Sales of beauty care lotions in value terms made almost double-digit annual growth from 2002 to 2004, fell slightly in 2005, rose again in 2006 to reach ¥138.6bn, up about 30% from 2002, according to data released by the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry, but the market shrank about 8% to ¥128bn in 2007.
The recent popularity of beauty care lotions among younger Japanese women has made cosmetic companies more optimistic about this year’s sales, and a variety of lotions and essences have been launched claiming to restore the skin to good condition through whitening, moisturising and anti-ageing effects.
Whitening products appear to be leading the sector, gaining top place in the top ten sales ranking based on Nikkei point of sale data earlier this quarter, with Shiseido's whitening essence enjoying a comfortable lead, followed by moisturising and ultraviolet ray blocking products. The ranking included four facial whitening essences, with the Haku 2, a leading product in the Shiseido's Haku brand, taking the top spot with a near 10% market share. It is popular for its effectiveness in preventing the formation of melanin in skin cells (45g, ¥7,580). .
Max Factor SK-II Whitening Source, Derm Definition was third with a 5% market share. The product was based on findings that melanin is produced in skin cells when basement membranes between the outer and inner skin layers are damaged. It contains an ingredient that can restore damaged membrane cells. The company also claims the lotion helps regain skin firmness lost through drying or ageing because of this ability (150 ml bottle, ¥13,536). In fourth place Kanebo's Blanchir Whitening Conclusion lotion uses a whitening ingredient extracted from plants to curb production of an enzyme in melanin producing cells (40ml red bottle, ¥8,382). Sofina Memory White Medicated Whitening Essence from Kao was ranked eighth (30g, ¥4,649).
Moisturising products proved popular enough to place in the top ten, including Kao's Sofina Wrinkle Seraty Essence in second place, which contains an anti-wrinkle plant-based moisturiser and formulated to reduce the appearance of small facial wrinkles caused by ageing (25 ml bottle, ¥3,776). Kose's Moisture Skin Repair set came sixth and Infinity Moisture Concentrate seventh. Both brands were developed based on extracts from fermented rice to help enhance the skin's moisture retaining ability.
(¥103 = $1)