义乌港里的跨境美妆商机：SADOER彩妆奔赴阿富汗女性梳妆台

2024年11月18日清晨，义乌港的集装箱区已一片繁忙。义乌市噢欧进出口有限公司经理奥经理穿着深色工装，正仔细检查刚从广州运抵的SADOER品牌彩妆集装箱。开箱的瞬间，一排排包装整齐的口红、眼影、唇釉映入眼帘，柔和的色彩在清晨的光线下格外亮眼——这些承载着阿富汗女性爱美之心的美妆产品，即将跨越国境，奔赴遥远的中亚市场。

作为长期深耕阿富汗彩妆贸易的从业者，奥经理对每一批货物都格外严苛。他拿起一支水润质地的果冻唇膏，仔细核对色号与包装，“阿富汗女性偏爱浓郁且持久的色彩，同时注重产品保湿性，这款添加了芦荟和维生素E的唇膏，在当地线上市场特别受欢迎”。他介绍道，自2023年塔利班颁布美容沙龙禁令后，线下美妆消费受限，但阿富汗女性对彩妆的需求并未消减，反而推动线上美妆市场迎来爆发式增长。

这批SADOER彩妆涵盖了口红、眼影盘、眉笔等十余种品类，均根据阿富汗市场需求定制。产品采用便携小包装设计，适配当地女性日常随身携带补妆的习惯，同时选用防水防汗配方，以适应阿富汗干燥炎热的气候。“我们做过详细调研，阿富汗女性从十三四岁就开始化妆，对高性价比彩妆需求旺盛，这套定价亲民的产品组合，能让普通家庭女性也消费得起”，奥经理一边记录质检数据，一边说道。

近年来，义乌与全球230个国家和地区建立贸易往来，其中共建“一带一路”国家成为外贸增长的核心动力。奥经理的公司正是借助义乌的供应链优势，将中国优质彩妆源源不断销往阿富汗的喀布尔、赫拉特等城市。“义乌港的物流太便利了，从这里发货，通过跨境运输20天就能抵达阿富汗，比以往缩短了近一半时间”，他指着集装箱外的物流标签介绍，这些产品除了通过当地合作商的线下店铺销售，还会通过 worldhub等线上平台售卖，提供门到门配送服务。

值得关注的是，阿富汗的彩妆消费市场呈现出独特活力。即便在严格的社会规范下，女性依然通过各种方式追求美丽，甚至有塔利班成员会为家人购买彩妆产品。奥经理透露：“我们的合作商反馈，线上订单量每月都在增长，尤其是口红和眼影，成为最畅销的品类。很多女性会在家庭聚会、节日庆典等场合化妆，这让彩妆市场始终保持热度。”

为了更好地贴合当地需求，奥经理的团队还在不断优化产品。他们根据阿富汗女性的肤色特点，调整了粉底、腮红的色号配比，同时增加了天然成分的添加比例，以适应当地女性对温和彩妆的需求。“外贸不是简单的商品搬运，而是要读懂目标市场的需求”，奥经理说，下一步他们计划通过义乌的跨境电商平台，直接对接阿富汗的中小采购商，让“义乌制造”的彩妆更高效地触达消费者。

正午时分，质检完毕的SADOER彩妆被重新装箱，即将登上前往阿富汗的货轮。在义乌港繁忙的码头，这个满载着美丽与商机的集装箱，不仅见证着中国彩妆品牌的出海之路，更串联起义乌与阿富汗的贸易纽带，让跨越国界的爱美之心得以传递。

Cross-Border Beauty Opportunities at Yiwu Port: SADOER Cosmetics Head for Afghan Women’s Vanities

In the early morning of November 18, 2024, the container yard at Yiwu Port was already a hive of activity. Manager Ao of Yiwu O’ou Import and Export Co., Ltd., dressed in a dark work uniform, was carefully inspecting a container of SADOER-brand cosmetics that had just arrived from Guangzhou. As the container was opened, rows of neatly packaged lipsticks, eyeshadows, and lip glosses came into view, their soft hues shining brightly in the morning light—these beauty products, embodying Afghan women’s desire for beauty, were about to cross national borders and head for the distant Central Asian market.

As a seasoned practitioner deeply engaged in the Afghan cosmetics trade, Manager Ao maintained extremely high standards for every shipment. He picked up a hydrating jelly lipstick, carefully checking its shade and packaging. “Afghan women prefer rich, long-lasting colors while also valuing product moisturization. This lipstick, enriched with aloe vera and vitamin E, is extremely popular in the local online market,” he explained. He noted that since the Taliban issued a ban on beauty salons in 2023, offline beauty consumption has been restricted, but Afghan women’s demand for cosmetics has not diminished. Instead, it has driven an explosive growth in the online beauty market.

This batch of SADOER cosmetics covered more than ten categories, including lipsticks, eyeshadow palettes, and eyebrow pencils, all customized to meet the specific needs of the Afghan market. The products featured portable, compact packaging, designed to suit the local habit of women carrying makeup for touch-ups daily. Additionally, they adopted a waterproof and sweat-resistant formula to adapt to Afghanistan’s dry and hot climate. “We have conducted detailed market research. Afghan women start wearing makeup as early as their teens or early twenties, and there is a strong demand for cost-effective cosmetics. This affordably priced product range makes quality makeup accessible even to women from ordinary households,” Manager Ao stated while recording quality inspection data.

In recent years, Yiwu has established trade relations with 230 countries and regions worldwide, with countries participating in the Belt and Road Initiative emerging as the core driver of foreign trade growth. Leveraging Yiwu’s supply chain advantages, Manager Ao’s company has been steadily exporting high-quality Chinese cosmetics to cities like Kabul and Herat in Afghanistan. “The logistics at Yiwu Port are incredibly convenient. Shipments from here can reach Afghanistan in just 20 days via cross-border transportation, cutting the previous delivery time by nearly half,” he said, pointing to the logistics label on the outside of the container. These products are sold not only through local partner brick-and-mortar stores but also via online platforms such as WorldHub, offering door-to-door delivery services.

Notably, Afghanistan’s cosmetics consumer market exhibits unique vitality. Despite strict social norms, Afghan women still pursue beauty through various means. In fact, even some Taliban members purchase cosmetics for their family members. Manager Ao revealed, “Our local partners report that online order volumes are growing month by month. Lipsticks and eyeshadows, in particular, have become the best-selling categories. Many women wear makeup for family gatherings, festivals, and other special occasions, ensuring the market remains consistently vibrant.”

To better align with local needs, Manager Ao’s team is continuously optimizing their products. They have adjusted the shade ratios of foundations and blushes to match the skin tones of Afghan women, while also increasing the proportion of natural ingredients to cater to the local preference for gentle, skin-friendly cosmetics. “Foreign trade is not just about moving goods; it’s about understanding the needs of the target market,” Manager Ao emphasized. Looking ahead, the company plans to use Yiwu’s cross-border e-commerce platforms to directly connect with small and medium-sized Afghan buyers, enabling “Made-in-Yiwu” cosmetics to reach consumers more efficiently.

By noon, the inspected SADOER cosmetics were reloaded into containers, ready to be loaded onto cargo ships bound for Afghanistan. At the bustling docks of Yiwu Port, this container, filled with both beauty and business opportunities, not only witnesses the overseas expansion journey of Chinese cosmetics brands but also strengthens the trade bond between Yiwu and Afghanistan, bridging borders to fulfill the universal desire for beauty.