S. Korean cosmetics retailer The Face Shop

One air-traffic route that hasn’t slowed amid the recession has been the one between Japan and South Korea. In February, Japanese tourist arrivals in South Korea were up 70% from a year ago, accounting for 48% of all visitors. Numbers were also up from China and Southeast Asia. The primary attraction is shopping, especially cosmetics.

Until now, the reason was the exchange rate, with the won tumbling and the yen soaring, making Seoul an attractive shopping destination. Although the exchange rate has since leveled off, South Korea remains attractive for Japanese, who see it as accessible and safe, and because many South Koreans in retail and hospitality speak Japanese.

The most appealing products are cosmetics, with Korean brands such as Missha, The Face Shop, Skin Food and Nature Republic selling high-quality products at affordable prices for Japanese. At the Nature Republic store in the Myeong-dong shopping area, around 80 percent of customers in April were from Japan, according to the JoongAng newspaper.

In February, the Korea National Tourism Organization chose IKKO, a Japanese transgender makeup artist, as an official ambassador. IKKO has advocated Korean cosmetics in the past.

IKKO, makeup artist and tourism ambassador

“Korean women have better skin than Japanese women,” IKKO said when appointed to the role. “I want to introduce the lifestyle of Korean women, who constantly detox their bodies and minds, to Japan.”

It’s not only the government that has wised up to the revenue potential. Retailers in Myeong-dong are adding Japanese- and Chinese- speaking staff and signage.

The most popular product is Korea-originated BB cream, short for Blemish Balm, which was Japan’s seventh most popular brand last year, according to the Nikkei newspaper. Some 2.6 billion yen (US$26 million) of BB cream were sold in Japan after its launch in April, according to its manufacturer, Hanskin. Eyeshadow, mask packs, mascara and lip gloss from mid-to-low range local brands like Etude House and Missha are also top sellers. Their focus on natural ingredients is an added appeal.

Photo: JoongAng newspaper

“Whenever I come to Korea, I buy around 10 BB creams and refrigerate them so I can use them over a year or so,” Japanese tourist Yoko Wada, 22, told JoongAng at a Hanskin store in Myeong-dong. The price is about half that in Tokyo.

With South Korean brands seen as increasingly trustworthy and desirable in Japan, and Japanese consumers being increasingly cost conscious, the opportunities for South Korean cosmetics brands are obvious. The exchange rate advantage they have enjoyed since October is evaporating, so instead of waiting for the Japanese customers to come to them, they will find it increasingly necessary to target Japanese consumers on their home turf.

To request a sample of Five by Fifty’s Korean Beauty Report, 2009, contact us.

Cosmetics maker Shiseido interviewed 10,000 women across Asia to determine the ideal Asian face.

Leonardo da Vinci theorized that the ancient Grecian mathematical formula of the Golden Mean could be responsible for beauty in the human form. Today, Japan-based cosmetics maker Shiseido claims to have found the Golden Mean of Asian beauty in a marketing campaign for its Maquillage line.

Shiseido conducted research by interviewing 10,000 women in Japan and throughout Asia to find the common factors in women’s conception of the ideal face. They came to these results: women think that an ideal face is clear, small and shaped like an inverted triangle, with sharpe, big eyes and full lips. Eyes, lips and the rest of the face should all form well-defined features, with contrast among them.

Shiseido found that the ideal proportions could be recreated using five layers of shade and highlight. Shiseido has now established a special website to teach women “M (Maquillage) Rules” for using their products aspire to the ideal face.

Maquillage has creates a series of tutorials on its website for recreating the ideal face.

The Astalift series of cosmetics from Fujifilm.

2008 saw the release of a number of popular cosmetics lines targetting women in the 50-60 range. A craze for foods with high collagen content believed to have beautifying effects began in 2007, and in 2008 a number of collagen-based cosmetics went  on the market.

