日本製化粧品の調査レポート-日本の最先端技術による化粧品開発と独自の販売戦略（英文レポート）

This English-language report has 21 chapters categorizing the Japanese cosmetics industry into skincare, hair care, finish cosmetics (makeup) and more. It introduces new products that have been developed with leading-edge technologies and materials and their new sales strategies, which vary greatly from market to market.

Chapter 1, for example, introduces a growing trend for food and cosmetics manufactures to use weather information in the advertising and marketing of new products. Pola offers the free smartphone app “Hada-hie Checker (skin chill factor checker)” that lets the user find the level of skin chill factor when they are out of the house based on weather data. It is tied to the major brand APEX-I’s new beauty serum and skincare products that focus on skin chill factor. The company aims to generate consumer interest and build sales with the app.

Chapter 5 discusses new bath additive products and skincare products for people with dry skin. These products aim to solve such problems with new methods. There have been many products that contain water and other ingredients to replenish substances easily lost from the skin. However, recently there are many new products that contain ingredients that promote restoration of the keratinous layer, which is important for preventing dry skin by revitalizing the skin itself.

Chapter 13 addresses the constantly growing deodorant market. Products with liquid content that are applied by hand directly onto the skin are big hits, especially among teens. The main customers are female high school students who are sensitive to fashion. They enjoy not only a refreshing feel, but also enjoy choosing from a variety, much as they would choose different fragrances of perfume. Usually, deodorant products are meant specifically for the underarms, so most are sprays, sheets or roll-on type products that are applied directly. It was not previously considered to use deodorant for the whole body including the neck, arms and legs. This is a new concept and liquid products have created a new opening in the deodorant product market.

The chapters have manufacturer names and color photos of new products in totally new varieties. In each chapter, a specialist on the chapter theme gives current market trends and detailed market forecasts. There are, for example, abundant statistics about the size of the domestic lipstick market and men’s cosmetics market.

At the end of the report is an appendix listing about 100 consumer products, including foods, beverages, and cosmetics, that received awards such as the Japan Star Award or Good Packaging Award at Japan Packaging Contest 2011.

Chapter 3: Sake Manufacturers Offer New Types of Skincare Products Containing Sake Ingredients

Manufacturers of Japanese sake beverages are lining up to offer new types of skincare and other beauty products. Each such product contains sake ingredients and is advertised as keeping women’s skin moist. Demand for sake has been stagnant for several years because of a decreasing birthrate, aging population and lower alcohol consumption among young people. Manufacturers are trying to use their long experience with brewing technology to create beauty products as a new business.

Kiku-Masamune Sake Brewing released Shuteki Joshi, its first skincare cosmetics brand, with five items including body cream in September 2011. All products contain ginjo sake, a type of sake fermented at low temperature from white rice milled to 60%, with no added alcohol. A moisturizing ingredient found in Japanese sake is beneficial for the skin. The company has particular hopes for Aqua Moisture Gel (100 g, 2,310 yen). Other than sake, the product contains moisturizing ingredients such as hyaluronic acid. The product planning department says that “The advantage of this product is that after washing your face, you need only this one product to treat it.”

The products are sold at supermarkets and drug stores. The company says that sales are growing at a pace to reach the first fiscal year target for the five items together, or 100,000 units. Kiku-Masamune Sake Brewing released bathwater additives containing sake ingredients three years ago and sales have been growing. The firm decided to enter the cosmetics market to strengthen its non-sake business. Shirataki Sake Brewery of Niigata Prefecture released a face mask, Jozen Mizuno Gotoshi Milk Essence Mask (1 mask, 500 yen), in February 2011. The product contains sake, sake lees extract and rice bran extract. When the mask is put on the face for five to 10 minutes after washing, the skin feels very moist.

Chapter 4: Cosmetics Manufacturers Release Products with Newly Allowed Anti-Wrinkle Claim

The market for eye area wrinkle products has gotten a boost now that manufacturers are allowed to claim their products are effective against such wrinkles. Since summer 2011, the claim “Makes fine wrinkles caused by dryness less prominent” has been allowed in ads and in-store displays, so Shiseido and Kanebo Cosmetics are expanding products that use this expression based on product tests. As they headed into the season when people worry about their skin because of cold and dry weather, the companies were trying hard to make new product launches and sales promotions successful.

Up to now, only 55 expressions were allowed to describe cosmetics benefits, such as “Gives suppleness to the skin.” In late July 2011, the Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare (MHLW) approved the anti-wrinkle claim. Many countries in Europe and North America had already approved similar expressions and there was plenty of domestic consumer need for anti-wrinkle products. Therefore, the new claim is expected to recharge the market.

In October, Shiseido started making the claim in Internet advertising for d Program Vital Act Emulsion, a milky lotion product for sensitive skin (100 ml, 5,040 yen). The company launched the product in September but updated it within a few weeks.　

Chapter 6: Cosmetics Companies Competing on Lipstick Products with Both Good Coloring and Lip Gloss Moisturizing and Luster Functions

Cosmetics companies are competing hard with lipstick products that have both good coloring and lip gloss function. Shiseido released a product that has moisturizing and lasting function on top of good coloring and lip gloss effect all in one stick in January 2012. Kosé is expanding sales with a product that has a new soft feel when applied to the lips. This is to shore up the medium price range volume zone, which has not been doing well. The companies are working on revitalizing the lipstick market that has been shrinking.

Lipstick Market in Japan

Shiseido released True Rouge with four functions (good coloring, glossiness, moisture and lasting) from medium price range brand Maquillage on January 21, 2012. It has been difficult to put together in one product an oil layer that contains the coloring and moisture and a gloss layer that coats the oil layer so the color does not transfer to cups. The company put together these two functions with original technology to meet what consumers need most in one lipstick product.

Since 2000, the biggest need for lipstick products has been the gloss type that gives glossiness and moisture. However, recently demand for good coloring has started to come around. In light of this, Shiseido released Rouge Enamel Glamour that offered a two-layer application method; applying good coloring lipstick and then applying a gloss product on top in 2010. Then the company released Essence Glamorous Rouge in summer 2011.

The product has both good coloring and moisturizing functions and also has elastic memory silicone coating that contains highly moisturizing beauty ingredients such as hyaluronic acid. The product gives full lips and keeps the color and shine. Usually, the company provides store samples one month before release date but for the first time, the company started displaying store samples two months before the release date. The product was a great hit, selling a record 800,000 items in three months. The company wants to keep this momentum with True Rouge

According to Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry statistics, the 2010 lipstick market was 34 billion yen (shipments base), a decline of 4% from the year before. The decline had been continuing for five years, but in 2011 through September the market was up 4% year on year. Part of the explanation is that new popular makeup products have hit the market along with functional lipsticks in the medium price range. In the last 10 years, makeup has emphasized the eye area with eye shadow and mascara, so to balance that, there has been a preference for lip gloss where colors are not emphasized.

However, recently demand has started to appear for lighter eye area makeup but gorgeous lips. Especially since the Great East Japan Earthquake, Ai Nieda, who analyzes makeup trends at Shiseido, points out a preference for natural beauty and shoulders that do not look so strong.

In light of the return to color, each company has expanded lipsticks in the medium price range. To meet the need for hydration, lipstick products with multiple functions such as color, shine and hydration have expanded. It seems the fact that the companies are differentiating these from low-price products has pushed up unit prices and given the market a lift.