Revlon poster in Chinese ecommerce website 2013.

Revlon Inc. plans to exit its struggling operations in China and cut more than 15% of its workforce, in the first major action taken by the cosmetics company's new chief executive. Revlon, which sells products under its namesake and Almay brands, has reported weak demand in China, which accounts for about 2% of its total sales.

Revlon walked into China market 37 years ago, but its business in China only accounted only 2% of its annual revenue. Revlon represented a number of foreign cosmetics companies which entered China with arrogance and refuse to adapt to the China market.

Revlon makeup is one of the first few foreign cosmetic brands to enter China. Back in 1976, Guangzhou Friendship Store began selling Revlon lipstick to prove this company has long recognized the China market. But "they got up early to catch a late set", it is understood, Revlon 2012 net revenues of $ 1.43 billion, China business accounted for only about 2%. But in the first three quarters of 2013, Revlon global sales fell by 1.3%, its income in Asia during this period decreased by 3.5%.

Ru Lin Peng is the General manager of Wildfire (Guangzhou) public relations consulting firm. He believes that Revlon's most fatal mishap is its channels in China. "Revlon has no agents, while its marketing team lacks talent, so Revlon can not enter the mainstream sales channels of China cosmetics market, in the final analysis its headquarters did not pay enough attention to the Chinese market, investment is not enough."

"L'Oreal and P&G made a lot of changes for the Chinese market, but Revlon did not." well-known angel investors, Xia Tian said. Foreign cosmetic brands' development in China is smooth, localized decision-making is very important.

"If the decision of foreign brands in China is made by oversea headquarters , their success in the global market is likely to encounter difficulties in the Chinese market."