One popular brand is the Astalift series of lotions, creams, and cleansers developed by Fujifilm, who applied their techniques of nanotechnology and collagen used in their photographic film products. The brand launched at the end of 2007, and expanded in the spring of 2008. Television ads feature 56-year-old Japanese folk singer Miyuki Nakashima.

Television ads for Astalift feature 56-year-old Japanese folk singer Miyuki Nakashima.

Keywords in this market niche are “moisture” and “elasticity,” with popular products claiming to restore moisture to skin, and elasticity in the skin around the mouth.

Shiseido’s Elixir Prior brand, launched in November, targets women in their 60s. Rather than boasting “anti-aging” properties, advertising for Elixir Prior focuses of “aging beautifully” and promotes an image of active older women. Kanebo’s new line of Chicca foundation and eye shadow is designed to suit the complexion and skin tones of women in their 60s.

The Elixir Prior brand from Shiseido promotes an image of active older women in its advertising.

A Shiseido beauty consultant displaying her skills.

Shiseido brought together 48 beauty consultants from around Japan and the world for the final stage of this annual contest. These Shiseido employees are the ones who come in direct contact with Shiseido’s customers, making them key members of the corporation.

In the first rounds, contestants gave basic demonstrations of their skills. During the finale professional make-up artists from Shiseido performed the finishing touches on professional models, including Anne Watanabe, the daughter of Oscar-nominated actor Ken Watanabe. The contestants came from places ranging from Malta to Poland to Japan.

Contestants from around the world participated in the contest.

Shiseido is aiming to become a major player in the global cosmetics and skincare industry. To achieve this, their corporate philosophy consists of three key points: 1) Rich – beauty from the inside out; 2) “human science,” or the contentment and self-confidence Shiseido can bring; and 3) Omotenashi – Japanese hospitality and service.

Shiseido beauty consultants are important representatives of the brand.

The contest, which was known as “Miss Shiseido” when it started in 1934, works to motivate and inspire employees at every level of the company, ultimately benefiting Shiseido as a whole. The event resembled a high-energy rally more than a serious beauty event, as supporters from around the globe enthusiastically cheered on contestants.

Natalie Meyer

Thammachad brand products on a store shelf in Bangkok.

Thammachad, which means “nature” in Thai, began as an initiative of the King of Thailand to produce environmentally friendly, chemical free rice that would benefit the nation’s rural poor through fair trade and also draw from their resources and knowledge. Thammachad has now become Thailand’s premiere green brand, selling organic beverages and skin care products at 34 locations ranging from small shops to luxurious shopping malls.

Thammachad cosmetics include traditional organic ingredients that have long been used in Thailand, but in stylishly designed packaging that appeals to hip young Thai consumers. Thammachad’s Botanical Shampoo with centella asiatica extract claims to slow down hair loss and stimulate new hair growth. Soap made from Thai jasmine rice invigorates skin and prevents acne and yeast infections. Virgin coconut oil is in products as a UV-blocker and to restore essential oils to hair.

A number of new natural brands such as Maithong and Catherine have entered the market, increasing the overall market share for organic goods increasing consumer awareness of organic goods.

Meanwhile, the Thai government recently launched the “one village, one product” project, which aims to create new products enhanced by the use of local human and natural resources. This plan is sure to increase the popularity of natural products all over the country.

Jansinee & Dongjai

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Thammachad official homepage (Thai)

Gatsby has released the first facial mask especially for men.

Gatsby, a Japanese maker of skin and hair care products for men, recently released the “Extra Perfect Mask,” the first facial mask especially for men to go on the market in Japan.

The company got the idea for the product when they discovered that young Japanese men are increasingly interested in skin care products based on quality, regardless of whether they are made for men or women, but were embarrassed to go into a shop and buy women’s products. Young men still living at home with their families became interested in the facial masks used by their mothers and sisters, and the new facial mask for men were met by an eager market.

The Gatsby official homepage includes instructions on how to use the facial mask.

The new product is being marketed to men ages 17-21, and the company’s website features young models demonstrating how to use the mask. It is likely that customer’s mothers, more than their girlfriends, are encouraging them to look after their skin.

