You are here:Home / Blog / Market Observation / From Concept to Trend: Why Electronic Masks Have Become the New Favorite of the Hundred-Billion-Dollar Market?
As the traditional mask market falls into homogenization, a thin electronic mask is leveraging the combined power of "technology + precision" to drive a new growth engine in the skincare industry. Its core competitiveness lies in solving the "absorption problem" of traditional skincare. Through iontophoresis technology, flexible electrode design, or nano-conductive materials, electronic masks can deliver active ingredients in a targeted manner, with transdermal efficiency tens of times higher than traditional products.
In April 2024, radio frequency (RF) beauty devices were classified as Class III medical devices for regulation, leading a large number of unqualified products to withdraw from the market. Electronic masks, with their non-invasive and home-convenient features, quickly filled the market gap. Meanwhile, consumer attention to "safe skincare" soared—over 88% of users listed "preservative-free" as a core purchasing criterion, accelerating the implementation of innovative solutions such as bio-based carbon masks and freeze-drying technology.
Currently, mask market demand is shifting from basic hydration to functional skincare. In 2025, the growth rate of anti-aging and repair masks reached 18%, and electronic masks, with customizable energy release modes (e.g., lifting, wrinkle reduction, soothing), have become the preferred choice in the mid-to-high-end market. Data from Douyin shows that sales of electronic masks priced at 100-300 yuan increased by 2.1 billion yuan year-on-year, confirming consumers’ growing willingness to pay for "tech-driven skincare."
Although international brands like Philips and LG still dominate the high-end market, domestic brands are reversing the trend through industrial chain collaboration. For example, Green Exhibition Technology relies on μm-level printed electronics technology to produce 20,000 electronic masks daily and jointly develops products with leading beauty device enterprises; Nuspa's instant dissolving essence patch technology uses nanofiber masks that "dissolve on contact with water," seizing the freeze-dried mask track. Online channels have become the main battlefield, with Douyin contributing over 50% of sales, and low-cost bestsellers and high-end tech products forming differentiated competition.
What Are Electronic Masks? What Stage of Development Are They In?
An electronic mask is a new type of special mask that combines electronic technology with the mask form.
According to the definition in QB/T 2872-2017 Mask issued by the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology of China, a mask is a product applied or spread on the human skin surface, which is peeled off, wiped, or retained after a period of time to provide intensive care or cleaning. It can be understood as a carrier for beauty and skincare products: by covering the face temporarily, it isolates external air and pollution, raises skin temperature, expands pores, promotes sweat gland secretion and metabolism, increases skin oxygen content, helps eliminate metabolic waste and accumulated oil from epidermal cells, allows moisture in the mask to penetrate the stratum corneum, and enables nutritional or functional substances to infiltrate the deep skin.
Currently, there is no clear definition for electronic masks. Based on existing market products, they can be simply understood as beauty products integrating electronic technology and mask form. Usually, they use microcurrent penetration enhancement to deliver effective ingredients in skincare products to the deep skin for better results.
China’s electronic mask industry has evolved from the concept germination and initial exploration stages to the commercialization stage, and will lead a new era of personalized skincare in the future.
Compared with Traditional Beauty Devices, How Do Electronic Masks Usher in a New Skincare Era?
Both electronic masks and beauty devices belong to the tech-driven skincare field, but they differ significantly in product form, usage method, technical principle, and functional application scenarios.
With the shift in consumption scenarios, medical aesthetics is developing towards home-based and lightweight models. Compared with traditional masks, electronic masks have inherent tech attributes; compared with beauty devices, they are more convenient, making them ideal for daily basic skincare and "lazy skincare." Users only need to wear them to fit the facial skin for automatic skincare. Some electronic masks support charging for reusable use, and can be customized with microcurrent programs based on consumers’ skincare goals to achieve precise skincare.
From Concept to Trend: Why Have Electronic Masks Become the New Favorite of the Hundred-Billion-Dollar Market?
Multiple factors—including the intelligent trend of tech-driven skincare, consumption upgrading and the rise of "she economy," differentiated competition in the traditional mask market, breakthroughs in flexible electronics technology, and policy and environmental trends—have jointly driven electronic masks to become a new trend in the skincare industry.
Tech-driven skincare wave promotes intelligence as the industry trend: Deep integration of technology and beauty has upgraded consumer demand from "basic care" to "intelligence and precision." Electronic masks integrate microcurrent, ultrasound, far-infrared, RF, and other technologies to effectively improve the absorption rate of skincare ingredients, achieving deep care effects beyond traditional masks. This intelligent and tech-driven skincare method caters to modern consumers’ pursuit of efficient skincare and aligns with the global development trend of tech-driven skincare.
Consumption upgrading and "she economy" drive high-end market growth: "She economy" refers to the unique economic circle and phenomena formed around female consumption, reflecting women’s strong purchasing power in beauty, skincare, health, and other fields. With rising income levels, women’s requirements for skincare products are constantly upgrading. Traditional masks have relatively single functions, while electronic masks offer personalized, efficient, and quantifiable skincare experiences that better meet high-end market demand. Meanwhile, the growth of the male skincare market provides a broader potential user base for electronic masks.
