Factors of various hues take gloss out of mall cosmetics

The growth of cosmetics sales in Chinese shopping malls hit their lowest level in six years, partly due to the central government's anti-corruption drive and partly due to the rise in direct overseas purchases, a market research report said.

Retail sales of cosmetics in shopping malls saw year-on-year growth of 10.1 percent in 2013, lower than the 13.2 percent recorded in 2012, and the lowest growth pace since 2008, according to the Beijing-based China National Commercial Information Center, an information service for commercial businesses.

Shop floor sales assistants agreed. "It is hard to make a deal now," said Zoe Wang, a beauty adviser for SK-II who works at a large shopping mall in downtown Shanghai's Huaihai Road.