Lisa Nan, Beauty Editor at Jing Daily, joins The Negotiation to break down what's really happening in China's beauty and luxury markets right now. From the rise of C-beauty brands challenging international players to the unexpected virality of Kris Jenner as China's 'money goddess,' Lisa tracks the trends that are reshaping how brands sell in the world's largest beauty market.

In this episode, Lisa covers the hottest brands and sub-categories driving growth, the emergence of male beauty and the silver beauty market (50+ consumers), and the decline of mega-anchors in China's livestreaming ecosystem. She explains which domestic and foreign brands are winning, what's replacing the mega-anchor model, and how moments like the Winter Olympics and viral memes reveal deeper shifts in Chinese consumer behavior.

Lisa also discusses the current state of China's overall beauty and luxury markets, functional beauty trends like scalp care and science-backed skincare, and the emerging developments international brands should be monitoring closely. Whether you're a brand considering China entry or navigating the market's rapid evolution, this conversation offers actionable insights from one of the industry's sharpest observers.

Discussion Points

· Current state of China's beauty market: strengths, weaknesses, and key dynamics shaping 2026

· Overall luxury market health: which brands are cutting stores, which are doubling down, and why

· Hottest domestic C-beauty brands (Proya, Florasis, Winona) and foreign brands succeeding in China

· Fastest-growing sub-categories: scalp care, fragrance, functional beauty, and science-backed products

· Male beauty market expansion: how brands are approaching male consumers differently

· Silver beauty market (50+) finally taking off: who's getting it right and what's driving demand

· Decline of mega-anchors in livestreaming: what happened and what's replacing the mega-anchor model

· Kris Jenner as China's 'money goddess': what viral memes reveal about Gen Z consumer engagement

· Winter Olympics impact: Eileen Gu, Su Yiming, and how brands leverage winter sports moments

· Emerging trends to watch: what's on the radar that international brands might be missing

In this episode of The Negotiation, host Todd Embley welcomes Dr. Nici Sweaney, founder of AI Her Way and one of the most compelling voices on ethical AI adoption, gender equity in technology, and responsible AI systems.

Nici has an extraordinary background. She started in butterfly ecology, spent 17 years as a quantitative scientist in academia, and has worked with the United Nations, World Bank, WWF, Hewlett-Packard, and Salesforce. Named one of Microsoft's Top 10 Trailblazing Entrepreneurs in AI, she's now helping organizations across over 20 industries adopt AI in ways that drive efficiency while maintaining ethical standards.

This conversation explores how AI is fundamentally reshaping consumer behavior and brand discovery. Nici breaks down what AI means for marketing strategy, how brands should be thinking about the funnel differently, and where the biggest operational transformations are happening inside consumer businesses.

The discussion also tackles critical equity and representation questions. Nici explains why it matters who builds AI systems, how different global models shape what consumers are exposed to, and the practical implications of bias in training data for brands using AI in customer-facing applications.

Finally, Nici shares systems-level thinking on AI adoption. She walks through how leadership teams should be approaching this strategically, why governance and ethics need to be built in from the start, and where overwhelmed organizations should begin.

This is essential listening for anyone leading AI adoption, building consumer brands, or trying to understand how AI is changing the way people discover, evaluate, and buy products.

Discussion Points

· Nici's journey from butterfly ecology to quantitative science to founding AI Her Way

· What AI Her Way does and who it serves across 20+ industries

· How AI is reshaping consumer behavior, brand discovery, and purchasing decisions

· Marketing transformation: rethinking the funnel, channels, and content creation in an AI-driven world

· Operational impact: where consumer brands are seeing the biggest AI-driven transformations

· Why equity and representation in AI matter for consumer-facing applications

· How different global models (Western vs Chinese vs others) shape what consumers see

· Practical implications of bias in AI training data for brands

· Systems-level thinking: how leadership teams should approach AI adoption strategically

· Building governance and ethical frameworks from the start, not as an afterthought

· Where overwhelmed organizations should start with AI adoption

· Closing the AI gender gap and why women need to help shape AI's future

· Big shifts coming in AI over the next 2-5 years for consumer behavior and brand marketing

· Key takeaway for business leaders and marketers on AI

In this rapid-fire update episode of The Negotiation, our host, Todd Embley, sits down with Jacob Cooke, CEO and Co-Founder of WPIC Marketing + Technologies, for a fast-paced conversation covering the biggest developments in China's e-commerce and AI landscape.

Jake unpacks Alibaba's recent earnings—why he's encouraged despite weak earnings—and breaks down the significance of their new AI business unit, Token Hub, and the Wukong platform. The conversation explores the OpenClaw phenomenon sweeping China and what it means for enterprise AI adoption.

The episode also dives into WPIC's latest annual data report, revealing strong growth across China's e-commerce market and the dramatic platform shift toward Douyin. Jake shares fascinating insights on the pet category—including the explosive growth of live dog and cat sales on social commerce platforms—and highlights other standout trends in nutraceuticals, fashion, and sports.

Jake also provides his read on Canada-China relations following Prime Minister Mark Carney's historic visit, discusses the excitement around Canadian journalists being back on the ground in Beijing, and shares what the diplomatic reset means for Canadian brands like Lululemon, Arc'teryx, and Canada Goose.

This is a must-listen for anyone tracking China's consumer market, AI developments, or Canada-China business opportunities. Enjoy!

Discussion Points

· Alibaba's latest earnings: why Jake is encouraged despite net income down 66%

· Token Hub and Wukong: How Alibaba is restructuring to monetize AI through tokens instead of subscriptions

· The OpenClaw phenomenon: Why it's exploding in China and how cheap, capable models fuel adoption

· WPIC's annual data report: Top-level takeaways on China's e-commerce market (2023-2025)

· Pet market deep-dive: 20.4% growth and the rise of live pet sales on Douyin

· Nutraceuticals surge: 27.3% growth and Douyin overtaking Tmall for the first time

· Canada-China relations: What PM Carney's visit means for business and why CBC journalists being back matters

· Canadian brand performance: How Lululemon, Arc'teryx, and Canada Goose are doing on the ground

· Increased business confidence: Western leaders' visits to China and rising brand interest

· Key message for international brands entering or expanding in China in 2026