Slowdown of traditional mask market makes electronic masks a differentiated competitive point: In recent years, the traditional mask market has seen slowing growth and saturated competition, making it difficult for brands to find new growth drivers. The emergence of electronic masks breaks the limitations of traditional masks—they are not only essences "applied" to the face but also optimize skincare effects through intelligent adjustment and deep penetration. Their intelligent and reusable design gives them higher cost-effectiveness, making them a new focus of differentiated competition in the industry.
Development of flexible electronics and wearable devices drives industry breakthroughs: The core technology of electronic masks relies on the development of flexible electronics, smart sensors, and wearable technology. Advances in these fields have matured electronic masks in materials, intelligent sensing, and microcurrent stimulation. For example, the application of graphene masks, flexible electrodes, and biosensors enables electronic masks to accurately monitor skin conditions, adjust care plans in real time, and deliver more efficient skincare experiences.
Policy support and environmental trends bring new opportunities: The classification of RF beauty devices as Class III medical devices in 2024 significantly reduced the number of qualified products available for sale, creating a market window for electronic masks as alternatives. Additionally, traditional masks are disposable consumables that generate large amounts of waste, while most electronic masks are reusable, aligning with the trend of environmental sustainability. Rising consumer environmental awareness makes sustainable and pollution-free electronic masks more popular. For instance, some electronic masks can be paired with replaceable essence pads to reduce plastic packaging and waste, in line with modern consumers’ environmental values.
Which Enterprises Are Layouting in the Electronic Mask Field? Who Can Seize the Tech Skincare Crown?
Currently, China’s electronic mask market is still in the early stage of commercialization, with various brands actively exploring the market. From the perspective of 2025’s leading players, Green Exhibition Technology’s "Heni" electronic mask is expected to be the most competitive; in the long run, Chapter 14’s "electronic skin" has great development potential.
CHANDO’s Little Light Bulb Mask was launched early with strong brand and product awareness but low technological innovation—its ultra-fine graphene mask only approximates microcurrent technology and is not fully an electronic mask. Pearlosophy’s Electronic Skin Mask integrates microcurrent and flexible electronics technology, focusing on high-end repair with an advanced intelligent skincare concept, but lacks strong brand influence and market promotion. Chapter 14’s BIOCELLINE Electronic Skin uses microcurrent and flexible electronics technology, capable of conducting electricity for 72 hours with a leading concept, but has low product implementation and commercialization. Green Exhibition Technology’s "Heni" Electronic Mask combines microcurrent, flexible electronics, and AI intelligent modes, with strong brand promotion. Priced at 159 yuan for the main unit and 438 yuan for the Youth Activating Trial Set, it has competitive pricing. Currently in the promotion stage, its market share is yet to be improved.
Standing at the Market Trend, What "Black Technologies" Do Enterprises Need to Master to Enter the Electronic Mask Field?
1. Flexible Electronics Technology: The Core "Backbone" of Electronic Masks
Flexible electronics is an emerging electronic technology that fabricates organic or inorganic material electronic devices on flexible or ductile substrates. It has excellent flexibility and ductility, ensuring electronic products operate normally when bent, folded, curled, compressed, or stretched. Listed as one of the Top 10 Scientific and Technological Achievements in the World in 2000 by Science magazine, it can integrate electrode circuits into masks through flexible printed electronics technology. This application makes electronic masks not only high-tech but also able to fit facial contours and withstand various deformations without compromising performance.
Zhan Jinfeng pointed out in Beauty Instrument Science that microcurrent technology uses a current frequency between 1-1,000Hz, current intensity in microamps (μA), and pulse duration in nanoseconds (ns). For example, BIOCELLINE Electronic Skin provides an exogenous electric field with a battery voltage of 1.5V, generating a maximum current of 15μA on the skin; Heni Electronic Mask has a microcurrent range of 10-50μA. By forming a human-safe microelectric field, microcurrent technology delivers effective ingredients in skincare products to the deep skin through electroosmotic flow, achieving active penetration of mask essences.
Relevant studies have found that for peptides, iontophoresis technology can increase transdermal penetration by up to 30 times compared with passive penetration. It also significantly improves the transdermal absorption of 5% tranexamic acid essence water, FILLMED NCTF, and Chapter 14’s Prophecy Essence Water.
3. Smart Sensing Technology: Multi-Parameter Real-Time Data Collection and Feedback
Smart sensing technology is one of the key technologies that distinguish electronic masks from traditional masks, and the core for personalized and scientific skincare. The sensors in electronic masks are flexible sensors made of flexible materials, offering higher sensitivity, simpler manufacturing processes, and better flexibility and ductility than traditional sensors. They come in various structural forms and can be designed and laid out arbitrarily to facilitate the detection of measured objects, mainly including strain sensors, pressure sensors, gas sensors, and temperature sensors.
Summary
Electronic masks are not only skincare products but also the integration of "smart hardware + biomaterials + personalized services." To seize this hundred-billion-dollar market trend, enterprises must evolve from "technological innovation" to "system solutions" and build a new intelligent skincare ecosystem integrating software and hardware.
Enterprises entering the electronic mask track can focus on flexible electronics technology, microcurrent technology, smart sensing technology, intelligent control and data systems, supporting APP systems, 3D-printed mask customization technology, and material and safety standards to cultivate multi-dimensional and full-ecosystem competitiveness in the field.
We have successfully designed and produced over 100 products, successfully entering high-end markets such as the United States, Japan, Germany, France, and Russia.
