The Return Of The Japanese Brands

Eventually, however, the rise of K-culture became a wake-up call. Japanese brands could not remain as insular as before. In order to keep pace with competitors, Korean or otherwise, they had to be inclusive and adopt a global outlook as opposed to focusing on just the domestic market.

Which is why more and more are now reasserting themselves and reminding consumers that they were the original beauty virtuosos of Asia.

Figures from Japan’s Cosmetic Industry Association show robust year on-year growth of 28.8 per cent in beauty exports. And according to the Financial Times, exports are expected to hit more than US$2.75 billion (S$3.8 billion) this year.

Sachi Kimura, a research analyst at Euromonitor International, says: “As the market in Japan is mature and the population decreasing, many manufacturers realise there is little room left to expand locally. They are making global expansion their top priority, to increase their presence.”

Mariko Endo, international division general manager of Japanese luxury holistic brand Three, feels there is an upside to all the attention K-beauty has been grabbing. “K-beauty has been a trendsetter in the international cosmetic industry for the past few years. The Korean brands’ quick manufacturing speed and efficiency in bringing cuttingedge trends to the market led to high interest in Asian beauty brands, including Japanese ones,” she says.

It’s a view echoed by Kimura, who says the global K-beauty phenomenon may actually have helped to focus attention on Japanese companies. “K-beauty established a trend of looking at beauty products by location, where a brand’s country of origin is part of its identity. 

“Consumers are now seeking authenticity and trying to understand the differences and attributes of each country’s brands,” she explains. 

Among the traits frequently associated with Japanese brands are quality and dependability. Whether it’s a drugstore buy or high-end splurge, the benchmark for Japan-made beauty products is perceived to be high.

“Japanese brands place importance on developing products with proven efficacy and high functionality after intensive research,” says Kimura. “The local market is very competitive. Many manufacturers, big and small, are developing products to meet the needs of mature Japanese consumers with high expectations, so they have to be highly effective. Such an environment has helped to build the Japanese brand identity and works as an advantage when competing on the global stage.”

This belief in product quality has certainly given some Japanese brands a confidence boost. Case in point: Inoue Olive, a niche olive-based skincare brand from the island of Shodoshima. Previously only available in Japan, it opened its first overseas outlet in Singapore in 2016 after more than  40 years as an exclusively domestic label.

What spurred them to do that? “We’re farmers first and foremost, so we know that the olives used in our skincare are top-grade, and our production methods are sound. We feel our products have the quality needed to compete,” says the brand’s manager, Kosuke Otsubo.

With the Japanese economy looking up, the 2020 Tokyo Olympics creating buzz, and a desire among consumers for simple, well-thought-out beauty products that don’t involve 10-step routines, glassy skin or ever-changing fads, the J-beauty renaissance may be just beginning.

KANEBO

When it was established: In 1887, as a cotton trading company in Tokyo. Entered the cosmetics industry in 1937.

Known for: Anti-ageing skincare. Its May Young Cream, launched in 1960, was one of the first antiageing products in the country and ignited demand for such skincare. In 2006, with almost 70 years of beauty knowledge behind it, Kanebo Cosmetics created Impress, which became the brand’s best-selling antiageing range. It comprises Impress IC, Impress, and Impress Granmula – for women in their 20s, 40s and 60s respectively.

What’s different now: In 2016, Kanebo Cosmetics launched Kanebo, the brand (not to be confused with the parent company). The aim: to reinforce a more modern, trendy image among a younger generation of consumers.

Kanebo, as a brand, champions the notion of “lifetime skincare” – luxury products you use throughout your life, from millennial to mature – and will gradually replace all of Impress. Impress IC has already been discontinued.

Look out for: Kanebo’s The Exceptional range, which has just three products – The Lotion (toner), The Emulsion (serum), and The Cream (moisturiser). The range has its roots in a “skin-tuning” cosmeceutical concept that Kanebo Cosmetics developed decades ago, called Chrono Beauty. An example of Chrono Beauty: When your skin is more exposed to the sun and higher temperatures on warmer days, it needs more protection from harmful UV rays, as well as products that can cool and calm.

The Exceptional products are made using the best ingredients and formulas, covering every complexion concern, across any age: dullness, dehydration, signs of ageing, congestion, and so on. Used in tandem, the products make for a streamlined, minimalist, but concentrated skincare routine for busy women.

"What makes The Exceptional exceptional: the Clear Botanical Complex (which has pear juice, watercress and geranium extract) smooths the skin and keeps it feeling firm and looking bright."