Page 166 - EM - Export Magazine Perfumery Edition

R E P O R T

Greater Demand for Natural ingredients premium brands, whose brand image is also an important factor,
Japanese consumers value high-quality products and active are expected to continue to set the standard for sustainability-
ingredients when purchasing beauty goods. Therefore, conscious product development and its social contribution.
dermatological cosmetics, brands involving doctor-researched Dior has also been committed to simplifying the packaging of
and developed products (as well as those recommended at its products since 2018, eliminating the cellophane that used to
medical facilities) register surging sales in Japan. The demand accompany skin care products. In addition, with the launch of
for natural skin care products has increased significantly in the the Capture Totale series in 2021, the plastic case and bottle have
past few years in Japan. The growing interest of consumers in the been replaced with recyclable glass. The brand has also been
use of natural ingredients in cosmetics and skin care products working to reduce the environmental impact of its products in the
has led to various product innovations. And companies like manufacturing and distribution process by reducing the amount
Unilever, Shiseido, and many others are all getting in the game. of water used, using green energy to the maximum extent
For example, in June 2021, Shiseido introduced a sustainable possible, and transporting products around the world by sea.
skincare brand named Baum in Japan. The company suggested
that 90% of the formula for the products of this brand was K-Beauty
derived from trees. Even private-label lines are increasingly K-beauty is also trending amongst the younger generation.
being developed with better ingredients. In the past, the According to @cosme, 30% of teens and consumers in their
strength of private label products was a low price point, 20s profess a desire to purchase K-beauty products in addition
but recently, products are emerging that offer higher value, to Japanese products. In fact, Korean beauty has experienced
with safer, better-quality ingredients. There is also a greater a boom among young Japanese women, with the frequent
demand for “freshly-made” cosmetics with a shorter shelf life, media coverage of K-Pop and Korean influencers during the
as these products are seen as being, and without synthetic or coronavirus pandemic.
petrochemical derived preservatives such as parabens.
Comparing J-beauty with K-beauty:
social & environmental How do they differ?
sustainability Programs
Expectations of packaging design and quality amongst
consumers are exceptionally high. Concepts of sustainability
or SDGs (Sustainable Development Goals) continue to trend.
Actions taken by industry players are expanding to have a
broader reach beyond environmental initiatives, such as the
elimination of plastics, and container recycling. Social initiatives,
such as contributing to solving poverty issues through cosmetics
donations are also examples of “sustainability” projects.
An example of a social sustainability initiative: co-founders of
@cosme, Japan’s largest word-of-mouth cosmetics website,
and volunteers launched Cosme Bank Project in December
2021. A pilot test of the project was conducted, in which
cosmetics manufacturers’ surplus stock of cosmetics was
packed and provided free of charge through support groups
to approximately 22,000 households with single mothers and Korean beauty products are often mass-produced and more
other women in economic hardship across Japan. Under the affordable to consumers. Korean beauty products often feature
slogan “Smile for Women and the Earth”, the project aims to animated design with a variety of colors, shapes, and styles.
address the issue of surplus cosmetics by delivering cosmetics On the other hand, Japanese design and lifestyle is all about
to those who need them, while at the same time providing minimalism and eliminating the need for excess. Japanese
consumers with the confidence and uplifted feeling that beauty products focus on quality over quantity. In fact, some
cosmetics can bring. of the key differences between Japanese beauty and other East-
In general, most players have become more eco-conscious, with Asian counterparts lie in Japanese notions of luxury, minimalism,
the launch of more sustainable products. The promotion of refill and simplicity. These are the values that get carried into the
packs is accelerating amongst premium brands, such as color packaging and design of Japanese beauty products. Shiseido
cosmetics from Hermès, and La Prairie’s skin care products. and Tatcha, again, are packaged in sleek bottles and tubs and
As eco-conscious initiatives become an industry-wide goal, often stick to a fluid color scheme throughout the whole line.

164