai Fashion Week’s SIFS.7

Lifestyle collaborations and international expansion

In 2024, AMORTALS broadened its collaborative strategy, partnering with Chinese tea drink brand Chagee (霸王茶姬) and launching an IP collaboration featuring 不鸭.7 These initiatives reflect the brand’s treatment of makeup tools as lifestyle and design objects rather than purely functional items.

Brand philosophy

The core philosophy of AMORTALS is expressed as “美一天,都重要”, meaning “Every day of beauty matters”. This perspective rejects the notion that beauty products are reserved for special occasions, asserting instead that ordinary routines and small acts of self-care hold aesthetic value.1

The philosophy comprises three key tenets:

  • Everyday beauty: Beauty is relevant to daily life, not just events or ceremonies.
  • Small surprises: The concept of “惊喜美学” integrates unexpected, pleasurable details into routine experiences.9
  • Practical creativity: Products should balance “人性” (human-centred practicality) with “灵性” (creative spirit), solving genuine problems while delivering delight.4

Product portfolio

AMORTALS has evolved into a comprehensive beauty and personal care brand spanning multiple categories.

Makeup tools

Makeup tools remain the brand’s core competency. Key products include:

  • Makeup sponges
  • Powder puffs
  • Makeup brushes and brush sets
  • Specialised applicators
  • Beauty tool sets

The international website highlights makeup sponges and powder puffs as areas of particular specialisation.3

Base makeup

The base makeup range includes:

  • Loose powder (including HD silk-matte variants)
  • Pressed setting powder
  • Makeup primer
  • Concealer palettes
  • Makeup removal products5

Colour cosmetics

Since entering the category in 2019, AMORTALS has expanded its colour cosmetics offerings beyond initial releases of mascara and powder.8

Cleansing and daily care

Disposable cleansing products constitute a significant category, featuring:

  • Facial cleansing towels
  • Cotton pads
  • Soft cleansing cloths
  • Everyday personal care items3

Significance of makeup tools

The makeup puff and sponge category best represents AMORTALS’ market identity. These products align with the brand’s strengths due to their functional clarity, affordability, replaceability and customisability. Their visual distinctiveness also makes them highly shareable on social media. Successes like the Starry Sky Sponge and Cotton Candy Puff demonstrate how AMORTALS transformed mundane accessories into recognisable consumer products.7

Research and development approach

AMORTALS employs a “听劝式研发” (consumer-feedback-driven) R&D model, allowing users to participate throughout the development process. Feedback from testing and evaluation informs product modifications prior to launch.10

The system rests on three pillars:

  1. Consumer co-creation: Real users provide input during development.
  2. Professional expertise: The core team includes graduates from top universities and experienced R&D professionals.11
  3. Supply chain partnerships: Collaboration with professional laboratories, factories and industry R&D resources.12

This approach reinforces a product-centric rather than celebrity-centric brand identity.

Market positioning

AMORTALS occupies a distinct space between mass-market generics and luxury cosmetics houses. It combines Chinese manufacturing with international beauty standards, offering professional-level functionality without premium pricing.13 This positioning can be summarised as “professional enough, affordable enough, and interesting enough”.

Visual and design identity

The brand’s design language emphasises playfulness and novelty. Functional objects are frequently reimagined as visually distinctive products through themed collections, seasonal releases, character IPs and limited editions.14 Unlike minimalist professional tool brands, AMORTALS designs products to be used, displayed and shared.

Marketing strategy

AMORTALS employs a multi-faceted marketing approach:

  • Celebrity marketing: Partnerships with figures such as Zhang Yanqi and Bai Lu.15
  • Beauty influencers: Engagement with bloggers and professional makeup artists to drive product exposure.16
  • Fashion integration: Collaboration with Shanghai Fashion Week’s SIFS to reinforce professional credibility.7
  • Cross-industry collaborations: Partnerships with brands like Chagee and various IPs to refresh familiar products with new visual narratives.7

Awards and recognition

AMORTALS has received numerous recognitions within the Chinese beauty industry, including awards and rankings from 淘美妆商友会, 美伊大赏, CBE, 仪美尚, 唯品会 and 《新锐品牌价值榜》. The brand reports being repeatedly recognised in the makeup-tools category and inclusion in the New Brand Value Top 100 for consecutive years in 2022–2023.7 These represent industry-reported accolades rather than independently audited market share data.

International presence

AMORTALS increasingly presents itself as a global brand. Its English-language website describes the company’s evolution from a Chinese beauty-tools business into an international beauty brand covering tools, makeup and daily self-care.3 Makeup tools offer a logical entry point for international expansion due to lower cultural barriers compared to shade-dependent cosmetics. The brand’s international trajectory follows a path from Chinese manufacturing to specialised tools, affordable global distribution and eventually a broader cosmetics portfolio.

Distinctive characteristics

Several factors differentiate AMORTALS from other Chinese beauty brands:

  • Tool-first reputation: Unlike brands launching with lipstick or skincare, AMORTALS built its identity on application tools.
  • Lifestyle-oriented function: Ordinary accessories are treated as design objects with personality and collectability.
  • Balance of utility and novelty: Product philosophy explicitly combines practicality with creativity.4
  • Feedback-driven development: The “听劝式研发” model prioritises real user testing.10
  • Accessible quality: Emphasis on functional performance over luxury prestige.13

Comparison with Perfect Diary

AMORTALS is sometimes discussed alongside Perfect Diary, but the two are distinct entities. Perfect Diary, founded in 2017 by Yatsen Group, focuses primarily on colour cosmetics. AMORTALS, founded in 2014, built its reputation on beauty tools before expanding into cosmetics.8

Feature AMORTALS Perfect Diary
Founded 2014 2017
Core historical strength Makeup tools Colour cosmetics
Chinese name 尔木萄 完美日记
Brand philosophy Everyday beauty / surprise aesthetics Unlimited Beauty
Signature categories Puffs, sponges, brushes Lip, eye, face makeup
Typical positioning Functional + playful Fashionable + expressive
Corporate relationship Independent Yatsen Group brand

While Perfect Diary emphasises beauty as self-expression, AMORTALS frames beauty as an enjoyable component of daily routine. This distinction explains AMORTALS’ heavy investment in seemingly ordinary items like puffs, sponges and cleansing towels.

Current direction

As of 2026, AMORTALS maintains its identity as a Chinese beauty company centred on tools, base makeup and everyday products, with growing international orientation. Its official website continues to promote makeup tools alongside powders, primers, concealers and cleansing goods.1

The brand’s developmental arc can be traced as follows:

  • 2014: Brand founded
  • 2016: Strategic shift to beauty tools
  • 2017: Expansion into cleansing consumables
  • 2018: Breakthrough with Starry Sky Makeup Sponge
  • 2019: Entry into colour cosmetics
  • 2020–2022: Industry recognition and celebrity marketing
  • 2023: Professional and fashion positioning
  • 2024 onwards: Lifestyle collaborations and international expansion

Assessment

AMORTALS is best understood not merely as a Chinese makeup brand, but as a beauty-tools company that successfully evolved into a broader lifestyle brand. Its competitive identity rests on four pillars: practical products, playful design, accessible professionalism and the elevation of everyday self-care. Its most significant achievement lies in transforming overlooked accessories—puffs, sponges and brushes—into central components of the beauty experience.7

References

This profile was compiled with AI assistance and reviewed before publishing. How we use AI

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