The facial masks are a natural extension of Gatsby’s current line of skin care products, which includes facial scrubs and moisturizes, as well as a black adhesive stripe designed to clear our pores on the nose.

This ukiyoe print shows a woman of the Edo period applying beni.

Beni, a traditional Japanese cosmetic made from the benibana flower became popular in the Edo period (1603 to 1868). At the time, the precious material was equal in value by weight with gold, and successful geisha would show off their status by thickly applying crimson red beni to their lips, cheeks, and even their teeth.

Beni is applied with a brush.

Today the company Isehan, operator of the Beni Museum in Tokyo, is reviving the traditional makeup for the modern Japanese woman. Today beni is still pricey, as around 2,000 beni flowers are needed to create a single package, which is sold in small sake cup, and costs $120. However, the all-natural, handmade cosmetic is longer lasting and less likely to produce allergic reactions than mass produced lipstick.

Beni is packaged in ceramic dishes.

The Beni Museum is also celebrating the art of ita-beni, small beni cases of beautifully decorated lacquerware that were traditionally stashed away in a kimono collar. A skilled artisan needs three to six months to complete a single case, which can fetch as much as $3,000 each. But today the cases are not slipped into kimono collars, but rather business suits or designer handbags.

Beni cases are works of art.

Hoyu recently hosted a hair coloring fashion show.

Japanese hair coloring industry leader Hoyu recently held the 2008 edition of their annual “Hair Coloring Splash,” an event that includes a fashion show of interesting dye jobs, booths where attendees can get their hair colored for free, and an awards ceremony to recognize Japanese celebrities who look great with colored hair.

Why all of the fuss about hair coloring products? In Japan, it is a large and expanding industry. According to Hoyu representatives, roughly 70% of Japanese women, and 30% of men between their teens and 60s color their hair. Hair coloring became extremely popular with Japanese women in the 1990s, with many opting for colors in the light brown range. The early years of the millennium saw a return to natural black, but recently style-conscious women have been choosing more subtle changes from their natural hair colors, which add to a sense of elegance.

A Hoyu product aimed at young women.

The market as a whole has been expanding. Major companies in Japan have long had strict regulations regarding employees dyeing their hair, often permitting only the covering up of gray hair, and high schools outright banned students from even the most subtle highlights. Recently such rules have become more lax, and many men and women in their teens and twenties change their hair color several times a year.

A product designs especially for men who want to hide that bit of gray.

At the same time, the graying senior set have become more fashion-conscious. Hoyu reports that products to cover up gray hair constitute the fastest growing segment of the market, with many new products being developed to meet the growing silver market demand.

Cosmetic brand M・A・C has teamed up with fashion brand DressCamp.

M・A・C is going to release a special collaboration line with DressCamp, the famous Tokyo collection fashion brand.

Learn more:
Other M・A・C Stories
Other DressCamp Stories

Celebrity makeup artist IKKO.

IKKO is the stage name of Kazuyuki Toyoda, who had been working as a makeup artist and stylist in Japan since the early 1990s, before suddenly becoming a ubiquitous media darling in 2007.

The cover of a popular IKKO book promising shapely legs.

Known for his trademark effeminate style, IKKO often appears on television talk shows wearing a short dress to show off his most famous features. At the age of 46, IKKO has the shapely legs of a woman of 20.

On his official site, IKKO writes that his mission is to find the innate individual beauty of women and draw it out to its fullest through beautiful hair, makeup, and apparel. This is done by creating ‘revolutionary’ new ideas and processes to polish both inner and outer beauty IKKO claims. And the women of Japan are listening.

IKKO has become a favorite guest on Japanese talk shows, while releasing a series of best selling books and DVDs which promise to increase feminine beauty, teach women to act more coquettish, while also using femininity in a powerful way.

Especially popular is the “Miracle Beauty Shape Up” DVD and book set, which reveals the secret behind IKKO’s famous legs.