Like many university students, Sun Zhongwei has to live on a tight budget. So, when the 20-year-old saw a post on the social platform Xiaohongshu about an unusual new money-saving hack, he was immediately intrigued.

The idea was simple: instead of using pricey face masks to give yourself a facial, simply apply a few cotton pads soaked in mineral water. Given the high cost of skincare products, Sun decided to give it a shot.

“In the current economic climate, if there is a way to get great results with little expenditure, everyone will surely be willing to experiment,” Sun said.

Many young Chinese are doing the same thing. As China’s economy slows, consumers across the country are seeking to cut back on spending. And that is rapidly transforming a humble bottled water company into the country’s hottest beauty brand.

Until this year, Wahaha Group was about as far from trendy as it was possible to get. Even for a water brand, it was known for being cheap and basic. Its distilled water is priced at just 2 yuan ($0.27) a bottle.

But the company has unexpectedly become the darling of China’s Gen Z in recent months, with topics such as “Wahaha face masks” and “Wahaha purified water” racking up millions of views on social media.

Influencers have latched onto Wahaha as an alternative to branded skincare products, with a string of viral posts promoting the idea of using cotton pads dunked in the company’s purified water as a makeshift face mask.

Many claim the ultra-affordable treatment is as effective as using premium moisturizing sprays costing around 150 yuan.

“It’s especially clean, with far fewer impurities than tap water,” said one influencer in a post on Xiaohongshu that received thousands of likes. “Its distilled water is used in laboratories.”

The fad is just the latest unusual money-saving tip to gain traction on Chinese social media in recent months, as young people look for ways to cope with rising living costs and worrying unemployment.

The trends have kept coming one after another: Students using wheelie bins as makeshift suitcases; office workers carrying their belongings in last night’s takeout bag; young tourists sleeping rough in airport lounges or public toilets; graduates eating in subsidized canteens usually frequented by senior citizens.

In 2024, a survey by the Party-run newspaper People’s Daily found that more than half of Gen-Z consumers described their spending habits as “careful and budget-conscious.”

The cosmetics market has been hit particularly hard by consumers’ growing focus on cutting spending, with many young Chinese abandoning pricey foreign brands for cheaper domestic options.

In 2023, Chinese cosmetics firms overtook their overseas rivals in sales terms for the first time, with domestic brands capturing a 50.4% market share, according to industry data.

The fashion for Wahaha face masks is a good example of how consumers are finding creative ways to stretch their budgets without compromising on their desire for safe and quality products, said Sun Jin, a professor at the University of International Business and Economics in Beijing.

“The abundance of brands of varying quality in the skincare market has led some consumers to doubt the safety and ingredient transparency of traditional products, prompting them to opt for Wahaha mineral water, which is seen as a simple, controllable, and widely trusted alternative,” Sun told Sixth Tone.

On Xiaohongshu, the advice for how to use bottled water as a skincare product can be surprisingly detailed — though the science behind it is often dubious.

Some influencers recommend using different water brands depending on your skin type. Ganten is supposedly suitable for people with dry skin; Nongfu Spring for sensitive skin; and Evergrande Spring for oily skin.

While Wahaha appears to be considered a safe option for most people, some users remain skeptical about its effectiveness.

“I tried using Wahaha, but ended up with acne,” one user wrote. Other commenters responded that perhaps the problem wasn’t the water, but the user’s diet or sleep habits.

Feng Xinyu, a sophomore at a Shanghai-based university, says that Wahaha has been a game-changer. She used to use a host of luxury skincare products, but found that none of them helped when she began an exchange in the United Kingdom this year.

The change of climate and diet played havoc with Feng’s skin, causing frequent breakouts of acne. Uncertain how to solve the issue, she started searching online for advice, and that’s when she stumbled upon the idea of using bottled water.

“I believe that sometimes simplicity is the best approach,” Feng said. “I chose to forego luxury skincare products and cleanse my skin using the most natural mineral water.”

The change paid off. Feng’s skin became noticeably clearer over the following weeks — and she saved a lot of money, too. This success inspired her to try similar cost-saving measures in other parts of her life. She has canceled her gym membership, and now exercises by doing fitness exercises outside or at home.

“It’s not only cost-effective but is also helpful for keeping in shape,” she said.

Additional reporting: Wen Ming.

(Header image: VCG, re-edit by Sixth Tone)